With your summer vegetables coming to an end, or if you did not get round to growing any this lock down, don’t worry. There are lots of vegetables you can sow and plant now, to give you fresh pickings all through autumn and winter.
These are all quicker growing crops that can be sown now, and many are very hardy, needing only a little protection from the worst of the weather.
Spinach
Being able to survive frost and winter rain, spinach will give you pickings in autumn, winter and March.
Where to grow: Ground, pot, unheated greenhouse.
How to grow: Sow in early September into modules or small indoor pots. If growing outside make sure you protect from slugs and pigeons by seeding in a high space and covering with netting.
Varieties: Medania, Early prickly seeded, Giant winter, Samish, Apollo
Oriental Leaves
These fast growing salad leaves tolerate cool, wet conditions and give you a healthy picking in autumn and next spring.
Where to grow: Ground, pot, unheated greenhouse.
How to grow: Sow in early September into modules or small pots to keep the seeds away from slugs. Protect the plants with a cloche or grow in an unheated greenhouse.
Varieties: Mustard, Mizuna, Pak Choi
Garlic
For fast tasty summer bulbs, plant in autumn. Most varieties need a period of cold temperatures.
Where to grow: In the ground or in a large pot.
How to grow: Only buy prepared bulbs from seed suppliers or garden centres. Give the sunniest spot you can, break the bulbs into cloves, and plant pointed end upwards, directly in the ground or if you have heavy soil, in modules. If you have no space in the ground, plant three cloves in a pot 30cm wide and 30cm deep. Plant Oct-Jan.
Varieties: Carcassonne Wight (hardneck), Solent Wight (softnecks)
Spring cabbages
This vegetable can give you leaves for picking as spring greens in March, or hearts in April.
Where to grow: In the ground
How to grow: When growing from seeds, you must sow by the end of August, under cover, in order to plant out in September-October. If you choose to skip the seeding, you can buy young plants in garden centers. Plant these deep enough that the whole stem is buried in well. Use a netting to protect from pigeons.
Varieties: Durham Early, Pyramid, Hispanic, Spring Hero
Rocket
These herbs will give you peppery pickings throughout autumn and winter, and may also put on new growth next spring.
Where to grow: In the ground, in a pot or in an heated greenhouse
How to grow: For pickings though autumn and winter, sow salad rockets in late august or early September. Sow direct into the ground or in modules for later planting in the ground. Protect from rabbits and wet weather using cloches, or grow in a greenhouse.
Varieties: Salad rocket
Lettuces
Lettuce is hardier than often given credit, with winter varieties able to tolerate cold and will be ready to harvest in spring.
Where to grow: In the ground, in a pot or in an unheated greenhouse
How to grow: Seeds are best sown in modules or small pots indoors, to keep seedlings out of reach of slugs. Plant out, into the ground or in a pot, spacing them close than you would for summer lettuces, as they will grow slowly and this crop will need to supply you until spring.
Varieties: Valdor, Marcel of four seasons, Grenoble red, winter density
Broad Beans
Broad beans are a must as early as may for delicious beans. + if started early, you miss the worst of the black fly and chocolate spot.
Where to grow: In the ground
How to grow: Sow undercover in February’s or direct in march-may, but harvest will be later. Don’t forget to stake the plants as they grow. In southerly gardens with free-draining soil, sow direct October/ November.
Varieties: Aquadulce Claudia, The Sutton
Coriander
Perfect for stews and curries, the coriander can give pungent leaves if protected correctly from the frost.
Where to grow: In a pot, Unheated greenhouse
How to grow: Coriander tends to bolt if it's transplanted, so sow the seeds where you want them to grow. It is frost tender, so in winter months it needs to be in either a frost free greenhouse or on a window seal indoors. Can grow well in pots or in broader soil. Keep damp to limit chances of bolting.
Varieties: Cruiser
Salad onions
Salad or spring onions will overwinter to give you harvests in April next year.
Where to grow: In the ground, in a pot or in an unheated greenhouse
How to grow: Sow either directly into the ground or in a pot. Best to keep outdoors due to the seeds being unable to germinate in temperatures above 20 degrees. Use a new packet of seeds, as they dont last long.
Varieties: White Lisbon winter hardy, Ishikura, guardsman.
Let us know what you plan on growing and how it all goes!