12 Cold hardy vegetables to grow in your winter garden.
There are certain vegetables when planted during the late fall season (August to September) can last throughout the winter season and be harvested during the coming spring season. These vegetables can tolerate frost to some extent. Here are some of the best cold hardy vegetables to grow in your winter garden.
The snow that covers these crops naturally acts as an insulation for them. Mulching the soil can help to keep the soil warm, which in turn allows these plants to thrive. These vegetables are more likely to get harmed by wet conditions than cool temperatures. So, it is important to protect these vegetables from rain using row covers.
Find out more about taking care of your winter crops here.
Best cold-hardy vegetables to grow in the winter season:
1. Radish
Radish seeds germinate within a week. They can be harvested within 45 to 60 days depending on the variety. Radish can tolerate temperatures up to 26°F (-3°C).
2. Beetroots
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Beetroots grow best in warm weather conditions but can tolerate temperatures up to 23°F( -5°C). Beets can germinate within 5 to 7 days. Beetroots can be harvested within 50 to 70 days after planting.
3. Spinach
Spinach are freezing hardy plants and can tolerate temperatures up to 16°F(-9°C). Spinach seeds germinate within a week and can be harvested within 45 to 50 days.
4. Lettuce
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Lettuce germinates within a week or two. Depending on the variety they can be harvested within 30 to 60 days. Lettuce can tolerate temperatures up to 25°F( -4°C)
5. Kale
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Kale is a cold hardy vegetable and can tolerate temperatures up to 5°F(-15°C). It germinates within 10 to 12 days. Kale can be harvested within 55 to 75 days from sowing seeds.
6. Cabbage
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Cabbage can tolerate temperatures up to 19°F (-7°C). It can take up to 2 weeks for cabbage seeds to germinate. Cabbages can be harvested within 60 to 90 days after sowing seeds.
7. Swiss chard
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Swiss chard can tolerate temperatures up to 16°F(-9°C). It can take up to 10 days for Swiss chard to germinate. Swiss chard can be harvested within 4 to 6 weeks after planting.
8. Turnips
Turnips can tolerate temperatures up to 25°F ( -4°C). Turnips germinate within 7 to 10 days. They can be harvested within 50 to 55 days from planting.
9. Cauliflower
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Cauliflower can tolerate temperatures up to 26°F (-3°C). Seeds germinate within 2 weeks. Depending on the variety it can take up to 3 to 6 months for cauliflower to mature.
10. Broccoli
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Broccoli can tolerate temperatures up to 28°F (-2°C). Seeds take 10 to 14 days to germinate. It can take up to 100 to 150 days to harvest broccoli.
11. Celery
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Celery can tolerate temperatures up to 28°F (-2°C). Seeds can take up to 24 days to germinate. It can take up to 140 days to harvest celery.
12. Garlic
Garlic can tolerate temperatures up to -30°F (-34°C). It can take about 4 to 8 weeks for cloves to sprout. Garlic can be harvested within 9 months.