Early Autumn Garden Planting

Throughout September, I've been looking at my plans and taking advantage of free P&P from some of the seed companies, specifically T&M in this case.  I'm super excited to receive my seeds that I'll be getting sown through September.

Whilst researching I came across a variety of spinach called Giant Winter which I can't wait to see growing.  It is expected to reach maturity in just 50 days and is specifically for growing over winter.  In fact you shouldn't sow this variety in Spring as it will bolt.  It's also an heirloom variety meaning I could keep my own seed from it.  Culinary wise it can be used for baby leaves or cooked once mature.  

We use spinach a lot, in salads, soups, smoothies, stews and stir fries so it is something I would love to grow all year round instead of getting a pack from Aldi every week.  I am also planning on growing perpetual spinach which is an old favourite and a reliable all year round variety according to the source of Google!  I'll try some in the polytunnel and see how I get on, maybe putting some in and out to compare?

Mixed salad leaves are another vegetable we use daily, combined with the spinach.  I have to be careful not to run out as we do have a lot of it, which is the case right now actually.  There's lots of varieties that you can choose from year round, however I'm going to try a few different ones and will report back!  In the photo below you can see I've multi sown radish and just off the shot are peas which I hope to overwinter.

This weekend saw me spending a good few hours in the polytunnel stripping it of the tomatoes that were in there, taking all of the tomatoes off them meaning I have zillions of green tomatoes now.  I did a little video on it here if you'd like to see.

Take care everyone, lots of things going on in the world so take care of your own little world.

Rhubarb, peas, kale, spinach, PSB, onions & garlic

I had a little mooch around the veg plot mid week.  Something I haven't been able to do through November and December as it's been dark by the time I get home and have rode the horses.  I love that it is lighter for longer, each day we're getting a minute or two in our favour.  Spring will be here before we know it so let's not waste a moment.
I covered some rhubarb up with a bin to try and force it through but I only did this mid January.  It's slowly making it's way quicker than the other plants of the same variety but the difference is minimal and to be fair, you struggle to see it in the centre of this photo.

However the 2 early varieties that I bought last year are flying up, and they haven't been covered by anything.  So maybe I cover those two next year instead.

Early variety of rhubarb flying up

Showing both early plants.

I had wanted to move these 2 early varieties as I was planning on using the bed they are in as a full strawberry bed.  Does anyone know if I can still move them, now they are growing?  Do they need to move when dormant?

My Purple Sprouting Broccoli is not doing much.  Looks like slugs have been having a feed on it already.  Presumable with the mild winter they are coming out of dormancy?

Onions and garlic are showing.  There's red and white onions here.  I have more onion seeds that I didn't plant left over.  I wonder if I can put them in.  Garlic too actually.  I don't suppose it'd hurt to find out.

Last night I sowed some peas in drain pipes.  These are twinkle variety, to be sown February onwards.  I am using a method that I saw on notjustgreenfingers blog when she was still posting.  Incidentally, I hope she picks up the posting again soon.  You grow the peas on in the drainpipe and then when they are ready for their final plot, you dig a trench and slide them in with minimal disturbance.  Then I will put bamboo canes along the trench for them to grip and grow up.

I covered half with vermiculite then realised I had no idea how much to use.  So I guessed.  Half is compost so I can see which works best.  They are covered with a fleece in an unheated greenhouse.  I also sowed some peas in modules which are in the house to compare to the unheated greenhouse.

All experimenting giving my results to learn from for next year.

I also sowed some spinach and All Season Kale which are in the house uncovered.  Should I cover them?

It's Grace's party weekend, so we will be focusing on making it fun and enjoyable for her.  She will be 10 and Ste and I are acutely aware of how quickly that time has passed, so we intend to make the most of it all. 

Have a lovely weekend, I hope you all get time to stop & smell the roses.