[mcginty]

This is my first year with a polytunnel,
and am trying to think what to plant over the winter.
any suggestions.

[Bert]

I am also a first winter polytunnel owner  .
At the moment I have some kale seedlings coming on, some carrots seedlings ( don't know how well they will do over winter, I'm experimenting  )
And I have some garlic on order ( dispatch Oct ) that will be going in my tunnel
That's as far as I've got. I am going to try and over winter some of my chilli plants 
Sorry I can't be more help, but I don't know what I'm doing 

[sabrina]

I have grown all year cabbage in the tunnel with very good success .this year thought about trying garlic but it seems to do just as well outside. I have young leeks coming on and turnips.

[Mad Goatwoman of Madeley]

Salad crops?

[Fowgill Farm]

Huh.......planted 80 assorted cabbages in my polytunnel last autumn with the aim of keeping pigs supplied with greens thro winter....... but b@#t*$£d  rabbits got in and cleared the lot so it stayed bare all winter so make sure what ever you put in is well protected they're cunning little divils even digging under the frame and up into the tunnel from outside!!
Good luck
mandy

[suziequeue]

Went all out for winter polytunnel stuff a couple of years ago and then realised that - actually - after a frantic summer growing stuff and having to keep up with it all, an empty polytunnel in winter is a bit of a luxury and gives me time to get on with all the other winter jobs.


We are in mid-Wales at moderate altitude so we have decided not to push the winter veg agenda too much here at the moment.


Maybe once we get the raised beds sorted out I might look at it again.

[benkt]

We've done Pak choi successfully as winter polytunnel veg  - and I'm experimenting this year with some khol rabi as well

[suziequeue]

Yes - sorry for being a bit negative back there.......

[darkbrowneggs]

I found that I tended to leave a lot of the tomatoes etc to carry on ripening, and then give it a good clear out and then plant up with broad bean seeds for a really early crop, then as soon as the year had turned start thinking of getting earlier crops, so salad leaves, spring onions early carrots, new potatoes in pots started off in the house, strawberry plants, asparagus in the end beds, then runner beans and courgettes to get good earlies of those


Probably early caulis would be ok, but there is normally purple sprouting from nov to may if you choose your varieties well 

[Padge]

I have psb   dwarf kale    sprouts   carrots salad spring onions spring cabbage/caulis turnips thus far

[AndynJ]

A heap of horse muck, adds warmth to the tunnel
A bench & vice A dry warmish place to work
A kettle
Raised beds are worth the effort
carrots/salad/squash

[Fleecewife]

The tunnel here is barely warmer than outside - one degree warmer usually.  As the outside temps go down towards -20 at least once each winter I have found that anything remotely delicate succumbs to Jack Frost.
I grow some winter brassicas which usually do survive, as it's drier and not windy, and I plant my garlic in the autumn - another few weeks yet.  I haven't found anything much else which does more than struggle over the winter here.  I have tried broad beans which cropped about a week earlier than spring sown, and only a few plants survived. Last year I grew my overwintering onion crop in the tunnel and although it was an excellent crop it wasn't any earlier than my normal spring planted onions.  I have had no success at all with Chinese greens except mizuna which I mean to try again.
I will leave my carrots in the ground inside (they're in a container up on a bench to avoid root fly) and dig them as needed, but they will be frosted too as soon as the temp plummets.
 
So in the main I rest the tunnel over the winter, dig it, spread manure and give it a pressure wash, greenhouse too.  We also like part of it clear as an emergency indoor pen in case of lambing probs although we haven't had to use it for a few years.

[caracroft]

Hi Guys

This is my 2nd Poly winter although last year I was really late starting to plan the winter (october!) So i am definitely  no expert but I use the book that came with my tunnel which is really good at keeping you on track month by month and also the "hungry gap"

Therefore, I have All Year Round Cauli, spring cabbage, sprouting broccoli, kohl rabi,  calabrese (ist time) and pak choi seedlings on the go.  Also Chard, Perpetual Spinach and winter lettuce.
I have recently sown my last couple of carrot rows which will get going before it turns cold and then stand until it warms for an early crop.
I am going to sow now a winter salad mix (Mizuna, Mibuna, lambs lettuce etc) Winter Gem, And will be sowing Broad beans, onions and garlic in October as I got earlier crops last year which were good.
Rocket, radishes and spring onion are still on a sow every 2-3 weeks for continuous supply

Hope this helps

Cara