Year round harvest: Lets talk about how!

The veges I find best for over-wintering are the brassicas WW. You are right about the ubiquitous PSB and sprouts of course.

I'm trying a red sprout that either Sarz or Zazen recommended because we get grand-kids (seems like dozens of them) round for meals and I found out that if you serve veges that are a different colour from the norm they tend to eat them for fun. All my sub-brood love salads in summer with white beetroot, grated multi-coloured carrots, crystal lemon cucs and technicolour toms served on a bed of red and green lettuce type things. But I digress.

I like to grow unusual varieties of brassica over winter. Cavallo nero is a great kale for everybody and blanching seakale stalks as a winter 'asparagus' works wonders for the 'formal' dinner table. It's a bit of work and does tie up ground for years so is not suitable unless you can afford the space. Aliums that don't mind staying in the ground over a normal winter are great as well.

As you imply, the 'occasional' gardener who just wants to grow a few 'normal' lettuces really is missing out. A neighbour came round the other day, could I spare him a few lettuce seed? He wanted to plant now and into July for a summer/late-summer crop and had been all round Scarborough trying to get some seed and had been told everywhere that they only sold lettuce seed until April. The idea that you can only plant in the spring and harvest in summer and autumn, is perpetuated by the retailers I am afraid.

Even if you haven't got a greenhouse, growing under cloches can lengthen the season at both ends for all sorts of food, even the common 'high-summer' ones. But I won't refer to last winter.

My first attempt at winter growing was with 2 types of leeks last year. Sowed them in June and planted out in September. Started harvesting in December and pulled up the last ones in early April. Obviously when the ground is actually frozen you have to resort to shop-bought ones but felt really good that my garden was still producing during the winter!
I'm expanding the growing plans for this winter with the same 2 leek varieties (Lyon 2 Prizetaker and Autumn Mammoth) plus PSB, savoy cabbage, red cabbage, cavelo nero and dwarf kale. My aim is to be harvesting for as many consecutive months as possible!

I always grow some leeks in pots and bring them into the unheated greenhouse in case the ground is frozen...which it was for 2 months last winter. Same thing with carrots and parsnips. All year round lettuce can be sown in October and will survive if you give it some protection. Last autumn I put some Japanese onions in tubs in the greenhouse and have already harvested a couple of pounds. The ones in the ground are still at the gobstopper size. I'm also trying to get crops for 12 months of the year but it does require a bit of experimentation.

Last winter we were mainly eating kale, cabbage, sprouts (although not many as they didn't do very well), carrots, parsnips, leeks, swede and leaf beet. Add in various frozen veg, salted and dried beans and it was pretty good. Then PSB came along in the spring and we are now also harvesting mange tout and the first peas will be ready soon. This winter I'll also be adding cauliflower and various things from the polytunnel.

Have a look at this

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ger_29101.html

i am going to try leeks and january king cabbage variety.

Jan King are a nice variety, grew them last year and they coped well with the snow etc. Have some which need pricking out into 3" pots this weekend for this winter.