You’d be forgiven for thinking that the winter garden must be a barren place; not much to offer in the way of harvests. Yet besides winter-hardy crops like leeks, Brussels sprouts, and cabbages, it is possible to pick your own delicious green salads through much of the cold season. (See pages 46-49 for more potential late crops to sow now.)
It is true to say that it can be difficult to make things grow through the cold winter months and the trick is to get plants well established by the autumn so that they can tick over, preferably under the protection of a cloche, cold frame or cold greenhouse, until needed or to grow on slowly ready for an early harvest in the spring.
Winter lettuce is one such crop and it is important to choose the right variety, since while some summer types might survive a relatively mild winter undercover (last year I grew a packet of mixed lettuce that included ‘Webb’s Wonderful’ and ‘Lollo Rossa’ through the winter), they may not survive the coldest of cold winter spells. More likely the damp conditions might cause them to rot.
Winter hardy varieties, of which there are many (see favourite variety choice on facing page) are more tolerant to the cold and damp and are much more likely to not just survive but to provide some lovely healthy leaves when little else is available.
SOWING
You can sow your winter crop at any time during August and September. The earlier the better to allow them time to establish before the shorter, colder days of autumn and early winter put an end to growth.
Seeds can be sown thinly into a well prepared, sheltered seedbed outside where they are to grow or in a cold frame for transplanting later. I like to sow mine as I do all year in cell trays for planting out later with as little root disturbance as possible.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2020 من Kitchen Garden.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2020 من Kitchen Garden.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
EASY DOES IT!
As the growing season gathers pace there's one thing often in short supply: time! Ever feel like you're chasing your tail? Benedict Vanheems offers some tips to save valuable time and effort
A NEW Kitchen garden!
It's time for sowing and planting in the new garden and while Martin is busy with that, Jill is making a tasty asparagus soup
OUR PLOTTER OF THE MONTH
Kitchen Garden readers rose to the challenge when we asked for pictures of their plots to appear in the magazine this year. It's time to meet another of our talented competition winners
MANAGING WEEDS, NATURALLY
Weeds are never far away but you can keep them at bay without recourse to weedkillers
Meet the apple doctor
KG editor Steve Ott chats to Glyn Smith, head gardener for the National Trust's Erddig estate in Wrexham, about his career and love of the garden he has tended for 38 years
A CORNUCOPIA OF COURGETTES
It's time to sow a first batch of tender crops such as courgettes for picking through the summer months. KG editor Steve Ott has some tips for a super harvest
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT CURRANTS
you If I want to plant some soft fruit that is easy to grow and will give you plenty of flavour, how about trying currants?
TRY AMARANTH! The dual-purpose veg
Garden Organic's research manager Anton Rosenfeld extols the virtues of amaranth and how to grow it
A SPACE APART
Instagrammer James Martin shares his love of gardening and how much it has helped him and his family both mentally and physically under very difficult circumstances
HITTING THE SWEET SPOT
Welcome to the wonderful world of sweetcorn as Rob Smith takes a look at both old and newer varieties, with some growing advice too