The Last Veg Seed Sowings of the Year

Posted on 29. Oct, 2011 by Tracey in Veg Plot

The last vegetable seeds have been sown for this year and the only bulbs left to plant are the garlic bulbs between end of October and Mid November. I’ve decided to try sowing my onions and shallots from seed in March next year so I’m not planting any sets this autumn. If you are planting Onions and Shallots Sets, they can be planted until the end of November.

I sow all my overwintering vegetables under my home-made Geoff Hamilton Cloches covered with Enviromesh and if it gets really cold (and I remember) I throw some horticultural fleece over the cloches over night to protect from frost and snow.

Here’s what seeds I’ve sown for a Winter to Spring harvest:

Broad Bean – Supersimonia

Aquadulce Claudia Seeds

From: MoreVeg.co.uk

I’ve sown most of the Autumn Sowing Broad Bean varieties and think Aquadulce Claudia is the best overwinter performer but I’ve not come across this one before called ‘Supersimonia’. Its description is vigorous and hardy with great crops, so I’m looking forward to seeing if these plants live through the frost and snow.

This year I’ve sown my broad beans and peas in a alternate row pattern i.e. one row of beans, one row of peas, one row of beans etc so that the frost doesn’t ruin all the plants and they can protect one another.

Sow Autumn Broad Beans: October to November
Harvest: May to July

How to Grow Autumn Sowing Broad Beans Guide

Other Autumn Sowing Broad Bean Varieties Include:

Aquadulce Claudia for long pods and tall plants,
The Sutton for dwarf pods and plants (good for small areas),
Luz De Otono – A new variety from Dobies for overwintering with a good winter resistance.

Pea – Douce Provence

Sowing Autumn Peas

From: MoreVeg.co.uk

This variety is an old faithful to me, its very reliable, performs very well overwinter, you get lots of pea pods with sweet peas and not so much powdery mildew in Spring.

As long as the plants are kept from falling all over onto the soil surface (prop up with canes) in winter, the plants survive the cold and wet and also its a bonus that they don’t grow very tall, so no need to get the tall canes out for these lovelies.

Sow Autumn Peas: October to November
Harvest: May to June

How to Grow Autumn Sowing Peas Guide

Other Overwintering Pea Varieties to Try:

Avola – Sweet and mid height pea plant (up to 60cms), stores well in the freezer
Early Onward – Heavy croppers and early peas, what more could you want!

Turnip – Manchester Market

Turnip Atlantic

From: MoreVeg.co.uk

This is an autumn growing turnip which is a good storer and leaves can be steamed as greens. I haven’t grown turnips for a good few years now, last lot was the purple topped variety Atlantic.

Sow Turnips:
Maincrop: March to September
For Small Roots and Greens: October to November

Other Quick Growing Turnips to Sow:

Snowball – grows in 6 – 8 weeks this white root and leaves are the perfect mini veg
Manchester Express F1 – This variety a quicker grower to harvest in 7 weeks, white roots.

Cauliflower – Snowball

Snowball Cauliflower

From: MoreVeg

This is a dwarf winter cauliflower which I haven’t sown before. I’ve spaced out the seeds already so there should be no need to thin the seedlings when the soil is frozen.

Sow Winter Cauliflower: October
Harvest: June
Read more on my
Cauliflowers – A New Winter Growing Adventure.