Having a thriving vegetable garden doesn’t have to end when summer does. With a little bit of planning, and preparation you can grow vegetables well into the winter months or even year round if you live in a warmer climate down south. But regardless of where you live, there are a few crops you can count on to withstand cooler temps, frost, and even sometimes snow.
Did you know that there are vegetables you can plant now that will only become sweeter and more delicious if they go through a frost?
Prepare now to have the garden you’ve always wanted during Fall/Winter! With these crops, put the fear of your plants being damaged or destroyed aside. When Winter weather rolls around, these vegetables will do well & actually THRIVE!
1. Broccoli
Packed with nutrients, broccoli is tasty and easy to grow. It’ll also survive frost; in the spring, you can plant it about a month before your area’s average last frost date. Because broccoli loves cool weather, you can also plant it in late summer for fall harvests.
2. Brussels Sprouts
The plant will withstand frost and can be harvested until a hard freeze strikes. The best-quality sprouts are produced during sunny days with light frosts at night.
3. Cabbage
Cabbages grow best in areas with cool winter temperatures between 45° to 75°F (7°C to 24°C) and they’ll withstand mild frosts. The frost will sweeten the cabbage, so a few light frosts are beneficial for the plants.
Plant one crop in early spring to harvest in summer, and then plant a second crop at the end of summer to harvest in winter.
4. Cauliflower
Cauliflower can survive temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. They need at least six hours of sunlight each day and cool temperatures, especially when the heads are forming.
5. Kale
Snow can protect plants from extreme cold so that they stay in the garden longer. Kale is one of these plants! Very cold-hardy.
6. Spinach
Spinach is a cold hardy leafy vegetable that will tolerate light frosts. The seeds can be planted directly in the garden six weeks before the last frost of the season.
7. Carrots
Carrots can survive temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit, but prolonged periods of cold results in long, pale roots. Carrot seeds do well when planted directly in the garden in late summer and harvested during the winter months.