What Are the Best Cold Weather Plants?
Are the snowflakes flying where you live yet? They aren't here - thank goodness, since it's only late September - but it wouldn't be unheard of if we had snow in September. I think the earliest snowstorm I can remember in recent years was around early October, but we've definitely had flurries in September.
Whatever the case may be or wherever you might live, the reality is that, if you have a winter season, gardening can often come to a standstill. That can be a bummer - but it doesn't have to be!
If you want to prevent your green thumb from getting frosty over the winter months, check out these tips in this week's guest post. There are pretty some amazing cold weather plants out there you've got to try and add to your garden plans today!
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If you love gardening, the rapid approach of winter may be a disappointing time for you as the typical growing season comes to a close. However, there are many cold-hardy plants that not only survive in the winter but also thrive, producing abundant and tasty harvests.
Some of the best cold-weather plants are the brassicas, including kale, collards, and mustard greens. In addition, root plants like carrots become sweeter when grown in colder weather. With a variety of options, you won’t have to stop your gardening just because winter sets in.
This article will explain what a hardy winter plant is and explore what plants grow best in colder weather. It will also cover which plants can live outside throughout the winter season and tips for winter garden care. Read on to learn more about cold-weather plants.
**J&R Pierce Family Farm is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to allow sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. I often link to Amazon when recommending certain products, and if you choose to purchase, I may earn a small percentage of the sale. It costs you nothing extra, and all recommended products are ones that I personally vouch for.**
What is a Hardy Winter Plant?
A hardy winter plant is able to survive through the winter without being damaged by freezes. Once they make it through the winter, they begin growing once more in the spring.
However, this is a relative term to where you live. You’ll need to pay special attention to hardiness zones when choosing your plants to ensure they will make it through the winter in your specific location.
Examples of hardy winter plants include the following:
Asparagus
Garlic
Peas
Thyme
Chives
Rosemary
Mint
Greek oregano
Lemon balm
Sorrel
Ready to get started? I've got everything you need to know in this post, but check out this video if you're curious about setting up your garden for winter:
What Plants Grow Better in Cold Weather?
When the weather turns cold, you don’t have to pack it up and call it a day on your garden. Plenty of excellent plants grow better in cold weather, making it a great time to bundle up and keep working outside.
Asparagus
As a perennial crop, asparagus can produce for 15 years or longer when cared for correctly. It has a long gestation period, which means it may take several years to produce a harvest after being planted.
However, it will survive through many winters to grow in the spring. Asparagus is planted in the fall for a spring harvest when it grows during some of the chilliest weather.
Cabbage
The ideal time to plant cabbage is in the fall. It thrives in the cold and survives all frosty conditions to be harvested in the middle of winter. If you space your planting correctly, you can have cabbage throughout most of the winter.
Radishes
While not ideal for the coldest zones, radishes can handle cooler weather and thrive in some frost conditions. They prefer sunny locations and can handle the temperature when it drops to 50℉.
Broccoli
Broccoli is one of those plants that simply doesn’t do well in the heat. Because of this, it’s an excellent candidate for growing in colder weather. You’ll want to plant broccoli 10 to 12 weeks before the first frost for the best results.
Oregano
While native to the Mediterranean, oregano is widely used and popular throughout the northern hemisphere. If you enjoy using this herb for seasoning, you’ll be happy to know it’s available through the chilliest weather, adding flavor to all your winter dishes.
Sage
Particularly in regions 5-9, sage will go dormant in the winter. It will then come back in the spring, lasting for several years with the proper care. In zones further south, sage is more likely to be an annual.
Chives
Chives are very cold-hardy, handling the cold temperatures of zone 2. Additionally, this plant is a faithful perennial that will return for years. It will grow just about anywhere without being too picky about its soil type, amount of water, or sunlight, making it one of the easiest to care for.
Mint
Mint can be cold-hardy up to -20℉. The actual hardiness will depend on the variation of the plant you are handling. For example, peppermint is cold hardy, and can tolerate zone 3 temperatures, while spearmint handles the heat better, growing well in zone 11.
Thyme
While thyme is cold-hardy, the species dictates which zone the plant will be hardy in. Some can thrive in zone 4, while others only up to zone 6. You’ll need to watch for soggy soil, as this is more often the killer of thyme than cold weather.
Lettuce
Not all lettuce is hardy, so you’ll have to pay particular attention when choosing your variety and ensure it meets the requirements for your hardiness zone. Those that are can be planted in the fall to be harvested approximately one to three months later.
Garlic
A very winter-hardy plant, garlic does better throughout the coldest weather when its sprouts are taller. This frost-resistant bulb can be planted six weeks before the first hard freeze to maximize the growth potential. You’ll need an unfrozen ground to work with.
Brussels Sprouts
As a sweeter vegetable, Brussels sprouts survive the winter because of their sugar content. It lowers their freezing temperature, allowing them to make it through the winter. This vegetable is perfect for the winter because of all the combinations it can be used for in the kitchen.
Kale
Kale requires sunlight and moist soil to thrive and be ready for a winter harvest. However, while prepping, you will need to protect your plants from the cabbageworm’s small white butterfly, which will lay eggs on the leaves. Use the cloth and hoop method of protection.
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is highly cold-tolerant, enduring temperatures as low as the mid-20℉. On the other hand, in the summer months, you’ll likely find your sweet leaves have turned bitter, making winter growing preferable.
Carrots
As a root vegetable, carrots prefer chilly weather and increase their sugar stores in response, which helps them combat the cold. Unlike the bland vegetable you’re used to in the summer, a winter carrot is a sweet treat.
Parsley
As one of the most commonly used and grown herbs for the kitchen, it’s great news for many that parsley can still be harvested throughout the winter. The plant will still produce crisp, fresh leaves, just at a much slower rate.
Rosemary
Despite being native to the Mediterranean, several varieties of rosemary are quite cold-hardy. Those who live in zones 5-7 have a solid chance of successfully overwintering their rosemary in their gardens.
Mustard Greens
Mustard greens aren’t as cold-hardy as kale and collards but can tolerate a light frost. In fact, this makes their leaves sweeter. If you live in an area that doesn’t experience killing freezes, you can grow mustard greens even in chillier weather.
Collards
The colder the temperatures get, the better the flavor of collards gets. Collards are even more cold-resistant than kale, making them the most freeze-resistant of all the brassicas. You’ll have no problem keeping these plants going down to a temperature of 0℉.
Peas
Peas are very cold-hardy, able to survive temperatures as low as 28℉. They’re also not very tolerant of high temperatures. While they will grow above 70℉, they don’t enjoy it, preferring cooler weather.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is another plant that doesn’t do well with high temperatures, making it ideal for colder weather. This plant is tolerant of frosts, but hard freezes can damage mature curds, ruining the vegetable’s flavor.
Sorrel
Sorrel can survive in temperatures as low as -30℉. It’s a highly adaptable plant that can grow just about anywhere, with the only caveat being the temperatures cannot be too high, or it will not do well. Many enjoy having this plant because it is deer resistant.
What Plant Can Live Outside in the Winter?
Several factors can impact whether plants can live outside in the winter. The first major one is where you live. Your hardiness zone is the primary determinant of what can grow in your area.
Gardeners in zones 8 through 11 have it pretty easy when it comes to winter gardening. They don’t have to make many changes to their practices to have a successful winter garden.
However, because the heat of the summer can be so extreme, winter is often better for planting. These zones include the following states: the Carolinas, Georgia, Mississippi, Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, California, and Texas.
If you live in the northern states, you’ll want to look specifically for cold-hardy seeds. While these seeds can be sown directly into the ground, many choose to start them in a protected environment, such as a container.
Several vegetables are tolerant of living outside in the winter. In moderate climates, you can sow spinach, kale, and mustard greens in the fall for a winter harvest. As mentioned, chard is an excellent choice for growing in winter as the cold weather improves its flavor.
Carrots produce much sweeter crops when grown during the winter because of the way the cold increases the sugar production within the plants. Leeks also develop a much bolder flavor after experiencing a few frost cycles, making them ideal for winter.
Tips for Caring for Your Plants in the Winter
One of the first things you’ll need to do is get your seeds ready, so your plants can be harvested by the time winter sets in. Remember to pay attention to the seed packaging, looking for words like cold, winter, cold-hardy, and similar.
Pay close attention to your hardiness zone and where the plants will do best. If the vegetable grows best in the winter in zone 7, but you live in zone 3, you’ll need a different option.
Here are a few more tips.
Provide Coverage
Add a good layer of coverage to protect the plants, as even the hardiest ones can succumb to the most frigid temperatures. You’ll want to start by adding a layer of mulch around your vegetables to add warmth and aid in moisture absorption.
When you expect a severe frost, use garden cloth, fleece, or a tarp to cover the rows, especially when you have young seedlings. If you have any warm spells, it’s essential to remove the covers to prevent overheating.
Mind Your Watering and Harvesting Schedules
Only water the garden during the warmest hours on any given day when needed. The roots will have a much slower capacity for absorbing moisture in the winter than they do in the summer, but the warmth will help it flow through the whole plant.
Be mindful of how much and when you harvest. Plants grow more slowly in the winter, which means improper harvesting can impact the growth of your vegetables. You’ll want to let them mature and harvest during dry weather to avoid wet soil.
Add Good Soil
You can make any garden bed into a winter garden with the right steps. This includes using good soil, providing room to grow, and ensuring there’s access to adequate light. Generally speaking, the same practices for summer apply in winter.
Keep a Solid Calendar - Planning is Key!
Winter crops should be planted six to eight weeks before the first frost for best results. You’ll know they’re ready to be transplanted when they have several real leaves.
Plan your garden around the first hard freeze. This point marks when harvesting your crops will become a significant challenge in some areas of the country. When the ground freezes, you’ll have to work much harder to free your prized harvest.
So, when planting, it’s important to consider when the vegetables will be ready to harvest while evaluating whether they are ready for transplanting. Getting both steps correct is essential to the overall success of your winter garden.
Final Thoughts
Winter gardening makes harvesting tasty vegetables a possibility year-round. Some plants simply grow better in colder weather, producing better flavor than in the heat of the summer. You can enhance your foods with the best ingredients from your own garden.
From Swiss chard to carrots, you can eat healthy all year long with the proper prep and work in your personal garden. With so many options for cold-hardy plants, you’ll never get bored. Remember always to pay attention to your zone, choosing the right plants to thrive.
You’ll also need to provide adequate coverage to protect even the hardiest plants from the coldest temperatures. Only water when absolutely needed, and ensure it’s during the warmest part of the day. By taking care of your garden, you’ll have an abundant harvest to enjoy.
