Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: hubballi on March 16, 2011, 23:56

Title: Growing through Winter in a greenhouse
Post by: hubballi on March 16, 2011, 23:56: As I now have a decent lean to greenhouse I am thinking if I am able to grow salad and other veg through the winter months. What options do I have in what I can grow and will I need a heater of any kind ?
Title: Re: Growing through Winter in a greenhouse
Post by: Kristen on March 17, 2011, 07:37: I grow Dwarf French Beans into the Autumn (sown in July), and Chard, Beetroot and Kohl Rabi sown in August for a Spring Crop - bit touch an go on the roots as they are inclined to go to seed, but the "flowers" on Kohl Rabi are fine as Sprouting Brocolli :) but the Chard makes a good crop from March onwards

I grow Lettuce Winter Gem and Lambs Lettuce during the Winter - but I have to admit I'm pretty half hearted about that ... its not really the sort of thing we choose to eat during the Winter

You could try over wintered carrots for a spring crop - T&M do one called Nantes Frubrund (there are threads here from a year or two back - people had mixed success - my packet is still unopened!)
Title: Re: Growing through Winter in a greenhouse
Post by: 8doubles on March 17, 2011, 08:37: Quote from: hubballi on March 16, 2011, 23:56
As I now have a decent lean to greenhouse I am thinking if I am able to grow salad and other veg through the winter months. What options do I have in what I can grow and will I need a heater of any kind ?

You will need heating and growing lights, day length and light levels are important.
Title: Re: Growing through Winter in a greenhouse
Post by: mumofstig on March 17, 2011, 12:00: Quote
You will need heating and growing lights, day length and light levels are important.

sorry, I disagree.
You can easily grow a good selection of winter salads and overwinter hardy veg for a very early spring start.
Lettuce, corn salad, radicchio, rocket will grow all winter, chard will grow as long as thhe temps don't drop to low. The eastern veg, pak choi etc also do quite well as they are hardy plants.

here's an old thread with ideas
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=66291.msg756945#msg756945
Title: Re: Growing through Winter in a greenhouse
Post by: 8doubles on March 17, 2011, 12:09: Quote from: mumofstig on March 17, 2011, 12:00
Quote
You will need heating and growing lights, day length and light levels are important.

sorry, I disagree.
You can easily grow a good selection of winter salads and overwinter hardy veg for a very early spring start.
Lettuce, corn salad, radicchio, rocket will grow all winter, chard will grow as long as thhe temps don't drop to low. The eastern veg, pak choi etc also do quite well as they are hardy plants.

here's an old thread with ideas
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=66291.msg756945#msg756945

There is a lot of difference between having the plants overwintering (doing nowt in the cold) and actually growing well. :)
Title: Re: Growing through Winter in a greenhouse
Post by: mumofstig on March 17, 2011, 12:23: Quote
There is a lot of difference between having the plants overwintering (doing nowt in the cold) and actually growing well

I agree;
However, all the salad crops grew and were eaten throughout the last 2 cold winters, as was the chard through all but the hardest weeks, without heating or lighting.
Title: Re: Growing through Winter in a greenhouse
Post by: mgf on March 19, 2011, 22:01: I have given up growing anything during the winter in the greenhouse. Not found it worth the effort.