Winter Vegetables for a Winter Garden

Winter Vegetables

There are many winter vegetables to try during the cold season. Just because it’s starting to get cold doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t grow vegetables outside. If you choose the right herbs and winter vegetables, you may be able to start the season earlier or end later. Depending on your climate, you may need to use a simple greenhouse or cold frame; that can significantly extend the season! Some vegetables, when grown in cold temperatures, taste sweeter, such as lettuce, and it tastes much better.

Many herb varieties are often the first plants to sprout after winter. Herb seeds can be planted after the last risk of frost has passed.

Choosing Winter Vegetables

Varieties of garden seeds to opt for cold-hardy vegetables:

Building a Cold Frame

A thick garden container that is wide and deep can be converted into a cold frame. Any insulating materials, such as wood, foam, thick plastic, or even snow that you can place around the container, will help to keep the soil from freezing. You can also use bails of hay as insulation. By putting some thick, clear plastic over the container tightly (leave enough room for your plants to grow up), you can create a warmer microclimate to allow your plants to thrive. Even just a plastic greenhouse keep plants warm enough in just below freezing temperatures. Essentially you are making a cold frame without needing any carpentry skills or paying a lot of money for one.

In the very cold of winter, you need a lot of insulation around the container to keep the soil from freezing. Thick plastic can offer some protection from freezing winds.

Cheap plastic greenhouses can be used to help extend the season. Most hardware stores sell them, or you can quickly build your own as well. They work well when temperatures are still above freezing during the day, but below freezing at night. Be sure to place it out in the full sun to maximize the amount of heat it captures. You can also use large black water barrels in your greenhouse to provide some passive warmth. During the day, the barrels will absorb the heat of the sun and then release the heat slowly during the night.

Winter gardening is a great way to keep active during the cold months and to continue to enjoy organic, garden-fresh vegetables all year round. Not only that, but it helps you to continue saving money on your grocery bill.
Thanks for reading my article, if you have any comments or ideas, let me know!

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