The Food Club

Getting an Early Crop

Posted on 06. Feb, 2009 by Justin in Vegetables

So you've got some space put aside for your garden and if like me you look out the window to see a currently lifeless space. It may seem like you are million miles away from getting your first crop and the wait is killing you. I would suggest going for an early crop of veg but your going to have to accept losses while the weather is still cold. The risk of frost sometimes won't pass until April so you could face disappointment but there are way to avoid / reduce the damage. 

You might want to consider investing in some movable plastic cloches as they are about £10 each.  Mine came from B&Q and have found them an invaluable addition to the garden equipment arsenal. I have two and it allows me to get this all important early crop in the ground. I've not got a very big space so the cloches are ideal, but if you have a big garden you could look at a polytunnel which will repay you massively over the years to come. You can see in the photo I already have one of my cloches out in an attempt to warm the ground before my broadbeans go in. 

So what early crops can you get in the ground?

• Broadbeans can go in now! Sowing under a cloche is advisable but you still may succeed without this piece of equipment. Broadbeans are very hardy and fast growing meaning a harvest in May is possible. 
• Find a hardy variety of lettuce and bring some seedling on inside the house before getting them in the ground before the end of February. Lettuce will be ready in just 14 weeks if there is a mild spring but will need protection for frosty nights. Remember to harden off the seedling before putting them in the ground as the shock will kill them. 
• Use one of the cloches to get a very early crop of spinach in the ground. If your feeling lucky try putting a cloche on the ground now for the next two weeks which will warm the soil. You can then try sowing your seeds in the middle of February. No guarantees! 

There are some ideas to get you going but try to experiment as you never know what will work!

Tags: broadbeans, cloches, early crop, early seed, lettuce, spinach, Vegetables