What can be grown in the winter months in the UK

Growing vegetables in winter makes it possible for you to extend the season, many of which will produce crops a lot earlier than those planted in spring. Many winter vegetables are hardy and will deal with the cold weather exceptionally well. If you know that frosts are coming then you can cover them with a fleece to protect them. All of these can be sown outdoors, ensuring your garden is stocked full with winter vegetables.

Onions and Shallots

For something that will take care of itself over winter, autumn planting onion sets are a great option. They have a long growing season and although they will not be ready for picking until the summer, you will need to plan as they will crossover into spring. Onion ‘first early’ is always a great choice and is exceptionally reliable. However, recently, shallots have become popular as people look to grow trendier types of vegetables in the garden. Opting to plant the Echalote Grise will give you a crop that offers great flavour.

Spring Onions

If salads are your thing, even in the winter months then spring onions are a great choice of crop to grow during the winter months. They grow quickly and sowing early in autumn will ensure you have a crop to pick by the time early spring arrives. The White Lisbon is a very popular choice and is perfect for growing during the winter months.

Garlic

There are many different varieties for you to choose from when it comes to garlic and it is easy to grow. In the same way as onions, they have a long growing season and won’t be ready until the summer but we all know that garlic is worth waiting for. A popular choice is the Wight Cristo, however, if you prefer something with more flavour then the Chesnok Red has a great texture when baked.

Broad Beans

Broad beans are great tasting and when you can sow them in autumn ready for early spring picking, who wouldn’t want to grow them during the winter months? The Aquadulce Claudia is a perfect choice for sowing in autumn and it establishes itself very quickly. You can even use the plant tips wilted in some butter to make sure you use as much of the plant as possible.

Peas

There are a number of varieties that can be sown during autumn in preparation for spring such as the Kelvedon Wonder and the Pea Meteor. All of these are hardy and will give you a head start for when the season begins. Choosing to sow these in autumn will ensure you get delicious peas around 3-4 weeks earlier than usual.

Perpetual Spinach

This a crop that can be cut and will come again, producing large yields of flavoursome leaves. Sowing in autumn will ensure you have plenty of young leaves to help yourself to during the winter. If you harvest regularly, you will be able to continue to pick your crop into the summer months but remember to remove the flower to stop it from going to seed.