Winter sowing?

[flowerbug]

The clover and jackhammer radish did great. DS14 hoed the row with radish and carrot - and I saw a couple of those radishes pop up in fall 2021!

I would repeat winter sowing for cover crop, but not veggies.

radish sprouts are an excellent green if someone likes radishes and can tolerate eating them. one thing i like is that they do resow themselves if you let them go to flower and pod stage and don't mind having them pop up all over. turnips too.

buckwheat is a bit more trouble as it doesn't like cool weather and will die back from the frosts but my biggest trouble with growing buckwheat is that the deer, rabbits, etc. all will target it so it is hard to get plants to stay around for long if they are outside the fenced areas.

i grow clover as a green manure crop that sometimes gets turned under or harvested as fertilzer that gets buried in other places.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

It's not too late for winter sowing in WI. You can direct sow until snow falls or set containers out until end of January.

What? I have never tried. I am on the search for seeds.....I thought after first frost it was done. I just turned and covered 3 plots....guess they are opening back up. lol

 

[tortoise]

What? I have never tried. I am on the search for seeds.....I thought after first frost it was done. I just turned and covered 3 plots....guess they are opening back up. lol

Yep, don't plant until a while after frost to make sure the seeds stay dormant. If there is a warm spell and they start to germinate before winter it won't work. If they stay dormant through winter, they'll sprout in early spring when conditions are right.

 

[tortoise]

What? I have never tried. I am on the search for seeds.....I thought after first frost it was done. I just turned and covered 3 plots....guess they are opening back up. lol

Some seed companies haven't restocked/recovered from last year's increased demand yet. I was able to get seed from Urban Farmer and Baker Creek. I usually order seed in December, but started early because consumer demand is unpredictable. If people start worrying about shortages and inflation they're going to buy more garden seed than usual.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Some seed companies haven't restocked/recovered from last year's increased demand yet. I was able to get seed from Urban Farmer and Baker Creek. I usually order seed in December, but started early because consumer demand is unpredictable. If people start worrying about shortages and inflation they're going to buy more garden seed than usual.

I get most of my stuff from Baker Creek--thanks for the heads up. Ordering today.

Edit--I have some carrots, cukes, squash, and onions coming! that will be a good start. Thanks again

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

if you are looking for short season dry beans there are several that work well for me plus i am always breeding more to try out too. are you in the USoA? if so PM me after the first of the year and i'll get a selection for you set up to mail out for next season. also for beans in general if you really like beans join up on TEG and follow the bean threads. we have a lot of people there who grow a lot of beans. (enabler moi? > )

I am in the USoA---pretty close to you actually in WI! I will reach out for sure-thanks for the offer. I LOVE LOVE LOVE beans.

 

[flowerbug]

I am in the USoA---pretty close to you actually in WI! I will reach out for sure-thanks for the offer. I LOVE LOVE LOVE beans.

please join us on TEG then, so many bean lovers there.

 

[flowerbug]

i have some diakon radish seeds sprouting out there that will likely get frozen pretty good this week. the remaining seeds will sprout as they can come spring. i don't always let them grow very far before i pick them because i like the sprouts, but i like to leave some here and there for the flowers and diversity. the deer will eat any of them they can find in the winter if the weather is too bad and they can't find anything else to eat.

i don't plant anything else for the winter or early spring other than the green garlic if i can get a crop planted of it and have the space (which i did have this year so i'm looking forwards to a harvest come late winter and spring and into the early summer, but i'll probably have it all dug up by then). green onions, i keep forgetting about them... and some other onions too, not sure what they will do or survive. experiments.

 

[tortoise]

Older thread--but I was just reading up on some stuff for winter sowing that I will have to try next year as it is a bit late in the year.

BUT I do some cold sowing in the super early spring in milk jugs outside in the snow. I usually plant peas and beans but would like to try planting carrots next Aug, letting them grow and then cover them to "store" over the winter and then just go an pick what we need from the beds. I find this very interesting and am excited to see if it will work.

I also plant garlic in October-this year I put in 14 cloves, which should be just enough for us.

It's not too late for winter sowing in WI. You can direct sow until snow falls or set containers out until end of January.