There are a lot of cool weather vegetables that are great for winter growing as well as for early spring! Sandia Seed has a good selection of cool season vegetables that are great for growing in the cold months, especially early spring!
When to plant cool weather crops:
Cool-season vegetables can be planted anytime from several weeks to a couple of months before the last frost date. These early vegetables prefer cooler temperatures for growing. Some people start seeds indoors to get them growing more quickly before transplanting outdoors, but many cool weather crops like Radishes, Lettuces, Beets and Peas can be sown directly in the garden.
You can also start cool season vegetables anytime in the winter months using the Winter Sowing method which uses recycled milk jugs or other containers to work as miniature greenhouses to start your seeds outdoors during the winter months. No lights, indoor space, or heat needed! This is a great way to start green onion seeds and other cool weather vegetables.
Learn more about Winter Sowing »
You can also use small hoop houses or cold frames to grow cool weather vegetables year-round, and continue to harvest in the winter months.
Cilantro is a great cool weather vegetable as it grows great in the cooler months, and will provide greens for a much longer time than when grown in the summer months, as it tends to bloom with heat. That's ok though, as the pollinators love the blooms and if you let the seeds ripen, you can re-sow them for ongoing harvests.
Growing cool weather vegetables is a great way to garden and harvest more throughout the year! Even if your favorite vegetables to grow are peppers and tomatoes, you'll still appreciate having fresh greens in the fall, winter and spring months!
Growing cool weather vegetables is a great way to garden and harvest more throughout the year! Even if your favorite vegetables to grow are peppers and tomatoes, you'll still appreciate having fresh greens in the fall, winter and spring months!
