Eden Project

Winter planting

The beauty of winter veg is that it gives you something to harvest through the depths and darks of the winter months. Read on for hints and tips on what you can be growing now!

• “Cut and come again” winter salad leaves like rocket, mustards and oriental leaf salads

Sow a 5cm width row of seeds and use them when they’re just big enough to harvest. The lettuces might need some protection from the cold, but most other leaves should be fine.  They can keep going all throughout the winter. “Cut and come again” salad mixes have become really popular – within 3-4 weeks you can have something to harvest. And you can sow all year round.

• Weeds, weeds, weeds

Don’t dig up your dandelions – harvest and eat them! Add something different  to a mixed salad – dandelions, chickweed, fat hen, different types of sorrel and shepherd’s purse all make unusual ingredients. But remember, be careful to only eat what you know, and to only eat a small amount, some  weeds have chemicals in which you can’t eat in large quantities.

• Chard, chicory, endives

Buy these from a nursery as it’s too late to plant seeds. Rainbow chard makes a wonderful ornamental crop too.

• Peas and beans

It’s a perfect time to get your broad beans in the ground. And some of the autumn varieties of peas, like Feltham First and Douce Provence, are really good ones for growing this time of year. They might need a bit of protection from the weather and hungry mice.

• Garlic and onions (from sets)

Buy specific autumn onion varieties – and harvest in the summer. Pop your onion sets in the ground four inches apart – the same with garlic. The only thing you’ve got to be a little careful with is to plant them the right way up and keep an eye out for hungry birds!

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Food, Horticulture, Ideas, Inspiration