Frost-Hardy Plants to Grow in Your Winter Garden

Winter doesn’t have to mean a dead garden. After thirty-plus seasons of pushing the limits in zone 6 (and surviving a few zone 5 accidents), I’ve got a lineup of plants that laugh at frost, sweeten up when it’s cold, and keep dinner on the table when the snow flies. Here are my absolute favorites—short, sweet, and straight from my own beds.

 

Kale 

Kale is the champion of frost-hardy plants. Plant ‘Lacinato’ or ‘Winterbor’ in early fall, mulch the roots, and watch it thrive even on 15 °F nights. The colder it gets, the sweeter kale taste. The ice crystals on their leaves are like nature’s sugar glaze. I’ve harvested it through many winters, even under row covers during single-digit temperatures.

Spinach - The Snow Survivor

Sow spinach in September and forget about it. This hardy green germinates in cold soil and keeps growing under snow. One winter I missed a row that was covered by six inches of snow for three weeks. I brushed it off in January and ate spinach that night. Keep picking the outer leaves and it just keeps producing. 

Carrots - Frost Candy 

Plant ‘Napoli’ or ‘Cosmic Purple’ in early August or September. Winter frost will turn them sweeter than you can imagine. Add a thick mulch blanket and you will enjoy them all winter—mark the rows or you’ll be able to find them in the snow. Nothing beats a fresh carrot pulled while the ground is frozen solid.

Garlic 

Plant some garlic cloves in October, add a heavy mulch blanket, and walk away. By the time March arrives, green shoots will shoot through the snow like little flags. You’ll get garlicky scapes in spring and big bulbs in summer to enjoy. 

Leeks for Winter Soups 

Seed start your leeks in early summer and ignore them until winter weather hits. They’re hardy and can stand sub-zero climate. I’ve chipped frozen leeks out of the ground in February, thawed them in the sink, and made potato-leek soup that warmed my heart. ‘King Richard’ and ‘Lancelot’ are reliable choices.

Mache 

This tiny green variety is buttery, nutty, and tougher than it looks. Sow the seed in September, protect it with row or frost covers, and it will form a low carpet that is resistant to the cold. Snip it with scissors throughout the winter season, one garden bed is enough to feed two people with fresh salads from November to April.

Brussels Sprouts 

They taste quite bland until frost hits them - and that’s when they turn nutty and sweet. Let ‘Diablo’ or ‘Long Island Improved’ grow through several frosts. Roast them, shave them raw, or add them to winter dishes, they turn into sweet gems when winter begins.

Claytonia - Winter Greens

The miner’s lettuce is succulent, mild, and grows well under row covers. Sow the seeds in October and graze all winter. With their heart-shaped leaves, they are perfect on tacos, minus any bitterness. 

When growing these cold-hardy crops, consider using row covers or cold frames and these plants will thrive all season long. Your garden stays green, your plates stay fresh, and you get to eat an endless supply of homegrown salads in January. Try a few and see them outgrow the cold. Winter gardening is not only fun, it’s delicious too.