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Hubby and I have cleared out our raised bed, so we have more space for growing veggies yipeeeeee!! Luckly the soil is pretty good, and today I added the top soil from our chickens run. Its fairly large, its 10ft long by 7ft reducing down to threeft.
Are there any veggies that I can start off now for the winter or spring please?

Thanks Nikki

Garlic, overwintering jap onion sets (brill) Chinese leaves (yuk) an overwintering lettuce like winter density,spring cabbage(just about) Rocket (remarkably hardy and should pick this side of Christmas) Lambs lettuce . That do? Most of all sow green manure on any bit that's bare. hope the weather stays decent enough for you to make a start.

Thanks very much Oldjerry x

Hi and well done :)

You can get some onions (Senshyu yellow, Radar and some red that I can't remember the name of), Garlic, Overwintering broad beans, Chinese greens and if you're lucky not to get to frost hit some spuds for christmas :-) Good luck. Take a look at seed suppliers for next year and fill your plot

If you can provide a bit of protection - or perhaps get them started inside - then consider Mooli (a long large radish that you cook) and smaller turnips. I'm about to plant out the turnips I started indoors which is a bit late, because of an inconvenient holiday at the start of September, but I'll offer them a bit of protection as the weather gets cold and cross my fingers. I may even leave them in the greenhouse (mine is more like a coldframe) once the tomatoes are finished.
Garlic and over-wintering onions are the obvious 'must haves' though. You could also get Chard in now and perhaps pak choi.

And ordinary radishes and coriander.

We've been in the process of moving our raised beds round to the back of the house - 4 down 2 to go - in between the rain and hail storms! Yes I said hail, in September.

Anyway (and the point of my post ) is we've had no crops at all this summer and I've just succumbed to buying 20 mixed brassica plants via Guardian Offers to fill the "hungry gap". They cost £8.95 - much cheaper than buying the veg.

Even my daughter, who never comments on anything that might open up the "come and help in the garden" conversation commented on how much she's missed our homegrown veg.

Millymollymandy wrote:And ordinary radishes and coriander.

Does Coriander grow outside in your locale, mmm?

Yes, it will grow anywhere (pretty much!) in winter as it is very hardy and only died off last winter when we had a big freeze which lasted for about 10 days and minus 8 at night. It won't be as fresh as summer sown coriander obviously and gets a bit dark green/red tinges but will generally continue to grow a little bit and there will be some pickings even in the depths of winter.

On Gardeners World last week they were talking about coriander and confirmed what I've been saying for years, sow now for a winter crop as it won't go to seed as it is a plant which does best in cool weather! The only trick is trying to work out just when to sow the last sowing of the year so that it doesn't grow too much that it starts to go to seed before winter but it does grow enough to have pickings from.

Well I never knew that! I'll get the seed out immediately.

It should do well in your polytunnel Maggie.

I heard a rumour that it likes to be sown where it will live, so not to transplant from modular trays, but sow directly? This has always given me the fear (despite attempting window box trials numerous times- with bolting failiure!). Is this true? I was thinking of doing a curry planter, curry plant (not curry leaf i know) with corriander? Any advice ishes?

also, Ive put me salad bits in, and Ive put some beans and peas in, indoors in trays. Can the beans go outside? with a bit of hardening off first? I;m in writtle in Essex.
xxSun&Rainxx

Broad beans?

yes sorry, broad beans, borlotti beans and french beans x

I've never transplanted coriander, there is no need as it's a tough hardy herb that should be sown in situ in the ground. They have thick roots which are also edible (well you use them as flavouring in Thai soups) so I suspect they won't like being disturbed.