Colder weather and temperatures are dropping, so many people assume their vegetable patch needs to shut down until spring. But with a little planning, your garden can stay productive right through winter – delivering fresh salads, roots, and greens even on the coldest days.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), autumn is actually the perfect time to get certain hardy crops in the ground. From winter salads to leeks and brassicas, here’s what you can start planting now for harvests during or just after the colder months.
Fast-growing winter salads and leafy greens
Late summer and early autumn are prime times for sowing hardy salad varieties that will keep your garden alive through winter. Vegetables like corn salad (lamb’s lettuce), land cress, and oriental leaves such as mizuna, mibuna, komatsuna, mustard, and rocket can all be sown now for a steady supply of “cut and come again” leaves.
“These crops thrive in cooler temperatures and can continue producing even when light levels drop,” the RHS notes. The key is protection – covering them with a cloche, cold frame, or fleece will keep them growing through frost and help prevent damage from wind and rain.
Oriental greens are especially popular with growers because of their speed and versatility. Mibuna and mizuna, for example, can germinate in as little as a week and provide edible leaves within a month. Regular picking encourages fresh growth, giving you a continuous harvest right up to late winter.
If you’re short on garden space, these salads also grow well in containers or raised beds, provided they have good drainage. A light mulch or layer of fleece will help regulate temperature and moisture.
Autumn potatoes for a Christmas or New Year harvest
You can also plant potatoes in mid- to late summer for a winter harvest – a trick many experienced gardeners use for a festive treat. The RHS recommends using “second-cropping” or “Christmas” potatoes, such as Charlotte or Maris Peer, which mature in around 12 weeks.
Plant them in containers, grow bags, or well-drained soil. The plants can then be protected under fleece or kept in a frost-free greenhouse as the temperatures drop.
If grown under cover, you can expect to start harvesting in late November or December – perfect for home-grown roast potatoes during the festive season. The key is keeping them warm enough to avoid frost damage, so it’s best to move pots indoors or insulate them when hard frosts are forecast.
Brassicas, leeks and root veg for slow winter growth
For those thinking further ahead, brassicas (like cabbages, broccoli and Brussels sprouts), leeks, and parsnips are the backbone of a true winter garden. These crops can take months to mature, but if started in late summer, they’ll keep growing slowly through the colder months and be ready to harvest from December onwards.
Leeks and brassicas are best started in a seedbed or cell trays before being transplanted once they’re sturdy – leeks should be about pencil thickness, while brassicas can be moved after forming two to four pairs of true leaves. Once in their final positions, they’ll need regular watering and protection from pests such as pigeons and caterpillars.
Parsnips, meanwhile, should be sown directly into the soil, as they dislike being moved. Be patient – they can take several weeks to germinate – but the reward is sweet, earthy roots that improve in flavour after a frost.
To keep growth steady, mulch and hoe regularly, removing weeds and keeping the soil aerated. It’s also worth rotating your crops to avoid diseases like club root, which affects brassicas, or bolting in leafy vegetables caused by drought stress.
Bonus: hardy herbs
Alongside your main vegetables, some herbs and quick-growing extras can also thrive through winter. Hardy varieties like parsley, chives, and thyme will continue growing slowly, especially if kept under a cloche or in a sheltered spot.
You can also sow winter lettuce varieties, such as Arctic King or Winter Density, which tolerate cold better than summer types. Pak choi is another option – best sown in late August or September – that produces crisp leaves even as the days shorten.
Meanwhile, broad beans and peas can be sown in late autumn for an early spring harvest. They’ll germinate before winter, lie dormant in the cold, and burst into growth once temperatures rise.
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