Winter Gardening with the Frugal Gardener

Winter is coming. Time to get ready to plant

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Winter gardening requires less work, less water, and has fewer weeds. This is my 5th winter garden. In the beginning, I was reluctant primarily because everything I thought I knew about maintaining a garden in winter was wrong. I live in zone 6b so I won't be growing tomatoes or watermelons in winter but there is a ton of veggies you can grow. Here are a few.

Photo taken from my mini greenhouse

From FS Gate

Often grown for fresh winter greens, collards (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) can survive multiple frosts and keep producing under cold conditions that stop other members of the Brassica family. In fact, the cool temperatures that precede frost improve the sweetness in the leaves.

From Home and Garden

Spinach does very well in cold weather and can tolerate temperatures as low as 20 degrees. It can also be an early spring crop if you grow under a row cover or cold frame to protect it from extremes. Late-season seedlings can be mulched heavily for the winter when temperatures reach freezing for a nice spring crop.

Cabbage likes cool temperatures as low as 26 degrees depending on the variety. In fact, you will find they do best in cool fall weather and are rather disappointing in a summer garden. However, if you start them early enough, you can still get a crop before the weather gets too hot. A light frost is thought to improve the sweetness of cabbages. Watch for insects such as cabbage lopers who also like to munch on sweet cabbage plants.

Broccoli can be planted as early as six weeks before the first frost-free date, but it does best as a fall garden crop. Young plants should be hardened off before transplanting into your garden. Broccoli can tolerate temperatures from 26 to 31 degrees.

Brussels sprouts do so well in the cold that they are often harvested well into winter. This is one vegetable that improves in flavor when exposed to cold temperatures. Frosts will actually increase the sugar content, effectively eliminating the bitter taste so often experienced in summer sprouts.

Peas are one of the earliest crops to harvest in the spring. They can tolerate light frosts with temperatures from 31 to 33 degrees. They can be planted from seed four to six weeks before the last expected frost date in your area. Water well and provide something for the vines to climb once they emerge.