Planting vegetables for a Christmas dinner can be a rewarding project! The best approach is to focus on hardy and fast-growing crops that can thrive in cooler weather. Here's a list of vegetables you can plant now, along with some tips on timing and care to ensure they're ready for your festive feast.
1. Vegetables to Plant Now for Christmas:
Leafy Greens:
Spinach: Fast-growing and tolerant of cold, spinach can be ready to harvest in 6-8 weeks. Plant it now, and you'll have plenty by Christmas.
Winter Lettuce: Varieties like 'Winter Density' or 'Arctic King' can grow well in cooler weather. Harvest baby leaves within 6-8 weeks or let them grow larger.
Kale: Hardy and resilient, kale varieties like 'Nero di Toscana' or 'Red Russian' can be picked as young leaves in 8-10 weeks.
Root Vegetables:
Carrots: Choose fast-growing varieties like 'Nantes' or 'Early Scarlet Horn.' Plant them now under cloches or in a cold frame to help them develop by Christmas.
Beetroot: Quick-maturing varieties like 'Boltardy' can be sown now for a December harvest. Smaller beets tend to be sweeter and tender.
Radishes: These grow quickly and can be ready to harvest in just 4-6 weeks, making them perfect for a last-minute addition to the salad or as a garnish.
Brassicas:
Cabbage: Varieties like 'Winter Jewel' or 'Savoy' can be sown now. These might not form full heads by Christmas, but the leaves are still great in dishes.
Brussels Sprouts: If you've planted these earlier in the year, they should be maturing now. They typically need a long growing season, but they taste even better after a frost.
Herbs:
Parsley: This herb is hardy and will continue to grow well into winter if protected from severe frost. It adds a fresh touch to stuffing and sauces.
Thyme and Rosemary: If you have these herbs in the garden already, keep them protected. They can be used fresh during the festive season.
2. Tips for Growing Winter Vegetables:
Protection: Use cloches, fleece, or mini-greenhouses to protect the young plants from the cold and frost.
Raised Beds: Growing in raised beds helps with drainage and keeps the soil a bit warmer.
Sunlight: Make sure your vegetables are getting as much light as possible, as days are shorter in winter.
Fertilisation: Feed the soil with our seaweed compost and our dried seaweed fertiliser before planting to give the crops a good start.
3. Vegetables for Indoors or Containers:
If outdoor space or conditions are a problem, some vegetables and herbs can be grown indoors:
Microgreens: Fast and easy to grow indoors; they add a nutritious garnish to salads or main dishes.
Baby Leaf Salad: A mix of different lettuce or spinach varieties can be grown on a sunny windowsill and harvested in a few weeks.
Herbs: Basil, chives, and parsley can be grown indoors to keep your dishes fresh and flavourful.
4. Timing Considerations:
Start planting root vegetables and brassicas now to ensure they reach maturity in time for Christmas.
Leafy greens like spinach and kale can be planted throughout October for continuous harvesting.
Radishes can be planted as late as mid-November, depending on your region, as they grow quickly.
5. Care Tips:
Water sparingly in winter; overwatering can lead to root rot since the soil stays damp longer in cooler weather.
Watch for pests like slugs and snails, which can still be active in milder winter weather. Use barriers or natural slug repellents.
Planning for a Traditional Christmas Dinner:
Potatoes: If you want to have new potatoes for Christmas, you could plant them in August or early September in bags or containers and move them to a frost-free place like a greenhouse or porch as the weather gets colder.
Parsnips: These should have been planted earlier in the year as they need a long growing season, but they’re best after a frost as it sweetens their flavour.
With these vegetables and herbs, you'll be well on your way to creating a fresh and delicious Christmas dinner straight from your own garden!
Dont forget to add our seaweed products to your soil to enhance flavour, improve yield and ensure your soil is in tip-top condition to get great results!
Let me know if you need specific tips for any of these veggies or herbs!
Festive wishes,
Guy
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