Top 5 (well actually its a Top 7 this week): Seeds to sow over winter

It’s the time of the year when my mind turns to ordering seeds – seeds to sow over Winter for the coming Spring and Summer season.  These are my top 5 food crops to sow over the next 3 months, provided you live in a temperate climate in the Southern Hemisphere anyway.

1. Onions – There’s still time to sow onions this year.  I find that I can sow bulb onions anytime up until the end of June and still have a successful crop.  Spring Onions can be sown all year so now is as good a time as any to get them in the ground.

2. Tomatoes – I sow my tomatoes in July, inside initially taking them outside once they have germinated.  I give them protection for the rest of winter as they grow on to seedling stage.

3. Potatoes – Most of the seed potato suppliers should start to have seed potatoes available from now on so its a perfect time to buy seed potatoes.  You get by far the best variety at this time of the year and you can plant them anytime provided your garden is frost free.

4. Herbs – I sow quite a lot of herb seeds towards the end of winter, usually in late July with my tomatoes.  Parsley to replace the plants that will go to seed once Spring begins.  Basil, undercover, for the coming summer season.  Dill to make sure I’ve got some ready for when the cucumbers arrive.  And Coriander because its the only time I can get the damn stuff to grow.

5. Beets – In late July I also start to sow beets – both beetroot and silverbeet.  The silverbeet will replace those plants that bolt in Spring and the beetroot provides an enjoyable Spring harvest.

This week I couldn’t limit myself to just 5 plants – I know, i know, indecisive but for this week, and this week alone here are number 6 & 7:

6.  Peppers – I sow Chillies and Capsicums in late winter – usually in August.  They seem to do best for me sowing in early August.  If I sow earlier they seem to take forever to germinate – or that’s how it seems.

7. Eggplant – This year I plan to try sowing my eggplant a little earlier as the plants are reaching maturity later than I would like.  Usually I sow in August but this year I’m thinking of trying them in July with the tomatoes and see what happens.

What are you planting this winter?  Or what did you sow last winter that you wished you’d sown earlier or later?

In other Top5 news; this week The New Goodlife gives us her Top 5 herbs to grow at home.