There are many vegetables you can grow outdoors in winter in a cold climate. Find out which crops do best when it’s cold and snowy outside.
Ready to get started? See How to Grow Vegetables Outdoors in Winter.
The Best Vegetables To Grow In Winter
If you live in a cold climate where temperatures go below freezing in winter, there are lots of options for growing vegetables—even when it’s cold or snowy outside. Growing food from November to March is a whole new gardening adventure.
There are three main things to know to make it work.
First, you need to choose vegetables that tolerate cool or cold growing conditions, often listed as semi-hardy or hardy in seed catalogs.
Next, the seeds need to be started in mid or late summer or early fall to ensure the plants can mature before winter sets in.
And finally, while some of these selections are cold-tolerant, to prevent the plant tissues from freezing, you will need some sort of protective covers over your winter beds.
This article on growing vegetables in winter lists all the steps for getting started as well as suggestions for season extenders (protective covers) like frost covers and polytunnels.
What works in your region depends on your climate and growing conditions.
I’ve provided a beginner list of vegetables to try below. You can see a longer list with my winter vegetable seed sowing plan here.
1Beets
Beets
Part-Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
50-80°F (10-26°C)
Seed to Harvest
40-70 days
Notes
Everything is edible including tops and roots.
Look for ‘leaf beets’ for best tops.
Soak seeds in warm water for one hour prior to sowing.
Winter Growing Tips
- Direct sow outdoors in late summer.
- Soak seeds prior to sowing to speed up germination.
- Everything is edible including the tops and roots.
2Broccoli
Broccoli | Raab
Full Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
50-85°F (10-30°C)
Seed to Harvest
40-60 days
Notes
Everything is edible including leaves, tops, and florets.
Winter Growing Tips
- Other vegetables in the brassica family are also excellent winter crops including Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower.
- Start seeds mid-summer.
- Everything is edible including the leaves, tops, and florets.
3Carrots
Carrots
Part Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
45-85°F (7-30°C)
Seed to Harvest
55 days
Notes
Everything is edible including tops and roots.
Baby types are fast-growers including Amsterdam, Adelaide, and Paris Market Atlas.
Winter Growing Tips
- Direct sow outdoors in late summer.
- Turnips are another option for winter tolerant root vegetables.
- Everything is edible including the tops and roots.
4Collards
Collards
Part Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
50-85°F (10-30°C)
Seed to Harvest
30-80 days
Notes
A favorite, nutritious green from the cabbage family.
Look for Champion Collards—open-pollinated and cold-hardy.
Winter Growing Tips
- Start seeds mid-summer.
5Endive | Chicory | Radicchio
Endive | Chicory | Radicchio
Full or Part Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
50-72°F (10-22°C)
Seed to Harvest
35-50 days
Notes
Endive or chicory is the name for a group of leafy vegetables that includes radicchio, known for their somewhat bitter flavor. They come in all sorts of colors including white, green, red, and purple.
Winter Growing Tips
- Start seeds mid-summer.
- Try a few varieties to find your favorites.
6Kale
Kale
Part Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
50-85°F (10-30°C)
Seed to Harvest
30-65 days
Notes
If you’re not a big fan of kale, try harvesting early when the leaves are still tender. You may change your mind! They are also delicious any time in soups.
Winter Growing Tips
- Start seeds mid-summer.
- There are lots of cold-resistant varieties including winterbor, redbor, and winter red.
7Leafy Greens
Mesclun Mix
Part Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
50-72°F (10-22°C)
Seed to Harvest
30-45 days
Notes
Mesclun mix is a name used for salad greens sold with a variety of seeds in each pack. Each seed seller has their own unique combinations. This is the easiest way to grow salad greens in one container.
This is a general term for a whole bunch of delicious greens perfect for salads, soups, and stir-fries.
- Arugula
- Claytonia
- Mache / Corn Salad
- Pak choi / Bok Choy
- Spinach
- Tatsoi
Winter Growing Tips
- Sow directly outdoors in late summer. You can continue sowing every few weeks if harvesting some in fall.
8Parsley
Parsley
Part Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
85°F (10-30°C)
Seed to Harvest
70-90 days
Notes
Flat-leaf (robust flavor) and curly-leaf (decorative) varieties.
Winter Growing Tips
- Plant transplants in late summer.
- Some parsley survives the winter without any covers at all. Check your seed packet for notes on cold tolerance.
9Scallions
Scallions | Green Onion
Full Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
70-75°F (21-25°C)
Seed to Harvest
40-50 days
Notes
Grow micro-onion greens, baby bulbs, or onion stalks. Everything is edible at every stage.
Winter Growing Tips
- Start seeds mid-summer.
- If you want another onion, also consider growing leeks.
10Swiss Chard
Chard
Part Sun
Optimal Soil Temperature
50-85°F (10-30°C)
Seed to Harvest
30-60 days
Notes
There are lots of varieties of Swiss chard in all sorts of colors. It’s my favorite vegetable to stir fry.
Winter Growing Tips
- Direct sow outdoors in late summer.
- Many types of Swiss chard are considered moderately winter hardy. But with the right covers, they will last all winter long.
Shop For Seeds
Botanical Interests (US Shipping) has a selection of frost-tolerant seeds here:
I hope this gives you some ideas for your winter garden. Pour over those seed catalogs and stock up on hardy options. And get your seeds soon so you have time to sow and grow before the cold weather arrives.
The steps for growing a winter vegetable garden are here.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
Growing Vegetables
A Weekly Indoor & Outdoor Seed Sowing Plan for Beginners
by Melissa J. Will
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