Allotment - what can I plant in preparation for potential food shortages in winter?

[TR888]

Hi,

I'm a little worried that the food supply chain will be disrupted by the current crisis. Hopefully it won't happen, but I'd like to prepare as much as I can. With that in mind, what are good crops to plant that will feed us over the autumn/winter months?

So far, I can only think of butternut squash. Then obviously cabbage but I'mlooking for ideas for less obvious crops.

Any thoughts?

Leeks, chard and kale. What food shortages?!

Chard is a great idea, thanks! Re food shortages, I worry that the food supply will be disrupted by CV-19. If the harvest can't be picked (both in the UK and globally) at the usual time, that will inevitably have an impact on supplies. That's why I thought I'd prepare.

Potatoes will store well. Carrots, parsnips, plus beetroot.

If you think that food is going to be short generally, and you are t risk of hunger, go for calorie dense stuff like potatoes, carrots, parsnips.

If you think that you will be able to get enough to eat but you'll be pining for fresh stuff, then go for what you will enjoy eating. Remember that the "hungry gap" in vegetables isn't winter, but is about now, when you've eaten all the winter crops and are still waiting for the broad beans.

Chard is good, because it'll sit around all winter. And kale, because you pick it a few leaves at a time and leave the plant to go on growing. Similarly purple sprouting.

If you have a greenhouse, you can get cold weather varieties of lettuce, and the japanese salad greens are late season plants which will stand through winter.

The thing that above all gives me a feeling of well-being is being able to eat our own fruit (from the deepfreeze) over winter and through the spring - in our case mulberries (too long a lead time for you), loganberries/tayberries, raspberries and alpine strawberries.

Jerusalem Artichokes are very easy to grow, can be harvested all winter and can be used in lots of ways. Just be ready for the side effects

Farmer DH planting potatoes and cabbages here. Same as usual. Farmers aren't on lockdown.

Purple sprouting broccoli probably just time to sow. Romanesco. Sprouts. Kale.