Winter doesn’t seem like the most obvious time of year to plant vegetables and plants, however it is. If you’re smart and choose well you can kick things off, even when it’s near freezing.
These winter vegetables can survive in the cold weather very well. However, if you think a frost is coming, it is a good idea to put some fleece over them to help them thrive even in the worst conditions.
These vegetables will herald a good crop if cared for and you can enjoy them on your garden furniture later on in the year.
These crops can be planted outside, so you can have an outdoor garden all year if you would like.
Garlic
Garlic is a very easy crop to work with, and you have a lot of options when it comes to which kind you put in the ground in the fall. Garlic grows for a while; that means that you will not be able to harvest it until the weather turns warm again. However, you shouldn’t shy away from it just for this reason. Garlic is a great addition to your dishes. “Wight Cristo” is always a good choice, or you can also try “Chesnok Red” as well. The latter has an incredibly creamy taste. However, these are not the only two varieties. There are a lot of options out there, so spend some time looking into what would be best for your garden.
Onions, Shallots
Put down some onions in the fall, and you can basically let them take care of themselves as the weather turns colder. These crops take a long time to grow, which means you won’t have onions until the weather turns warm again. Make sure to keep this in mind when you plant them, because you want to leave enough room to put down your spring crops when the time comes.
Look for the “First Early” product; it is one that many people use and it has shown that it is durable and grows well. If you are interested in color, try out the “Electric” product; it produces a very bright red onion. “Echalote Grise” is also a good option, as it has an amazingly potent flavor.
There are varieties of Spring onions that grow well in the winter, and they are a great addition to salads and other meals. In contrast to regular onions, Spring onions grow quickly and are normally finished by the beginning of spring. If you are looking for a good variety of the Spring Onion, try the “White Lisbon” version.
Broad Beans
Broad beans that are planted in the fall can then be harvested in spring. They are usually finished growing a few weeks before spring sown plants. If you are looking for a good variety of Broad Bean to grow, try “Aquadulce Claudia.” It takes root quickly. One benefit of Broad Beans is that you can use almost all of the plant; even the tips taste great when you add a bit of butter to them.
Perpetual Spinach
Perpetual spinach is a great crop because you get a lot of delicious leaves that you can cut and that will then grow again. If you plant this crop in the fall, you will have plenty of spinach leaves all the way through to summer! One word of caution, however; you need to take the flowers off as you see them pop up.
Asparagus
Do you have a lot of room to grow your crops? Think about putting down an asparagus bed so you can get planting this fall! There are a few varieties that should serve your purposes well, like “Pacific Purple” and “Pacific 2000.” Keep in mind that you have to devote some time to growing asparagus; you will not have a crop your first year. However, once you are established, one crown can give you as many as 25 spears in the year. It will continue to produce for two and a half decades as well, so your effort will surely pay off in the end.
Peas
There are a few variety of peas that grow well over winter. For example, “Meteor” and “Kelvedon Wonder” are two products that you should try. They stand up well to the cold weather and planting them ensures that you have a harvest of peas about a month before anyone else!
Greenhouse Crops
Some crops grow well in the winter, but they cannot be exposed directly to the elements. That is where a greenhouse comes in. The following crops can thrive in the winter with a little bit of additional help.
Carrots
Do you want to harvest crops before anyone else? Go with the Adelaide variety. It grows quickly, especially in the greenhouse; you can have a crop ready by November. If you choose to leave the carrots outside, July is a more realistic time frame.
Pak Choi
This vegetable is a great winter crop because of its flexibility. If you want leaves for your salad, you can harvest it early. You can also choose to let the heads keep growing so that you eventually have stems for your stir fry. Pak Choi grows quickly and has a lot of important vitamins and minerals. It is typically planted in the summer, but you can also grow it in the fall, under cover.
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