All you need to do is not give up fresh vegetables in winter. Fortunately, there are vegetables whose flavor we can enjoy in winter and as early as spring.
Overwintering vegetables
Vegetables such as spinach, winter lettuce, leaf parsley, and endive overwinter perfectly in the ground.
Spinach
Recommended winter varieties: Olbrzym Zimowy, Greta, Matador, Markiza. Spinach contains vitamins A, C, B1, B2, and E, as well as magnesium, folic acid, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and sodium. It requires very good soil conditions—it tolerates humus-rich, not overly light soils, preferably deeply cultivated, calcareous, quick-warming, and moist. The cultivation site should be kept free of weeds. Overwintering varieties are sown in autumn, in rows 20 cm apart, at a depth of approximately 2 cm. Spinach is harvested 6–8 weeks after sowing by cutting the leaf rosettes. It is best cut in the morning or evening, just before consumption, so that it retains its nutritional value. The first seedlings should appear 10–14 days after sowing. This process can be accelerated by covering the beds with perforated plastic film. This speeds up the harvest by about a week and increases the yield by approximately 20%. During a snowless winter, spinach should be covered with straw, leaves, or fleece.
Winter lettuce
Recommended winter varieties: Loredo, Zina, Nansena, Marta. Lettuce has an alkalizing effect on the body and facilitates digestion. It contains vitamin C and B vitamins (B1, B2, B6), as well as calcium, magnesium, potassium, carotene, zinc, and copper. Medium-heavy, humus-rich, fertile soils with a pH close to neutral are most suitable for cultivation. The growing site should be sheltered from the wind. Seeds are sown in the first half of September, and the plants are transplanted to their permanent location in October, spaced 30 × 30 cm apart. In the event of a harsh, snowless winter, cover them with straw, fleece, or leaves. A low plastic tunnel can also be set up to protect them from wind and severe frost.
Leaf parsley
Recommended winter varieties: Paramount, Karnaval, Vita. Parsley leaves are rich in vitamin C and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. Parsley helps remove toxins from the body, supports digestion, and prevents urinary tract infections. It is particularly recommended for women because it helps relieve menstrual pain. Medium-heavy, fertile, and moist soils are best for cultivation. Parsley overwinters perfectly in the ground, but during a very severe winter it should be covered with fleece or protected with a plastic tunnel. With such protection, it will retain its green, flavorful leaves, which can be used until spring.
Endive
Although little known, this vegetable overwinters perfectly in the ground. It resembles lettuce and is known as its cousin. It contains more vitamins than lettuce, mainly A, B1, B2, and C, as well as mineral salts. It stimulates the appetite thanks to its insulin and bitter intybin content. It prefers medium-heavy or light soils with high moisture levels. Seedlings are planted in September and October, spaced 40 × 35 cm apart. During harsher winters, cover the plant with leaves or fleece.
Author: znajdz-taniej.pl