The best vegetables for winter are cold-tolerant crops such as spinach, kale, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, collards, lettuce, Swiss chard, peas and garlic. Whether you can sow them outdoors during winter—or need to plant them earlier and protect them through the cold—depends on your local frost dates, climate, soil and growing setup.
What to know before planting a winter garden
“Winter vegetables” can mean crops that keep growing in mild winter weather, plants established in fall and harvested through winter, or vegetables started under cover when outdoor conditions are too cold. The list below includes all three. In colder regions, winter success often depends on getting plants established before the coldest stretch and using protection rather than sowing into frozen ground.
Use your local frost dates and a regional extension planting calendar to choose a sowing or transplanting window. Check the seed packet for days to maturity and whether the crop is better started from seed or transplanted. There is no single planting date that works across climates.
Use frost tolerance as a first filter
Iowa State University Extension reports that spinach, beets, collards, kale, carrots, cabbage and Brussels sprouts usually sustain little damage in the 28–26°F range. Its guidance says radishes, lettuce, Swiss chard and onions may show minor damage below 32°F but commonly recover. These are general crop responses, not guarantees for every variety, growth stage or exposure; a prolonged freeze, wind or wet soil can change the outcome.
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Oregon State University vegetable specialist Jim Myers describes winter gardening as “a risky business.” Treat frost tolerance as a planning guide, not a promise that a crop will survive every freeze.
14 vegetables to plant and grow in winter
1. Spinach
Spinach is one of the strongest cold-weather choices and can withstand heavy frost. Harvest young leaves as baby greens or wait for larger leaves. In cold areas, establish plants before severe weather or grow them under a cold frame or other suitable protection.
2. Kale
Kale is a hardy leafy brassica that can continue producing after frosts. Pick outer leaves as needed to keep the plant producing. It is a useful choice where the aim is repeated leafy harvests rather than a single root harvest.
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3. Carrots
Carrots are semi-hardy and need loose, deep soil so their roots can develop without obstruction. Cool conditions slow growth, so allow extra time before expecting mature roots. If your soil is compacted or full of stones, prepare the bed before sowing.
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4. Beets
Beets are semi-hardy and provide two possible harvests: roots and edible greens. Decide whether you want larger roots or more frequent leaf picking, since harvesting the foliage affects how much leaf area remains on the plant.
5. Radishes
Radishes are fast-growing cool-season roots. If the remaining growing window is short, choose a quick-maturing variety and check its seed-packet timing. Their ability to recover from a light freeze does not mean they will grow well in frozen soil.
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6. Turnips
Turnips can be harvested for both roots and greens. They are a hardy option for cool-season beds, but the usable harvest depends on how much growing time remains and the conditions in your area.
7. Broccoli
Broccoli tolerates frost once established, but transplant timing matters. Start with healthy transplants early enough for plants to develop before the coldest period. A plant exposed to harsh conditions before it is established may not perform like a mature, frost-tolerant crop.
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8. Cabbage
Cabbage is a hardy brassica suited to fall production and, in appropriate climates, winter holding. It needs more room than quick-cut leafy greens, so account for plant spacing when planning a small bed.
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9. Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts tolerate heavy frost but take a long time to mature. Start them early enough for your local season; a late start can leave too little time for the crop to develop before severe cold.
10. Collards
Collards are cold-tolerant leafy brassicas that suit repeated leaf harvests. Pick leaves as needed, leaving enough growth on the plant to continue producing.
11. Lettuce
Lettuce tolerates light frost, and a cold frame or row cover can extend the harvest. It is less dependable in exposed beds during hard freezes, so match the variety and protection to your local winter conditions.
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- Enhanced Gardening Experience: Our seeds for planting outdoor and indoor gardens come in a waterproof resealable bag with 50 individual craft seed packets inside. Enjoy planting home garden with mini gardening supplies including leaf clipper, tweezers, seed dibber tool, weeding fork, and widger tool. Scan the QR codes on the seed packets to access online gardener basic growing guides and culinary books. Learn about vegetable gardening, discover everyday recipes to make the most of your harvest.
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- Quality You Can Trust: Proudly made in the USA by a Small Family-Owned Business, our seeds for planting vegetables undergo rigorous testing with a 90%+ germination rate. Sealed to last for up to 2 years, you can trust the freshness and viability of our garden seeds.
12. Swiss chard
Swiss chard is semi-hardy. It can grow in cool conditions, but protection may be needed during hard freezes. Harvest leaves as they reach a useful size rather than relying on the crop to tolerate every cold snap unprotected.
13. Peas
Peas are cool-season legumes. Their frost tolerance is strongest before flowering and varies with timing, so do not assume a flowering or podding crop will withstand the same cold as young plants. Use a regional calendar to decide when to sow.
14. Garlic
Garlic is usually planted in fall for a later harvest; it is not a quick winter crop. Plant cloves where possible in the fall, then leave the crop in place as it develops. Its long occupancy means the bed will be committed for months.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose crops for your space and climate
- For fast, repeated harvests: Prioritize leafy crops such as spinach, kale, collards and lettuce. Protected growing can help extend the harvest of tenderer choices.
- For roots: Choose carrots, beets, radishes or turnips. Root crops need suitable soil, and cool weather can lengthen the time to harvest.
- For a larger bed and an earlier start: Consider broccoli, cabbage or Brussels sprouts. These brassicas take more space, and Brussels sprouts in particular need a long maturity period.
- For a long-term planting: Garlic uses bed space for months but is planted for a later harvest, not a fast winter yield.
- For exposed, cold regions: Favor the hardiest crops and consider a row cover, low tunnel or cold frame. In mild-winter regions, more crops may grow outdoors without the same level of protection.
Protect winter crops from cold and wind
Row covers and low tunnels can help shield exposed beds from cold winds and freezes. Cold frames can carry crops such as lettuce and spinach into winter. The protection needed depends on the crop and local conditions; a cover does not make every vegetable suitable for every climate.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteBefore a cold spell, check that covers are secured and supported so they do not press on plants. Follow the product’s instructions and allow ventilation when conditions inside a covered structure become warm. For a bed with mixed crops, group plants with similar cold tolerance and protection needs together.
Quick Recap
A practical winter planting plan
- Check your local calendar. Use regional extension guidance and the seed packet to choose sowing or transplanting dates based on your area’s frost dates.
- Choose crops for the time remaining. Favor quick crops such as radishes when the season is short. Start long-season brassicas early enough to mature, and treat fall-planted garlic as a later harvest.
- Prepare the bed for the crop. Give carrots loose, deep soil; allow more room for brassicas; and reserve a spot for garlic that can remain occupied for months.
- Decide on protection. Use row covers or low tunnels for exposed beds, or a cold frame for crops such as lettuce and spinach when local conditions warrant it.
- Adjust expectations to the weather. Hardiness varies with plant maturity, variety and exposure. Harvest what is ready and protect vulnerable crops ahead of freezes rather than relying on a single temperature threshold.
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