Utilise Greenhouse Space Now and Be Rewarded with Early Spring Crops

If your greenhouse beds and pots are currently empty, there are options to make them green before the tomato plants need the space. Despite slower growth in the winter months, you can still enjoy fresh homegrown vegetables from your greenhouse by selecting cold-tolerant varieties. 

If you continue reading, we will provide suggestions on what to grow in the greenhouse in February and March if you long for some dirt under your nails. For example, you can cultivate leafy greens, carrots, or peas. We will guide you on what to cultivate and how to maximize your greenhouse space in the cooler winter months. 

 

Guide – What You Can Sow in February and March 

Here is information on which crops to cultivate in the later winter months and early spring. On colder nights with a risk of frost, it is advisable to protect the plants, for example, with a fibre cloth. Remember to remove it the next morning to ensure the plants receive as much light as possible. 

Leafy Greens – salad, spinach, and rocket: 

Choose cold-tolerant varieties of salad, spinach, and rocket. Sow the seeds directly into the ground in your greenhouse, and you will likely be able to harvest in early spring, depending on the weather and crop growth. Cultivating salads in late winter results in slower growth and a reduced risk of flowering compared to summer months. Despite a smaller yield in the cold, the slower development often leads to a more robust flavour. 

Root Vegetables – carrot, radish, Hamburg parsley: 

Several root vegetables can sprout at low temperatures around 4-5 degrees Celsius. Cultivate root vegetables like carrots, radishes, and Hamburg parsley in the greenhouse during late winter and early spring. Depending on the weather and variety, you can typically harvest carrots in spring. Radishes have a shorter development time, making them suitable for winter cultivation. Cooler temperatures are beneficial for radishes, as they can become strong and stringy when grown in the summer. 

Legumes – peas and broad beans 

Peas and broad beans are generally hardy. In a greenhouse, sow peas as soon as they can be planted in the ground for a mature harvest well before those grown in open fields. Horse beans can also be cultivated directly in your greenhouse soil, allowing you to harvest tender sprouts for salads. If you want legumes on the plant, pre-sprout the broad beans in the greenhouse and then plant them in the garden to avoid taking up space in the greenhouse before tomatoes, as they have a longer development time. Growing peas and broad beans in the greenhouse also protects them from pigeons that tend to target tender plants. 

Greenhouse Plan – How to Optimize Your Space: 

Organize crops based on their growth types to save space in the greenhouse and achieve a larger yield. Consider placing climbing and taller crops in the back, such as peas, to make it easier to access crops in the front. Additionally, separate crops growing above and below ground to avoid competition for space and nutrients. A suggested greenhouse plan is provided below, which can be adjusted according to available space and preferred crops. 

Back row: Peas 

Second back row: Root vegetables, for example, carrots or Hamburg parsley 

Middle row: Salads, for example, Mizuna 

Second front row: Root vegetables, for example, radish 

Front row: Leafy greens, rocket, or broad beans (to harvest tender sprouts) 

Remember to be patient in the winter months; development time will be longer. However, the flavour will be more intense, and you can enjoy an earlier harvest. 

 

Happy winter cultivating! 

Green Front 

Team TagTomat