What to grow from now till spring ?

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Charlie996, Sep 24, 2017.

  1. Charlie996

    Charlie996 Gardener

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    The soil is now or nearly vacant and having spent so much time and effort I would like to keep the ball rolling and grow what I can during the coming months up till spring.

    We have three areas. The ground which has great soil. The raised beds and the greenhouse.

    Being new to growing I know next to nothing so any suggestions and info very welcome !!

    Thanks !
     
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    • Linz

      Linz Total Gardener

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      Peas (sown more douce provence today), broad beans and onions ( mine going in this week) or green manure? No idea if it's too late but you could try spuds in sacks in your greenhouse. Fleece them if it gets cold.

      Went to wyevale the other week and they had peas, pak choi, some cabbage/kale packs that you could also chuck in? Worth hunting for leeks too.
       
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      • Phil A

        Phil A Guest

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        Mizuna, lambs lettuce, land cress, garlic, psb, autumn onion sets, mustard :)
         
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        • Charlie996

          Charlie996 Gardener

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          I have an old Eltex greenhouse heater in my workshop undergoing restoration and will soon be in working order.. Ahhh the smell of parafin eh ?
          I love restoring old kit and the bonus is as a boy I walked every day past the old Eltex works where all thier stuff was made. Notstalgia and gardening a heady mix ?
           
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          • CanadianLori

            CanadianLori Total Gardener

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            Ive got a parrafjn heater. Only used it a couple of times because I bought a unit too big for my little greenhouses. . 10k btu the auto vent kept opening :doh: ended up switching to a natural gs one with a better thermostst... :)
             
          • Marley Farley

            Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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            Ha ha @Charlie996 I used paraffin for years and very efficient it was.. I also remover going up a couple of mornings and finding the whole greenhouse black and all the plants covered in greasy black smoke. Stinking of paraffin.!!! :hate-shocked::gaah: All because I forgot to trim the wicks..!! :thud::thud: A day spent washing plants, pots, skimming off and re-top- dressing..! Washing greenhouse down, ripping out bubble wrap and replacing with new.. Staging everything had to be washed! :roflol: Still used it for years though but made sure I always checked the wick daily after the 2nd time.! :heehee:
             
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            • Scrungee

              Scrungee Well known for it

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              I still use my old Alladin 'blue flame' heaters (complete with extension tubes that distribute heat along the length of the tunnel - can't get those for modern propane heaters) at my plot very occasionally in polytunnels just for a night or 2 to get plants past a cold snap, but only if temperatures are forecast to rise again for a few weeks after to make it worthwhile, plus I wouldn't risk leaving expensive heaters and gas cylinders in such a remote location. Allthough I have both 1" and 2" burners and chimnies, I only use the 1" (with the extensions) to cut down fuel consumption.


              Or even worse, finding the wick has burnt right down and not having a spare ready to use, especially these days when you have to scour ebay to find replacements.
              .
               
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              • CanadianLori

                CanadianLori Total Gardener

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                This sounds really interesting. Are you able to post a pic of these? Pretty please? :)
                 
              • Scrungee

                Scrungee Well known for it

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                Please remind me if not posted within a few days.

                But I have thought of a potential problem if using extension tubes on a modern gas thermostatically controlled heater, just exactly would the sensor be sited?
                 
              • Charlie996

                Charlie996 Gardener

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                You just put a picture in my mind of the black and white minstrels... :biggrin:

                Our veg garden is too far from the bungalow to have in on gas... We are way out in the sticks so far in fact some of the older neighbours still think the wars still on ! So we are on LPG but to far to plumb.
                Which begs a wee question. Other than paraffin is there any viable power source ? Electric like gas is impractical for the same reasons.

                Scrungee I picked up a complete spare heater with new wicks from boot sale for a whole pound ! So have a spare heat unit ready to drop in.

                Something else I picked up at the boot is an old stove. You know one of those you light with meths in the round dish and pump up with a wee plunger on the side . Most impractical but I use it too keep the fried onions on the boil when we are barbqueing ... The smell it makes takes us back to picnics when we were kids. On the down side it smokes like the Titanic and the young ones think we are crackers. :biggrin::biggrin:
                 
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                • HarryS

                  HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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                  I just grow older from now to spring :snorky:
                   
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                  • CanadianLori

                    CanadianLori Total Gardener

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                    @Scrungee the thermostat is on the back of the heater.
                    [​IMG]
                    I converted if from propane to natural gas because I have a natural gas line out back which was originally for the bbq and now I use in the cold weather for the heater. I was very curious because it would be a bonus to be able to circulate heat at the floor level. I have fans up on shelves and overhead fans in the peak but, I was thinking it would be smarter to circulate the heat before it rises to the peak. Mind you, it is a little 6x8 greenhouse so I shouldn't be overthinking these things but then again, wouldn't it be fun to send some of that heat over to the other little guys, .... wait, maybe I could build a duct from one of the little 6x4 greenhouses to the other 6x4 and use the kerosene heater too... more tinkering to do :)
                     
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