Looking ahead to winter and spring

Quince seedling in a container, July 2020

 Now that it's mid-August I'm starting to plan for winter and next spring in the veg garden.  I already have some things planted out which have a long growing season, like the purple sprouting broccoli and leeks, both of which should be ready next spring and I've about eight more purple broccoli not yet planted out.  I also have some red kale, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower for autumn and winter.  But I'm starting some more seeds now and into the next month too.

This week I've sown a tray each of green kale and red escarole--I've never tried growing escarole before, though I have some Belgian endive:  I think these are the same species or closely related. 

I also have some garlic from this year's harvest to plant out next month.  Along with this I'll sow some more cauliflower and peas for a spring harvest.  Though I've overwintered broad beans (and cauliflower), I've never tried with peas.  The purveyor from which I bought this variety writes that these ones can overwinter, so I will try--I'm moving away from regular peas and towards snap peas instead, so I'll use up this last packet and see how it goes and if it's worth saving seed from.  If I get any seed from it, that is.

I may be sowing some green manure seeds in the bare spots at the allotment too, mainly to keep down weeds, but also to improve the soil a bit.  Little by little I'm digging up the grassy sward which is my allotment, and I don't want it recolonized with any other undesirables.  Currently we're keeping the bare spots mulched with stable bedding (heavy on straw and light on manure)--also a good soil improvement for the long term.  I may try a comparison between the two methods in different parts of the allotment.

I don't currently have any broad bean seeds left, though I will probably put in one more seed order later in the year, from The Real Seed catalog;  they do some interesting varieties which the large companies don't offer.  I usually buy my seeds when they are on sale, which unfortunately this smaller company never does.  But I want the seeds badly enough to pay full price for them, including a packet of broad beans this year.