Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Markjp on September 13, 2011, 13:47

Title: Is It Too Late To Sow Salad Crops Outside?
Post by: Markjp on September 13, 2011, 13:47

Is it too late to sow salad crops outside now?

I was thinking of sowing some cut and come again salad mix and some wild rocket.

Title: Re: Is It Too Late To Sow Salad Crops Outside?
Post by: arugula on September 13, 2011, 13:52

I don't think it'll do much in the ground now. Even if you could plant some in largish pots, which could be placed somewhere warmer, you could have some luck.

 :)

Title: Re: Is It Too Late To Sow Salad Crops Outside?
Post by: GreenOwl on September 13, 2011, 13:53

Well I sowed some cut-and-come-again salad leaves the week before last, with some spinach.  The spinach is showing but no sign of the salad leaves so Argyllie may be right. 

Title: Re: Is It Too Late To Sow Salad Crops Outside?
Post by: TerryB on September 13, 2011, 14:04

If you used a cloche over them you may have some success.

Title: Re: Is It Too Late To Sow Salad Crops Outside?
Post by: Robert_S on September 13, 2011, 14:25

I planted some lettuce and rocket last week, and they are coming through OK. Don't know how big they will get though!

Title: Re: Is It Too Late To Sow Salad Crops Outside?
Post by: operabunny on September 13, 2011, 14:35

There are quite a few salad crops specially bred for winter sowing, including salad mixes for cut-and-come-again growing. Even these will need protection from October onwards to do really well.

Quite a few oriental greens (eg Mizuna) tolerate cold well and can be used in salads when young.

Title: Re: Is It Too Late To Sow Salad Crops Outside?
Post by: hamstergbert on September 13, 2011, 15:00

I find that I can avoid the issues of slower development in the cooler months by growing sald stuff in the greenhouse and simply letting them grow past the 'plant out' size in there.  We then use an entire plant at a time in sandwiches etc.   And with them having spent their entire time in the greenouse there b'aint no sluggery!  (Of course we have to be careful not to let them get too warm or they seem to suffer fairly severely)

Title: Re: Is It Too Late To Sow Salad Crops Outside?
Post by: viettaclark on September 14, 2011, 00:39

I've just cleared out the tomato roots from the 10 big tubs all along the kitchen wall and after a dose of fbb will be growing mizuna, corriander, rocket,Winter Density, Valdor, Rouge d'Hiver, Marvel of 4 Seasons and All Year Round lettuces. pak choi and Lamb's Lettuce.
The butterhead lettuces will need covering but the others came through last Winter no bother.  Last year I sowed in seed trays on 19th  of Sept and transplanted in November.
I've got lots of other interesting lettuce at various stages though.

Title: Re: Is It Too Late To Sow Salad Crops Outside?
Post by: bigben on September 14, 2011, 09:15

last year I sowed rocket at the end of Sept in a big tub and it lasted ages even with the snow we had in November.