Pre-winter plantings are widespread in the Moscow region. Their popularity is explained by a number of advantages. Crops sown in the fall develop strong roots and accumulate more biomass than those planted in the spring. They grow faster, are less affected by diseases and pests, and outgrow weeds. For successful underground sowings, it is necessary to respect the timing and use cold-resistant crops.
Features of autumn sowings
The climate of the Moscow region fully satisfies the requirements for winter crops. The height of the snow layer in the region reaches 35-40 cm. Snow falls at the end of October, and at the end of November a solid cover is already established. In winter, the soil freezes to a depth of 65-150 cm, which prevents premature germination of seeds and their subsequent death from early spring frosts.
For autumn planting, seeds obtained in the current season are preferable. As an exception, you can use seed left over from the spring. Seeds with normal germination are sown in the usual quantity. The seeding rate is increased by 10-20% only if germination is low. Sowing good seeds more abundantly than usual, you can get too dense shoots. Plants will inhibit each other, lag behind in growth and development, which will negate the benefits of winter sowing.
Winter crops are placed on high, south-facing areas with moisture-proof, well-cultivated light soil. The beds are prepared in advance, while the weather is good. In the first ten days of October, the soil is dug up, fertilized, leveled and ridges are formed, in which grooves are cut to the required depth. To prevent the furrows from being covered with snow, the beds are covered with roofing felt, boards or plywood. It is better not to cut furrows immediately before sowing. By this time, the soil is very frozen and it will be impossible to carry out quality work. A little soil mixture is stored in a warm room in advance so that there is something to cover the seeds lowered into the ground.
Seeds are sown when the temperature is in the range of 0... -5 degrees.
What crops are planted before winter?
Seeds in cold soil do not germinate, but go dormant. With the arrival of spring, when the soil warms up to the desired temperature, they come to life and begin to grow.
Not all seeds can survive the cold winter. Southern sissies - cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelons, green beans– do not sow in autumn, as their seeds will rot at low temperatures positive temperature, which is installed early spring.
Vegetables
Most cold-resistant vegetables grow and develop well after winter sowing. It is important to know that you cannot sow crops before winter that are intended for winter storage in vegetable stores and cellars. In autumn, plants are sown for processing and fresh consumption.
Winter garlic is a prime candidate for planting in the fall. In the spring it is not planted at all, since it does not survive until this time. Spring garlic, on the contrary, is not suitable for autumn planting. By purchasing planting material, you need to be able to distinguish spring garlic from winter garlic. In spring, the cloves are small, arranged in several rows. Winter garlic heads consist of a single row of large cloves surrounding a false stem. The largest cloves are selected for planting. Winter garlic takes root at low positive temperatures. In the Moscow region it is installed by the end of September. After 3 weeks, the rooted cloves will safely hide under the snow, where they will wait for spring and the opportunity to throw out the leaves.
Tulips are planted at the same time as winter garlic - the development cycle of these plants is similar
Everyone knows that garlic can be planted before winter, but few people practice planting onions in the fall. Now interest in winter onions has appeared among both farmers and summer residents. Onions, rooted in the fall, begins the growing season very early, delighting with a harvest of bulbs already at the beginning of summer. When planting onions in winter, it is important to choose the right variety. Conventional varieties bolt when sown in winter. After overwintering in the ground, they will expel the flower shoot instead of growing a bulb.
Table: bolting-resistant onion varieties suitable for winter planting
Small onion sets with a diameter of up to one centimeter dry out when stored in an apartment. In the spring you have to throw it away. It is more advisable to plant small bulbs before winter. Onion plants grown from small sets planted in the fall do not shoot, but, on the contrary, produce well-formed, large bulbs. Winter onions are planted as late as possible. It just needs to take root before frost sets in. In the Moscow region, onion planting begins in late October - early November. If warm weather lasts longer than usual, the bulbs will sprout and die during the winter. Winter onions are planted later than winter garlic, by the time severe frosts set in. The bed is prepared in advance. They dig up the earth, break up the lumps, and add compost (but not manure). Planting depth is 3-4 cm. The beds are mulched with leaves or mown grass. In early spring, the mulch is removed so that it does not interfere with the development of onion feathers. Landing distance:
- 4-5 cm in a row;
- 12-15 cm row spacing.
Sevok is sown in well-frozen soil
Winter beets ripen two to three weeks earlier than those sown in spring. The main thing is to choose the right landing time. The earth should cool to +2… +4 degrees. According to folk signs, beets are sown before winter after the cherry leaves have fallen. You can use the soil as a guide - by the time of sowing it should be frozen and only slightly thawed in the sun for a few hours. For winter sowing of beets, early ripening varieties that are resistant to bolting are suitable:
- Single-growth;
- Detroit;
- Ataman;
- Incomparable A 463;
- Cold-resistant 19;
- Polar flat;
- Pablo F1;
- Red ball.
Seeds are sown to a depth of 3-4 cm. The distance between seeds is 3-5 cm, between grooves 30-40 cm. Seeds and soil must be dry. Crops are mulched with industrially produced peat-based soil or spruce branches.
Cabbage, turnips and radishes are part of the same family, all members of which are highly cold-resistant and therefore suitable for autumn planting. Pre-winter sowing allows you to avoid the hassle associated with growing or purchasing cabbage seedlings. Radishes and turnips are prone to flowering, so varieties that are resistant to bolting are selected. Suitable:
- Carmen;
- Petrovskaya;
- Pharaoh;
- Firefly;
- Lydia.
Winter potatoes are rare in the Moscow region, but enthusiasts plant this crop before winter and get good results. The tubers are planted to a depth of 20 cm in cold, but not yet frozen ground. The bed is well insulated with mulch. In spring, the tubers will germinate and the plant will develop as usual. Winter potatoes outperform those planted in the usual way in yield and do not suffer from late blight. For autumn planting, the Nevsky variety is recommended - high-yielding, cold-resistant, and disease-resistant.
Carrots and parsnips sown before winter ripen two weeks earlier than usual. Already at the beginning of summer, you can eat juicy bunched products, and sow radishes, lettuce, beets or green beans. For winter sowing choose early varieties, acquiring a sweet taste already at an early stage of growth. These include: Bureau, Napoli F1, Orange Muscat, Puchkovaya, Victoria, Royal Chanson. Celery belongs to the same family as carrots, so it has excellent cold resistance. Before winter, both varieties of this crop are sown - leaf and root. Subwinter root celery in the Moscow region grows root crops weighing up to 150 g. Carrot and celery seeds quickly lose their viability, so only material obtained in the current year is suitable for underground sowing.
Bunch carrots for winter sowing
Green manure
Green manures are plants grown for the purpose of embedding in the ground. Green fertilizer enriches the soil with nitrogen and improves its structure. The following crops are sown before winter:
- rye;
- oats;
- wheat;
- alfalfa;
- white mustard;
- rape;
- Vika.
It is very important to choose the right sowing time. At +2 degrees the plants will begin to grow and die with the onset of winter. Seeds are scattered over the surface of dug up and loosened soil when the temperature drops to 0 degrees. In the spring, 2 weeks before planting the main crop on the bed, the sprouted green manure is planted into the soil with a Fokin flat cutter or cultivator. Winter grains and legumes You can sow earlier - in early September. The plants will have time to sprout and develop well before the onset of cold weather, and in winter they will go under the snow, having stems 5-10 cm high. In the spring, green manure is embedded in the soil, making room for garden crops.
Medicinal herbs
The grass seeds are very small. They are scattered over the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of peat. Before winter they sow:
- chamomile;
- motherwort;
- elecampane;
- thyme;
- ulcer;
- scorzonera;
- Maryin root and Eleutherococcus (after stratification);
- sequence;
- milk thistle;
- monarda;
- sage;
- Nigella;
- valerian;
- fenugreek;
- marshmallow;
- chicory.
Before winter you can also plant rhizomes perennial plants: peppermint, lemon balm, rhodiola rosea, St. John's wort, yarrow, string.
Any herbs that reproduce in nature by self-sowing are suitable for winter sowing.
Horticultural crops
Planted before winter deciduous trees and shrubs, perennial flowers. In the Moscow region, the time for planting seedlings occurs approximately a month before the soil freezes. Planted in autumn winter-hardy varieties pears and apple trees, frost-resistant berries: raspberries, currants, gooseberries, honeysuckle, viburnum, barberry, rowan.
Trees planted permanently in the garden are watered until frost. Before snowfalls, seedlings need to be protected from mice and hares by tying the trunks with nylon tights or prickly spruce branches.
Annual and perennial flowers
Pre-winter sowing of flowers often gives better results than seedling method, as it imitates the natural propagation of annual and perennial flowers. Many flowers in nature reproduce by self-sowing. The seeds overwinter under the snow, and in the spring they begin to germinate, having undergone natural stratification. Plants acquire immunity to diseases and pests, harden, and develop better. The root system becomes more branched and powerful, which allows flowers to produce more nutrients and water, it is better to resist weeds. Flowering begins earlier - perennials can bloom in the first year. Sowing flowers in winter frees you from the hassle of spring and allows you to grow more vegetable seedlings on your windowsills.
Green
Green crops are frost-resistant, so they are excellent for winter planting. In the fall, you can sow in the garden:
- parsley;
- basil;
- dill;
- sorrel;
- cilantro;
- lettuce;
- spinach;
- salad mustard;
- rhubarb;
- arugula;
- borage;
- onion
Greens in the country are sown when a steady cold snap sets in. In the Moscow region this is the beginning of October - mid-November. The air temperature should drop to 0 degrees, the soil temperature to +2...+4. Under no circumstances should winter crops of greenery be watered. The seeds are planted in dry soil and mulched with compost.
Autumn sowings allow the farmer to rationally distribute his time. By shifting some of the work to the fall, you can get more free time during the busiest time for a gardener - spring, when you have to sow large areas and pay a lot of attention to seedlings. Winter crops are carried out in different terms. In the Moscow region, seeds are sown in late October - November. Planted 2-3 weeks earlier winter garlic and bulbous flower crops, plants must have time to take root at low positive temperatures.
One of the most valuable qualities A successful gardener is the competent distribution of labor and time. There is always a lot of work on the ground, and therefore by performing certain operations in the fall, you can relieve yourself a little in the spring. But what can make spring work easier? The answer is winter sowing!
Planting winter garlic. © Gwenfar's Garden
What are winter crops?
The definition of what pre-winter crops are is included in the very name of the agricultural practice - pre-winter crops. It is the sowing of seeds in beds at a stable air temperature around 0 ° C and a soil temperature of +2 ... + 4 ° C that is called winter sowing. In different climatic zones this moment occurs at different times, if somewhere around the end of October, then in other places in November.
What are the benefits of winter sowing?
The benefits of sowing vegetables before winter are quite extensive and are worth not neglecting.
- First is the harvest by 2 - 3, and with film cover, 4 weeks earlier than with spring sowing.
- Secondly, getting seedlings more resistant to return frosts, diseases and pests.
- Thirdly, significant time saving during spring work.
- And finally, higher output from the same area, through the possibility of using repeated crops.
What can you sow before winter?
The choice of crops sown in the fall is quite wide. This: spinach, lettuce, radish, parsley, dill, beet, carrot, salad mustard, onion, leek, sorrel, borage, arugula, parsnip, coriander, rhubarb, color, red cabbage And Chinese cabbage.
In addition, before winter it is advantageous to plant garlic And onion sets, and for those who are interested in growing medicinal herbs - sowing sage, chamomile And valerian officinalis.
How to sow seeds in late autumn?
To ensure that winter sowing does not cause difficulties, it is necessary to prepare for it from the end of September - beginning of October. Preparation consists of digging, fertilizing and forming beds, selecting seeds, and purchasing planting material.
Place for autumn sowings, it is necessary to choose a sunny, not windy, elevated site - not suffering from stagnant spring moisture.
Seeds select carefully: buy varieties that are resistant to low temperatures and flowering, require short daylight hours, and are characterized by early ripening.
It is possible to apply both organic and complex mineral fertilizers for winter crops, but always with a focus on the crop being sown.
It is necessary to start sowing when temperatures stabilize around the zero mark of the thermometer, usually this is the period of the first morning frosts. However, there is no need to rush with sowing - if the soil freezes and then thaws, this can cause the seeds to germinate and then die.
If time is lost, you can sow the seeds even in light frosts, just sprinkle them not with soil from the garden bed, but with pre-prepared dry loose soil. It is usually made up of equal proportions of river sand, rotted compost and simple garden soil.
The seed sowing rate for winter crops is increased by 25 - 50% in relation to the usual recommendations.
The depth of seed placement depends on the type of soil: in light soil, sowing is done 0.5 cm deeper than usual.
And under no circumstances winter crops are not watered! But be sure to mulch.
Sowing radishes. © spadeandtrowel Crops for winter sowing
Planting winter garlic
Today, there are two ways to plant winter garlic. Their difference lies in the depth of the teeth, and therefore in the timing of the work.
Traditional method involves deepening the planting material to a depth of 3 to 5 cm and is carried out 2 - 3 weeks before the onset of persistent cold weather. For the middle zone this is the end of September, for the south and west - the beginning of November.
Second way - deep planting method. It is performed with the teeth deepened by 10 - 15 cm, which allows you to start working from mid-August until mid-October. However, it is more rational in cold climates, because that is where it shows the best results.
But choosing a planting method is not 100% successful. It is necessary to properly prepare the beds for garlic. And then important rule is inadmissibility of applying manure to crops, since it reacts to this fertilizer with exuberant growth of foliage, the formation of loose heads and instability to diseases.
It is necessary to fertilize the soil in garlic beds by adding ash, well-rotted garden compost (3 - 4 kg per square meter), as well as mineral fertilizers, for example, nitrophoska (20 - 30 g per square meter). If the soil is acidic, lime is added under the precursor; if the soil is clayey, sand is added for digging. Dry and also raw clay soils Not suitable for growing garlic.
For planting, it is better to select the largest and most healthy cloves of zoned varieties. Before planting, planting material should be etched with a 0.1% manganese solution.
For successful cultivation of this crop it is important and compliance with crop rotation. You should not plant garlic after onions and potatoes, since they, like this crop, love potassium and are damaged by the same diseases, and after cucumbers, pumpkins, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants. If, nevertheless, garlic is planted over garlic, then after harvesting the previous harvest, it is necessary to sow vetch in the beds, followed by incorporating the green mass into the soil.
A common layout for placing garlic in a garden bed is 10x15 cm.
Pre-winter planting of onions. © Kathryn - HKIE Pre-winter planting of onion sets
Good results are achieved by planting onion sets in winter, especially in cold regions, where not only an earlier harvest is obtained, but also a more high yield. Bulbs planted in autumn are less affected onion fly, false powdery mildew, they are easier to weed. And in order to preserve planting material until spring, you need to try very hard, so purchased seedlings are immediately sorted and prepared for planting.
The timing of planting the sets coincides with the winter planting of garlic, but if you need to choose which crop to devote time to first, then the onion can wait a little. The choice of site for planting onions is no different. However, the soil in the onion beds must settle well by the time work begins, and therefore it is prepared 2 to 3 weeks in advance. The recommendations from predecessors are no different.
To ensure a successful onion harvest, it is better to choose special zoned winter varieties for autumn planting and be sure to select healthy planting material. In addition, if there is a choice, it is necessary to plant spicy varieties- they winter well, do not bolt, and by the time of harvesting they are the same size as when planted in spring.
When sorting through the sets, 4 fractions are distinguished: with a diameter from 1 to 1.5 cm, from 1.5 to 3 cm, over 3 cm and up to 1 cm (oat). Each of them has its own characteristics and therefore is planted separately.
First faction(diameter up to 1.5 cm) and wild oatmeal- are best choice for winter sowing, since they do not give arrows, which means they give the gardener less trouble. They must be planted according to a 3×15 cm pattern and grown until heads corresponding to the variety are formed.
Sevok size from 1.5 to 3 cm often grown for early plumage. In this case, it is grown either compactly or in nests - 3 bulbs per nest.
Bulbs over 3 cm in diameter they are planted according to the scheme 8 - 10 x 15 - 20 cm.
Planting depth determined on the basis of 3 bulb sizes plus approximately 1.5 cm, or the height of the bulb multiplied by 3, plus 2 - 3 cm of mulch.
Shoots of carrots sown in autumn. © Mary Gold Winter sowing of carrots
Tolerates winter crops and carrots well.
When preparing a bed for it, you must remember that this crop loves loose soil and absolutely cannot tolerate unrotted organic matter (a manured bed can only be used for carrots for 2-3 years).
Therefore, they dig up the ground under it well, bring in ash, mineral fertilizers(for example, superphosphate - 20-25 g per sq. m. and potassium chloride - 10-15 g) or mature manure (3-5 kg per sq. m.) and, if the soil is heavy, add sand, if acidic - lime or dolomite flour. They allow the earth to settle, and with the onset of stable low temperatures(+2… +4°С) they start sowing.
Predecessors celery cannot be used for carrots, but cucumbers, potatoes, onions, and cabbage are suitable. To ensure a successful harvest, early and mid-ripening varieties are selected for sowing, or varieties intended for winter sowing. It’s even better if the seed material is granular, and very important - dry!
When planting carrots in winter, the seed sowing rate is increased by about 20 - 25% (this is about 1 g per square meter), and a greater depth of holes is provided - 4-5 cm and the distance between the grooves is 20-25 cm.
If seeding is carried out after light frosts, the furrows are covered with a pre-prepared dry earthen substrate or simple, pre-sifted garden soil; after sowing, the bed is mulched.
When sowing carrots in the fall, you must remember that winter plantings of the crop have low storage properties, so you should not occupy large areas with them.
Pre-winter sowing of beets
Beets are recommended for autumn planting due to the rather long growing season, reaching up to 130 days for some varieties. Its sowing is carried out when persistent cold weather sets in outside with a temperature of - 2 ... - 4 ° C, which in some climatic zones is observed already at the end of October - beginning of November. The main rule here is the need to guess the time of sowing in such a way that the seeds do not germinate, but only swell, otherwise they will die.
For winter sowing, choose special varieties resistant to cold, or varieties early dates ripening resistant to bolting. Sow the seeds dry, to a depth of about 3 - 5 cm, at a distance of 5 - 10 cm from each other, with row spacing of 30 - 40 cm.
Before sowing, the beds are fertilized with organic matter (5 kg per sq. m.) and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (15 g per sq. m.), if the soils are acidic, dolomite flour is added (5 liters per sq. m.).
Crop rotation is also mandatory for beets. It cannot be planted after carrots and cabbage, but is recommended after tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, potatoes and peppers.
In order to get a harvest from the beds sown before winter a week earlier, the beets can be covered with film and removed when the first shoots appear.
It is not worth planting a lot of beets in the fall, since they do not have high shelf life.
Spring parsley. © Patsy Bell Hobson Pre-winter sowing of parsley, dill and other greens
When sowing parsley and dill in the fall, you must adhere to the same rules as when sowing other crops in winter: dig up and fertilize the beds in advance, sow after frosts have arrived, slightly increase the depth and rate of sowing, and upon completion of work, mulch the area with a dry substrate.
Sowing parsley, form row spacings of 20 - 25 cm, while the depth of planting its seeds can vary from 1 to 1.5 cm. Dill in the fall they are planted to a depth of 2.5 cm, leaving a distance between rows of 20 cm. The predecessors for Umbelliferae cannot be plants of their own family - cilantro, carrots, cumin, fennel, but can be cucumbers, cabbage, potatoes, zucchini.
In addition to parsley and dill, before winter you can sow: celery, spinach, rhubarb, borage, parsnips, salad mustard. Like all other winter crops, they will sprout much earlier spring planting and they will delight you, reminding you that everything was done correctly.
What to sow on your site before winter and why? The main purpose of planting vegetables and flowers before winter is to obtain early shoots in the spring. Plants planted in the fall are hardier and resistant to diseases. They are resistant to spring frosts, grow faster, and require less watering. Vegetable crops sown before winter will yield a harvest 2-3 weeks earlier. For winter crops, only cold-resistant varieties and crops are chosen.
For planting before winter, the site is prepared in advance, immediately after harvesting the main crops. The place should be on a hill so that the snow melts earlier and the earth warms up faster.
Beds for winter crops are prepared in early autumn. Humus is added 5-6 kg per 1 sq.m, mineral fertilizers - superphosphate and potassium fertilizer approximately 20-30 grams each. or 1 tablespoon per 1 sq.m. With digging, fertilizers are incorporated into the soil. Afterwards the land is harrowed, ridges are made and furrows are cut in them for future crops.
The furrows for sowing seeds are made 3-4 cm deep, in rows at a distance of 15-20 cm. To fill the seeds sown in the furrows, prepare dry humus or peat. The top layer of peat or humus will remain loose in the spring, will not allow the formation of a soil crust, through which it is difficult for sprouts to break through, and will retain moisture longer.
When to sow before winter
You cannot sow seeds early before winter, so that they do not have time to germinate or hatch, otherwise they will die in winter. Winter sowings are carried out in late autumn, when cool weather sets in with daytime temperatures of +2...+5°C and frosts at night. You can sow seeds before winter on frozen soil or on the first snow. But at the same time, you need to sprinkle the crops on top not with frozen soil, but with pre-prepared peat or humus.
Before winter, seeds are sown only dry. It is good to use pelleted seeds; they are clearly visible in the shell and are convenient to sow without thickening. A seed enclosed in a shell with nutrients that will dissolve in the spring and give impetus to growth. For winter sowing, there is no need to increase the frequency of sowing; thickened seedlings will only worsen the quality of the crop.
What can you sow before winter?
Before winter, only cold-resistant crops and varieties are sown. To get early greens salad crops are sown before winter– lettuce, dill, parsley, spinach. The radish varieties “Zhara”, “Makhovsky”, “Red with white tip” sprout well.
| Culture | Variety | Advantages of autumn sowing |
| Arzamassky, Bessonovsky, Danilovsky, Myagkovsky 300, Stuttgarten, Ellan | It is better to plant small onion sets (up to 1 cm in diameter) before winter, otherwise they will dry out and will not survive until spring. | |
| Vitaminnaya 6, Moscow Winter, Nantes 4, Incomparable, Shantane 2461 | When sown in winter, the carrots ripen before the carrot fly flies, and the fruits are juicier and larger. | |
| Parsnip | Round, Student | Parsnip seeds are stored very little, and when sown in winter they remain viable |
| Parsley | Leaf Ordinary, root Bordovik, sugar | Early greens |
| Radish | Long lasting, Rose red | |
| Head lettuce | Berlin yellow, red cabbage | Early greens |
| Beet | Egyptian flat, Losinoostrovskaya 13, Moscow winter, Podzimnyaya 474, Cold-resistant 19 | The harvest ripens very early, the root crops are juicy and large |
| Dill | Gribovsky | Early greens |
| Purple striped | Early greens | |
| Spinach | Victoria | It is not afraid of the cold, can withstand even long periods of sub-zero temperatures, and can be harvested literally from under the snow. |
Pre-winter sowing of onions
Planted in the fall a little earlier, 10-15 days before the cold snap, so that the bulbs have time to take root, but not germinate. On the pen, the bulbs are planted close to each other in a row, and a distance of about 30 cm is left between the rows. The bulbs are pressed into the soil so that only the neck peeks out on the surface. On top of the onion planting before winter, sprinkle mulch from humus or peat with a layer of 2-3 cm. Onion sets planted before winter will give good harvest turnip onions by August. Nigella onions are sown in late autumn to obtain onion sets for next year.
Winter sowing of carrots
Gives more friendly shoots . You need to choose cold-resistant varieties, for example: “Moskovskaya Winter”, “Vitaminnaya”, “Losinoostrovskaya”. When sowing before winter, the carrot harvest can be harvested from the beds as early as the end of June. Winter carrots are suitable for summer consumption. For winter storage, sowing is done in late spring. The planting depth of carrot seeds should be 2-3 cm.
Beets before winter
Beets are sown before winter with the onset of a steady cold spell so that the seeds do not have time to germinate. The beet varieties “Polar Sweet”, “Podzimnyaya”, and “Northern Shar” are suitable for winter crops. The optimal time for sowing beets before winter is when the air temperature is consistently low and the soil is consistently frozen. In the Moscow region, the approximate planting dates are considered to be the end of October and November. If you sow earlier, the seeds will germinate in the fall and die
Winter garlic
before winter carried out 5-6 weeks before the onset of stable sub-zero temperatures. Winter garlic is usually planted in beds at the end of September - beginning of October; before the cold weather, the cloves need to take root, but not germinate. When planted before winter, garlic ripens faster, its aroma will be stronger and brighter. Garlic cloves are embedded in the soil to a depth of 6-8 cm. 8-10 cm are left in the row between the cloves. Row spacing is made at a distance of 35-40 cm. Beds with garlic planted before winter are mulched with humus or sawdust.
What flowers can be sown before winter?
Many perennial flowers require sowing before winter, the seeds of which germinate better after a period of stratification. Garden perennials can be sown immediately in a permanent place, having prepared the soil for them in the same way as for growing vegetables. Before winter they sow peonies, primroses, delphiniums, hellebores, decorative bows. And also rudbeckia, echinacea, aquilegia, helenium, black cohosh, bluebells, cornflower, and ornamental grasses.
Annual flowers of frost-resistant species are sown before winter so that next year they bloom earlier than usual. You can sow asters, calendula, cornflower, poppy, sweet peas, cosmos, escholzia, alyssum, purslane, nigella, sweet tobacco, and annual phlox.
Planting bulbous flowers before winter will ensure their early awakening. , daffodils, lilies, which have larger bulbs, can be planted at the end of September and until the end of October. The bulb needs to be well rooted so that it has time to form a root system, but it does not have time to germinate before the onset of cold weather.
I am sure that everyone has heard: winter wheat, winter barley, winter garlic and winter onions, even winter carrots - all these are agricultural crops, the seed material of which is sown or planted just before winter with the goal of getting an early and full harvest as soon as possible, which must be beneficial in many ways. Including in a financial sense - early vegetables on the market are quite expensive, and the need for them in the first half of summer is very high.
In addition, the spring sowing and preparatory dacha harvest takes a lot of effort and time, taking into account the violent growth of awakened weeds. In the fall, despite a whole series of crops, there is still time for winter sowing.
And if you approach this with full knowledge of the matter, with curiosity and experimental enthusiasm, then you may find success in the form of the implementation of plans for an early harvest of fresh greens (lettuces, salad mustard, celery, parsnips and borage), radishes, carrots , beets, cabbage (cauliflower, red cabbage and Peking cabbage), not to mention onions, with which there are no problems at all with autumn sowing - they are planted, frankly speaking, in the old-fashioned way traditional ways, successfully mastered even by beginning gardeners.
Many beginning gardeners retreat at the first failure, most often due to amateurism, or even simply ignorance, and do not understand the nature of their mistakes. Instead of looking for solutions to problems and working on mistakes, they completely abandon autumn sowing and impoverish themselves in the literal sense of the word. In the soul of a true gardener, the hope of mastering in all its subtleties this form of improving amateur gardening activities should not be extinguished, because there are still quite simple and feasible rules that have been successfully tested for a long time. All they have to do is follow and work.
First of all, we take into account the climatic characteristics of your region in order to choose the moment for sowing or planting before winter, which is determined by the onset of persistent cold weather and irreversible heat, which, with excess humidity, can provoke disastrous seed germination.
Correct preparation of beds for autumn sowing, which must be done 1-2 months before the planting date. As a rule, this means deep digging of the soil, removal of weed roots, and application of the correct fertilizers according to the culture and quality of the soil.
For autumn sowing, it is extremely important to use seeds of any vegetable crops only from those varietal categories that are cold-resistant and are not prone to seed bolting (flowering), leading to woodiness of root crops.
Properly sown vegetable crops need protective shelter not so much from the cold as from erosion and weathering. These shelters on winter period There may be non-woven materials and a sufficient layer of mulch.
Dates for autumn sowing of vegetables
You can start pre-winter sowing already at zero temperature, having made sure from the weather forecast that the cold snap is stable - the return of warm and humid weather will most likely provoke unwanted germination seed material and its death when frost returns. You need to navigate by the soil frozen on top at sub-zero air temperatures, even if yesterday the weather was above zero.
The choice of planting site for winter crops is extremely important. The bed should be located on a natural or man-made hill, with the expectation that the spring melting of snow may linger, and the water stagnant underneath from melting will create conditions for soaking the seeds.
The soil in such beds should be light, taking into account the fact that heavy soils can become even more compacted during the winter. As you know, these beds are prepared long in advance so that the soil, while remaining soft, settles as much as possible and so that it does not settle with the seeds, unnecessarily deepening them. Fertilizers, organic (compost or humus) or mineral - potassium-phosphorus series, are applied immediately during the first digging.
In dry, above-zero weather, they stock up on soil mulch to cover seeds sown in frosty weather. This soil mulch should be free of lumps and pebbles and even needs to be pre-sifted. It should be stored as much and even with a slight excess as is required for mulching the furrows with sowing. To ensure that this mulch remains dry and loose until required, it is advisable to store it in a plastic bag tied on top and under a canopy.
On a prepared, fully leveled bed, make all the necessary furrows, 3-5 centimeters deep. But while waiting for the actual sowing to take place, rain may occur in these furrows. To avoid erosion of the furrows made, the bed should be covered with protective material.
Winter seeds should never be soaked before sowing, as is recommended for spring sowing in the spring; they should be dry and free-flowing. During winter sowing, seed material is consumed 1.5-2 times more than during spring sowing. After sowing, sprinkle the furrows on top with 1.5-2 centimeters of soil, and then with a layer of 2-3 centimeters of stored dry soil mulch.
It is believed that such mulch can prevent the formation of a soil crust with cracks, which will protect the delicate root system plant sprouts. In addition to such mulching, it would be useful to cover the beds with crops with spruce spruce branches, fallen leaves and apply dry branches to prevent them from being blown away by the wind. For places with harsh winters, the thickness of the covering layer is desirable to be at least 15-20 centimeters, and with the onset of spring, the bed is completely freed from cover.
It is important to know that winter vegetable crops do not require watering or pre-soaking.
Varieties of winter vegetable seeds
Such seeds must be flawless in terms of external and internal data. They must appear normal in size and weight and be stored in impeccable conditions, even if they are homegrown. It is best to buy pelleted seeds for such important pre-winter sowing, which will reduce the loss of seedlings.
If you purchase certified seeds with an acceptable shelf life and use, then on the packaging you will read all their characteristics, including their ability not to form flower stalks at low temperatures or this process is possible at the level of minimal bolting, will become the most important condition for their selection for winter sowing. This is especially important for root crops - during spring bolting, they should be removed immediately, and this is a loss!
Winter beet varieties
“Podzimnyaya A-474” The variety is mid-early, ripening occurs 55-100 days after emergence. Resistant to flowering (formation of flower stalks) and cercospora; cold-resistant, with high taste data, with good performance by keeping quality during storage.
“Cold-resistant 19” Mid-season variety - 65-75 days from germination to ripening. Differs in cold resistance, long shelf life proper storage, high taste, not prone to color.
“Egyptian flat” mid-season variety - 95-120 days until full technical ripeness. High taste characteristics, consistently high yields, resistance to cold and flowering make this variety popular. In addition, it is zoned everywhere.
“Polar Flat” The variety is zoned specifically for the northern regions. Root crops of good taste have time to ripen after 50-90 days from germination. It is characterized by increased cold resistance, resistance to flowering and pests (root beetles).
The main criteria for choosing such seeds, in addition to resistance to cold and flowering, should also include partial shade tolerance.
“Heat” Early ripening - 15-18 days after germination, ready for selective harvesting. The taste is mildly spicy. Resistant to cold, early bloom and partial light.
“Zarya” is an early-ripening variety (18-25 days ripening period from germination), high-yielding, adapted to low light levels.
"Rose red with white tip" Excellent taste qualities, high yield, ripening in 25-30 days from germination of round, bright pink root crops with a snow-white tip make this variety very popular.
Carrot varieties for sowing before winter
When choosing winter seeds for, you should be guided primarily by your own taste preferences and resistance to unwanted flowering.
"Nantes" Universally zoned most popular productive variety, which gardeners choose for its high taste, varietal resistance to diseases and pests, as well as early ripening of root crops within 60-65 days from germination.
"Vitamin 6" Resistant to coloring mid-season variety(85-110 days). Juicy, bright orange, high in carotene, with sweet pulp, especially young root vegetables, become a favorite treat for children.
“NIIOKH 336” The variety is zoned for the northern regions - mid-season (98-110 days from germination), its root crops have a high carotene content, but in order to increase productivity it requires early thinning of the seedlings.
This is not a complete list of the most popular winter seeds early vegetables, without which vegetable beds impossible to imagine. The main thing in growing vegetables by sowing before winter is the appropriate simple agricultural technology and quality seeds with knowledge of them the right choice, which is discussed here.
Every year, gardeners and vegetable gardeners learn to use their acres rationally in order to get greater returns.
One way to increase the efficiency of vegetable beds is to conduct winter sowing. It is used both in open ground, and in unheated polycarbonate greenhouses.
Observations by experienced gardeners and villagers confirm an indisputable fact: seedlings sown in winter are stronger, friendlier and healthier. But few summer residents use this long-known method of growing vegetables.
Pre-winter sowing provides the following advantages:
- harvesting 2-3 weeks earlier;
- partial transfer of spring work to a less busy period;
- increasing productivity by using the potential of melt water: seeds germinate faster, sprouts have greater growth vigor;
- avoiding specialized pests by shifting the growing season phases;
- compliance with the principle of “no black steam”: the soil should not remain open to avoid drying out and erosion, and when sowing in winter, seedlings appear soon after the snow melts (depending on the crop).
Unfortunately, pre-winter sowing also means the risk of being left without any seedlings. Seeds planted in violation of recommendations are likely to sprout prematurely, freeze, die from damping off, or be washed away by meltwater. To prevent all this, it is enough to properly prepare the bed and sow the seeds on time.
General rules for sowing in late autumn
If planting seedlings ornamental shrubs And fruit and berry crops carried out at the beginning of autumn so that they have time to take root, then for vegetable seeds a different rule applies: the seeds should not hatch and sprout. Therefore, sowing is carried out in frozen soil or even after the first snow, and the bed is prepared in advance. IN Middle lane Winter sowing is carried out from the last ten days of October to mid-November. More precise dates are determined by weather conditions.
The bed should be arranged in a sunny area, protected from northern winds. It should not have a slope or unevenness. The leveled surface is lightly crushed and furrows are cut for sowing. This must be done in September. To prevent waterlogging, cover the finished bed non-woven material.
Dry seeds are sown, without synthetic shells. Only pickling followed by drying to a free-flowing state is allowed. The seeding rate is increased by 1.5-2 times (25% is enough for green ones), since they take into account the high incidence of immature and diseased seeds and weakened sprouts in extreme conditions. Not every seed will germinate after exposure to low temperatures, but the one that does will give rise to a strong and healthy plant.
The seeding depth is increased to 2-3 cm. If sowing is planned to be done on frozen soil, then it is better to prepare the soil for filling the furrows in advance and keep it in a cool place. After sowing, it is recommended to mulch the bed with a layer of peat or compost 2-3 cm thick. Mulch will serve as additional protection against severe frosts and prevent crust formation in the spring.
If, according to forecasts, a winter with little snow is expected, then for additional protection of the seeds, the bed is covered with dense lutrasil. Since the material allows air to pass through well, there is no risk of seedlings damping off during frequent spring thaws. An alternative is a 15-centimeter layer of spruce branches or dry branches.
Separately, it is worth noting the winter planting of bulbous crops. Unlike seeds, bulbs cannot be planted in frozen ground. Before the onset of cold weather, they should have time to produce roots, but not shoots. You need to focus on the average daily temperature. In the central zone, winter garlic is planted in late September - early October.
What vegetable crops can be planted before winter?
Not all vegetables can be sown in late autumn. The list is limited to crops with cold-resistant seeds and winter varieties.
- small onion sets
- chives
- onion
- sweet onion
- chives
- carrot
- dill
- cilantro
- parsley
- parsnip
- salad
- sorrel
- arugula
- radish
- Swiss chard (chard)
- spinach
- borage
- table beets (non-flowering varieties for obtaining bunched products)
- scorzonera (goat)
- catnip (catnip)
- aniseed lofant
- clary sage
- garden rue
- katran
Note! Onion sets with a diameter of less than 1 cm are not suitable for storage, but they do not shoot after exposure to low temperatures. This is the kind of sowing that is suitable for winter planting in late September - early October. Before the onset of cold weather, the bulbs should have time to take root.
Cultures of the second category: winter garlic and winter rye (green manure). IN organic farming with the main emphasis on green manure, in winter you can also sow white mustard and rapeseed, occupying all the vacant areas intended next year for planting seedlings of fruit vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, zucchini).
When you already have experience with winter sowing, it’s worth a try autumn sowing tomato The seeds of this crop, after exposure to low temperatures under natural conditions, produce hardened and healthy seedlings. To protect the seedlings from frost, a temporary greenhouse is built from arcs and film or spunbond.
Pre-winter planting of flowers
Among flower crops there are many species that require stratification for more friendly shoots. Most often, cold-resistant annuals are sown in winter: asters, calendula, godetia, gypsophila, matthiola, snapdragon, cosmos, eschscholzia.
Of the perennials in the fall, you can sow garden chamomile, gaillardia, lavatera, carnation, bellflower, aquilegia, yarrow, and doronicum. In the future, these plants reproduce well by self-sowing. As a result, flower growers are making it easier spring work for garden decoration and get earlier and longer flowering.
In winter, some bulbous and rhizomatous plants are planted or transplanted. First of all, tulips, irises, daylilies, lilies, daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, muscari, peonies, primrose, phlox.
Here, planting dates begin at the beginning of September, since the plants early go into a dormant state and switch to accumulating nutrients in the bulbs and rhizomes. In autumn, the plants will take root and will delight you with flowering in the new season.
When is the crop harvested during winter sowing?
Seeds sown before winter begin to germinate immediately after the top layer of soil warms up to the required temperature. As a result, the harvest can be harvested 2-3 weeks earlier than from beds sown in the spring. This especially applies to slow-germinating carrots and dill, the seeds of which require good moisture.
To speed up the formation of a crop, for example, green ones, the bed is covered with non-woven material without waiting for the snow to melt. You can also insert arcs in the fall and stretch the greenhouse film in early spring. Such temporary shelters will speed up soil warming and seed germination, and also protect young seedlings from spring frosts.
Some crops with a long growing season and low germination energy have time to ripen only with winter sowing. In northern regions with short summers, pre-winter crops in an unheated greenhouse are promising. This will allow you to get early greens and root vegetables per bunch.