The author of the text is MSc. Cecylia Loved Uklańska
Growing vegetables in winter can be used only for some species, e.g. late winter varieties of spinach, lamb's lettuce, lettuce, leaf parsley, which winter in the ground in the form of small rosettes with 3-4 leaves.
You can also cultivate winter onions by sowing seeds at the end of August so that by the end of November they will produce a few true leaves, and garlic - then its cloves are planted from mid-October to mid-November so that they only have time to take root without forming parts above ground.
For species grown from seedlings (lettuce, endive), the planting date should be chosen so that the plants after planting develop only the root system before the onset of frost, without producing a green mass of leavesToo an early seedling may not survive the winter, even if it is well protected against frost.
Growing winter spinach
Spinach is grown from sowing in the period from late August to mid-September, in warmer parts of the country even at the beginning of October. Plants that develop 3-4 leaves before the frost sets in are resistant to temperatures of -10 ° C even during snowless winters. The seeds are usually sown in rows every 15-20 cm to a depth of 2-3 cm. The sowing rate is 20-40 g / 10 m².
Spinach is sensitive to soil pH fluctuations - on acidified soils it yields worse and accumulates more nitrates in the leaves.The optimal pH, as for most types of vegetables, is 6.5-7.0.The most important care treatments are soil loosening and weeding as well as organic mulching of the soil using straw, haulm and dried plants.Spinach is harvested from the beginning of April to mid-May, when the plants have 6-7 leaves, however, before the formation of inflorescence shoots.
Older leaves have fewer vitamins and can be more bitter. An additional advantage of winter crops, in addition to harvesting earlier, is that plants contain higher amounts of vitamin C in their leaves compared to spring crops. Recommended varieties are: 'Winter Giant', 'Matador', 'Awning F1' and 'Bolero F1'.
Wintering lettuce in the ground
Lettuce is mainly grown from seedlings obtained from sowing seeds on a seedbed in September.Planting is carried out in October, but the latest date is the second decade - later the risk of frost and frost increases. The same is done with the endive. Seedlings can also be produced in multi-pots - planting is easier and the root system is not damaged during planting.
Lettuce and endive require sheltering in winter, because even under snow cover, plants can freeze up. These vegetables should be rationally fertilized - nitrogen fertilization is best used in two doses, half before sowing or planting, and the other in spring, but at least 3-4 weeks before the planned harvest. For this type of cultivation, lettuce varieties are recommended: 'Nansena', 'Zina', 'Marta'.
Meet the most popular late lettuce varieties
Winter onion
Winter onions are grown from sowing seeds at the end of August or from planting spring onions in the second half of September. Before the frost sets in, the onions should produce a few true leaves. Their pseudo-stem should be 5-7 mm in diameter.Too early sowing or planting causes these plants to undergo the vernalization process and in spring they will start forming inflorescence shoots too quickly. On the other hand, if planted or sown too late, they will not reach maturity before the frost and will be more sensitive to frosting.
For winter cultivation, choose varieties that are frost-resistant, bulge bulbs at relatively low temperatures and do not tend to vernal. In amateur cultivation, we recommend: 'Rawska', 'Czerniakowska', 'Fiesta', 'Wolf F1' and many others.
Rapunzel worth trying
Lamb's lettuce is an interesting vegetable that is a valuable addition to the autumn and winter diet.It contains a lot of vitamins, especially vitamin C, carotenes and microelements.It is a frost-resistant plant and it usually freezes only during harsh, snow-free winters. It creates small rosettes of leaves with a specific, slightly nutty flavor, perfectly matching salads. The lamb's lettuce seeds are sown from mid-August to the end of September, and harvesting can be carried out from November to April, depending on the sowing date.
This vegetable is perfect for successive harvesting.Unused in winter and early spring plants can be used as green fertilizer.The advantage of lamb's lettuce is also its low soil, water and climate requirements. Recommended varieties are 'Etampes' and 'Cavallo'.
These are the undoubted advantages of winter sowing
Parsley from pre-winter sowing
Leaf parsley is mainly used for winter cultivation. Its seeds are sown from August to mid-September.After sowing, part of the bed can be covered with a fleece to accelerate plant growth.This way we will provide ourselves with a fresh portion of greens in late autumn and winter. The most commonly grown varieties are: 'Paramount', 'Karnaval', 'Vita', 'Novas'.
Root parsley - in this case, you can use the so-called pre-winter sowing. The seeds are sown in November or early December ("Berlińska", "Sugar", "Lenka", "Omega") so that they have time to swell, but not sprout before the onset of frosts.A similar method of sowing is also used for carrots ("Perfection", "Ambros", "Dolanka" and many others).
Thanks to this, the yield is several weeks earlier compared to the spring crop.Unfortunately, winter cultivation and pre-winter sowing carry a risk of failure.For winter and early spring harvesting, vegetables such as kale, Brussels sprouts and leek are also used.
Frost-resistant and he althy kale
Kale - its seeds are sown on the seedbed in June and July, and in late July and early August.In the late autumn and winter periods, kale leaves are harvested successively.As in the case of Brussels sprouts, this vegetable is tastier after freezing, and therefore harvested at the beginning of winter until spring. Kale is a frost-resistant vegetable, so all its varieties are suitable for such cultivation.
Recommended for winter and early spring harvesting of Brussels sprouts are: 'Ajax' and 'Lunet'.
Leek from the winter vegetable garden
Winter leek is grown from seedlings grown on a seedbed. The seeds are sown in June, while the planting of the seedlings is in July and August.Plants should be protected against frost with perforated foil or fleece covers.In mild winters, it can be harvested as needed, provided that the soil is not frozen.
With what to cover?
Protection of winter vegetables is necessary, especially during snowless winters.The most suitable winter covers are perforated foil and white agrotextile weighing 60 g / m².You can also use straw, which as an organic matter is also a habitat of bacteria - it cannot be kept on plants for too long in spring.
