What to plant in winter in the balcony garden

Take advantage of the cold days and prepare some vegetables and herbs to sow or plant in small spaces.

The winter is the hardest time to cultivate, but anyway we can take advantage of some vegetables and aromatic for sowing or planting in small spaces.

Sowing can be direct (which will require subsequent thinning ) or in a seedbed (that is when we do not sow directly but do it first in a box or small container). The flowering of our crops will be visited by numerous beneficial insects.

We must stagger the plantings, make frequent cuts, and remove the flowers. This will guarantee us a continuous supply of fresh leaves.

The technique for direct sowing plants

• We fill a container with a substrate rich in compost.
• We mark parallel grooves, apply pure compost on them, and carefully moisten.
• Then we sow in the furrows and cover them with compost.
• On the entire surface, we apply for natural coverage, and then we water.
• When the seedlings emerge, if they are close together, they are thinned (the excess is removed to regulate the load), but we do not discard them. We can consume them as fresh sprouts in salads or other preparations.

Valerianella, a winter option

With this technique, we can sow Valerianella, an annual, small, and roseate plant. Its leaves can be eaten, and have a nutty flavor. T

Valerianella is propagated by seeds, by direct sowing, or in seedlings. Its cycle is autumn-winter and it is ideal for cold climates or as an intercropping with others.

Carrots and turnips, cold

During this season we can also plant carrots and turnips, although it must be taken into account that they do not support transplants well.

These vegetables are propagated by seeds and for containers, the small varieties available in nurseries are recommended.

Plant aromatic in winter

Of the herbs and aromatic plants in pots, due to their biological importance and their resistance to winds,  a recommended sector for their cultivation is the living fence.

• The fennel during the autumn-winter will be the refuge of the San Antonio vaquitas, which feed on aphids; And in spring, its yellow bloom will attract parasitic wasps, another important garden pest controller.
• Also, oregano or thyme can be propagated by seed, but it is more common dividing clumps (separate small form different portions of the plant to multiply) or spread by layering (bring up roots by heat, the moisture of the earth, and incisions or ties in the bent branches forming new plants).
• The cilantro also spreads by seed during this season. The Cilantro also spreads by seed this season.