Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
you're in a frost pocket, you should put some protection in place before the end
of the month (see below).
What to sow
Broad beans, cabbage, coriander, kohlrabi, radishes, spring onions.
What to harvest
Aubergines, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard, corian-
der, courgettes, cucumbers, daikon, dwarf French and French beans, fennel,
kohlrabi, lettuce, pak choi, peppers, radishes, rocket, spinach, spring onions,
strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes.
November
Frost protection
Whether or not you live in a frost pocket, if you didn't set up frost protection in
October it is definitely time to do it now, which will probably mean fleece cloches
and/or cold frames but might also include some sort of heat sink. This is simply
something with a lot of thermal mass - something heavy that takes a long time to
heat up and cool down. Water butts are a commonly used option, since they are
less in use over the winter, but other possibilities include large rocks and bricks (be
careful, as these may also provide shelter for pests). Whatever you use should be
dark in colour to absorb as much of the sun's energy during the day as possible.
Some gardeners use a small heater to take the edge off the cold in their tunnels.
Models that run on bottled gas are expensive to buy but many have thermostatic
controls, allowing you to set the temperature. Paraffin-fuelled heaters are cheaper
but lack a thermostat. Both of these options generate water vapour, leading to
more condensation on the inside of the polythene film during winter, and there-
fore the tunnel will require more ventilation. Electric heaters do not need to be
topped up with fuel, and because they don't create water vapour, no extra venti-
lation is needed. However, they are expensive to run.
In all cases, you should be aware that polythene does not insulate as well as
glass, so unless you intend to use horticultural bubble insulation or fleece to
make a smaller contained 'cloche' area (taking great care to keep it well away
from the heater), the best you can hope for is to take the edge off the cold.
Finally, drain down any automatic watering equipment to prevent freezing damage
during the winter.
What to sow
Broad beans, cabbage, coriander, garlic and elephant garlic.
