Garden grow salads are crisp, juicy, and delicious while they’re available. But did you know that you could extend your harvest of fresh salads by growing cold hardy plants throughout the winter? So here a 8 cold hard plants that can handle the cold and extend your growing season.
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Cold hardy plants #1 – Lettuce
Lettuce performs at its best during the cool season, both before and after summer. Lettuce will still grow during summer, although it will need plenty of shade and lots of water. Plant lettuce in the ground once it’s workable or 3-4 weeks indoors before your last frost date. Lettuce prefers moist soil that is fertile. Lettuce make a great addition both to the garden and in the kitchen. My favourite way to eat them is in a tomato, onion salad along with a few extra vegetables. Mmmm!
Cold hardy plants #2 – Spinach
Spinach is used in the kitchen in many dishes such as lasagna, salads, soups and many more. If they are being used in the kitchen, then they must be grown in the garden. Spinach is pretty hardy and grows well in the cool weather. Start in the early spring indoors 3-4 weeks before you last frost date on starter trays, or outdoors once the soil can be worked. If you would like to be more cautious, you can start them outdoors after the frost date.
Spinach can tolerate a little of the winter chill, but you must protect them from the cold weather. Spinach can be grown all winter long in the warmer areas. If you live in the freezing areas, you may need a greenhouse to grow them throughout the winter.
Cold hardy plants #3 – Root Vegetable Tops
There are many root vegetable tops you can use while the roots are still growing. While you can eat some root vegetable tops, eat only what you need at the moment. Harvest root vegetable tops by breaking off the stem by the surface. Keep in mind though still that there are tubers or bulbs beneath the surface still trying to grow.
Never harvest all the tops off a root vegetable. You can harvest and eat the tops of carrots, radishes, turnips, and beets; there are probably quite a few more out there too. These make great additions in pesto and stir-fries.
Cold hardy plants #4 – Kale
Kale is such a versatile leafy green and is probably the hardiest of winter leafy greens you can grow during the winter months. Kale can essentially grow through the entire winter if you live where the winters are mild. For those with harsher winters, start kale indoors 4-6 weeks before you last frost date in starter trays, or outdoors as soon as the soil is workable.
A mature kale plant can tolerate the cold really well. For young seedlings, protect them from any frost until they grow up a bit. Kale may get slightly sweeter as the cold weather dawns because of the starches that convert into sugars. Kale can be used to make kale chips, in pesto and noodles.
Cold hardy plants #5 – Cabbage
Cabbage is essentially a bunch of tightly packed leaves into a head. The outer leaves can also be eaten. Growing cabbage takes quite a while, unlike the other quick leafy growing greens. Cabbage also comes in different appearances as well, such as purple, curly leaves and more.
Plant cabbage outdoors as soon as you can work the soil, or a few weeks prior to your local last frost date. For a fall harvest, plant cabbage after the hottest of the summer heat has passed. Fertilize cabbage every 2-3 weeks as they are growing to provide them enough nutrients for the next growth stage.
Cold hardy plants #6 – Bok Choy
Bok choy is an Asian vegetable that is mainly used by Asians. They are full of juicy moisture, with a mild taste. Their stalks are crisp and smooth and when harvested young, the leaves are very tender. Bok choy makes a great addition in soups and stir-fries with carrots, tofu and peas. There are many more you can add to stir-fries.
Boy choy is a reaaly fast growing green during the cool weather. Plant once the ground is workable. You’ll want to get an early start on bok choy, because once the summer heat strikes it may bolt and the vast amount of green growth will begin to lower. You can also start them indoors, in starter trays 6-8 weeks before your last frost date.
Cold hardy plants #7 – Microgreens
Microgreens are essentially sprouts of plant when they are young. Microgreen are grown in large amounts. They are the fastest growing green you can grow, as they only take 1 to 2 weeks before you can harvest them.
There are many flavours, and colours, but here are a few to get started with. Broccoli sprouts are mildly spicy. Sunflower sprouts have a very mild earthy taste. There is also radish and many more. Uses Microgreens in salads, on avocado toast, or even eat them alone raw. They are very high in nutrients and can be grown in winter.
Cold hardy plants #8 – Arugula
The last growing green is Arugula. Arugula is slightly peppery and can be used in just more than salads. In fact, when put to the right uses, they make some of the best tasting dishes. You can use them in pesto, pizza, pasta, burgers and much more. Instead of running to the supermarket every once in a while to grab a pack of arugula, why not grow your own?
They are very easy to grow with little to no effort. They can tolerate partially low temperatures like 40°F (4°C), so get them planted into your garden this year as early as you can. You can also grow them on windowsills that get on average, 6 or more hours of sunlight. When harvesting arugula, harvest only as much as you need at the moment, as it will continue to keep on growing.
So those are the 8 bright leafy growing greens that you must grow this year. Try planting some, and come back to drop a comment on how your greens turned out. Until next time, continue to learn and grow!
