Growing Vegetables in Winter

Growing vegetables in winter is not difficult; there are just a few things you want to keep in mind. Just remember, growing vegetables in winter takes growing them in the right location, when to start growing them, and what you can grow for winter. There are many more people these days growing their own vegetables. There is great satisfaction and pride about eating fresh vegetables and fruit from your own backyard. If you live in an area where you have harsh winters you will need to do some careful planning and there are some accessories or tools that may come in very handy.

1. Location for Growing
Your geographical location is going to be your clue as how to grow those vegetables during winter. If your location is in the northern states or in an area that has harsh, freezing winters you may need to use cold frames, mini-greenhouses or "cloches"; these will help to stretch the growing season well into winter. If you live in a southern state or area that has very mild winters you can continue to grow the summer vegetables along with the winter vegetables. You can grow winter vegetables in just about any location as long as you can give them the best climate conditions with the help of greenhouses or cold frames along with the maximum sunlight they need and protecting them from the winter winds.

2. When to Begin Growing
Living in freezing winter areas you need to take into consideration and that is the average date of the first winter frost. Referring to a map of growing zones will help determine this for you. Once you know this date you need to know how many days to maturity and plant your seeds or seedlings that many days before your first hard frost. There are other ways for growing vegetables in winter and that is by using cold frames, raised garden beds, or mini-greenhouses.

3. Vegetables for Growing
The following is a list of vegetables with their maturity days: 30 days to maturity include chives, leaf lettuce, radishes, and spinach; 60 days to maturity include collard greens, early cabbage, early carrot, kohlrabi, leeks, Swiss chard, and turnips; 90 days to maturity include beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, globe onion, parsnips, and rutabaga. If you live in areas that do not get harsh, freezing winters there are many more vegetables that you will be able to grow during this time.

Probably the best and safest way of extending your growing season into the coldest days of winter is by using "cloches" or a mini-greenhouse. A cloche, a French word meaning bell, is used widely in gardening and is a clear structure that offers protection for your plants and at the same time allows the sunlight to penetrate through. Sometimes these garden cloches are also known as hoop houses, garden hoops, or mini-greenhouses. You can also construct your own by using PVC pipes and clear plastic. These cloches work very well for protecting your vegetables during harsh winter weather.  

Another great option is the use of a raised garden bed. A raised garden bed is a large container garden that is not actually sitting on the ground but is sitting on a stand, or by using bricks or blocks under each corner. A raised bed allows the soil inside the bed frame to warm up much faster than the soil in the ground due to the fact of better circulation completely around the frame. The soil within the raised bed will also stay warmer longer and later into the year making raised bed gardening a better way of extending your growing season. Raised garden beds are also a good way of protecting your crops from the winter elements. Another way of protection is to combine your raised garden beds with a sturdy cloche for growing vegetables in winter.