Vegetable Planner 2014- Two Crops A Year (part 2/5)

Dear Family & Friends

Last year was the first time I tried planting for autumn and winter harvest. Most of us would think that there's only spring time planting opportunity which gives summer harvesting...but did you know that you can actually have two crops a year? I'm speaking for areas that experience cold winter.

Tomatoes getting bigger in their recycle pots indoor

Use each piece of the plot most efficiently by combining early and late or overwintered crops. Early veg that you can start off under glass, or sow direct under cloches, help extend the season.Choose hardy types of veg like lettuce, carrots and spring onions. Early croppers like overwintered onions, broad beans, new potatoes and early cauliflowers are ready to harvest in late May or June, so allowing a second crop. These can be followed by tender crops such as tomatoes, sweetcorn, French beans and courgettes started early in pots.

Late starters that can be sown or planted later in the summer are useful gap fillers as summer crops are harvested. Leeks, sprouting broccoli and winter cauliflowers are good for July sowing, and Chinese cabbage and other oriental brassicas can be sown into August.

vegetables, flowers and herb seedlings pre-sown indoor for headstart

Having an empty veg plot over winter is inefficient and you’ll miss out on a whole range of fresh vegetables that could supply you through to the following spring. Brussels sprouts, sprouting broccoli, leeks and winter cauliflowers (in milder areas) should be well established by the autumn. They can be joined later by spring cabbage. Autumn-planted onion sets and garlic, as well as autumn sown peas and beans, will give you an earlier crop than spring sowings.

The Sweet peeper plantlets ares now ready to be replant outside

It's good to plan and dream, but it's better to put it into action..see what comes out...whatever it will be, as long as you gave all your best will be considered success.

Be positive and always be with hope.

Yours