winter gardening

[mullein2]

i need some help ..i am into organic food in a big way and i have a vegetable plot which is fairly large it has pumpkins and sweetcorn on it at the moment and capegooseberrys..well i was wondering what i could grow on it during the winter to provide some organic veg to use in the winter? i allready have leeks growing but i guess i could get some more going..also i have an unheated greenhouse that is up a south facing house wall so that could also be filled with something...the question is what?  as i dont normally grow anything in thewinter except leeks..any help will be appreciated..

[Clanad]

Depending on your climate, you could probably grow a number of different root crops... Carrots do well as do turnips...  Even if it gets fairly cold, you can grow a fall crop of carrots and leave them in the ground to harvest throughout the winter... We get -20F here in the western U.S., but still have carrots until late December.  If you can't use them all at once, harvest them and lay them in  a cool place between layers of damp sand (we use an inexpensive plastic picnic cooler).  They'll keep fresh all winter...Good luck!

[mullein2]

clanad..i am in the uk in the central region..and we do get some cold weather and you cant ever say if its going to be cold or not here..we allways get frost..my worst enemy is the wind as i have open fields at the rear..so it can blow a gale..it blew my greenhouse away twice..so now i have it up a house wall..and the one i have now is not as good as the ones i lost..as i was fed up of paying for good greenhouses just to loose them..i shall definately keep root crops in mind..in fact i need to move fast and decide what i shall grow and get it started in the greenhouse while its still warm..

[woofgang]

winter radishes, a fave of mine

[Clanad]

mullein2, don't try to start carrots in the greenhouse (sympathy for your loss, by the way), just plant them anytime now.  We usually try to plant them by the 1'st of September for a late October to early November harvest... again, best of luck... I've not tried woofgang's radishes... they do grow fast and like cool weather though...

[mullein2]

clanad..thanks i will get some carrot seed the end of the week and get some going outside..i may also look at some winter cabbage seeds..i bet its awfull living in -20f ..i dont think we go much below -9f ..i havnt grown anything in the winter before i normally take a rest but i got this wild thought of providing fresh food in the winter..i shall be blackberry picking shortly and wine making ..and jam making...then i have the greenhouse which is really sheltered so i shall look at some salad leaves ..all i need now is a few hens and a cow..and i will be self sufficient..

[greenfingers]

The problem with  growing most plants during the winter  will be the diminished light levels, but theres no reason why you shouldn't try a few experiments.