DP wrote:

: To the point: What can we plant into our sparse veg patch now? Or, do we
: have to wait until next spring?


For winter salad leaves,
Try lambs lettuce, claytonia (miners lettuce), land cress, chinese
mustard.

A bit of earlier preparation with sowing hardy winter lettuces, radichio,
endive, rocket. Some will benefit from a little protection if you have the
odd cloche.