There are some definite advantages to growing fall and winter vegetables apart from the fact that they can provide you with a year-round supply of healthy, nutritional foods. During the off-season, pests are not nearly as prevalent as they are during spring and summer. You also won’t have to fight so hard to keep weeds out of your garden, because they are in decline through the fall and winter.
Vegetables that grow well in fall and winter
Just because the summer sun has disappeared, it doesn’t mean that your gardening activity should cease for the year. Some of the best vegetables fare well in fall, for instance beets, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, turnips, and others. In the wintertime, you’ll have no trouble producing garlic, leeks, onions, radishes, peas, potatoes, chard, spinach, rhubarb, and kale. Many leafy greens will thrive during winter as long as you provide them with the proper growing conditions described below.
Requirements for growing fall/winter vegetables
One of the first steps in planting fall/winter vegetables is knowing how long it takes for a plant to mature. For example, spinach takes about 28 days to mature. If your first frost typically arrives around October 15, plant spinach during the first week of September to give it enough time to grow.
You’ll need to plan carefully to make the most of available sunlight in fall and winter. Even in very cold temperatures, remove row covers to maximize sunlight. Watering can also be a challenge, especially when temperatures drop below freezing. Ensure you have a way to provide adequate water to your plants during extreme cold.
Protecting your plants from frost is essential. Severe frost can damage plants, causing all above-ground growth to die before maturity. Keep row covers on hand to protect your plants when frost or extreme cold is expected. Enrich your soil with cow manure, chicken manure, seaweed, or kelp to add organic material. For fertilizer, use blood meal, bone meal, cottonseed meal, or bagged organic vegetable fortifier.
Some vegetables can grow in pots or containers, but make sure the containers provide enough space for them. You’ll also need a way for the pots to drain properly. These plants require six to eight hours of sunlight each day to thrive.
The tools for your fall/winter garden are similar to those used in summer—rakes, spades, shovels, trowels, pots or planters, and garden hoses. And for winter, you might need one more tool: a snow blower!
Where to obtain your supplies
Whatever kind of supplies you need for your fall and winter vegetable growing project, you’ll find them at Mendham Garden Centers. We offer tools, seeds, starter plants, pots, growing soil, fertilizer, and other equipment for a successful garden.
Visit one of their three New Jersey locations—Mendham, Annandale, or Chester. Talk to their friendly, experienced staff for ideas and advice on your growing project.