According to the National Trust, there is an ever increasing demand for allotments in the UK. Recent years have witnessed a rise in interest in organic produce, with customers wanting to know exactly what goes into the food they eat. Combine this with the economic pressures of the recession and the resurgence of home growing vegetables is perhaps unsurprising. Growing produce yourself can be healthier, save you money and reduce your carbon footprint. With autumn around the corner, it may seem too late to make a start on an edible garden. There are, however, a number of vegetables that can continue to thrive throughout the autumn and winter months. With a little know-how it is possible to create an impressive winter vegetable patch.
Preparing the Soil
Before planting any vegetables for winter or spring, the soil needs to be prepared. In late summer and autumn, special care should be taken with heavy clay soils, which need to be turned over to avoid becoming waterlogged. This also buries and kills weeds to clear the ground for a new rotation of plants.
Crop Rotation
Even in smaller sized vegetable patches, you should avoid planting in the same position year after year. Planting vegetables in the same spot creates two undesirable effects. Firstly, the nutrients in the soil will become unbalanced and this will hinder growth. Secondly, diseases and pests that thrive on a particular plant will accumulate in one area of your vegetable patch.
Broad Beans
Broad beans are perfect for autumn planting. In the South of the UK you should not plant them before November otherwise they become too soft, making them susceptible to frost.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb can be forced through the winter. Cover with a bucket or other waterproof container and cover this with straw or compost. Within around six weeks the forced rhubarb will be ready for harvesting, though it will have a pink rather than red colour.
Celery
Surprisingly, when planted earlier in the year celery can be harvested any time from mid September to early February if not hindered by hard frost.
Other
Parsnips, leeks and cabbages can also survive the winter if treated with the necessary care. Generally speaking, root vegetables are able to withstand the cold climate more successfully. Greenhouses are useful for trapping heat. If there is no room or budget for a greenhouse then cloches can provide a cheaper alternative. For a recycling approach, cut plastic bottles in two and use them to cover plants exposed to the winter weather. It is worth investing in a good set of gardening tools including forks, trowels and rakes from a retailer such as www.tool-net.co.uk. Alternatively, numerous tools can be combined in multipurpose, or MultiMaster tools, which can prove an efficient alternative. Given a small amount of knowledge, planning and equipment it is possible to grow your own vegetables to be eaten throughout the year.
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