Winter sowing advice. Wanting to get a head start for a productive garden next year.

Jjah

Hi all,
I'm an average gardener with a fairly productive large garden but I really want to get ahead for early produce next year.

I still have chard, sorrel, kale, perennial spinach and a modest 2 collard green plants to fill up this hungry gap of winter but it's now all very slow growing.

I cleaned out my unheated and draughty greenhouse a few days ago and thought it may be worthwhile trying out various leftover seed packs in trays to see if it produces stronger plants as they will overwinter.

What have you greenfingered  peeps had success with?

I'm determined to get more back garden produce in 2021 so am eager to hear any tips.

Thank youuuuuu

RAS

 Do you have any winter lettuce seed? If so, you might start them indoors and see how they go when transplanted. We actually had Winter Imperial outside on a south-facing slope last year and harvested until lockdown, when we could no longer get there. Also, mizuna, rocket, endive, chicory did well although the frilly mustards ran to seed by then.

One of Jo Maiden's tricks was to plant peas or mangetout in a hanging basket suspended from the roof out of rodent reach. Not a huge harvest but a tasty addition.

I sowed leeks (Blue Solaise) around New Year. They did well but many bolted in October, after too many mock springs. Worth for an early harvest as long as you sow a second batch for winter harvesting.

Jjah

Awesome reply!!!!
I have sown lettuce in a newly made cold frame along with spinach.  They were just leftovers from the 29p packs from Lidl last year.  I don't think they are winter variety.  I just figured it doesn't hurt to try. 

Funnily enough, I have Mizuna seeds in my eBay basket.  I'm a greens smoothie addict and have never tried Mizuna before but I read that they do well on a heirloom site ...but the seeds were cheaper on eBay.  The same site mentioned  komatsuna too so they are also in my basket

I've just come in soaked from using the last of my compost in trays.  Mustard, coriander and fennel seeds from my larder cupboard have just been sown as an experiment to see if they will take.    I have a good deal of other dried seeds and legumes I want to try when I get more compost.  I have the whole other length of  the greenhouse staging to fill now it's cleaned out. 

I want as many baby greens as I can have through spring til things start growing again.

The hanging basket idea is inspired!!!! :
Thanks for that!!!!

Leeks I've never tried so I'll look out for seeds.  

It's soooo hard to be patient waiting for aldi and Lidl to do the seeds in March.  

Apodemus

Of course a lot will depend on where you are in the country.  I was in the "deep south" last Christmas (well, Hereford actually) and at one point had a lovely nap in a south-facing corner of a walled-garden, surrounded by the buzzing of insects - wouldn't like to try that in my garden, five hundred miles further north!

I have, however, had success starting Romaine lettuce in seed trays in February and planting out in March.

Jjah

Apodemus said:

Of course a lot will depend on where you are in the country.  I was in the "deep south" last Christmas (well, Hereford actually) and at one point had a lovely nap in a south-facing corner of a walled-garden, surrounded by the buzzing of insects - wouldn't like to try that in my garden, five hundred miles further north!

I have, however, had success starting Romaine lettuce in seed trays in February and planting out in March.

I'm bang in the middle.  Not the best of weather here but we do well for rain

RAS

So probably on par with me, but the other side of the Pennines. Give you an idea what's compatible.

Jjah

RAS said:

So probably on par with me, but the other side of the Pennines. Give you an idea what's compatible.

I dont think I'll be taking any naps outside for a while though

It's good to know you too have had success with winter sown lettuce

DiggerUK

We had good onion crops this year. Very pleasing, especially as it was the first time we had used seed, we planted them in the glasshouse at the end of December, red, white and huge.
That, together with over wintered onion and garlic, meant we have been completely self sufficient in onions and garlic. We are even now trying to source garlic seed to see what happens.

Don't forget to put some sweet peas in the glasshouse too.

For the second year running our leeks bolted, in November!!!.....Marlborough; took us by surprise as we usually crop them overwinter and in to the new year. We shall be changing our leek seed to try and remedy the problem..._

edit, we are as near to the west middle as anybody, a very wet piddle today..._

Jjah

DiggerUK said:

We had good onion crops this year. Very pleasing, especially as it was the first time we had used seed, we planted them in the glasshouse at the end of December, red, white and huge.
That, together with over wintered onion and garlic, meant we have been completely self sufficient in onions and garlic. We are even now trying to source garlic seed to see what happens.

Don't forget to put some sweet peas in the glasshouse too.

For the second year running our leeks bolted, in November!!!.....Marlborough; took us by surprise as we usually crop them overwinter and in to the new year. We shall be changing our leek seed to try and remedy the problem..._

edit, we are as near to the west middle as anybody, a very wet piddle today..._

Woohoo! I have onion seeds leftover!
I'll be doing that immediately.

Where did you obtain your garlic? My garlic bulbs aren't viable.  Did you just buy organic bulbs to try?

Davesnave

I'm in Devon and have winter lettuce mix, mizuna and komatsuna recently germinated in the polytunnel. The mizuna and komatsuna are v e r y slow, but doing OK and quite a few of the lettuces have just faded away. Some lettuces which might be Black Seeded Simpson are OKish, but unlikely to be harvestable for ages.

This is roughly what I'd expect given the temperatures, day length and light levels. I should have got the seeds in much sooner. Other salad plants  I sowed earlier are doing fine, so I'm harvesting cut & come again greens + lettuce + land cress and sorrel every week. Established plants can just about hang on in there till they're picked. Even the chillies, protected when necessary by fleece, are doing OK, but will probably go down with mildew after Christmas.

I won't bother planting any more seeds till February. It will just result in scrawny seedlings. We haven't really had much in the way of frost yet either. Of course we might get very little, but we always have some here at 500'.

Jjah

Awesome, Davesnave
I have poly tunnel envy! 

I'm glad you have the Mizuna and komatsuna growing.  I can't wait to try them.  Growing AND eating, that is. I have a large quantity of seeds of both on their way so I'll be trying a few immediately as a test to see.

I figured that nature doesn't follow the seed directions on a packet and they take when they are good and ready, usually after the adversity of a cold spell in the ground.  I know the success rates are likely to be a low fraction of what is sown but the greenhouse was lying neglected and dormant with only the remnants of rotting grapes and vineleaves so at least it is being put to use.

Speaking of vineleaves, I have kept them in the greenhouse as when I was clearing out, I noticed a huge quantity of ladybirds using them as a shelter so I didn't want to hurt them.  I had to rescue what I could from the compost bin as they appeared from nowhere.

I'm impressed that you still have chillies!!!!!  

I couldn't find compost in wilko, home bargains or b&m today so need to go b&q tomorrow as I still gave half a greenhouse left to put to use.

I decided to use my fenugreek seeds and nigella sativa too from my larder cupboard as I know they are viable because I sprout them.

I'm so glad I got my mojo back

It normally kicks in when the shops are stocked in feb/mar.  All it took was a greenhouse clearout and the uncertainty of supermarket produce supplies to make me want to take things up a notch