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Sowing for Autumn/Winter Harvests - toomanytommytoes - 21-08-2024
This is the guidance I use for when to sow things if I want to harvest during autumn and winter. It's a modified version of the chart from this page - https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/methods-tools-supplies/winter-growing-season-extension/winter-growing-guide-high-tunnel-scheduling.html
It's already too late for some crops like carrots, but there's plenty you can sow for harvesting over winter if you grow under cover. I don't grow everything on this chart e.g. minutina, cress or rocket.
The tiers separate crops by how reliable they are to grow during that part of the year, though I disagree with lettuce or chard being unreliable (yes, a lot of lettuce usually conks out from root rot some time in January/February, but chard is a trooper and carries on until April).
My ranking (from best to worst) would be: chard, spinach, parsley, kale, lettuce, claytonia, coriander, mizuna, mibuna, komatsuna, pak choi, tatsoi. Even the 'worst' crops still provide you with a decent harvest over winter, they just go to seed quickly if we have a warm February.
I've not yet managed to get spring onions to a reasonable size to harvest during winter, but varieties like Winter White Lisbon will stay outside happily through utterly rubbish weather and then provide you with excellent harvests in spring.
Parsley isn't on this chart, but I grow it and coriander in the greenhouse over winter very successfully.
Outdoors I only grow lamb's lettuce, spring cabbages, overwintering Japanese-type onions and spring onions.
RE: Sowing for Autumn/Winter Harvests - JJB - 21-08-2024
That's really useful TMTT thanks
RE: Sowing for Autumn/Winter Harvests - Small chilli - 21-08-2024
Very helpful. How do you do with aphids in a greenhouse over winter? I have a real problem with them over winter in the polytunnel if I grow anything. So I usually don’t bother. But I’d like to.
RE: Sowing for Autumn/Winter Harvests - JJB - 21-08-2024
I'm just too lazy to bother too much with winter veg but always feel guilty if I don't.
RE: Sowing for Autumn/Winter Harvests - Veggie - 21-08-2024
Thanks TMTT - Food for thought.
I grow various Oriental leaves, lettuce and rocket in the GH, most of which I leave to self seed (because I'm lazy!). I'm trying Tokyo Bekana this year, for the first time as I read an article somewhere about how versatile it is. Real Seeds call it Bekana. https://www.realseeds.co.uk/orientalgreens.html.
I have Vital Seeds Second Spring collection to play with too. https://vitalseeds.co.uk/product/winter-growing-second-spring-seed-collection/
I'll also be growing mangetout in the GH overwinter for an early harvest and some dwarf peas and pea shoots.
There's perennial kale and leeks in the garden and I use the Three cornered leeks instead of spring onions.
RE: Sowing for Autumn/Winter Harvests - toomanytommytoes - 21-08-2024
(21-08-2024, 04:01 PM)Small chilli Wrote: Very helpful. How do you do with aphids in a greenhouse over winter? I have a real problem with them over winter in the polytunnel if I grow anything. So I usually don’t bother. But I’d like to.Soap spray to knock the numbers down and stop them from getting out of control.
RE: Sowing for Autumn/Winter Harvests - JJB - 21-08-2024
(21-08-2024, 05:01 PM)Veggie Wrote: Thanks TMTT - Food for thought.
I grow various Oriental leaves, lettuce and rocket in the GH, most of which I leave to self seed (because I'm lazy!). I'm trying Tokyo Bekana this year, for the first time as I read an article somewhere about how versatile it is. Real Seeds call it Bekana. https://www.realseeds.co.uk/orientalgreens.html.
I have Vital Seeds Second Spring collection to play with too. https://vitalseeds.co.uk/product/winter-growing-second-spring-seed-collection/
I'll also be growing mangetout in the GH overwinter for an early harvest and some dwarf peas and pea shoots.
There's perennial kale and leeks in the garden and I use the Three cornered leeks instead of spring onions.
Don't mention overwintered MT! You don't want to upset an old lady. I had to Google Tokyo Bekhana.
RE: Sowing for Autumn/Winter Harvests - toomanytommytoes - 22-08-2024
(21-08-2024, 04:38 PM)JJB Wrote: I'm just too lazy to bother too much with winter veg but always feel guilty if I don't.Winter growing doesn't require much as attention as spring/summer, though. Watering is minimal and plants don't grow as quickly so it's easier to keep up with harvesting. Even if it's bad weather, the greenhouse protects you from the wind and rain. It's also better for the soil to have something growing in it all year round.