10 Vegetables That Grow In Winter (If You Start Early)

There are many vegetables you can grow outdoors in winter in a cold climate. The trick is to choose the right crops, start them on time, and provide protection from the cold weather using season extenders like frost cloths or cold frames.

Ready to get started? See How to Grow Vegetables Outdoors in Winter.

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The Best Vegetables To Grow In Winter

If you live in a cold climate where temperatures go below freezing in winter, contrary to what we’ve been told, there are lots of options for growing vegetables—even when it’s cold or snowy outside.

The secret is to choose the right seeds, start on time, and protect your crops.

The best part is, growing food like fresh, leafy greens from November to March is a whole new gardening adventure. Never underestimate the joy of harvesting fresh veggies during the holiday season!

There are three main things to know to make it work.

• Choose Cool or Cold-Tolerant Veggies

First, you need to choose vegetables that tolerate cool or cold growing conditions, often listed as semi-hardy or hardy in seed catalogs.

These are vegetables that do not fruit or require pollination—it’s the ones with edible leaves, stems, and roots.

Some seed shops sell seed collections like these ones suited to fall and winter growing which makes it very handy to find just what you need.

• Start Your Seeds Before It’s Cold

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.

I share my fall and winter seed sowing plan for vegetable crops here.

• Use Season Extenders

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 cloths (also called “floating row covers”), cold frames, 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.

1Beets

Winter Growing Tips

• Direct sow outdoors in late summer.
• Soak seeds prior to sowing to speed up germination.

2Broccoli

Winter Growing Tips

• Other vegetables in the brassica family are also excellent winter crops including Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower.
• Start seeds midsummer.
• Everything is edible including the leaves, tops, and florets.

3Carrots

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

Winter Growing Tips

• Start seeds midsummer.

5Endive | Chicory | Radicchio

Winter Growing Tips

• Start seeds midsummer.
• Try a few varieties to find your favorites.

6Kale

Winter Growing Tips

• Start seeds midsummer.
• There are lots of cold-resistant varieties including winterbor, redbor, and winter red.

7Leafy Greens

This is a general term for a whole bunch of delicious greens perfect for salads, soups, and stir-fries.

Winter Growing Tips

• Sow directly outdoors in late summer. You can continue sowing every few weeks if harvesting some in fall.

8Parsley

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

Winter Growing Tips

• Start seeds midsummer.
• If you want another onion, also consider growing leeks.

10Swiss Chard

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:

Resources

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.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛