Got the winter blues and can hardly wait for planting season in the spring? Well, did you know that in some regions, you can start veggie seeds for later transplant as early as January? When selecting plants to plant in winter, some selections will vary according to your location – but there are a few reliable early starters that can work in every space.
In many cases, you can start these seeds indoors for transplanting outside when things warm up. However, your options expand – even in chillier latitudes – if you use a cold frame for plants you can grow outside. You can visit our Gardening Know How Shop to stock up on seed trays and tools to help you get the jump on your early sowings. There are quite a few vegetable plants suitable for winter planting, for instance. This is our roundup of some of the easiest options for edibles – and a flowering option that your pollinators are sure to love.
Choosing Crops and Ornamentals that You Can Plant in Winter
In terms of what to plant in winter, the hardiness region has a part to play with your selection, depending on whether you are direct-sowing seeds (planting in situ) or starting indoors. If you live in USDA zones 8-11, you can garden year-round. In fact, some crops may do better planted out in the winter months than later in the growing season when these USDA zones get too hot for certain crops.
If you don’t fall into the above category, focus on cool-weather vegetables. Depending on how cold your region is, you can direct-sow, start seeds inside, or grow outside with protection from cloches, cold frames or even in a clean milk jug. Just bear in mind that root crops such as radishes, carrots and beets will not take well to being transplanted as seedlings and should be sown directly into the garden.
1. Herbs
If you’re wondering “What can I plant in winter?” then herbs are the natural first port of call. Winter is a great time to get a head start on your herb garden plants. You can start tender herbs like basil or perennials like oregano and chives. Try Culinary Blend basil, Greek oregano or chive seeds from Park Seed, all available from the Gardening Know How shop.
Start from seed indoors as early as February or March. Herbs started in March can be ready to transplant into the garden by May, depending upon your USDA region and weather conditions, of course.
2. Green Onions
Bulbing onions are cool weather crops but green onions are even easier, and much faster, to grow in the winter. They are frost tolerant, making them some of the best plants to plant in winter. You can grow green onions by sowing directly into workable soil for a harvest in about 60 days.
3. Leafy Greens
Many leafy greens love cooler temperatures; they can often handle below-freezing temps. Swiss chard and kale both thrive in cold temperatures although you should protect their tender leaves from heavy snow by using a cold frame or a cloche. In areas where there are mild winters, biennial Swiss chard and kale are some of the hardiest of crops and can survive throughout the winter.
Start these leafy greens from seed about 90 days before your area's last frost date. Transplant them outside (they can handle some frost and snow) but provide them protection from heavy frost.
4. Carrots
Carrots are one of those crops, like Swiss chard above, that get sweeter when grown in the winter, making them perfect plants for winter planting. Directly sow carrots into well-drained soil. Make sure the earth is free from rocks or other debris, or else this will affect the shape of any tap roots. You can sow as soon as the soil is workable in full sun. Thin the seedlings when they are about four weeks old.
5. Radishes
Radishes are a great cool season crop to grow because they grow so quickly. Choose a unique radish like daikon to grow during the winter. Daikon grows more slowly, but you still end up with a crispy, almost peppery-flavored root veggie that is great eaten fresh or cooked. Sow seeds directly in full sun in well-draining soil as soon as it is workable.
6. Broccoli
Like radishes, there are varieties of broccoli that are better suited for growing during the winter. Hardy purple broccoli varieties for instance, can be sown in containers during the winter months to be transplanted in the spring in a full sun area.
If you live in a warmer region, try growing a broccoli variety like Castle Dome from Park Seed, available from the Gardening Know How shop. This hybrid is heat tolerant and ready for harvest in just 50 days from transplant.
7. Leeks
One of my favorite crops, leeks, can actually sit in the ground over the winter and be harvested from the garden as needed. Start growing leeks indoors in January or February then transplant them into the garden in the early spring, or sow them directly into the garden then the soil is workable.
8. Common Milkweed
Vegetables aren’t the only plants that can be grown during the winter. Common milkweed seeds can be planted in fall or winter, either indoors or outside. When growing milkweed from scratch, choose an area of full sun to transplant the seedlings.
This essential food source for migrating Monarch butterflies may not bloom the first year, but thereafter it will reliably reward you and your winged friends with giant sprays of purple or pink blossoms. Try the Milkweed Heirloom seed mix from Park Seed, available from the Gardening Know How shop, for a gorgeous early start to your year of pollinator pleasures!
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the earliest you can sow for the gardening year?
When can you start sowing seeds? When you direct sow, you can sow almost any time the soil is workable. The seeds will stay in the soil until it warms sufficiently for them to germinate. For container-grown veggies, start seeds after the winter solstice in January or February.
Do you need to prepare the ground for winter sowing?
Healthy soil will give you the best results, so have a soil test done on your garden to tell you if you need to amend the garden soil and what it needs. Regardless of a soil test, it is a good idea to incorporate some well-aged manure or compost into the top three inches (8cm) of soil before sowing.
Do you have to protect sowings from pests?
Protect your newly sown or transplanted plants from critters. While there are definitely fewer insects present in the winter, there may be some. If not insect pests, there are always the four-legged or winged beasts who like your crops as much as you do.
From dazzling perennials to prolific annuals, these Park Seed picks are perfect for early sowings. Visit the GKH shop for showstopping seed sensations.
Other Great Sowing and Planting Ideas
- Can’t wait to start the dream team of floral showstoppers for beds and borders? Try these must-sow flowers to start in February for gorgeous sunshine displays.
- Want to save time on sowings and looking to accelerate the germination process? Our guide to germinating seeds in a paper towel shows you how to save time later.
- Stuck for floral inspiration and feeling blue? Our roundup of the most enchanting blue flowers to start from seed in winter will help you brighten your floral horizons.
This article features products available from third party vendors on the Gardening Know How Shop.
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