To Autumn Plant or not...

Apart from Garlic and Onion sets, I have never been one for planting much in the autumn.

At my previous house, the raised beds were always already populated with things to pick nearly up until christmas, and the plot at Fencott regularly flooded in the winter so autumn planting really wasn't an option.


However, my allotment doesn't flood (I hope!) and there is now an opportunity to grow a few more things over winter to gain a few weeks in the spring.

A quick trawl of the internet suggests that the top vegetables to grow over the winter are:

• Onions and Shallots (already in the ground)
• Garlic (already in the ground)
• Spring Onions
• Perpetual Spinach
• Broad Beans
• Peas
• Asparagus

Spinach isn't on my plan for the allotment next year, and spring onions and asparagus will be grown in the raised beds so I don't think I need to worry about getting ahead on them. But Broad Beans and Peas sound like they could be an option.

Broad Beans

According to several websites Autumn sown broad beans can be harvested in spring up to a month earlier than spring sown plants. The RHS says to plant the seeds directly in to the soil in November so I guess that I have a few weeks to decide if I am going down this route. If I do decide to plant, I think that I will plant a double row, half the width of the allotment and cover with fleece just in case we get the hard winter that certain people are predicting.

Peas

Autumn sown peas should be planted in October and November, again putting the seeds directly in to the ground. I figure that a double 'half' row of peas covered in fleece should be adequate.

Watch this space to see if I decide to plant or not, but as most of my seeds were 50p a packet from the local garden centre in their clearance sale I suppose I don't really have much to lose - if they don't survive the winter I just re-plant in the spring as I have previously done.

Just a quick update on the allotment since my last post:

I have planted a row of shallot sets (40 sets, obtained from Wilko's) and the red onion sets and Early Purple Wight garlic are both shooting up already. There is no sign of growth from the white onion sets or any of the other garlic but there is plenty of time for that to happen. I have also decided to grow my Asparagus from seed rather than crowns as it is substantially cheaper and the plants will never be disturbed as the seed will go straight in to the raised bed. 

I recently picked my first green cabbage, and the brussels sprouts are forming nicely - they should be ready well in time for christmas.

First 'pointy' cabbage

Brussels Sprouts forming nicely