Things are starting to change again in the Pick Cook and Eat Garden. With the turn of the season comes a whole new realm of gardening jobs. The last of the spuds have been lifted, the cabbages, leeks and turnips are making their way to the kitchen, we’re coming to the end of the beans, the squash have finally ripened and gaps have appeared in the beds. Many gardeners I know will be thinking about putting their veg gardens to bed in the not too distant future, and I understand that completely, stripping the last of the crops and applying mulch before rushing home to hunker down in the warm, emerging only when the spring flowers start to appear. There’s something very appealing about it, I think I am probably not too distantly related to the hedgehop because as soon as the Autumn Equinox is upon us and our hours of daylight begin to diminish, the call of hot cocoa, bed socks and early nights becomes almost irresistible to me.
However, I cannot roll into a ball and slip beneath the covers until spring. Modern life will not accommodate my hibernation and so I have to stay productive, and the best way I have found of keeping spirits high and maintaining motivation while the sun bids farewell, is to keep on growing. And so, an empty space doesn’t remain an empty space for long, here's a rundown of things we’re growing now and what I suggest you give a go too.
Cabbages; A few weeks ago, while the rain hammered on the greenhouse roof, I sowed a few cabbages. Wheelers Imperial is a good one for sowing late, right up until the end of October even, and now mine have four good leaves they’re ready to be transplanted into the veg garden. These are hardy little plants and will be absolutely fine throughout the winter, giving you a wonderfully early crop next year. Sowing them at this time of year also relieves you of the stress of Cabbage White butterflies, so all being well, no netting required (unless you have a pigeon problem).
Winter purlsane; A more unusual one for you, but brilliant if you miss the fresh juicy crunch of salads over the winter months, it’s a small plant with tiny white flowers and a good one to grow inbetween your cabbages as a catch crop.
Winter Garlic and Onion sets; There are numerous varieties you can sow right now, Elephant Gralic being just one of them. They won’t take up much space either and so I’ve interplanted ours with violas, to brighten up the plot and help protect the surface of the soil. Nancy will also be picking these little blooms all winter to decorate desserts and cocktails. Keep an eye on your sets while they start to put roots down though, the birds have a habit of putting them up. If you notice one has gone astray, just pop it back in position or cover them with a little horticultural fleece until they’ve rooted.
Broad Beans; Spring being one of the busiest times of year, if I can get one job out of the way well in advance I will. Broad beans can be sown directly into the ground right now. I however will be starting them off in pots in our greenhouse. Our regular Students from Horizons college will be along shortly to help me with this job. It’s a nice one to do in the greenhouse on a rainy day.
Lettuce; You might be surprised to hear that there are also many leafy crops that still do well during the cold months. Winter Density and Mitzuna can be sown directly or in trays before being planted out now and all the way throughout winter. If the weather gets really horrible a little horticultural fleece, or netting might be helpful.
And there are plenty more jobs too; mulching, collecting leaves, tidying the greenhouse, cutting hazel, planting bulbs…the list goes on. So maybe I am less hedgehog than I thought, frost sweetend parsnips, watching the brussel sprouts swell and the birds pick seeds from the remaining sunflower heads, it’s all just too good to miss.
