9 Crops for Winter Gardening

Winter Gardening

In June the Powell River Garden Club invited Cathy from Mother Nature to give a presentation on fall and winter gardening. It was very timely, because it was the last club meeting of the season and preparation for cold weather gardening needs to begin during summer.

Winter harvest of kale, beets and carrots.

I learned that it's not necessary to let your soil rest during winter as long as you replenish it in spring with compost and other essential nutrients. I really like going to Garden Club. I learn new things to make my small garden more productive.

Two weeks ago I shared how I'm using covers for containers on my cabin deck to increase the season for greens. Click here to read that post.

Here are some additional winter crops I'm growing in my raised bed floating garden.

Beets and carrots remaining in the ground.

1. Beets left in the ground. Beets planted spring through mid-summer develop before the cold arrives and will maintain their size. Even with some freezing temperatures, my beets remain in good condition through February. I grow Detroit Red Beets from seed.

2. Carrots left in the ground. As with my beets, I plant one crop in spring and one more in mid-summer. Mounded with soil to cover the I plant carrots in  I grow Scarlet Nantes carrots from seed because they are short and

Dwarf Green Curly Kale.

3. Kale left growing. My favourite is Dwarf Green Curled Kale. It's compact and grows well in a raised bed. Spring plants last all winter. It tastes even better after the frost arrives. Stems benefit from staking during winter storms. 

4. Chard left growing. Like kale, chard planted in spring continues to grow through winter. It's quite tolerant of mild freezing conditions.  I like Rhubarb Chard with it's bright red stems and large green leaves.

Broccoli, chard and perennial rosemary.

5. Broccoli left growing. Last spring I bought Broccoli sets and the plants have been giving me florets ever since. They're slowing down now, but will have another spring burst before going to seed.

6. Purple Sprouting Broccoli planted mid-summer. A Garden Club member brought seeds to a meeting. I started the them in mid-summer. This variety is taller so I have staked them to withstand winter storms. They will produce in late winter and early spring.

Brussels sprouts starting to form.

7. Brussels Sprouts. This is my second year growing Brussels Sprouts. They will produce sprouts from December to February. The variety is compact but benefits from staking.

8. Perennial Herbs. I grow herbs in deck pots and in my floating garden. I cut my mint back and wait for it to come back in spring. You can't keep a good mint down. My thyme, sage and rosemary continue to provide fresh herbs throughout the winter months without covering.

9. Planting Garlic. Fall is a good time to plant garlic. This is my first year trying it. I created space by picking kale and carrots at the end of one of my beds. The garlic cloves will remain in the soil for sprouting in early spring. When it comes time for new garden planning and planting I'll know this area is taken.

The winter float garden.

It's important to get your seeds or seedlings planted early enough to allow them to grow and mature before the first frost arrives in your area. After that, plant growth will slow down. In my area, early August is about the last opportunity to get things going. Another tip is to pick cold tolerant varieties.

Do you have a winter garden? What kinds of things do you grow? -- Margy