The 12 Vegetables of Christmas – Part 3 of 3

Posted on 28. Dec, 2009 by Tracey in Grow Veg

Here are the last 4 vegetables which can be harvested during the festive season. Why not try growing your own veg next year? Please view my other posts in this series: Part 1 and Part 2 of The 12 Vegetables of Christmas.

Turnip - Atlantic

9. Turnip

Turnips are a typical winter vegetable that goes hand in hand with swede and potato for that winter stew or homemade soup. Turnips are fairly easy to grow and can be grown in Spring, Summer and Autumn.

Sow Outdoors: March to July
Harvest: May to November
Tracey @iGrowVeg has Grown: Turnip – Atlantic
Varieties to Choose:

• Snowball, Golden Ball, Purple Top Milan, White Globe by The Organic Catalogue
• Alternatives: Giant Limoussin Turnip and Navet de Nancy by The Real Seed Catalogue

Bloggers Currently Harvesting Turnips:

• VegBox Recipe Blog – Spotlight – Turnips
• Cavolo Nero Potato Cakes with Turnips by Allotment 2 Kitchen
• Turnip-Tastic! by Mike’s Allotment Diary

Desiree Potatoes

10. Potatoes

Potatoes are a stable part of our diets and they are so versatile. Although near Christmas time, there popularity lies in the form of the roast potato, we swear by goose fat to roast them to perfection. Of course if you grew your own late maincrop potatoes this year, then your potatoes will be all the more fresh for roasting.

Types of Potato Tuber:
Earlies, Second Earlies, Maincrop, Late Maincrop and Christmas New Potatoes.
The difference between all the potato types is the date they are harvested.

• Earlies are harvested in June/July,
• Second Earlies are harvested in July-August,
• Maincrop in September and
• Late Maincrop in October
• The last type is Xmas Potatoes which are Earlies or Second Earlies (new potatoes) planted in August for harvest in November to December.

Growing Potatoes Tip: Its worth remembering that Maincrop or Late Maincrop potatoes are usually larger in size and can be stored for long periods of time, thus being good for roast potatoes for christmas dinners.

Plant Late Maincrop Tubers Outdoors: April – May
Number of Weeks to Grow: 15 to 20 Weeks
Harvest Late Maincrop Potatoes: October
Tracey @iGrowVeg has Grown: Cara (Late Maincrop), Desiree (Maincrop), Maris Piper (Maincrop), Carlingford (Second Early), Lady Christl (Early), Orla (Early), Charlotte, Bambino and Nicola (Second Early).
Varieties to Choose:

• Roast Potatoes – Grow: Desiree, Maris Piper and King Edward
• Boiled Potatoes – Try: Charlotte, Maris Peer and Nicola
• Mashed Potatoes – Grow: Saxon, Nadine or Rooster
• Jacket Potatoes – Try: Cara, King Edward, Maris Piper

Bloggers Currently Harvesting Potatoes:

• Christmas Potatoes by Skippy’s Vegetable Garden
• Spiced Onion and Potato Roast by Allotment 2 Kitchen
• Purple and Green Cabbage Potato Cakes by Allotment 2 Kitchen
• Sweet Potato Hash by The Way The Cookie Crumbles

Pakchoi GreenBoy

11. Pak Choi

Not an obvious choice of vegetable to eat at Christmas however it is a light crunchy stirfry vegetable which may help you when you are looking for alternative ways to use up your Christmas turkey or other meats. It is very easy to grow and easy to harvest leaves as you need them, leaving the rest to continue to grow in the ground.

Sow Outdoors: July to September
Number of Weeks to Grow: 8 to 16 Weeks
Harvest: September to December
Tracey @iGrowVeg has Grown: Green Boy and Dwarf Riko – Pak Choi Varieties.
Varieties to Choose:

• Canton Dwarf by The Organic Gardening Catalogue – Baby Pak Choi with bolt resistance.
• China Choi by The Organic Gardening Catalogue – good frost resistance.

Tips if you are growing them now:
They don’t last very long in the fridge so harvest leaves from the plants as required. They should be covered with cloches or fleece to protect them from the frosts and snow.

Bloggers Currently Harvesting Pak Choi:

• Nov Update Cont. by Mike’s Allotment Diary
• Autumn Greens by Simon’s Allotment
• Best Recipe for Leftovers – Orange and Lemon Chicken Stirfry by The Cottage Smallholder

Leek - Bandit

12. Leek

Leeks are very hardy vegetables and can survive UK winter temperatures. They are wholesome winter vegetables and can be used in stews, bakes, soups and more. Leeks can be grown fairly close together so are good for small plots.

Sow Indoors: March to April
Sow Outdoors: April
Plant Outdoors: June to July
Harvest: October to March
Tracey @iGrowVeg has Grown: Pandora (Early), Bandit (Late).
Varieties to Choose:

• Early Varieties: Almera, Hannibal, Shekton F1, Swiss Giant Zermatt, The Lyon.
• Late Varieties: Atlanta, Musselburgh, Siegfried, St Victor. All from The Organic Catalogue

Tips if you are growing them now:
Check your leeks for diseases, the quicker you spot anything, the quicker you can find treatment for it.

Bloggers Currently Harvesting Leeks:

• Bulgarian Giant Leeks by Down At The Allotment
• I Have Leeks! by The Obsessive Gardener

Other Posts you may be interested in:

• Growing Pak Choi
• Growing Leeks
• Growing Potatoes in a Raised Bed
• Growing Potatoes in Pots
• Winter Vegetable Growing Guides

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Tags: december vegetables, grow veg, Grow Veg, Grow Vegetables, growing leeks, growing pak choi, growing potatoes, growing turnips, harvest christmas vegetables, vegetables of christmas, Vegetables to harvest in december