Winter sowing will allow not only to free up time in spring, but also two or three weeks earlier than during spring sowing, to get a harvest of fresh vegetables - carrots, beets, parsley, lettuce, dill, radishes, spinach, sorrel. Such sowing is possible in all climatic zones of Russia, but it is especially recommended where in the spring the earth warms up slowly and does not dry out for a long time, or there are often spring droughts. Particular attention should be paid to soil preparation. The area set aside for winter sowing must be carefully dug up in advance, compost must be added, if necessary, sand, superphosphate and potassium salt at 15-20 g / m. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied in spring after germination (20 g / m2).
The seeds are sown after the onset of stable autumn frosts, the soil temperature will drop to plus 2-3 C, so that before the frost the seeds only have time to swell, but not germinate. In the Moscow Region, such conditions usually occur at the end of October or the beginning of November. The seeding rate of seeds is doubled in comparison with the spring. The grooves are cut in advance with a depth of 5--6 cm. After the soil settles and floods, the depth of the grooves will decrease. Seeds are covered by 1.5 ~ 2 cm. Crops are mulched with humus or peat; in winters with little snow, they are covered with spruce branches.
In the spring, the soil must be carefully loosened, weeds must be weeded, the seedlings must be thinned out and fed with nitrogen fertilizers.
Podwinter crops, as a rule, give amicable shoots that grow well, tolerate cold weather, drought more easily, and are less damaged by diseases and pests.
In autumn, winter garlic is planted using cloves, bulbs, and one-cloves. Term - end of September - early October, when the average daily air temperature no longer rises above 10 ╟С. Plants should have time to take root, but not produce green shoots. Later plantings may suffer frost damage. The cloves are planted to a depth equal to three diameters of a clove, a bulb ≈ by 2-2.5 cm. The distance between rows is 20-25 cm. Fresh manure is not recommended for garlic, as this fertilizer can cause an outbreak of disease and decay of the root system. It is better to use humus; on heavy soils, add sand.
Planting after a slight freezing of the soil, it is advisable to mulch with peat compost, cover with a small layer of fallen leaves. In the spring, after the snow melts, the leaves must be removed, the mulching layer must be slightly raked, the plants must be fed with nitrogen fertilizers, and the soil must be loosened.
L.A. Vavilova
TIME TO PREPARE FOR WINTER SEEDS
Mid October to early November ≈ sowing time vegetable crops before winter. Sow carrots, parsley, dill, lettuce, spinach, onion seeds on a turnip.
At this time, the soil temperature drops to 2-3 ° C. If sown earlier, the seeds will germinate and the seedlings will die from frost.
Sowing in the winter makes it possible to obtain vegetable products for 10-12 days. earlier than in the spring. And the harvest tends to be higher.
Plants sown before winter use soil moisture more fully and run in time. In addition, the gardener in the spring frees up time for other work and sowing other crops at more favorable times.
Sowing before winter is carried out in elevated non-flooded areas on previously prepared ridges. The sowing rate of seeds is increased in comparison with the spring one by 1.5 times. Crops must be mulched with humus or peat. The planting depth of seeds together with mulch should be 0.5 cm more than in spring.
Before winter they sow: onions (variety ≈ Strngunovsky (local, Myachkovsky local, Danilovsky 301, Odintsovets, Mstersky local), carrots (Nantskaya 4, NIIOKh 336, Moscow winter A-Ya15, Vitaminnaya, Losinoostrovskaya, Shantene 2461, Perfekshen), Petru Sugar root. Common leaf), parsnip (Round early), spinach (Fat-leaved, Giant).
2-3 weeks before a steady cold snap in the central regions of the Non-Black Earth Region, from the beginning to mid-October, onions and turnips are planted under winter on greens, as well as small sets on a bulb.
On the greens, the bulbs are planted in a half-bridge way, a small set on the bulb ≈ in furrows after 4 cm. For greens, multi-seed varieties are more often used: Bessonovsky local, Spassky local and Pogarsky local improved. Arzamas local.
On a bulb, you can plant small sets with a diameter of up to 1 cm of any varieties, except for southern ones (Kaba, etc.). Onions with such a planting and a good overwintering form one large onion and much earlier than when planted in spring.
They are carried out in order to get early friendly shoots of plants. Sowing seeds in late autumn is also called winter crops. The seeds of winter crops germinate earlier than with the earliest sowing, and the plants will be strong, resistant to adverse conditions, develop faster and yield a harvest.
Next year, I want to get the first harvest from the garden as early as possible. Greens sown before winter - lettuce, spinach, dill, parsley, radish and onion sets for greens will yield 2-3 weeks earlier. Before winter, it is recommended to sow seeds of tough-like plants, which need a cold period of stratification for germination, it starts the germination process, and the seeds also swell well and are saturated with melt water in spring. For winter crops, choose only cold-resistant varieties and crops.
Preparing a site for planting before winter
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 falls off first, melt water does not accumulate and the earth warms up faster.
The beds for winter crops are prepared at the beginning of autumn. For digging, humus is introduced 5-6 kg per 1 sq.m., mineral fertilizers - superphosphate and potassium fertilizer, about 20-30 gr. or 1 tablespoon per 1 sq.m. With digging, fertilizers are embedded in the soil. After that, the soil is harrowed, ridges are made and furrows are cut in them for future crops.
The grooves for sowing seeds are made 3-4 cm deep, in rows at a distance of 15-20 cm. To backfill the seeds sown in the furrows, prepare humus or peat in buckets and place them where they will not get wet and will not freeze. The top layer of peat or humus in the spring will remain loose, 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.
It is impossible to sow seeds early before winter, so that they do not have time to germinate or hatch, otherwise they will die in winter. Winter crops are sown in late autumn, when the weather is cool with a daytime temperature of + 2 ... + 5 degrees, and frosts at night. You can sow seeds before winter on frozen soil or on the first snow, but you need to sprinkle the crops on top not with frozen soil, but with prepared peat or humus in advance.
Seeds are sown before winter only dry. It is good to use pelleted seeds, they are clearly visible in the shell, it is convenient to sow without allowing thickening, and the seed, enclosed in a protective shell with nutrients, which will dissolve in spring and give an impetus for growth. For winter sowing, it is not necessary to increase the frequency of sowing, thickened seedlings will only worsen the quality of the crop.
What can be sown before winter.
As it was already prepared earlier, only cold-resistant crops and varieties are sown before winter. To get early greens lettuce crops are sown before winter - salad, dill, parsley, spinach. The varieties of radish "Heat", "Makhovsky", "Red with a white tip" sprout well.
Bow on featherplanted in the fall a little earlier, 10-15 days before the cold snap, so that the bulbs have time to take root, but do not germinate. On a feather, the bulbs are planted close to each other in a row, and a distance of about 30 cm is left in the row spacing.The bulbs are pressed into the soil so that only the neck peeps out on the surface, on top of the onion planting before winter they are sprinkled with 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. Chernushka onions are sown in late autumn to obtain onion sets for next year.
More friendly shoots carrots sown in winter, choose cold-resistant varieties "Moscow winter", "Vitaminnaya", "Losinoostrovskaya". When sown before winter, the crop of carrots can be harvested from the beds already at the end of June, this carrot will be used for summer consumption, and for storage for the winter, crops are sown at the end of spring. The seeding depth of carrot seeds should be 2-3 cm.
Beetssown before winter with the onset of a steady cold snap so that the seeds do not have time to germinate. For winter crops suitable beet varieties "Polar Sweet", "Podzimnyaya", "Severny Shar".
Planting garlic before winter carried out 5-6 weeks before the onset of stable subzero temperatures. Winter garlic is usually planted in the beds in late September - early October, it is necessary that before the cold weather the cloves have time to take root, but do not germinate. When planted before winter, garlic ripens faster, its aroma will be stronger and brighter. The chives are buried in the soil to a depth of 6-8 cm. 8-10 cm are left in the row between the cloves, and the aisles are made at a distance of 35-40 cm. The beds with garlic planted before winter are mulched with humus or sawdust.
What flowers can be sown before winter?
Many perennial garden plants require sowing before winter, the seeds of which germinate better after a period of stratification. Garden perennials can be sown directly to a permanent place, preparing the soil for them as well as for growing vegetables. Peonies, primroses, delphiniums, hellebores, decorative bows, rudbeckia, echinacea, aquilegia, helenium, black cohosh, bells, cornflower, ornamental cereals are sown before winter.
Annual flowers of frost-resistant species are sown before winter, so that next year they bloom earlier than usual. Of annuals, before winter, you can sow asters, calendula, cornflower, poppy, sweet peas, cosmea, esholzia, alissum, purslane, nigella, sweet tobacco, annual phlox.
To start harvesting in early spring, you need to worry about planting in the fall. Naturally, not everything should be planted, adhering to this principle, but we will now consider what can definitely be planted before winter.
In stores we can buy all year round. But the edible grass grown on its site has a completely different taste and smell. And if you prepare in advance and the first shoots will appear in early spring, then this is generally fine. 
Did you know? For winter crops, a sunny area on a hill where water does not stagnate is suitable. Before winter, you can sow:
Important! Dill, cilantro and parsley can be sown throughout the summer so that fresh herbs are always present in the garden.
Let's look at what other seeds can be planted before winter, besides juicy and healthy greenery.
What else is planted in the fall in the country, if not This type of planting is ideal for her. The best time to plant is late November. In this case, sowing is done in frozen ground and they have no chance of germinating ahead of time. Important! Regardless of what crops are planted before winter, the number of seeds when sowing must be increased by 30%.
Favorable temperature for sowing is from -3 ° C to -5 ° C. After planting, it is advisable to cover the beds with foliage or needles, this will help the plant to winter better. In the spring, the shelter must be carefully removed and the soil loosened. In order for the first shoots to appear very quickly, you can cover the beets with a film, this will significantly speed up the process.
Even in late autumn, gardeners do not stop planting work on their plots. What do tireless workers plant before winter and does it make sense?
Winter sowing has many advantages:
- The winter moisture reserve is effectively used.
- Seedlings appear two weeks earlier than when sown in spring. This allows early harvests in areas where the soil warms up slowly.
- After harvesting ripe vegetables in mid-summer, you can use the beds to re-harvest.
- Time is freed, which is so lacking in spring.
In addition, many seeds must undergo stratification before germination, and the cold period will only benefit them.
Cons: for root crops that are planted before winter, a flower arrow begins to grow more often. This is especially true for carrots and beets. There is also a danger that, during a sudden thaw, seedlings may grow, and die when frost occurs.
What vegetables are planted before winter?
After harvesting the main crops, it is necessary to prepare beds for winter crops, stock up on mulch and dry nutrient soil for sprinkling seeds. The sowing itself is carried out much later: when the air cools down to 0 degrees, and the soil - to -4 0 C. By folk signs this time comes when the cherry blossoms fall.
An important rule: what is planted before winter should be sown with dry seeds in dry soil. The main crops for winter crops:
What flowers are not afraid of frost
Benefit early vegetables, providing the first spring vitamins, is obvious. And what can be planted before winter for the soul, and not for eating? The creation of a beautiful garden begins in the fall. Flower seeds will undergo natural stratification and will sprout under favorable weather conditions. When sowing summer plants, two points must be taken into account:
- Seeds can only be sown in light, cultivated soil. On heavy lands, flowers do not sprout together and grow poorly.
- The germination rate of such crops is relatively low, so planting is done densely.
It must also be remembered that only cold-resistant flowers are planted before winter, gentle heat-loving annuals are sown in spring.
A number of plants develop better precisely when sown in late autumn. These are cornflowers, purslane, iberis, godetia, gypsophila, pyrethrum, clarkia, eschsholzia, delphiniums.
Sowing scabiosa, petunia, helihrizum and calendula gives a good result.
The benefits of this method are obvious: you do not need to grow seedlings, the plants are stronger, stronger and bloom earlier than their greenhouse counterparts. They are more resistant to weather and disease and have a well-developed root system.
In November, the whole crop has already been harvested, there is not much work in the garden and you can start the next season. Sow vegetables and herbs before winter, and in spring you have a chance to get your first harvest.
For winter sowing, only cold-resistant crops are used. These are plants whose leaves do not have the characteristic pubescence that protects against heat. In autumn, you can safely sow root crops - carrots, beets, except for early ripening radishes, as well as onions, parsley, celery, dill and other umbellate or celery plants.
With spring sowing, these crops sprout in about a month. This is due to the fact that their seeds are saturated with essential oil, which prevents moisture from penetrating. Sowing in winter will significantly gain time: seedlings will appear earlier, and since cold-resistant crops tolerate frosts well, then the harvest is the same. So, parsley can be harvested in April, and bunch carrot products - in May. If we use
greenhouses or, even better, cover the seedlings with foil or agrofibre, then in May you can get fresh beets
TIME TO SEED
An important point in winter sowing is to choose the right planting time. The seeds must have time to bite,
but do not germinate. Therefore, on the one hand, it is impossible to delay planting, because it will be difficult to do this if the soil freezes deeply, and on the other hand, if you hurry, the seeds will have time to germinate and freeze.
First of all, the sowing time is determined depending on the climatic zone. In the southern regions, planting is done later than in the northern regions. General recommendation for the central and northern regions - this is the second decade of October, when the ground begins to freeze by 2-3 cm. In the south, it is better to start sowing not earlier than the third decade of October. However, if weather conditions are favorable, you can sow in early October and November.
PREPARING THE SOIL
All cold-resistant crops love loose soil, so when digging, do not forget to add loosening agents (sand, sawdust) to the ground, mixing them with completely rotted humus. When fresh humus is applied, the seeds may begin to rot. Before sowing for the winter, you need to take care of fertilizing the soil with nutrients - it is best to use organic matter, and when sowing, you can use phosphorus fertilizers.
Choose dry, flat terrain protected from northerly winds for planting. In adverse conditions - at a high level groundwater, in lowlands and in places where there is a lot of snow, you need to use warm ridges.
Snow on them will melt faster, and the seeds will be protected from excess moisture. In the same cases, it is necessary to mulch the beds. Using film or agrofibre, leave slots for the plants, and cover the aisle to prevent weeds from emerging.
In winter sowing, planting is carried out a little deeper than conventional sowing, but not more than 1 cm. Naturally, the seeds must not be soaked and treated with germinating substances before sowing. Sowing rates are the same as in spring, although they can be increased. It is not necessary to cover the soil for the winter.
WE CARE FOR VANES
Thinning is carried out in early spring after the emergence of seedlings. This is very convenient, since there is not much work in the country at this time. If the plants emerged very early, you can cover them with foil or, even better, with agrofibre, which allows air to pass through (you can not be afraid
overheating) and does not require a frame. In the future, it is only necessary to water the plants and break through the weeds. You can feed the sprouts with complex organic fertilizers. If significant sifting is visible, additional sowing of the plots is allowed. Winter sowing is often combined with additional spring sowing.
Of the pests for podwinter crops, moles are the most dangerous. To combat them, ultrasonic barriers, smoke bombs and special repelling granules are used. Otherwise, due to the early vegetation of plants, it is possible to avoid the attack of dangerous pests and the growth of weeds. Aphids can be the only problem, but outbreaks of their appearance occur at a time when most of the crop has already been formed. Occasionally the plant is damaged by rot, in this case you just need to remove the affected seedlings.
Before winter, it is better to sow those crops that, for a number of reasons, cannot be grown on the site with ordinary sowing. For example, carrots sown in spring, even with good watering and care in hot and dry summers, gives a small harvest. If sowed before winter, in most cases a good result can be expected. The same is with dill, in the spring the sun burns out the green shoots, and in the spring sowing in the winter you can get juicy greens. The main thing is to select high-quality pelleted and pickled seeds. They do not germinate immediately, because first they must dissolve the film they are covered with. It is she who protects the seeds, preventing premature shoots.
It should be noted that it is impossible to predict the sowing results in advance. If there are no seedlings before the beginning of May, then on the ground you need to re-sow. In the southern regions, successful or unsuccessful winter sowing can be judged already in early April. In any case, winter sowing is a great opportunity to harvest an early harvest with minimal labor and financial investment.
SEEDING BEDS
REGULAR BED
Such a bed can be used for winter sowing of vegetables and herbs in the southern regions.
WARM BED
Soil is selected from the trench, instead a layer of horse, sheep and goat manure 30-40 cm thick is laid. 20-30 cm of fertile soil is poured on top and watered abundantly. Then the ridge is mulched. The decaying components give warmth to the ground in which seeds can be sown.
Main crops for winter sowing
Celery
This culture prefers loose and humus-rich soils. It is best to place crops in open and light areas. The earth is dug up to a depth of 25-30 cm. Wide-row sowing is recommended according to the scheme 45 × 10 cm to a depth of 2 cm.
Beet
Table beets are sown where organic fertilizers have not been applied for a year or two. At the same time, the culture reacts well to mineral fertilizers. As in the case of carrots, the soil is dug up to a depth of 25-30 cm. Beets emerge earlier than other crops, so it is better to sow it 7-10 days later than the rest - at the end of October-November. The sowing depth is 3 cm, the distance between the seeds is 7-8 cm, between the rows - 25 cm.
Carrot
When preparing the soil, the earth is dug to a depth of 25-30 cm, if the depth of the nutrient layer is not enough, ridges are used. Carrots are suitable for fertile soils, so you should use rotted humus, peat or compost. Superphosphate can be added before sowing. Seeds are sown in grooves 3-4 cm deep, covered with earth by 1 cm, and then put peat or humus with a layer of 2-3 cm.The distance between the rows is left 20 cm.
Onion
When preparing the soil, organic and mineral fertilizers are used. In autumn, onions are planted on a "turnip", to a depth of 3-5 cm and at a distance of 10-12 cm. When planting onions on a "feather" before winter, the depth and distance between the clues will be 2-3 cm. 5 cm.
Garlic
Winter garlic is planted with chives and bulbs. Large teeth are placed at a depth of 5-7 cm, bulbs - at a depth of 2 cm 2-3 weeks before frost. 20-25 cm are left between the rows. The soil is fertilized with compost, before planting - with ash. Sand is added on heavy soils. If the ground is loose, the bed must be dug up in advance.
Parsley and dill
As with carrots, parsley needs fertile soil, fertilized with humus, peat, or compost. On the beds, it is desirable to use a mulch layer. The sowing depth is 2 cm, the distance between the rows is 10-12 cm. To accelerate the emergence of seedlings in spring, the crops are covered with a transparent film and removed immediately after the emergence of sprouts. Dill is sown in a similar way.
