If you want to get another year of growing healthy, tasty crops off to the best possible start, then getting a jump on the sowing and planting process now will set you up for success when spring finally does arrive. There’s a wide variety of edibles, ranging from giant garlic cloves to tiny cress clusters, for you to enjoy.
We’ve compiled a list of must-grow vegetables for the winter months. Our list of recommended vegetables to produce will keep you well-stocked in winter warmers for months, from pink oyster mushrooms and scarlet hot chilli peppers to covert delicacies that provide instant food and diversity.
RED KALE
Kale is one of the most hardy crops around, capable of producing harvests in a wide range of environmental conditions. You can’t find better low-maintenance plants than these excellent cabbage relatives.
Kale is widely regarded as a superfood due to its high mineral and vitamin content (including calcium, folates, and vitamins A, C, and K). In addition to being one of the best winter brassicas, it’s also a remarkably easy crop to start in the dead of winter.
Whether you want to grow mature plants that produce all the way into fall or just want to collect the tender young leaves, red kale is perfect. So, make kale one of your main veggies to plant in December for chilly harvests that benefit from crisp freshness at both ends of the year.
Tender cold-hardy micro crops like ‘Red Russian,’ ‘Redbor,’ and ‘Scarlet’ are also reliable garden mainstays. If you give them time to grow in shady, cool garden displays, they’ll provide an abundance of delicious leaves when harvest time comes. Disease resistance and tolerance to a wide range of climate conditions are also common in modern cultivars. Plus, chilling them can enhance their flavor.
According to Lucy Chamberlain, a vegetable gardening expert for Amateur Gardening, the only thing these plants require if allowed to reach maturity is some space. If you want your plants to reach full size, give them at least 60 centimeters (24 inches) of space in every direction. If you intend to grow outside, plant more densely,’ Lucy advises.
Other than routine watering and weeding, knowing how to cultivate kale requires very little maintenance. Lucy suggests harvesting the leaves from the bottom up while preserving the centre rosette for maximum yield. Tomatoes, garlic, chives, leeks, and tagetes are all excellent plant companions for kale.
EDIBLE DILL
Dill has a reputation for being difficult to grow because to its delicate nature, feathery appearance, and association with anise seed balls. This is far from the reality, and in fact the languid, peaceful winter is ideal for indulging in some early sowings.
Dill, which is rich in antioxidants, magnesium, and vitamins and is thought to lower cholesterol and heart disease risk, is often disregarded in favor of more common herbs like basil and parsley. It may be difficult to fit gardening into your winter schedule, but if you want to grow a substantial herb garden, it is time well spent.
Undercover dill planting can be done in December; all you need is a well-lit, warm area in which to do the planting. If you have room in your greenhouse, all you need are a few heated propagators and heat mats to start growing dill before everyone else.
Dill can survive in cold climates, however it has a preferable germination temperature of about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Dill needs at least six hours of sunlight per day while it is maturing, and the soil should be slightly acidic, well-drained, and wet (not soggy).
Dill, along with rocket, cilantro, and chervil, can be grown from seed and transplanted to a garden planter as soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle the move. Take precautions against frost by delaying planting until the threat has gone.
You can start picking eight weeks after seeding, and clipping the tips before harvest can make for bushier plants. Allow a couple to flower so you can enjoy the seeds. If you’re limited on room but still want something with ornamental potential, try the dwarf ‘Bouquet’ or the small ‘Fernleaf.’
SUPER-HOT CHILLIES
The super-hot chillies designed to tingle your taste buds are among the most important veggies to cultivate in December. Very hot peppers take a long time to mature, as pointed out by Chris Bonnett of Gardening Express.
They won’t ripen properly without a lot of heat and humidity. You should get the Carolina Reaper, Trinidad Scorpion, and Naga pepper seeds going as soon as possible. Anyone who has grown chilies knows that the best way to provide the early on moderate temperatures these plants require is to start the seeds indoors.
By getting started in December, you may make sure that your eventual fruits have plenty of time to reach the atomic temperatures necessary for harvesting.
To be clear, the kinds of Capsicum chinense that profit the most from these early sowings are the ones that mature the earliest. (In contrast, it’s advisable to wait until later in the year to seed C. annuum cultivars.)
Plant seeds in multipurpose or seed compost for the greatest results. Chris advises his clients to keep their plants in a heated propagator (at 77F/25C or above) with a growth light until the seedlings emerge.
The best way to get your fiery campaigns off the ground is to grow your vegetables in pots and warm them up as much as possible using a heated pad or something similar. It is sufficient to water the compost so that it remains damp on the surface but no deeper moisture freezes. Plants can be repotted when they reach a height of 6 inches (15 centimeters).
They can also be grown in borders with other herbs and vegetables such as rosemary, oregano, nasturtiums, dill, parsley, basil, chives, beans, and peas. It’s best to reduce watering and increase sun exposure for crops that are particularly sensitive once they’ve fruited.
Super-hot chillies reward a lengthy season of care, warmth, and a light seaweed feed with unforgettably bright fruits that deliver a genuine punch.
WILD ROCKET
Wild rocket, with its spiciness, snappiness, and hardiness, is the winter salad green that will not be beaten (arugula).
As a cropper that can be cut and used again, it has a limited amount of time to enjoy its food, but it does it by packing every bite full of taste.
‘Dragon’s Tongue,’ a hardy purple and green rocket that flourishes in the colder months and is rich in potassium and vitamin C, is our top pick for December planting.
Wild rocket is a good option for a greenhouse crop because it is easy to grow and yields food quickly, which is especially important in the current cold spell.
Plant in intervals of two weeks in a cloche or unheated greenhouse, or in a sunny windowsill for continuous development. You may plant rocket with spinach, mizuna, and mustards, and it will thrive in a pot.
If you grow your clumps in shallow containers, you can harvest them in waves, taking just a few leaves at a time as you need them.
If you’re a fan of companion planting, consider growing with onions, chives, or garlic to boost flavor. Younger leaves are more delicate and mild, whilst older leaves are spicier. Flower buds and shoots are edible as well, but harvesting them requires a bit of pinching.
ELEPHANT GARLIC
This garlic, often known as wild leek (Allium ampeloprasum), produces enormous bulbs. Chris Bonnett says that these chunky croppers do well in the winter if planted in well-drained, moist soil. Plant directly in the ground, leaving at least 8 inches (20 centimeters) between seeds.
Elephant garlic, which is big on character but easy on the taste buds, doesn’t mind wet winters so long as it doesn’t get waterlogged. Adding sand to the planting hole and finishing it off with fine compost might help with drainage if your soil retains water, which will keep your elephants content.
To take advantage of garlic’s dormant period, gardeners are advised to sow their seeds on the shortest day of the year, December 21. Planting garlic in large tubs or buckets is another option for folks with little space who want to grow their own vegetables.
Planting now for a long season will result in the clove growing into multiple bulbs. The bloom stalks on this garlic can grow to a height of 1.5 meters. When learning how to grow garlic, a good tip is to eat the stems (called “scapes”) so that the energy goes into growing the bulbs.
Then, in June, pull up the bulbs. Remember that growing garlic alongside other crops, such as potatoes or brassicas, will boost both crop health and productivity.
POTTED MINT
Make place in your December planting for ‘fruity’ mints if diversity and rapid growth are priorities. You may assume that mint needs a lot of room to flourish because it is one of the best herbs to plant in your yard.
Although mint has a reputation for being invasive, it can be successfully confined at this time of year if it is grown in large containers inside. The robust, fuzzy-haired leaves of mints including crinkly sweet Moroccan mint (Mentha spicata var. crispa), crispy apple mint (M. suaveolens), and aromatic strawberry mint (M. x piperita) make them perfect for container cultivation, especially during the winter.
According to Chris Bonnett, mint thrives in the cool of winter. If you have space under cover in a sunny, partially shaded greenhouse, mini-greenhouse, or light windowsill, you can enjoy the freshest, most aromatic leaves. Large containers like bathtubs or buckets can tame even the most aggressive mint plants (with holes).
Chris recommends growing the plant in dappled shade and maintaining consistently moist yet well-drained soil. Mints that have had time to grow in a container also go well with other herbs grown in containers, such as curly parsley and pungent oregano. It’s also a good companion for carrots and kale since it deters common pests.
New mint plants can be grown at this time of year either from seed or by root cuttings. This is a simple and fast strategy for risk management.
Roots should be cut into 1.5in (4cm) lengths, placed on a bed of gritty compost, covered, and given plenty of water. When spring comes around, take the cuttings out from under the glass and plant them in individual containers to protect them from the cold.
CHICORY AND CHICONS
This two-for-one deal applies to one of our favorite December vegetable picks. Grow chicory to consume as a quick leafy treat in the coming weeks, or let it grow in the ground and form a delicacy known as ‘chicons’.
By letting the plant grow a lengthy tap root, you can use it to force the plant to produce torpedo-shaped chicons in the month of December. Intrigued? And rightly so!
Cut-and-come-again options like ‘Palla Rossa’ and ‘Sugar Loaf’ are best when sown on heat mats beneath glass for maximum speed and flavor. Put them on a sunny windowsill or in the staging of a greenhouse, as Lucy Chamberlain suggests.
There are few simpler winter vegetables than these. However, ‘Witloof’ or ‘Witloof Zoom’ is what you should work on if you want to create a variety for forcing over the winter.
Plants with thick tap roots can be forced in the following December if they are grown in raised garden beds throughout the summer months. You can force them in a jar or pail, or you can plant them in sandy compost in huge pots and put them somewhere dark.
This induces early development, yielding chicons, a crisp, creamy delicacy that can be eaten raw with citrus fruits or cooked in white wine and thyme.
SEA KALE
The idea of chowing down on “scurvy grass” or “sea-colewort” may not appeal to your palate. However, we can assure you that the sea cabbage (or sea kale) is an excellent addition to your December vegetable garden.
Like chicory, sea kale (Crambe maritima) can be used as both a decorative plant and a delicious seaside snack because of the fact that its roots can be used to rapidly propagate new branches.
Grow some sea kale in a greenhouse if you can’t find any. One of the best choices would be the ‘Lily White’ variety. Plant them out in full sun or moderate shade once they are ready to be transplanted, and somewhat alkaline soil.
In addition to being drought- and frost-resistant, it thrives in the wind, rain, and salt spray that characterizes coastal environments. If your plant is at least two years old, you can force it in December. These are excellent winter veggies to cultivate because they don’t need intensive care.
Root cuttings should be packed in dark, large containers of sand or dirt, or covered with a black bucket or rhubarb forcer. These marine marvels can be eaten raw or cooked with butter in just five weeks. Their purple-tipped, luscious shoots have been compared to sea asparagus.
CRESS
Cress is a powerhouse of nutrients like iron and calcium; despite its bland reputation, it’s worth seeking out. The simplicity of cultivating cress (Lepidium sativum) is one of its best features.
Bob Flowerdew, the organic vegetable expert for Amateur Gardening, says, “You can grow cress in shallow trays with moist paper towels and let it sit on a windowsill. It’s the perfect thing to put on all those turkey sandwiches!”
Its other names, peppergrass, pepperwort, and pepper cress, all describe what makes it stand out. The curly, frilly, and common forms of watercress are all viable options for your garden. These flavorful microgreens can be grown easily in containers within a greenhouse or cold frame.
Cress can be grown on paper or in seed compost as long as it is kept moist. Seeds can be harvested in as little as a week after being covered with cling film to promote germination. Cress grows rapidly and abundantly, much to how bean sprouts do.
Cress is great for interplanting with tomato seedlings due to its rapid growth rate. As a bonus, it pairs well with other herbs like chives and mint to boost the fresh flavor of winter salads.
PURPLE ASPARAGUS
Growing your own asparagus is a treat that can be shared among friends and family, and the best time to plant crowns is in the colder months, when the soil is light and drains nicely.
Asparagus is one of the most indulgent crops to grow, which is why we had to include it in our list of December planting options.
Traditional green asparagus spears with a tinge of color at the tip, dripping in butter after a quick sauté may come to mind, but there is another option. The sugar content of a purple asparagus stalk is 20% higher than that of a green asparagus stalk, making it sweeter and nuttier.
While the soft, green foliage is characteristic, the violet tones and fuller tips of the spears set them apart. They are rich in antioxidants and have a lower fiber content (making them more sensitive) than other varieties. Do you still need convincing? Beautiful edibles include the cold-hardy ‘Purple Passion,’ with its colored fronds and crops, and the ‘Pacific Purple,’ a two-tone crop.
Planting them now, when they are dormant, gives them time to settle before the growing season starts. These purple gems are worth the three-year wait to see full bloom, if they have plenty of room and sunlight.
Remember to cover the ground after harvesting and give plants some downtime to rest and rejuvenate so that you can enjoy succulent spears year after year.
LAMB’S LETTUCE
These spoon-shaped leaves have dreamy names like Rapunzel and Mache and Valentin, which suggests a delicate harvest. In contrast, lamb’s lettuce (Valerianella locusta) is one of our top selections for December planting because it is a sturdy winter-hardy stalwart.
This fresh, nutty leaf crop, often known as corn salad, can produce in plenty; the Louviers kinds are especially well-suited to the colder months of the year. The tender, recognizable lobes of winter lettuce are a year-round salad mainstay, and the mild flavor of winter lettuce pairs wonderfully with the sharpness of spring and summer vegetables like rocket.
As a plant that thrives in chilly, wet environments, lamb’s lettuce is ideal for growing in April. This salad green can be started indoors in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse; alternatively, it can be grown in pots under glass or on a windowsill, as long as there is sunlight.
You may encourage rapid growth of your plants by covering them with cloches and giving them plenty of water. Plant heavily and replant every two weeks; this is a perfect cut-and-come-again (abundant, simple, nutritious). Using sharp scissors, make your cuts when the plant is still young and lush so you don’t end up with a broken main stem.
Try the mildew-resistant ‘Elan’ and ‘Favor’ maize salad kinds, the hearty baby leaves of ‘Vit,’ or the frost-hardy oval leaves of ‘Dark Green Fully Hearted’ (Louviers).
PINK OYSTER MUSHROOMS
These coral-colored mushrooms are as vivid in person as they appear on your screens. Even though mushroom growers have a lot of options this month, pink oysters are the best choice for indoor cultivation because of the mild temperatures.
Originally from warmer climates, their optimal growing range is between 18 and 27 degrees Celsius (64 and 80 Fahrenheit). They also grow quickly and produce fruit in three weeks, so they should be at the top of your list of vegetables to grow in December.
These robust, high-yielding delicacies are firm in texture and have a meaty quality. The pink oyster (Pleurotus djamor) is a beautiful and flavorful addition to soups and stir-fries, and it may be used as a convincing substitute for bacon when chopped and fried.
Pink oysters are not picky and will thrive in a variety of environments, including straw, sawdust blocks, paper, oak, and coffee grounds. If you’re just starting off, go with straw.
Humidity and moisture are essential for growth. Also, keep in mind that oysters prefer shady conditions while choosing a site for cultivation. You can aid this process by spraying the inside of the greenhouse or the surrounding interior twice a day.
Harvest before the caps appear. When given the proper care, a large harvest of pinks is guaranteed because of their high flower production.
