A gardener’s work is never done, so why shouldn’t we be rewarded with tasty crops all year round? When I think ahead, I think of cosy nights in front of the log burner with a cup of delicious hot chocolate topped with perfectly whipped cream, feet up and scouring the Thompson & Morgan (slightly biased) catalogue with pure delight and excitement. But what better way to top that than being able to harvest your own winter veg?

 

Whilst there are plenty of vegetables you can harvest over winter, you will need to be organised late spring/summer and already planting your winter vegetables outdoors. There are crops that you can sow and grow over winter for a much earlier crop than spring plantings, but I will come onto that in a bit.

winter vegetables

Over winter you can harvest mouth-watering parsnips, carrots, savoy cabbage and the vegetable that splits the nation, brussels sprouts! Parsnips will need to be sown from mid-spring to early summer as soon as the ground is workable. Carrots can be direct sown between March and July depending on your variety. Top Tip: If growing carrots, make sowings of mint or spring onion nearby this will deter carrot fly. If you haven’t already thought about your winter harvest then make note now so that next year you can be showing off your home grown veg at Christmas dinner.

 

What can you sow in winter?

Most winter vegetable plants are fully hardy and will cope well with cold winter weather, but if hard frosts threaten then you can always throw some fleece across them to provide some extra protection. Most can be planted or sown directly outdoors to ensure that your winter vegetable garden is fully stocked.

winter vegetablesGarlic – Growing garlic couldn’t be easier and there are lots of varieties to choose from for autumn planting. Like onions, they have a long growing season and won’t be ready to harvest until next summer, but it is well worth the wait!

Spring Onion – Winter hardy varieties of Spring onion make a tasty accompaniment to winter salads. They are a fairly quick growing crop and early autumn sowings should be ready to harvest by early spring. Spring Onion ‘White Lisbon’ is a popular and reliable winter hardy variety.

Asparagus – If you have plenty of space then why not plant a permanent asparagus bed this autumn.  Although asparagus beds take several years to establish, each asparagus crown can produce up to 25 spears per year and will continue cropping for 25 years. You will need to be patient with this crop as it will be 2 years before you can harvest them properly.

 

Wasabi rocket – This exclusive variety is perfect for windowsill growing. Wasabi Rocket can be harvested as a baby leaf within weeks of sowing or left to mature into a full leaf alongside your cut and come again salad varieties

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