Growing and harvesting vegetables outdoors in winter, zone 8/9, 51N

Tips, Tricks

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Temperate oceanic climate, 30 miles from the Atlantic at 51N, low light levels. Average 55 frosts per winter of -1 to -8C (30-18F); these leaf-producing plants survive most winters, when sown early autumn as in the video.The parsnips (sown March) survive much frost and improve in flavour, see how they prosper in no dig soil. Harvestable amounts are low in winter, because of coolness and lack of light. Then a bonus is the strong growth in early spring and welcome harvests during the hungry gap, especially of spinach. Succeed your cropping in all seasons with my latest book http://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/product/charles-dowdings-vegetable-garden-diary/ or on Amazon Camera and editing by Edward Dowding https://edowding.net. More information about no dig and growing great vegetables at https://charlesdowding.co.uk Related videos by Charles: No Dig Abundance https://www.youtube.com/watch?,v=HATC... Sowing & Planting into surface compost https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZs17... Best timings and methods for bigger harvests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IF-jqHYvUs Midsummer harvests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBV_r... Clearing and replanting beds in the summer, fast, without digging or forking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdjtNPKd6ro Rotation: how necessary is it for vegetables https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXQNnJOBQJc Harvesting tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wFSD... Garden myths that take our time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WDk0U0oLa0 Propagation undercover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSKHH... Hotbeds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhPh4... Multisowing modules to save time, compost and greenhouse space https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=pXOM2gzL0AQ Second sowings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ku9b... Salad leaves through winter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smC5q... Growing courses at Homeacres https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aQZn... Comparing growth of the same vegetables, with mulches of different composts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i7yAYenaQk

Comments

you need one more thing a cricket farm

Nice looking greens, well done!

When I used a plastic hand spade I noticed it was covered in a fine powder. I was concerned that it could be dragging micro-organisms through different layers of soil due to static. Do you think the conductivity of the bronze spade could be preventing organisms from clinging to it and getting moved to different layers of the soil?

I have done the Same thing With Canabiss! 🗿🚬it turned purple and Red because of the Cold!

Thanks Charles, your videos are very good and we have most of your books which help a great deal with our own no-dig farm. If I may give you a tip for making your videos even better: most Youtube videos are mixed to have sound levels as close as possible to 0dB, which is different from the broadcast norm of usually -18dB. In other words, most videos on youtube are mixed betweewn -3dB and -0.1dB "loudness". If you want I will happily give some more help or details, if you can let me know which software you use for editing. Wintery greetings from Belgium!

Do you not grow the normal winter greens ? or are they in another part of the garden

Inspiring!

Thank you Charles for another most informative video - I have made a list ready for next Autumn. I was particularly interested in your comment on slugs because they have been an absolute plague here for the last couple of years.

Hey Charles,
Do you ever water your garden? if yes, when and how and how much?

always inspiring...thanks for posting

I have been no dig for 1 growing season. I just witnessed something I have never seen in over 20 years. I have several inches of beautiful leaf mulch..it is 20 degrees f. with wind chill feels like 7. a bunch of very fat Robins are out kicking up the leaf mulch like chickens
there is 5 inches of snow on the ground. what on earth might they be after in this weather? I guess worms or bugs? either way DELIGHTFUL.! Charles looking forward to short pants, sleeves and sandals it will be here before you know it. I got a deal on amaryllis l, paperwhites, tulips and daffodils which I will force. since no dig I am very much in tune with nature. the lack of sun in winter is amazing. Happy new year everyone.

Charles, when you say "sown September, planted October" does that mean sown indoors in flats or something similar and then transplanted outside in October?
Great video!

hi Charles I am still using the perennial kale you let me have a cutting when I came for one of your garden talks GT video I am also no dig every one should do it it greatly helps the BACK !! thanks for your time 🐤🐞🐝😁👍👍

excellent video as always very informative ...I'm going to change my plans and follow your methods after learning through your videos

wonderfull

good

Great video Charles. Can you help me please? I started a trial bed of Calabrese and Brussels sprouts using the no dig method. The Calabrese was amazing and produced massive heads. Unfortunately most of the Brussels blew and so I didn't get that many button sprouts. No that I've come to the end of their growing season can you tell me if I should leave the roots in the ground and just add compost on top or shall I dig the roots up?

there is still a hissing noise in the background? i love these videos but the sound quality makes it hard to listen :( do you have a muff on the mic?