I know that carrots can stay in the ground during winter, but I'm curious about other vegetables that can do the same. Can anyone share their experiences with overwintering other crops like potatoes, onions, or garlic?
6 Answers
In my experience gardening in zone 5b, I've been able to successfully overwinter a variety of onions like Bridger. I plant them in the fall and harvest them in May. Garlic is typically planted in the fall, especially hardneck varieties that need that cold snap to bulb up nicely. Potatoes can definitely stay in the ground and regrow in spring, but that's not a common practice. Also, spinach and kale can handle winter and taste sweeter after a frost! Enjoy your gardening!
Absolutely! Parsnips and daikon radishes are tough in winter, and possibly beets if you really mulch them well. I’ve had luck with cold-hardy Asian greens like tatsoi, wasabina, and mizuna using a cold frame. I even tried growing mâche this winter for the first time; it's super hardy and has a mild flavor reminiscent of lettuce. You might want to give those a shot!
Leeks are another great choice! They’re pretty hardy and can survive winter conditions.
I just harvested a kohlrabi that I planted last May! Plus, I had chard and lettuce that made it through winter, even with some frosty days. Pretty surprised they held up!
Potatoes do well in the ground through winter. As for garlic, if you leave it in the ground too long it might sprout in the fall but may not overwinter well. Just keep an eye on it!
I've heard that parsnips are great for overwintering; they actually get sweeter when left in the ground through the cold months. I'm trying them this growing season, so I'll let you know how it goes!
That sounds interesting! I'll definitely consider those greens for my winter garden.