Best Crops to Grow in December

December might feel like nap time for your garden as temperatures drop, but I’m still out in my yard harvesting like it’s my daily duty. I have never been one to quit just because it’s cold, and here are the crops that actually stay productive as the year draws to a close. 

 

Garlic: Set-and-Forget

December is your last call for planting garlic. As long as the ground isn’t frozen solid, tuck your cloves pointy-side up in the cold, mulch with a foot of straw, and walk away. I planted them in December one year during a warm spell, and still got big bulbs growing well by next summer. 

Spinach: Sweeter in the Cold

Spinach loves the cold. ‘Space’ and ‘Bloomsdale’ keep growing under row covers even in freezing temperatures. Frost turns your spinach candy-sweet. Sow thick in the fall and keep picking - they just keep coming.

Kale: Winter Greens 

Kale gets better with frost. These frost-resistant greens become hard in the cold, yet the leaves are still tender and sugary. I strip the bottom leaves all winter and the crown keeps growing new ones. It’s the one plant that makes you look like a wizard in the garden. 

Carrots

Leave carrots in the ground under thick mulch and they turn insanely sweet. ‘Napoli’ and ‘Bolero’ are my winter keepers. Pull back the straw in December, dig a few, and they taste like they’ve been roasted with honey. Grocery store carrots can never compare. 

Swiss Chard

‘Bright Lights’ and ‘Fordhook Giant’ are the frost-hardy types. The stalks turn electric pink, orange, and yellow while the leaves stay tender. I like to sauté the stems like celery and use the greens like spinach. Plant your Swiss chard in August and you can enjoy them all the way to April. 

Collard Greens

Collards are tougher than kale and sweeter after frost. ‘Georgia Southern’ and ‘Champion’ stand tall through single digits. I blanch and freeze a bunch in fall, but I’m still picking fresh leaves in December for New Year’s good-luck greens. Slow cook them for pure winter comfort food. 

Leeks: Soup on a Stalk 

Summer-planted leeks just sit there getting sweeter, whenever you want comfort food from the garden. I’ve nipped frozen leeks out of the ground in December, thawed them, and made potato-leek soup that warmed me through winter. 

Arugula

Most people think arugula bolts and dies in summer heat, but plant the cold-loving variety ‘Astro’ or regular arugula in September and watch it thrive in winter. It’s frost-sweet and spicy, and grows well under a cold frame or even just a light row cover. I keep a patch going from October to March; the leaves get smaller but the flavor gets stronger. It’s my go-to for winter pizzas and salads when I want something flavorful. 

Brussels Sprouts: Worth the Wait 

They need frost to go from bitter to magical. Let your Brussel sprouts hang on the stalk through a few hard freezes and they will turn sweet. Roast them in December and they taste like chestnuts. Snap the whole stalk if needed. 

For optimal growing, consider using frost covers or cold frames over these winter crops, and you’re eating better in December than most people do. Try a few varieties and you’ll be hooked. With a little planning and the right plants - you’ll be able to enjoy fresh produce throughout the cold winter months and beyond.