The 12 Vegetables of Christmas – Part 2 of 3

Posted on 22. Dec, 2009 by Tracey in How to Grow Veg

Following on from Part 1 of my 12 Vegetables that can be harvested at Christmas time, here’s another four Christmas vegetables to wet your appetite.

5. Winter Cabbage

If you’ve managed to dodge all the cabbage white caterpillars this year, you’ll be harvesting good quality hardy winter cabbages this Christmas. There’s plenty of recipes for using cabbage at Christmas like Creamy savoy cabbage with carrots or spiced parsnip bubble and squeak.

Sow Outdoors: April to May
Number of Weeks to Grow: 28 to 32 Weeks
Harvest: October to February
Varieties to Choose:

Classic – Christmas Drumhead, January King, Celtic F1 from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
Very Hardy – Winter Tundra F1 from SowVegetables.co.uk
Savoy Type – Vertus and Cantasa F1 from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
Organic – Holland Late Winter, Marner Lagerweiss, Cuor di bue from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
Cabbage Plug Plants – Triviata F1 from Sutton Seeds Delivery Late April.

Tips if you are growing them now: Check that the cabbage heart is firm before harvesting. To harvest either pull the whole plant out of the ground or cut the stem above the roots and discard the older outer leaves. They can be stored on a light airey vegetable rack in the kitchen or a frost free shed.

Bloggers Harvesting Cabbage this year:

Celeriac

6. Celeriac

Celeriac looks like a cross between a swede and a potato but tastes like celery. Its has white flesh and is an interesting and easy root vegetable to grow.

Sow Indoors: March
Sow Outdoors: April – May
Number of Weeks to Grow: 24-30 Weeks
Harvest: September to January
Varieties to Choose:

Prinz from The Organic Gardening Catalogue
Brilliant from Dobies Seeds
Monarch from Unwins

Bloggers Currently Harvesting Celeraic:

Bright Lights Chard

7. Chard

Swiss chard or leaf beat is a very hardy winter vegetable which survives even the snowiest of weather. It also lasts right throughout winter only bolting (running to seed) when the temperatures rise again in March. It is one of the easiest and most colourful vegetables to grow.

Sow Outdoors: July – August
Harvest: September to February
Tracey @iGrowVeg has Grown: Bright Lights May to August 2007 – See my Photos here.
Varieties to Choose:

Sibilla – Dark green leaves with tender white stems from The Real Seed Catalogue
Silver Chard from Dobies Seeds
Rhubarb Chard – organic with bright red stems by The Organic Gardening Catalogue
Oriole Orange Chard – Bright orange stems by The Organic Gardening Catalogue
Rainbow Chard – Multicolour stems from The Organic Gardening Catalogue

Tips if you are growing them now:
Sit back and relax knowing they can survive the snowy weather. The only pest to look out for is snails.

Bloggers Currently Harvesting Chard:

Carrot Harvest

8. Carrots

Carrots with a honey and thyme glaze are my favourite accompaniment to the traditional turkey Christmas dinner. Luckily I still have some of my carrots stored from my late harvest in October of this year. Please view the Carrot Saga Continues for more about my carrots.

Sow Outdoors: April to August
Number of Weeks to Grow: 20-25 Weeks
Harvest: May to December
Tracey @iGrowVeg has Grown: Nantes 2, Chantenay, Autumn King – Growing Carrots.
Varieties to Choose:

Well Known – Autumn King from all good seed stockists.
Coloured – Yellowstone, White Kuttiger from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
Autumn Sowing – Nantes Frubund by Garden4Less

Tips if you are growing them now: Most carrots should have been harvested by now and can be stored in vegetable racks or units in the kitchen. They can also be kept in the ground for a period of time before harvesting.

Bloggers Currently Harvesting Carrots:

Other Parts in this Series:

Other Posts you may be interested in:

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