Winter Garden: Cold Tolerant VS Cold Hardy and a LIST OF WINTER EDIBLES!

Why not harvest FRESH veggies even in winter when our bodies need the most immune-boosting fresh foods possible?? During winter months, our vitamin D production decreases due to the lack of sun. During this time, it's imperative we support our bodies with fresh, healthful foods....as fresh as we can get them. Produce begins to lose some nutritional value the minute it is picked and continues to loose as time goes on. Harvesting fresh veggies and eating them within 10 to 15 min of harvest is ideal....but is it possible in winter?? That depends.

First, you need to know what your first frost date is. Next, you need to know your average low temps in your area. Once you have this information then you can make an informed decision about your options. So what ARE your options? You could grow food in a greenhouse, outside in coldframes or under low tunnels. You might be able to choose to just grow your food in ground with row covers or garden fleece or you could choose to grow outside without the use of added protection at all. All of this, of course, is totally dependant on your climate, hence the need to find out the imperative information about your frost date and average low. This will help you determine what option(s) are best for you.

Now, let's go over a few tips. Seed or transplant...which is better. Remember, most seeds typically need soil temps to be 50F degrees or higher to germinate. If temps are consistently below 50F, chances are the ground is too cold. If it is above 50F, on and off, etc., then you have a chance of direct sowing outdoors. That being said, while mulch is an excellent resource during winter months, it can actually hinder things for you if you aren’t careful. Those that follow us know we use the BTE garden method for most of our gardens so I say this with great experience. Mulch insulates the soil....hot or cold. If temps have dipped down low and you have a thick covering of mulch when the sun does come out the mulch may prevent the sun from kissing the soil.....so the soil will have a hard time warming up. In this situation, it is best to pull the mulch away a few inches from where you plant your row of seeds. Once the seeds germinate you can then begin to pile the mulch back on little by little as the seedlings grow. If you don’t want to deal with that then start them in pots in a greenhouse or inside under a grow light and be sure to slowly transition them outside before you plant them out.

Finally, let's talk about cold-tolerant vs cold-hardy. Cold tolerant vegetables thrive in cool temperatures but may only handle a light frost, and certainly not a hard freeze. Cold hardy vegetables can handle light and or hard freezes, and may even overwinter under the snow for a spring harvest. Variety is very important in making a decision as to what category to place each item. Here at Kindred Acres we've tested many varieties and have listed what we know to be true. If you know of other vegetables or varieties that we could add to the list, please share in the comments below! This list includes edibles that are a mix of cold-tolerant and cold-hardy - all assuming they are grown outside with no protection unless stated otherwise.

If you need a free conversion tool to convert F to C please click here.

1. Arugula (Several varieties are cold hardy but try Sylvetta)
2. Beets (some varieties are hardier than others. Try Albina Verduna, Lutze Winterkeeper, Clyindra Bulls Blood, or Chioggia)
3. Broccoli (Early Purple Sprouting, Arcadia, and Belstar are great options but there are several to choose from)
4. Brussels (most varieties are cold tolerant and some varieties are cold hardy)
5. Carrots (Cold hardy. Green tops can handle temps in the mid-teens but the carrot root can handle even colder)
6. Cabbage - (look for overwintering types. Some examples are Kaitlin, Tribute, January King, Deadon, Brunswick, and Chirimen Hakusai, Violaceo di Verona just to name a few!)
7. Celery (some varieties more than others. Some are hardy down to 18F and others need a cover during the dead of winter. Try Ventura, or Tall Utah Improved).
8. Celtuce - stem lettuce - (stalks are cooked like asparagus - most varieties are cold-tolerant, some varieties are cold hardy)
9. Chard (cold hardy leafy green - most varieties survive down to 15F uncovered)
10. Cilantro (cold hardy down to 15F)
11. Claytonia (cold hardy)
12. Cold Hardy Cabbage (look for overwintering types. Some examples are Kaitlin, Tribute, January King, Deadon, Brunswick, and Chirimen Hakusai, Violaceo di Verona just to name a few!)
13. Collards (Vates type are an excellent cold hardy type, and Blue Max, as well as Winner, are great choices)
14. Cress (winter cress is hardy down to 15F uncovered. If you put a light row cover over it it can last all winter no problem!)
15. Endive (some varieties are hardy down to 15F uncovered)
16. Fava Beans (Sweet Loraine variety tastes like chickpeas when eaten fresh and can tolerate temps down to approx 10F!!)
17. Garlic (very cold hardy and makes for a juicier and more flavorful bulb)
18. Jerusalem Artichokes (AKA Sunchokes - Very cold hardy. Try Stampede variety! The tops will die back in the cold but the tubers get sweeter after a frost or two. Whatever is left behind will overwinter in the ground and regrow come spring.)
19. Kale (Try vates type, Blue Curled Scotch, Siberian, Red Russian, and White Russian are also good options. A new variety that is said to be PERENNIAL is Homesteader’s Kaleidoscopic Perennial Kale.)
20. Kohlrabi (some varieties are only frost tolerant, some are hardy. Try Early Purple)
21. Leeks
22. Lovage (celery-like flavored herb)
23. Lettuce (Winter varieties // there are quite a few varieties to choose from that can tolerate hard freezes - some even down to 5F uncovered, but other varieties only down in the mid 20’sF uncovered. Some varieties will be happier with a cover such as a low tunnel or cold frame....some examples are Landi’s Winter Lettuce, Winter Density, North Pole, Green Forest, Tango Leaf, Red Salad Bowl, Tango, North Pole, Sylvesta, Salanova, Rouge D’hiver , Winter Imperial, Green Forest, Winter Marvel, and Winter Density to name just a few)
24. Mache Corn Salad (AKA Vit - very cold-hardy)
25. Mizuna (look for early types. These are cold tolerant but benefit from a cover during the dead of winter)
26. Minutina
27. Mustard Greens (varies by variety. Tatsoi is hardy down to around 22F. Komatsuna is hardy down to around 20F. There are more to choose from too! Just look for cold-hardy types.)
28. Onions
29. Parsley (go with curly types)
30. Parsnips (green tops can handle temps in the mid-teens but the root can handle down to zero!)
31. Peas - Sweet (can typically tolerate in the mid 20’s Fbut would be happy with some cover on the really cold nights/days)
32. Pansies - Winter (edible flower)
33. Radish (some varieties are hardy down to 22F uncovered. Cherry Belle is hardy down to 20F uncovered!)
34. Rutabaga (Purple Top is hardy down to about 18F uncovered)
35. Rye - Winter
36. Salad Burnett (an herb that tastes like cucumber....delicious! Very cold hardy down to approx 15F uncovered)
37. Salsify
38. Spinach (several to choose from but some examples are Butterflay, Strawberry Spinach (Chenopodium capitatum), Tree Spinach (Chenopodium giganteum), Tasman F1 hybrid, Viking, Gigante d' Inverno, Olympia, Bloomsdale Savoy, Giant Winter, Perpetual (technically a chard), Amsterdam Prickly Seeded Spinach, Hammerhead, Red Kitten, Corvair, and Tyee)
39. Sorrel (varies by variety but most are cold hardy down to 15F and some down to 12F!)
40. Tatsoi / Bok Choy and or Pak Choi (tolerates down to 15F uncovered. Try Rosette Tatsoi as an option)
41. Turnips (most are hardy down to 20F, but from my research, Noir D’Hiver is the most cold-hardy of them all. I have not grown it myself as of yet)

As you can see, the list is quite extensive!! I hope this helps to inspire you to grow nutritious foods even through winter!! Don't put that spade away yet. You still have some growin' to do! ;)

Happy Gardening peeps! With lots of love
~Kindred Acres

If you find our blog posts and videos helpful or inspiring and would like to provide a love offering to Kindred Acres for all we do here, you can give us an upvote/comment here on steemit, give us a thumbs up on Youtube, or you can gift us an item from our Amazon wishlist! :) http://a.co/7U2Ibw5

Another option is to send any financial contribution ($1, $5, or whatever you are compelled to leave) via https://www.paypal.me/KindredAcres
We greatly appreciate your help and contributions!

Check out our Etsy shop for live plants, seeds, homestead goodies, crafts, and other options!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/KindredAcres?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Follow us on Facebook to get notified of any upcoming events https://www.facebook.com/KindredAcresHomesteadAndWellness/
Upvote us on Steemit to show us some love and support!! https://steemit.com/@kindredacres

Give us a thumbs up, subscribe, and hit that bell on our YouTube channel!! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiZ8ynfylR5kIR9DnfcGP1g?view_as=subscriber

And finally,

Follow us on Instagram!
https://www.instagram.com/soulofagypsy_heartofahippie/

Being in Charge of Our Own Health: A Little Disclaimer | SteemPeak