Many vegetables thrive in the cold, and can continue to grow throughout the fall and winter seasons! Most people start slowing down their gardens around this time of year. If you choose to do so, you can keep growing! I live in zone 6a New England, and I grow in a raised garden bed. I also mulch the vegetables in and cover my crops with frost blankets and a homemade hoop house to extend my growing season. This protects the vegetables from wind and damaging winter weather. If you plant seeds before the ground freezes and implement some protective measures, you are good to go!
The best way to learn when gardening is with trial and error. Last year was my first time venturing into the world of year-round vegetable gardening. You can read about my experience starting a winter vegetable garden here. I've decided to replant some of the crops that I had success with last year. It's important to know your growing zone when picking, planning and planting your crops. It also helps you find out a rough estimate of when your first frost date will be. As long as you know your frost dates, what grows well in your region and you have a little bit of garden protection, you can get growing!
Are you thinking about growing some cold weather crops this year? What are your favorites? Tell me all about them in the comment section below or tweet me @thefreckledrose. The best thing to do when venturing into the world of winter gardening, is research as much as possible! I've had many successful winter harvests and just as many failures. There are many things that are out of your hands during the colder months like snowstorms and frost protection failures. It's important to not be hard on yourself. If you lose a crop due to something like this, try again! It is so rewarding to grow your own fresh produce, even during chilliest months. With a little bit of determination and the ability to keep trying, you can be eating from your backyard all year!
In Case You Missed It - Guide To Growing Scarlet Runner Beans
11 Comments
ramblingwoods
September 29, 2016 at 7:48 pmHello Angie..I am so sorry I am so late in visiting. We went to visit our 17 month old grandson..who is in this week’s Nature Notes eating tomatoes right out of the garden. I am really thinking of trying to grow some veg so I appreciate the information…Michelle
Christine
September 28, 2016 at 6:01 pmI am a flower gardener and want to grow some of these next year, so I need these tips!
Tana Mason
September 28, 2016 at 3:08 pmOur winter garden has came to a halt this year because of neighbors chickens destroying our bad! :((((((( Please come share this at our party we would love to have you!
Marla
September 28, 2016 at 12:45 pmHi Angie,
I never seem to have much luck with growing too much after the weather gets colder. I think I might have be trying the wrong veggies. We only plant certain vegetables due to my food allergies and ones we know will be worth growing. Some I can buy locally from farmers so much cheaper than planted them myself and I know how they grown and that they are organically produced. But your article was very good and I am sharing. Congratulation on being featured on Homestead blog hop.
Lisa @ LTTL
September 24, 2016 at 2:39 pmPerfect post for the fall… I’ve heard that greens like Kale and Spinach also do well with cooler weather. I figure I’ll try anything once.
Lisa @ LTTL
bettyl - NZ
September 21, 2016 at 11:51 pmI had no idea there were so many to choose from! I’ll have to see what’s available here. Thanks for the post.
Kristin Crouch
September 20, 2016 at 6:04 pmGreat ideas for the veggie garden. I have my winter vegetables in and hope they do well. Frost arrives in November so I may have to cover them.
Jami
September 20, 2016 at 1:42 pmPerfect article, Angie! Our biggest challenge for winter gardening in the maritime northwest is rain – even the most frost-tolerant veggies succumb to being soaked in water constantly. 🙂 That’s why row covers or hoop houses are a must here. I’ve had luck with overwintering, but not really harvesting through the winter. Maybe one day a greenhouse will be in my future. 🙂
Btw, did you make the artist-rendered veggie images? They are gorgeous!!
Shelly
September 20, 2016 at 11:19 amAngie, great information. I agree the carrots are sweeter when grown in the fall and winter. We enjoy them straight out of the garden in most of the winter. Since it doesn’t free to hard here.
I have my fall garden in right now. I planted beans, peas, carrots, radishes, and lettuce this year. The beans were already attacked by the birds. They snip the tops off and then just leave them lay. The squirrels attacked some of the radishes by pulling up the tiny seedlings. Luckily I only lost 5 radishes.
I replanted beans and fingers crossed the birds will leave them alone now. We’ve had hoop houses in the past for late winter/early spring gardening but when we replaced the raised beds a couple of years ago, they had to go too. I’ve been meaning to take the time to build a new hoop house structure but didn’t get it completed. Maybe this next gardening season we will get it done.
Michelle Marine
September 20, 2016 at 11:04 amI’ve never grown a winter garden, but I’d love to try. I think we’d need a mini green house though. Our winters can be downright frigid with -40 mph windchills and -20 degree temps. 🙁 I’m curious what kind of winter we’re in for this year. Last year was mild, but the two winters before were horrid.
Diane
September 20, 2016 at 10:50 amOur winter gardening is on pause this year. We have a huge amount of mildew in our garden and greenhouse this year. We are on a campaign to get rid of it before spring. Growing winter plants right now is not in the picture. I love your list of frost tolerant plants. I’m going to miss them fresh from the garden in the deep winter months. Enjoy! I look forward to our blog hops next year. Have a great Winter!