Winter in the West and Southern parts of the country is just another growing season in the vegetable garden. Food growers in cold states plant wintertime vegetables in tunnel greenhouses or cold frames. Urban dwellers can grow their own food all year-round in raised box frames and square yard gardens. Whatever the method, the winter garden provides fresh produce.
Winter Harvest
Vegetables planted in mid-July to mid-August are ready to pick in the cold months. Beans, beets, carrots, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, kohlrabi and broccoli stand up to cooler weather in fall and winter. Chard and kale are hardy in winter weather and grow all year-round in the warm winter regions or protected spaces. Turnips that come to harvest in winter are slightly sweeter than those grown in the spring and summer. Frost has that effect on them. Salad greens planted in August and September are ready to eat in November and December, sooner if picking off leaves a few at a time.
Winter Planting
Lengthen the growing with movable plastic greenhouse tunnels or permanent-structure cold frames to start seed and nurture young plants. Plastic growing tunnels foldable for easy storage in summertime. Tunnels are 10 feet long with a 12-inch height. Green, leafy vegetables; such as Russian kale, lamb's lettuce, chicory and radicchio; continue growing through cold weather in the protected environment of a tunnel greenhouse. The reflected warmth created by house walls and fences also provides a warm place to grow vegetable plants in winter.
Start Seeds Indoors
Warm-season vegetable plants started indoors in winter include peppers, tomatoes and eggplant. Tomato seeds do not germinate until the soil temperature reaches 55 degrees, but this is easily controlled with inside growing. Small pots made from newspapers are an easy and inexpensive way of starting vegetable plants in winter. Seeds take longer to germinate in colder weather. Seed packets list "days to germination" on the back. Other vegetables to start indoors in winter include peas, fava beans, bush beans and cucumber.
Protect the Plants
A mulch layer keeps the soil cool in summer months and warm in winter months. Winter vegetable plants need extra space between them, and a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch keeping the roots warm. Snails and slugs like wet weather, and closely planted vegetables create hiding places for them. Use clean straw, dry leaves or shredded bark as mulch. Mulch also prevents weed growth.
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