Winter is a time of rest and recuperation for the gardener, but for the motivated, it can also be a season for growing a bountiful harvest! Your USDA hardiness zone is a great starting point for exploring your options for outdoor, indoor, and sheltered gardens. If you love to grow and hate taking a break, here’s how to keep your gardening spirit alive during winter.
Understanding Your Zone
Your USDA hardiness zone determines which plants can handle the cold outdoors in your area. Since these zones are based on the average minimum temperature, knowing your zone is important. We recently explored this topic here: Planting According to Your USDA Hardiness Zone.
What to Grow by Zone in Winter
Winter reveals the true differences in climates, and gardening possibilities differ widely, depending on your zone. Here’s what you can grow in each one.
Zones 3-5: Focus on Indoor Growing
In these cold zones, outdoor options are very limited during the heart of winter unless you have the space and ambition to set up your own hoop house or greenhouse. But that’s okay – you’ve got plenty of indoor gardening opportunities. Container-friendly herbs like mint and chives thrive indoors on a sunny windowsill or under grow lights. Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and microgreens are great vegetable options that don’t take up much space. Hydroponic systems can make it even easier to grow fresh food right in the kitchen.
Zones 6-7: Cold Frames and Cool-Weather Crops
The milder winters in these zones open up more possibilities for outdoor gardening. Cold frames and row covers provide just enough insulation to protect hardy crops like kale, Swiss chard, and spinach. These crops can continue growing slowly through the winter, giving you fresh greens to enjoy whenever you want. Root vegetables like carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, and leeks can be stored in the ground under a layer of mulch and harvested as needed. In Zones 6-7, bring rosemary indoors to keep it happy, but thyme and oregano can likely tough it out if you provide a bit of protection. The good news is that you’ll have year-round access to fresh herbs!
Zones 8-10: Year-Round Outdoor Growing
My growing zone is 8a, so this is my wheelhouse. If you’re in Zones 8-10, you’ve got an opportunity to take a fresh look and expand your garden in the winter months. As trees lose their leaves, light increases, allowing you to grow in areas that were previously shaded. Root vegetables and cole crops (brassicas) do very well in winter months in this zone. It’s easy to keep a good variety of green leafies thriving all winter long. In this zone, succession plantings of cilantro, lettuce, and arugula thrive in winter. I never have to move my parsley, oregano, or rosemary indoors. Keep an eye out for the rare cold snap, and be ready to protect your tender plants when it hits.
Zone 11 and Above: Tropical Abundance
For gardeners in the warm 11+ zones, winter doesn’t have to be a break at all. If you’re in this zone, you can continue growing almost everything, including tomatoes and peppers. This time of year is also a great chance to enjoy more variety and grow some cool weather crops that wither in the hot summers of these zones. Leafy greens, radishes, brassicas, and tender herbs are great options for these gardeners during winter.
Winter Growing Tools
No matter what your zone, having the right tools will make winter growing more productive and resilient.
- Row covers and frost cloths can provide extra insulation from cold damage. These materials trap heat from the soil and give some resistance to temperature changes. They also are great for keeping greens productive in zones 6-7.
- Greenhouses can extend the growing season to year round in many zones, especially when paired with heating or insulation to protect against extreme cold.
- Cold frames are mini-greenhouses that trap heat from the sun and protect crops from cold, wind, and snow.
- Hoop houses are sort of a middle ground between cold frames and greenhouses, covering entire beds or gardens in a protected environment. They may not be as fancy or have as many features as a greenhouse, but they’re made of inexpensive materials and easy to set up, so they’re an excellent choice for many gardeners.
- Hydroponic setups and indoor gardens come in all shapes and sizes. Having a dedicated space with built-in lighting and a watering system can make your indoor gardening so much easier.
Start Your Winter Garden
No matter what your zone or setup, winter gardening can keep your passion for growing alive and allow you to enjoy a year round harvest. Having a good strategy that includes growing the right crops and using tools will help your garden thrive. By the time spring arrives, you won’t just be waiting for the growing season — you’ll already be in it.
