Libby
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Later Crops?I have just had a Dobies catalogue through and was looking at the late potatoes. The whole of my plot is mainly empty over winter, just cos I'm not organised enough so how successful are these?
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autumn planting onion sets, is there any difference in planting them in autumn to late spring?
and
They also had some over wintering cauliflower that can be cut in April. We are big cauli eaters and wondered how succesful these are?
any other suggestions?
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Kathy
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I've done parsnips over the winter, brussell sprouts are also a good one.
My purple sprouting brocoli was brilliant. First it got eaten by rabbits but there was enough of the plant left to come on. Then the pheasants had a nibble but I still got a good crop from February right through to 2 weeks ago.
I've not tried the cauliflower or the potatoes but I think Golden wonders are a good late one.
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Becki
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I think with BF's appetite you'd better get going Libby 
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lloyd
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Planting in Autumn gives them a head start. They go dormant in winter, but start again in Spring at more advanced stages, leading to earlier productivity. Late spuds should be good, also as winter crops why not do brassicas, (cabbage, cale, sprouts, leeks, onions, and maybe some hardy spinach?....With te correct varieties al should over winter well, and are mutually beneficial too for companion planting.
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Libby
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So I presume, as they are planted august timish they won't be hit by the cabbage whites etc?
We love brocolli and Kurly Kale too!
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Lizzie
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We bought some of the late potato tubers last year and ate them, more or less freshly dug, on Christmas day! They were very nice, but not particularly heavy cropping. We usually plant garlic in the autumn I think....
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lloyd
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Garlic is best after the first frost. Whilst I think of it, you could do succession planting of peas until quite late into Autumn too, I believe?
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nanny-now and forever
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i know that you can plant alderman peas right to the end of june but i didn't know about autumn peas
are there fewer slugs in the autumn then?
that has to be an advantage if nothing else is......
never tried autumn onions either....do you have to cloche them>
could i put them outside up here where we are do you think....
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Libby
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Thats the sort of questions I wanted to know nanny! I hope someone is on here whose done this before!!!
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lloyd
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With our weird climatic changes, I think the rules are all being rewritten.
I'c cloche the onions certainly, Nanny you NEED a polytunnel!!!!
Garlic just goes dormant in the coldest spell, brussells and cabbages and caulis come in frost hardy varieties, some onion strains are too. Our spinach is a hardy perennial too, which is nice. If you snap the spines of the leaves every centimetre or so, you can wrap them round pigeon breasts with garlic crumbed butter and steam them.
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nanny-now and forever
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| lloyd wrote: | With our weird climatic changes, I think the rules are all being rewritten.
I'c cloche the onions certainly, Nanny you NEED a polytunnel!!!!
Garlic just goes dormant in the coldest spell, brussells and cabbages and caulis come in frost hardy varieties, some onion strains are too. Our spinach is a hardy perennial too, which is nice. If you snap the spines of the leaves every centimetre or so, you can wrap them round pigeon breasts with garlic crumbed butter and steam them. |
no i don't-i have 2 greenhouses...bearing in mind the winds we get up here, it is hard enough to keep them fixed to the ground, a poly tunnel would be in the next county
can't i put some in pots or something in one of them?
my garlic wot i put in last october is looking good now
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Cabbagepatch
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what with global warming, are we following advice that isn't really up to date any more?
just a thought, what happens if we plant seeds outside of the recommended time slot? how crucial is it to stick to the recommendations given? has anyone just done their own thing and had good results?
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nanny-now and forever
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up here i am sewing seed later than it says in hopes that we will have one of those indian summers that people talk about
the seasons seem to get later and later and the temperatures don't seem to get so cold so quickly and yet we have chilly evenings even now....only supposed to be about 6 or 7 tonight and it was very nearly down to freezing one night last week
i suppose you could say it is more temperate then?
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Kathy
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I'm always late with everything and get good crops (when small creatures don't eat them), I rarely do what I'm told!
I have done late peas in the past, sowed them about the end of July and got a good crop, it tells you on the packet which ones are suitable for this. I'm going to do it this year again.
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lloyd
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| Libby wrote: | | I hope someone is on here whose done this before!!! |
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Libby
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| lloyd wrote: | | Libby wrote: | | I hope someone is on here whose done this before!!! |
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Is that a yes you've done it before look Lloyd? 
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lloyd
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A lot but not all of the above CP and I do every year. Not tried late peas yet though, and the Japanese winter onions were unimpressive.
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nanny-now and forever
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ah that tells me not to bother with the winter onions then.....
i don't do things the same every year either
a lot of it is just that you feel that it is time to put the seeds in, don't know why, just feels right so you do it
i am having trouble adjusting to this climate though.....
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Libby
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So it looks like potatoes are a definate yes.
Onions are iffy!
Any feelings on cauli, cabbage brocolli etc?
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Kathy
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Purple sprouting brocoli is a must Libby, haven't done caulis or cabbage. 
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Libby
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Quite looking forward to this. One thing we all forgot................ leeks and have you planted your parsnips, they overwinter well too! Is it too late to plant parsnips do you think??
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Kathy
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I've only just done my parsnips, leek plants went in a couple of weeks ago.
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lloyd
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Our leeks and parsnips CP grew from seed and they went in the plot I think, about late April.
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Libby
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Well I shall plant some and see how they go. They have two chances don't they!!!
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nanny-now and forever
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i tried parsnips and got nowhere
the slugs have had my second sewing of carrots as well as taking out one or two of my sprout plants, mr nanny will not be pleased if he doesn't have 2 tons of sprouts for the dreaded season in december
might improve however as he has bought me some of that copper tape to put round the raised beds
anybody ever used it and is it worth the money?
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lloyd
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Nanny, they hate copper.
Try again with parsnips, and put each seedling plug into an old bogroll set in compost, so they can grow down the roll without being eaten by slugs below the surface. Leave an inch of roll above the soil to deter the buggers too, and scatter cat litter (fullers earth) around as slugs as muscelids hate drying out, and that's what cat litter does.
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nanny-now and forever
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| lloyd wrote: | Nanny, they hate copper.
Try again with parsnips, and put each seedling plug into an old bogroll set in compost, so they can grow down the roll without being eaten by slugs below the surface. Leave an inch of roll above the soil to deter the buggers too, and scatter cat litter (fullers earth) around as slugs as muscelids hate drying out, and that's what cat litter does. |
good advice but with the coppe tape, would i need to do all that?
my loo rolls are ear-marked for the leeks when they go in
mind you till it stops raining i can't do anything......
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Libby
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| lloyd wrote: |
Leave an inch of roll above the soil to deter the buggers too, and scatter cat litter (fullers earth) around as slugs as muscelids hate drying out, and that's what cat litter does. |
I like this idea thanks LLoyd, will give it a go!!!
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nanny-now and forever
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the rain stopped today so i was out there putting my copper tape round 2 of the plots, the brassica beds have taken a pounding so it was them first
managed to cut my fingers on the stuff several times, it is sharp and it's like getting paper cuts all over your hands....still 2 down only 4 to go
take that you miserable slugs!!!!!!!!
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Libby
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Go for it Nanny!!!!
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lloyd
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Fish was round today and also advocates dipping peas and beans in paraffin to keep slugs away, so I eat my words. 
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Libby
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Thought I'd resurect (sp) this again as I bought my garlic and autumn planting onion sets. Done the garlic before but never done the onion sets, thought I'd give them a go. Make use of the plot over winter.
I never got any brocolli in or sprouts  might see what I can pick up on Ebay.
To be honest it is to late to plant lots of things but our weather nowadays is all over the show, so I have decided it has 2 chances to live or die! I will note what is successful and try again next year.
Bit like my tropical plants, pushing the boundaries!!!
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Kathy
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I've got some winter Borecole in and my sweetcorn is still ripening! I'm not a seasoned gardener but things have been a bit funny this year. I think sprouting brocoli might work Libby if you can get plants in now.
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Flowerlady
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| lloyd wrote: | | Fish was round today and also advocates dipping peas and beans in paraffin to keep slugs away, so I eat my words. |
This year I used a 6ft piece of guttering to start off my pease, to combar Br Big Ears (my local friendly mouse) and have to say thta I achieve almost 100% germination every time!
To transfer to the plot, soak the peas in the guttering, create an equivalent trench in the gound and just slip the whole lot into place! Worked a treat! 
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lloyd
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Flo, if we plant peas now, is it too late?
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Flowerlady
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Not at all! Though I suppose it will depend which end of the country you are?
Traditionally hardy peas to overwinter for a late spring crop are sown 'in situ' from mid- late autumn ... (that's Oct & Nov.) in a sheltered spot or under a cloche (I use fleece)
Peas that are Earlies mature 11-12wks, 2nd earlies 12-13wks, and maincrop 13-14wks.
As 1sts - I have grown Meteor and Feltham Firsts, these are a shorter sturdier type, and often do not need a huge amount of support.
For 2nds - Early Onward, and a petit pois Waverex
Mains I would always do Hurst Greenshaft
However these days there are a whole host of different varieties, and there are always great instructions on the back of the packets! 
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lloyd
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Excellent. We have some Meteor left, thanks!
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agapanthus
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| nanny wrote: | ah that tells me not to bother with the winter onions then.....
i don't do things the same every year either
a lot of it is just that you feel that it is time to put the seeds in, don't know why, just feels right so you do it
i am having trouble adjusting to this climate though..... |
Don't give up on overwintering onions..please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They grow really well in the wintertime....this gives them a good amount of time to get their roots together!!! Also, don't cover them!!!!!!!!!! They need the cold....as do garlic planted at this time. A tip I've learned recently is to plant the onions on a small mound ifd your ground is prone to lots of water! Please give them a try
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Libby
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I bought onion sets and garlic the other day, like the bubblewrapping of my greehouse I really have got to get going!!!!
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agapanthus
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| Libby wrote: | | I bought onion sets and garlic the other day, like the bubblewrapping of my greehouse I really have got to get going!!!! |
That's great Libby!!!
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Flowerlady
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| agapanthus wrote: |
Don't give up on overwintering onions please!!!!! They grow really well in the winter time .... |
Have to agree with this I am delighted to say I managed to find some red Electic as well as white Radar. Although folk always say reds don't do so well through the winter, I have (so far) never found that!
The other things that always makes me smile is that I'm told they don't keep as well as the summer ones. However, I've always eaten mine before I could find out!
In my first year of plotting I actually grew summer onions Red Baron and Sturon ! But a terrific harvest!!
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Libby
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| Flowerlady wrote: |
Although folk always say reds don't do so well through the winter, I have (so far) never found that!
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Really  wow, well will have to try some reds over winter then so basically just shove them in and leave them, no fleece no nothing?
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Flowerlady
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I only use fleece for a very short while ... stops the sky rats hoiking them out again before teier little roots take hold!!
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