It Might Not Be Too Late to Start Growing This Year

If you have an undercover growing area, or live in a warmer temperate climate zone, growing edible produce is not just something which is confined to the summer months. Even in a cooler temperate climate, you can still get growing if you consider options for windowsill growing indoors.

In November, there is still time to consider planting garlic or onion sets for overwintering. Be sure to choose winter varieties. I grow winter varietals in my polytunnel, though have also grown them outdoors successfully where I live, with a mulch of autumn leaves.

You could also consider sowing some ‘Aquadulcia Claudia’, or other winter-suited broad beans (fava beans), for beans quite a lot earlier next year. I grow these in my polytunnel some years from October. (Mostly keeping them under cover because of winter winds, rather than cold.) Field beans may be a better option where winters are more severe.

Snow peas or early overwintering pea varieties can also be a useful overwintering crop. Though I tend to hold off now and usually plant early peas in the polytunnel in late winter. I find that overwintering peas here does not give a harvest all that much earlier. But in some areas, overwintering peas could be another good option to consider.

You can also sow, either indoors, in a greenhouse or polytunnel, or under cover, a wide range of salad crops. I will soon sow another batch of winter lettuces (winter gem etc.), pak choi and other cut and come again salad crops for fresh leafy greens all winter long.

Naturally, what you can sow and grow will depend on where you live. But in many locations, there are annual crops to consider. And, of course, this is a great time, too, for perennial planting.

So while you may feel like hibernating your way through winter. You do not necessarily need to wait until spring to get started with some home growing.