With autumn upon us, it is a great time to get some winter vege in the ground. One of the great benefits of growing food in winter is that the plants aren’t prone to so many pests and diseases. The maintenance of cooler-weather crops is also less intense than summer crops - so it really is the perfect time for any beginner to give gardening a go, and grow some food.
Change the mindset to winter-thinking - stews, soups, curries and hearty meals all require good root crops, with a side of green vege. You may be surprised to learn that plenty of root vege grow well in containers too, so you don’t have to be blessed with lots of outside space to start this season.
With onions going to cost a premium this year, we need to diversify our thought process and start planting spring onions and chives to give us that onion flavour most of us desire. Remember these plants will take time to get established, especially over the shortest-day months of June and July, so patience is important. I recommend placing a good mulch on the ground before planting through, as it can be tricky to mulch around these tiny plants when they first go into the soil.
Swedes and turnips are easy to grow and hardly need any care. They are also a great root crop to bulk out the winter food, which is a real bonus with soaring food prices.
These veg have a more neutral flavour than some, so I find it’s best to cook them in a good soup broth or rich stew or curry, so they can absorb the delicious flavours in your dish. They even roast up well, sprinkled with a few herbs or spices, and a dollop of oil or butter.