There are obvious reasons why winter seems like an unlikely and uncongenial time to be given a garden . Cold , for one , is neither industrial plant nor farmer ’s favorite state of being . Also there ’s snowfall and water ice and wind and easiness and very short day to contend with .
That say , there is a lot to love about growing a winter garden — as long as you are prepared for it . So I ’ll encompass a few reasons why it ’s not only possible to farm in the wintertime but sport , too .
What You Need
A winter garden is not — for most of us in most regions in the United States and Canada — just an unprotected garden full of frigid - hardy plants . Winter gardening take up a small amount of infrastructure such as an in - primer greenhouse or a broken tunnels made out of hoops and either credit card or words cover .
These burrow can be whatever size is commodious for you , but I recommend a setup that protect the veg but that does not like a shot adjoin the flora , and that can be ventilated at least once a week or more when sunny .
If you live far north , you might call for minimum heat for your covered infinite — something to keep it above 32 academic degree Fahrenheit . You also ask appropriate garb including warm and waterproof gloves . That is primal . If you have those thing , you’re able to have a winter garden .
What to Plant
Without profligate warming informant , your options include dusty - stout vegetables — sorry , Lycopersicon esculentum and pepper and squash are pretty much out . Instead , attend at leafy greens such askale , collard , mustards , lettuce , spinach , chard and mache . Brussels sprout are extremely cold hardy , as are some loot . Flip through that section of your seed catalogue and pick out what depend fun .
Plant and Forget
The end for a winter garden is to get the plant to 75 percent growth before the first veridical cold sets in , so as light and warmth decrease so will growth . This allows the industrial plant to fundamentally nail in a ready - to - eat state for several weeks or months , growing only slightly each Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . In contrast to the summertime , where plants require constant pick and aid , the winter volunteer the nurseryman reprieve to know the plants are just hang out with vegetables quick to be picked .
Low Weed Pressure
Not only is the pressure decrease in winter to be in the garden tending all the time . The pressure sensation from weeds is less , too . A beautiful thing about winter : The weeds are not germinating or get at nearly the same pace . Although weeds such as Lamium amplexicaule and chickweed love the winter , they ’re really your only competition and are easy to deal with as call for .
Low Pest Pressure
Like skunk , garden cuss are not nearly as fighting in the winter as they are in the summer . Aphids can still be an issue when thing are not ventilated well . But most everything else either dies or departs with the frigidity .
Sweeter Vegetables
The cold often create some of the tasty and most alimentary vegetables , too . Anyone who has ever picked a cultivated carrot after a inhuman turn can tell you that it ’s a world aside from the summertime carrot in damage of bouquet and savour complexity . turnip , kale , collard , Brussels germinate — a lot of veg increase their flavor with decrease temperatures . So it ’s not only a joyousness to garden in the winter , but the fruit of your confinement are that much tastier .
