Due to low temperatures and lack of sunlight, winter is the season when your garden will appear the most bare because most vegetables fear the cold and love the sun.
However, do not despair because even during the winter period you won't have to give up having fresh vegetables on your table.
There are, in fact, so-called winter vegetables. Capable of withstanding cold and frost, they are called this way because they are harvested in the last months of the year (from late autumn until deep winter).
Some of these vegetables benefit from low temperatures which can even improve their quality. A classic example is cabbage, which becomes crunchier and tastier in the cold.
However, do not forget that, even in the case of winter vegetable plants, there are differences based on the climate of the region you are in.
For example, in the alpine and Apennine regions, there is really little to do during the coldest months, in the Po Valley and Adriatic regions you will need to cultivate in tunnels, while in the Ligurian and especially Mediterranean regions, you can transplant in open fields.
In this article, you will learn about the 5 quintessential winter vegetable garden plants and discover how to take care of them to bring flavors that will warm your winter:
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Garlic: how and when to plant it
- Characteristics of Piacentino White Garlic
- When to harvest Sulmona Red Garlic
- Aglione (Elephant Garlic), the excellence of garlic: when to plant and harvest it - Onion: types and characteristics
- Swiss Chard: cultivation and beneficial properties
- Cabbage: when to plant and how to manage its cultivation
- Spinach: how to cultivate them in the garden or on the balcony
- Winter Vegetable Plants: how to choose them
1. Garlic: how and when to plant it
Garlic is a resilient winter vegetable plant that easily adapts to all types of soil.
It does not fear the cold, being able to withstand temperatures as low as 15 degrees below zero.
Regarding fertilization, it's better not to overdo it with organic substances as the roots risk rotting.
Plant the cloves (better known as bulbs) point up in well-worked soil, burying them slightly at a distance of 30 cm between rows and 15 cm within the row.
The ideal months for planting are November and February and harvesting occurs after 5 or 6 months. When you see the stem bending and emptying, your garlic will be ready to be harvested.
If you use a variety of garlic that flowers (also known as bigolo), you will need to cut it because, although beautiful and tasty when sautéed, it will hinder the development of the bulb.
Regarding companion planting, garlic gets along well with lettuce, carrots and cabbages.
If you are cultivating in open fields, during the winter months you will not need to irrigate as the rains will be sufficient, unlike in spring and summer when you will need to water moderately.
However, remember not to water one month before harvesting to avoid bulb rot.
If you are cultivating on a balcony, the advice is to use sandy, well-draining soil and to place a layer of gravel at the bottom of the pot to avoid water stagnation.
Once harvested, let it dry in the sun for 2 or 3 days before hanging it, perhaps creating the classic and scenic braids, in a cool, dry place.
According to popular tradition, garlic is considered a sort of natural antibiotic and a regulator of blood pressure.
Characteristics of Piacentino White Garlic
The most cultivated winter vegetable plant is the Piacentino variety or Garcua White Garlic.
Its flavor is very strong and unmistakable, it has a large bulb and an excellent yield.
It is very resistant to cold and, during periods of greater drought, it needs to be watered once a week.
If you want to avoid the typical heavy breath, remove the green sprout inside the cloves.
When to harvest Sulmona Red Garlic
Sulmona Red Garlic is a prized variety with a milder flavor.
Harvest it between April and May for fresh consumption, between June and July for winter consumption.
This variety usually flowers in May, so remember to cut the bigolo.
Aglione (Elephant Garlic), the excellence of garlic: when to plant and harvest it
Aglione from Val di Chiana, also known as elephant garlic for its enormous size (it can weigh up to 800 gr.), is an excellent product with a much milder flavor than other varieties.
In cooler climate regions, it can be planted in autumn or spring, while in warmer regions it can be planted in spring, autumn, or winter.
Harvest it between June and July and remove the flower.
2. Onion: types and characteristics
A relative of garlic, onion is an essential winter vegetable plant in the kitchen as a base for many recipes.
There are many varieties, which differ in bulb shape and size, color, and based on the harvest period that distinguishes them between winter and spring.
From the classic yellow onion, to the red or white ones, to spring onions, reaching the famous Tropea onion, for your winter cultivation you have plenty of choices!
Onion is very resistant to cold so much so that, always considering your climatic zone, you can plant it in autumn in the field and it will withstand throughout the winter.
However, pay attention to temperature fluctuations, perhaps protecting them with covers in case of strong temperature variations between day and night.
This widespread winter vegetable plant is quite simple to cultivate but requires some care:
- Work the soil well with a spade in the months before planting to make it loose and free of clumps
- Pay attention to water stagnation, the number one enemy of this vegetable. Water when the soil is completely dry. In summer, it's better to water little and often
- Fertilize moderately a few months before transplanting and never just before
- Keep the soil clean from weeds. Mulching can be a valid help
- Onions should be planted about 30 cm apart between rows and 15 cm within the row. Keep in mind that this is an indicator that can vary based on the size of the variety you decide to cultivate.
Whichever your favorite variety, freshly harvested onion will give your dishes an unmistakable aroma.
3. Swiss Chard: cultivation and beneficial properties
Rich in proteins, fibers, minerals, and vitamins, Swiss chard or chard is one of the most common winter leafy vegetable plants in our home gardens.
You can choose between chard with thick stalks and cutting chard which has much thinner stalks and emphasizes the leafy part.
In both cases, you can use the entire vegetable in the kitchen, including the stalks which are very flavorful.
Swiss chard is a very easy winter vegetable plant to cultivate and you can grow it practically all year round both in open fields and on balconies.
However, keep in mind your geographical area because this vegetable can withstand temperatures close to zero but not excessively cold. So be cautious during winter months if you live in particularly harsh areas.
To learn more about what to cultivate in your region, download the “Garden Calendar 2022: planting, transplanting, and harvesting for every climate and area of Italy”
The best periods for cultivating this vegetable are spring and autumn.
You can sow directly in the soil or transplant already formed chard seedlings. If transplanting, remember to maintain a distance of 40 cm between rows and 25 cm within the row and pair chard with potatoes, lettuce, cabbages, onions, carrots, and green beans.
You can enjoy your chard about 30 days after transplanting and 45 days after sowing.
Before sowing or transplanting, perform good fertilization with manure or compost.
Regarding irrigation, remember that this vegetable needs constant and continuous watering like that provided by a drip irrigation system.
At the time of harvesting, remember to proceed gradually starting from the outer leaves: this way the plant will produce further shoots.
Swiss chard is susceptible to aphids, flea beetles, and snails. To protect your plants from pests, you can adopt simple and effective biological remedies.
4. Cabbage: when to plant and how to manage its cultivation
The cabbage family is very large with varieties that differ in shape, color, and flavor.
Among all vegetables, cabbage is probably the most known for its health benefits: for the heart, for blood pressure, for its digestive properties, and its antioxidant power due to the high vitamin C content.
In general, cabbages are transplanted from January to November although each of these winter vegetable varieties will have its specific period.
Let's see the most suitable periods for sowing the most common varieties:
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Savoy Cabbage. If starting from seed, the ideal period is autumn and late winter. For it to be transplanted, the plant must have produced the fourth leaf. Along with black cabbage and white cabbage, it is the most resistant variety to cold.
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Cauliflower is sown in spring and summer and can be transplanted when the plant has reached about 30 cm in height (keep this in mind if you buy seedlings from a nursery)
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Brussels Sprouts are sown in February and transplanted when the seedlings have reached 20/25 cm in height
- White cabbage is sown throughout the year, depending on the varieties, and it is possible to transplant when the seedlings have 6/8 leaves
Regardless of the variety, cabbages need well-worked, deep, and moist soil.
To ensure the right level of moisture to the roots, use hilling, an operation you can perform with a hoe by loosening the top layer of soil by about 2-8 cm. This will also help protect the plants from weeds.
Create furrows at the base of the plant forming a slope that covers the roots and the base of the stem.
Regarding useful companion planting, grow cabbage alongside fennel, celery, and lettuce.
If you are cultivating on a balcony, a very suitable variety is black cabbage which does not develop a head but has frilly leaves.
Keep in mind that this vegetable requires a lot of space. Choose a pot with at least 20 cm in diameter and 40 cm in height and place only one plant per pot.
If you transplant seedlings between mid-July and early August, you can start harvesting from mid-October when the plant has matured at least 4 pairs of leaves.
Remember that for all cabbage species, the best harvests are the winter ones (the plant withstands temperatures down to -10 degrees) because frosts improve texture and flavor.
5. Spinach: how to cultivate them in the garden or on the balcony
Rich in vitamins and iron (the latter only absorbable if cooked or paired with dishes rich in vitamin C), spinach is an easy plant to cultivate both in the garden and on the balcony.
It does not have particular soil requirements other than being well-draining, to avoid water stagnation that would favor the appearance of fungal diseases and rot.
It will be sufficient for you to perform good digging and rake the soil to level it.
You will not need to fertilize if your soil is already naturally rich or if you have already fertilized it for previous crops.
The only precaution you should take is to be careful of weeds since we are talking about a small plant that could succumb to weeds.
Weeding and mulching will be sufficient, without the need to resort to chemical products.
In this case, you can choose whether to sow or transplant already formed seedlings. In the first case, to harvest them in autumn, it is ideal to sow them in September.
For transplanting, you can proceed from February to October but the best periods are spring and autumn. The ideal distance is 40 cm between rows and 15 cm within the row.
Spinach is resistant to cold as long as it is not excessive (down to about 5 degrees) and its ideal exposure is in partial shade.
So in case of particularly cold weather, you can protect it in tunnels or with non-woven fabric covers. Conversely, in case of rather warm weather, use shading cloths.
Regarding irrigation, spinach should be watered little and often, avoiding wetting the leaves.
At the time of harvesting, you can choose between 2 different methods:
- Cut the larger leaves on the sides leaving the central part to have a good continuous production
- Cut the entire clump but higher than the base of the plant so that it can regrow
If you want to consume your spinach raw, prefer the young leaves as they are more tender.
If you prefer to eat them cooked, as a side dish and in your recipes, remember that they reduce in volume, so a large amount of raw vegetables will correspond to a small quantity of cooked vegetables.
Winter Vegetable Plants: how to choose them
Based on the transplanting and harvesting periods, winter vegetable plants can be divided into 3 categories:
- Vegetables that are planted in late autumn and will be ready for harvest in spring such as garlic, onions, peas, and fava beans
- Varieties that are planted in summer and harvested in winter such as cabbages, leeks, and fennels
- Perennial plants that remain in the garden all year round including winter such as artichokes and rhubarb
In this article, we have seen how to cultivate 5 varieties of winter vegetable plants, but there are many others that you can choose based on your tastes and the characteristics of your garden:
- Parsley
- Celery
- Artichoke
- Broccoli Rabe
- Chicory
- Radicchio
- Endive
- Lettuce
- Carrot
- Radishes
- Arugula
- Peas and fava beans
- Fennels
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- Squash
You have plenty of choices. The important thing, if you decide to buy seedlings from a nursery, is to turn to a reliable dealer who guarantees you quality products.
If you want to receive information or know how to receive seedlings directly at your home, contact us. Our team of experts will be at your disposal to answer your questions.
