Winter Vegetables

Growing Vegetables can seem like a full-time job, especially if you plant for most of the year. Spring and summer are the best times for planting most vegetables, but the winter garden can also provide some wonderful treats. Growing winter vegetables takes a bit of practice and timing, but the results are very rewarding. Your winter vegetable garden can provide healthy alternatives to store-bought food well into the winter months.

The trick to creating a good winter garden is choosing the right plants. Many vegetables like broad beans, broccoli, broad beans and some varieties of lettuce grow quite well in the winter garden. Understanding when to plant these Vegetables will make your gardening efforts much easier. You can begin by visiting your local nursery to choose seeds or seedlings for your winter vegetable garden.

Some of the easiest Vegetables plants to grow include broccoli and purple sprouting broccoli. Since broccoli appreciates a bit of cold weather, it is an optimal plant for a late season garden.
Plant your broccoli in raised beds toward the end of the month of August. Broccoli requires plenty of water and does attract pests, so monitor the plants closely. You can then harvest the broccoli generally until mid-December. Sometimes, late plantings of broccoli can last straight through the month of December.

Brussels sprouts and beans are also excellent choices for that late summer planting. Both plants should be in the ground by the end of August and will provide vegetables through the winter season until December ends. January and February are generally the coldest months in most climates, so expect the freeze to end your harvest season.

Garlic, rutabaga and leeks are also wonderful winter plants. Planting in the fall will allow you to harvest for at least several of the winter months. Leeks and rutabaga are known for their cold-resistance and both store really well.
Cornsalad or lamb's lettuce and endive are two lettuce varieties that retain their growth through the colder weather. If you spend some time mulching your lettuce, the internal leaves can be harvested through November and into December.

Onions and kale are some of the most hardy of the cold-weather vegetables. Onions can actually stay in the ground throughout the entire winter. They do very well under snow cover and can be harvested until late in the winter months. Kale survives above ground in most cold places.
Kale, except for the blue variety which yellows during the winter, is also excellent ground cover during the spring. Both kale and onions survive the winter better than almost any other vegetables. Beets, turnips and Swiss chard will also do well in a cold climate.
Since most root Vegetables are able to survive a frost, check with your garden center for the once that are best for your soil.

Using a Greenhouse in the Winter

Choosing a warm or cold greenhouse is the first decision you will make when beginning greenhouse gardening A hot greenhouse is generally achieved by placing the greenhouse in an area that receives direct sunlight. You will need to monitor the internal temperature of the greenhouse to make sure that it doesn't go higher than about 90 degrees. If you reach higher temperatures, the greenhouse will need ventilation. Partial shade is a good place to choose when setting up your greenhouse.

A cold greenhouse is mostly shaded. The shelter provided by the greenhouse will allow temperatures to remain above freezing in most cases. Monitoring the temperature of a cold greenhouse is equally important because low temperatures can result in plant loss. Space heaters can be used to warm a very cold greenhouse.
Ventilating your greenhouse and spacing your plants so that they have access to moving air will keep the plants healthy. You can purchase or build a greenhouse that has windows and doors to open for breezes.

You can plant almost any type of vegetable in your hot or cold greenhouse. Corn and pumpkins grow well on the floor of the greenhouse with very little effort from you. Remember to space the plants as directed on the seed or seedling packages. You can use regular potting soil or the soil below the greenhouse for most floor-plants. Tables or small benches add extra room to the greenhouse.
Keep potted plants spaced so that air can circulate. You can plant turnips, carrots and beets in flower boxes that are deep. These boxes will fit under most benches, so you will have even more space if you vary the vegetable selections.

Both in-ground and potted plants do well during the winter in a greenhouse. Kale and broccoli, onions and garlic and even most lettuce varieties will grow well. Remember to water your plants and protect them from extreme temperatures and you will have a wonderful winter vegetable garden in your greenhouse .