Summer is nearing her final bow: stems arch with the weight of seeds, others topple with exhaustion. There are only a few things left to sow now: winter lettuces are worth the effort, though they won’t be harvested until the end of March and early April next year, as growth slows to a standstill over winter.
My favourite hardy lettuce is ‘Winter Density’ , because it is small enough to sit under a dome cloche and does well in pots on patios. If you have space, ‘Marvel Of Four Seasons’ or ‘Arctic King’ are ideal, as both are bred for cold weather. These old varieties are large lettuces – they need 30cm in each direction between plants to stand the worst of the winter weather. It’s down to root mass and the resources that come from an extensive system: if you cram your plants in, you’ll get a small root mass and a less resilient plant.
To get the best flavour, use fleece or row cloches from late November onwards. Any salad that is under cover may inevitably get grey mould from the cool, damp conditions and poor air circulation. On sunnier days, air it and remove older, lower leaves that are losing vigour.
You may not have space for large lettuces, but I can’t think of a home that couldn’t find space for a little coriander or rocket. Both are rapid growers and, sown now, can be harvested by October in a window box, pot or corner of the garden. The rocket varieties ‘Serrata’ and ‘Gourmet’ have a mild flavour even when the leaves mature. ‘Cruiser’ is a British-bred coriander that is slow to bolt and does well in pots. Though, truth be known, even the whole coriander seeds in your spice cupboard will germinate.
If you have a porch, a cool, sunny window or a patio greenhouse, you’ll be able to keep that harvest going through winter. Sow successionally, in two-week gaps, to extend the harvest; if September is warm, it’s worth doing this until the end of the month. Outdoor soil will get too cold come winter, so a pot that can be nestled somewhere sheltered will fare much better. If you have a greenhouse or polytunnel still filled with tomatoes, sow in modules to plant out when the summer crops are gone.
If you missed that, your best option is to buy plug plants of things like kales, chards, pak choi, choy sum, Chinese cabbage and leaf mustards, spring cabbages and mini cauliflowers. I cannot recommend W Robinson and Son enough for its impeccable brassicas (and rhubarb and onions), which it sends out in August and September. They are tough plants that take immediately, and I’ve got a soft spot for the gingham paper they come wrapped in.
