Winter Vegetables to Grow in your Garden this Season & Harvest Tips

Gardening enthusiasts who are new to growing their own veggies might be stumped once the final curtain has fallen on summer. How will vegetables thrive in the bitter, dull, dim and occasionally snowy English autumn and winter seasons? Well, don't put your gardening gloves away just yet; there are plenty of winter vegetables for you to sow in the autumn, and grow and harvest throughout winter. 

Popular Outdoor Vegetables to Grow in Winter

• Onions - Winter onions are a perfect vegetable to plant in winter as they virtually look after themselves. Due to the prolonged growing time of onions, they won't be ready until next summer, but tending to them will keep your hobby alive until then!
• Carrots - Carrots can be sown in late summer/early autumn if you want them to be ready for a winter harvest. If you prefer, hardy carrots still thrive when planted in late autumn and ready for harvest as we begin to enter spring. 
• Spinach - The withered spinach leaves during winter indicates the plant is dead, or so you would think. In reality, the actual plant is alive and well, and spinach will grow slowly but healthily throughout the winter months and gain new leaves in spring.
• Asparagus - For those with ample garden space, an asparagus bed is a great way to keep green fingers throughout autumn and winter. Asparagus beds are a marathon, not a sprint, and will take years to establish. But you will reap the rewards eventually with up to 25 spears sprouting per asparagus crown, and they won't die during winter!
• Garlic - Garlic is one of the easiest winter growing veg to care for. Similarly to an onion, garlic's growth period is extended and won't be ready for harvest until next summer. But until harvest time, garlic will keep your gardening spark alive throughout winter. 

The above list is just a small selection of common winter veggies. Other popular veg to grow in winter includes, broad beans, peas, pak choi, Asian greens, lettuce, kale, arugula, broccoli, thyme, parsnips and beyond!

Maintenance Tips for your Winter Vegetable Garden

Watering your Winter Veg

Water is one of the most important for plants, vegetables and flowers alike to thrive. However, watering your vegetables might be a bit trickier during the winter months. The colder weather prevents the soil from absorbing the water as quickly as in the winter months, and this can sometimes lead to overwatering if you are not careful. To help combat this, you should always aim to water your winter vegetables during the warmest points in the day. If freezing temperatures are forecast during the night, you shouldn't water your veg as it can lead to severe frost damage and kill your crops. 

Mulching to Protect your Vegetables

Adding mulch to protect your crops is essential during the winter. Adequate mulching involves layering grass cuttings, wood chips, straw etc. around your vegetables. The mulch will keep your winter veggies warm and increases the moisture absorption for the crops. If sub-zero temperatures are forecast, cover your veggies with tarp or garden cloth. 

Feeding Winter Vegetables

A healthy harvest relies on soil packed with nutrients, especially during winter time when it is naturally harder for crops to thrive. Fertilising your soil throughout winter adds minerals to the earth that feeds your vegetables and helps them to grow. 

You should prep your soil for winter before the season arrives, and begin fertilising the earth well in advance. Working the fertiliser into the ground and topping with mulch allows the soil to absorb and maintain the nutrients fully. 

Cold-Framing

Think of cold-frames as mini-greenhouses. They will protect winter veggies and crops during freezing temperatures by preventing frostbite, while still allowing your veg to receive adequate sunlight. You can construct cold-frames using recycled wood, crates or pallets for the frame, with plastic as a covering. 
 

CD Aquatics has a selection of high-quality garden supplies that will help to keep your vegetables, crops and plants thriving throughout the winter months. From containers and pots, garden heating, fertilisers, lawn care, plant foods and beyond, you don't need to look anywhere else for winter garden maintenance supplies.