Autumn Greenhouse Planting
Planting crops to eat or simply to look at and enjoy doesn’t have to end when autumn and winter approaches. The beauty of growing inside a greenhouse gives you the ability to extend most growing seasons to produce lovely, beautiful, tasty crops all year round. It goes without saying that starting your growing journey in the cooler months isn’t the easiest but it’s far from impossible and we’re here to help.
Our quick top tips for autumn season growing:
- Be patient, things can grow slowly but they will grow, and it will be worth the wait
- Keep the cold out and the frost at bay. It’s important to insulate your greenhouse well, a great option for insulation here is bubble wrap
- Choose the right plants for the time of year. If you’re looking to grow food in the cooler months, consider radishes, pak choi, turnips, and other autumn / winter crops
- Plant ahead of the game, you can plant crops now for a spring bloom
- Planting early and undercover gives your plants a great start and a bigger chance to thrive for longer
A greenhouse can keep your plants at a temperature that is up to 5 degrees warmer than outside, keeping frost at bay even in the coldest of winters if insulated correctly. If your greenhouse is heated, then the temperatures will be even warmer. With lighting being lower in winter than in summer the trick is to try and maximise the amount of light your plants get currently, so when building your greenhouse, ensure you place it in an area of your garden that gets natural light all year round.
Unsure of where to buy a greenhouse from? Try reputable garden retailer Two Wests.
So, what can you grow this autumn and winter? Believe it or not, the opportunity for growing here is fantastic, don’t let the thought of growing out of season put you off, you can produce great results.
- Winter Lettuce
If you’re a salad person, then you’ve hit the jackpot here. Unbelievably you can grow salad leaves all through the colder seasons and have them ready to eat in no time. These make for the perfect autumnal salads, throw in some root vegetables and a beautiful dressing.
Providing the weather isn’t frosty, you can move your potatoes outside during the day, just be sure to remember to bring then in overnight. They may take their time to grow but once again it’s certainly worth the wait.
Planting carrots in the autumn is a fantastic way to begin growing ready for the spring. As soon as those temperatures start climbing you can start to harvest your carrots and enjoy your hard work. If your winter is more mild than usual, you can check to see if your carrots are ready before the spring arrives.
Mint, Parsley, and Chives grow beautifully through the winter providing you grow them under cover. The beauty with growing herbs is the volume of herbs you can grow at one time. Enjoy the aromas all winter long whilst harvesting your plants one at a time for a continuous supply.
Your peas will be ready to harvest in spring, so it’s well worth sowing your peas in autumn. Starting early and planning way in advance can produce some beautiful results ready for you and the family to enjoy.