It’s still not too late to plant a few winter vegetables in the garden.
While most folks believe it’s almost impossible to grow anything but a pumpkin in the winter months, there are at least six other vegetables that love the cooler weather.
And a vegetable patch is a beautiful garden feature when selling your home.
These winter vegetables can make it to your plate early next year if you plant them now.
Kale
Billed as a super-food, folks either love or hate this leafy green vegetable. Make sure the soil is kept moist, and try to plant it in an area that captures the full sun. Kale will take just six days to germinate but 60 days to harvest.
Carrot
A vegetable that thrives in the cooler weather, plant the carrot seeds in loose, aerated soil for the best result. Hard clumps of earth will impede their growth. The seeds should go to a depth of no more than half an inch. Full sun and around an inch of water each week will yield perfect results. You should be able to pick them from 55 days onwards.
Cabbage
A winter classic, it likes soil temperatures around 60f and will sprout even when the days edge towards freezing point. The seeds will need around two inches of water a week. Expect to harvest two to three months later.
Parsnips
It’s hard to beat a roast parsnip. You pretty much plant them in the same way you plant your carrots. They’ll sprout on days as cold as 48f but will need 100 days to be ready to pick.
Broccoli
Like kale, this is another vegetable that polarizes the population. It thrives in cooler conditions but gets thirsty, needing more than an inch of water each week in winter. If you’re able to sow before the first frost, you might get your crop within 45-70 days.
Cauliflower
Keep the soil moist, position for direct sunlight, and you’ll have outstanding cauliflowers within three months. Its seeds will sprout within a temperature range of 45-85f.
Lettuce
Plenty of water will quickly establish your humble lettuce during the cooler seasons. If it can get up to six hours of sunlight, it’ll be very happy. Lettuces sprout at near-freezing temperatures but germinate best on warmer days of up to 70f. You may see the first sign of leaves within a month. Within 60 days, you should be able to harvest them.