Best Vegetable Crops To Grow in Winter

You can extend the growing season by planting winter vegetable garden. Many vegetables that can be grown in winter will produce earlier crops than spring plantings. And don’t worry if you haven’t planted anything yet, since there are a lot of tasty vegetables to grow in winter that can be still sown in fall.

Vegetables to grow outdoors in winter

Most winter vegetable plants are hardy and will cope well with cold winter weather. However, if hard frosts threaten then you can always throw some fleece across them to provide some extra protection. Most of these vegetables can be planted or sown directly outdoors.

1.Garlic

Growing garlic is so easy and there are lots of varieties to choose from for fall planting. They have a long growing season and won’t be ready to harvest until next summer, but it is worth the wait. 

2.Onions and shallots

Fall planting onions are easy to grow and it’s safe to say that they look after themselves over winter. Like garlic, onions have a long growing season and won’t be ready for harvesting until next summer, so you will need to plan carefully as they will still be in the ground when you start planting other crops in spring.

3.Asparagus

If you have plenty of space then you can afford to plant a permanent asparagus bed this fall. Although asparagus beds take several years to establish, each asparagus crown can produce up to 25 spears per year and will continue cropping for 25 years. You will need to be patient with this crop as it will be 2 years before you can harvest them properly.

4.Perpetual Spinach

Perpetual spinach makes an excellent crop that will produce huge yields of tasty leaves. Early fall sowing will keep you supplied with young leaves throughout winter and with regular harvesting it will continue to crop well into summer. Make sure to remove the flowers to prevent it running to seed.

5.Peas

You can enjoy an early crop of peas next spring. Fall sowing of rounded varieties such as Pea ‘Kelvedon Wonder’ and Pea ‘Meteor’ are particularly hardy and will give you a head start next season. You will start harvesting peas 3 or 4 weeks earlier than other gardeners.

6.Broad Beans

Broad beans sown in fall can be harvested in spring up to a month earlier than spring sown plants. Once the plants are well grown you can even use the plant tips.

Vegetables to grow in the greenhouse in winter

Growing winter vegetables outdoors will make good use of your plot, but there are some crops that will need a little protection from the cold.

1.Pak Choi

This oriental vegetable can be harvested young throughout the winter as individual salad leaves, or let the heads mature and add the succulent stems to stir fries. Pak Choi is quick to mature and it is full of healthy vitamins A and C as well as Calcium, Iron and Folic Acid.

2.Winter Salads

Sow tasty salad mixes under cover for harvesting throughout the winter months. Plant rows of Lambs Lettuce, Land Cress and Mustard alongside to add a spicy, peppery flavor to your winter salads.

3.Carrots

For an exceptionally early crop of carrots in spring try growing Adelaide. This fast-maturing variety can be sown as early as November in the greenhouse and as late as July outdoors.

Source: www.thompson-morgan.com