Today I want to give a quick tour of the greenhouse to show what’s growing in there in late October. All the summer plants have been cleared out, and I have planted crops for fall and winter growing. I also have several potted herbs in there that will spend the winter in the sheltered environment and give us a few fresh herbs for cooking.
greenhouse in October
I have had good results growing purple sprouting broccoli in the greenhouse beds the last two winters. This year I set out 10 PSB plants on 10/7, including Burgundy, Santee and Rudolph. Burgundy has been the earliest producer for me, and Rudolph the latest, so hopefully these three should give us an extended harvest from January through early April next year.
bed with broccoli and kale
Santee broccoli
Kale has also been a dependable producer for me. I set out 13 plants in early October, including Western Front, True Siberian, Groninger Blue Collard-Kale and Mars Landing. We not only enjoy eating the leaves of the kale plants, but after overwintering they will begin blooming next spring and give us lots of tasty kale rapini as well.
bed with kale and lettuce
Western Front kale
I also have some plants of the the Tuscan Baby Leaf kale growing in two containers. I already made a cutting of it this week, along with a few leaves of the purple Mars Landing kale.
Tuscan Baby Leaf kale
And at the other end of the greenhouse, I have parsley growing. I pretty much have parsley growing somewhere year round, and it does very well in the winter greenhouse for me. This time I am growing Splendid, Hungarian Land Race and Cilician. It is truly one of my favorite herbs, and it winds up in many dishes around here.
parsley plants
Lettuce is a staple in the greenhouse in every season except summer, when it gets too hot to do well. I have it planted in salad boxes and containers.
lettuce plantings
I have one box planted with Salanova Green Butter lettuce, which does well for me in containers.
Salanova Green Butter lettuce
A new favorite lettuce is called Frisygo. It’s a Tango type lettuce with tender, frilly leaves.
Frisygo lettuce
At one end of the bed with kale I have a dozen or so plants of lettuce. These are green, leafy types including Simpson Elite, Bergams Green and Slobolt.
Simpson Elite lettuce
One other plant I want to mention is the French Sorrel I have growing in a container. This is a selection called Profusion I got from Richter’s Herbs, and it makes a tasty addition to winter salads here. This selection never flowers or goes to seed, though it does tend to die back in summer and come out again when cooler weather returns in autumn.
French Sorrel Profusion
I hope you have enjoyed this look at what’s growing in the greenhouse in late October. I’ll be back soon with more happenings from Happy Acres!
That’s a nice selection Dave, my Sante has just finished and the Early Purple is just starting, my late PSB is Claret. We are lucky here that PSB thrives outside, but I have lots of late kale under cover like you do : All the best – Steve
Thank you for the greenhouse tour. You should be set for winter with lettuce, PSB, kale and herbs; and of course French sorrel.
Your gardens are always inspiring.