Top Ten Vegetables for Fall & Winter Harvests

You can grow and harvest plenty of fresh veggies during the Fall and Winter. Even in coldest parts of the country (zone 4) its possible to grow lots during the "off season" if you provide additional protection such as a double insulated cold frame, tunnel or greenhouse.

Since growing rates are slower in the Winter, it's best to start seeds in the late Summer or early Fall.  However, you can even germinate seeds during the Winter as long as you can protect them and keep the soil temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Below are my top choices for Fall and Winter Vegetables.

1. Mache - This is a mild green that has been grown for years in Europe. While many winter greens can be very bitter tasting (Arugula, Chicory, radicchio etc.) mache and several other choices on my list are mild flavored.  This make them excellent choices for those that don't like bitter greens and families with kids.  Pronounced Mah-shh, this is one of my favorite winter greens.  At maturity, mache grows to about 2 inches high in a small, tight rosette.  If you check your seed catalogs you'll find that this vegetable also goes by the names Vit, Corn Salad, and Lambs Lettuce.  Direct sow 1 inch apart and thin to every 2 inches in row 18 inches apart.  Matures in 50 days.  Harvest the entire plant.  Hardy to 8 degrees Fahrenheit. Mache likes full sun.
   
2. Miner's Lettuce - A native of the forests of the Pacific Northwest, this low growing green is mild tasting and full of vitamin C.  It was eaten by miners who travelled west during the gold rush but you don't need to prospect for gold to enjoy this mild tasting green.  This vegetable also goes by the name Claytonia.  Like Mache it is a low growing green that produces quantities of leaves that are shaped like a "spade" from a deck of cards.  Direct sow and thin to 5 inches apart in rows about 1 foot apart.  Matures in 40 days.  You can eat the stems and the leaves, but I prefer just the leaves.  I don't know hardiness information for this plant but it's range includes Alaska so it probably is very tolerant.  Miners lettuce likes partial shade.
   
3. Erba Stella - Also known as Minutina, and Buckshorn Plantain, it is an extra crunchy, mild tasting green that has become one of my favorites.  Direct sow and thin to every 8 inches.  Erba Stella produces long thin leaves that are shaped like a stag's horn. The plant matures in 50 days. Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.  Erba Stella likes full sun.
   
4. Kale - Kale is a nutritional powerhouse.  If you could grow only one veggie, kale would be the one I would recommend.  While kale is fairly mild in flavor, it is not really a salad veggie and should be cooked by either sauteing or by boiling in a soup.  My favorite varieties are Toscano (also called either Lacinato or Dinosaur kale) and Dwarf Blue Kale.  The latter variety is particularly winter hardy and is a good choice for gardeners in the far north of the U.S.  Direct sow every 6 inches and thin to 1 plant every 12 inches when the plants are 4 inches high.  Separate rows by 12 to 18 inches.  Unlike the prior mentioned veggies, kale will grow to tall so it should be in a tunnel or greenhouse, rather than a cold frame.  Kale matures in about 65 days. Hardy to 8 degrees Fahrenheit. Kale likes full sun to partial shade.
   
5. Broccoli - Broccoli needs to be planted 12-14 weeks before your first frost in order to mature, so check the date for your town before sowing any seeds.  In mild climates it can be grown all year. Start seed in trays and transplant when the plants are 4-6 weeks old. Plant 8 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart.  Broccoli matures in 50-90 days depending on the variety.  Di Ciccio and Waltham 29 are heirloom varieties that are worth considering. Hardy to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Broccoli likes full sun to partial shade.
   
6. Swiss Chard - A cold tolerant vegetable for soups and other dishes.  Chard leaves are deep green, but the ribs and veins of different varieties come in a rainbow of colors including red, white, pink, and yellow. You can buy several varieties or buy "Bright Lights" from Burpee or other suppliers that mix several varieties in one seed pack.  Chard adds some really lovely color to your dinner table during the dark days of winter.  Direct sow every 4 inches and thin to every 10 inches when the plants are three inches high.  Swiss chard matures in about 60 days.  I like "Bright Lights" and Joy Larkom's Midnight varieties.  As with kale, swiss chard grows to 20 inches so its for greenhouses and tunnels. Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant in full sun to partial shade.
   
   
7. Spinach - Spinach comes in lots of varieties so choose one that works well for your area - ask friends or your local garden center. However, Winter Bloomsdale and Giant Winter are particularly cold tolerant and great choices for northern gardeners.  To plant spinach, direct sow and thin to every 6 inches in rows 18 to 24 inches apart.  Spinach matures in 50 days. Hardy to 8 degrees Fahrenheit.  Plant spinach in full sun. 
   
   
8. Carrots - carrots are used in so many dishes that it would be a shame not to have them in your winter garden. I like Chantenay and Purple Dragon varieties but there are many different shapes and sizes to choose from.  Danvers is a classic winter carrot choice that is particularly good in heavy, clay soils. Royal Chantenay and Atlas are small and good for either raised beds or containers.    Direct sow carrots and thin to 1 to 1 1/2 inches in rows 6 inches apart.  Carrots mature in 70-80 days and can be left in the ground till you want to harvest them. Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant in full sun.
   
9. Beets- Beets are a good choice for those living in mild climates where beets can be planted in the late Summer and early Fall (when the air temperature is 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit) In the Southern U.S., beets can be grown all Winter long. Direct sow seeds and thin to every 4 inches in rows 1 foot apart.  Some good choices include Chioggia, Cylindra and Detroit.  For a change of pace, try Crapaudine beets, a variety that dates back to the middle ages.  This variety produces small, gnarled roots that are shaped like carrots.  The flavor is very intense.  For those interested in knowing more about this variety check out my previous posting. Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Grow in full sun to partial shade.
   
10. Arugula - Also called Rocket, this is my wife's favorite green.  It has a sharp, peppery flavor that is an acquired taste for most.  Direct sow and thin to every 8 inches in rows 12-18 inches apart.  Arugula can be harvested young and it will re-grow.  Matures in 20 days for "baby" arugula and 40 days for full sized plants. Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Grow in full sun to partial shade.
    

While these didn't make my top 10 list, here are some other veggies that you may want to consider for your fall and winter garden:

• Brussels sprouts- My favorite is Roodnerf but there are many different varieties that have been developed to match the needs of specific locations.  Most of these are hybrids. Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Cabbage - Savoy cabbage is an excellent variety for cooking, but if you want to make sauerkraut, go with a variety like Krautman or Danish Ballhead. Hardy to 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Tatsoi - a mild tasting Asian green.
  
• Mizuna - an Asian mustard green.  Varieties vary but can be very strongly flavored and spicy. Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Chicory - Don't let the primary variety name fool you, "Sugar Loaf" chicory is not sweet.  It's a bitter green.
  
• Radicchio - A lovely red bitter green that can be a nice addition to salad.  Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Salsify - This is a little known root vegetable that actually tastes like oysters.  I grew it last year and have a small amount in the garden again this year.  Salsify is planted in the Spring and harvested in the Fall and Winter.
  
• Endive - A very cold hardy bitter green. Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Escarole - Another cold hardy bitter that's a little less bitter than some of the other greens on the list. Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
• Radish - My favorites are Saxa and French Breakfast.  If you like radishes they are a nice addition to the garden because they grow so quickly.  Radishes mature in just 3-4 weeks.
  
• Scallions - a member of the onion family with small bulbs.  You can eat the bulb and the leaves.
  
• Sorrel - Sorrel's flavor is hard to explain.  It tastes somewhat lemony to me.  Sorrel can be used for soups and sauces.