Cold Weather Crops: What To Plant In Your Garden This Winter

By Victoria Fuller

As far as most gardeners are concerned, January is notoriously the least exciting month of the year. It’s cold, the days are short, most garden centers are offering minimal stock, and surely there is nothing to do in the garden this month right? Wrong!

With a little bit of inspiration we guarantee that there are plenty of crops and plants that you could successfully be cultivating in this, the gloomiest month of the year! Check out our list below of crops, flowers, and plants that you can successfully grow in your raised garden bed in January!

Veggies

Although vegetable gardening may not be top of your list of things to do in January, we would highly recommend dusting off your gardening gloves and transplanting some of these cold-loving veggies! Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Root Vegetables (Such as Carrots and Parsnips), Winter Lettuce Varieties, Spinach, and Onions are all vegetables that can thrive in the Great British Winter. The mild climate, consistent rain, and nutrient-rich soil make the UK the perfect place to cultivate a Winter garden. 

We would recommend transplanting these crops in your raised garden bed instead of attempting to nurture them from seeds or seedlings, this will give the crop the best chance of adapting to its new home and will also yield you a harvest in no time at all!

Growing plants from seed at this time of year in the UK is not advised. The shorter days, lack of sunlight, ground frosts, and frozen ground can make nurturing seeds almost impossible and this can be incredible disheartening. Instead, we would recommend purchasing juvenile crops and plants from a garden centre and transplanting them directly into your raised garden bed or planter box.

Herbs

The delicious garden-based fun does not have to end with vegetables! Why not transplant some tasty herbs into your garden and annihilate those New Year’s Resolutions to spend less money on expensive take out and cook more healthy food at home?

Thyme, Oregano, Chives, Rosemary, and Mint will all stay in leaf throughout the Winter months, so if you opt to transplant them now you may even be lucky enough to have a continual harvest over the coming months (if we are lucky enough to have a slightly less frost-filled Winter!).

Perennial Flowers 

Now the cold and damp climate of the UK may imply that the odds of botanical success are against us, but with certain varieties of Perennial Flower (Perennials are the delightful buds that have the ability to bloom year after year and can lay dormant through the Winter while Annuals tend to die back at the end of the season) this is not the case!

Stonecrop, Iris, Bee Balm, Asters and many other beautiful flowers have been known to thrive over the Winter months! Here are our tips for cultivating a blooming oasis no matter the conditions outside:

Choose Winter-Hardy Varieties

Did you know that there are different varieties within each breed of plant? It’s true! Certain flowers have varieties that are significantly better-suited to handle frosts and chilly temperatures, so when you are purchasing your plants try and stick within this realm!

Water Wisely

The weather in the UK is notoriously moist (sorry to those who dislike that word but it just fits so flawlessly here), and as fantastic as this is for your garden, you need to be mindful not to over-water your plants, especially when there is a potential for frosts! Be sure to check the weather forecast before breaking out the watering can.

Provide Protection

With snow in the forecast and ground frosts running rampant, it is an excellent idea to invest in some winter covers to protect your garden! There are also plenty of other cost-effective ways to protect and insulate your garden that you likely already have around the house! Burlap and fleece are both fantastic options to wrap around the base of your plants to help protect the roots and prevent permanent damage!

Why a Raised Garden Bed is a Fantastic Option this Winter

We may be biased, but when it comes to Winter gardening in the UK our raised garden beds and planter boxes truly give you a cutting edge advantage over traditional ground-based gardening! Elevation above ground frosts and pests, insulation and protection against wind and weather, and they are absolutely stunning! Plus our products are made with Western Red Cedar which is rot-resistant and has been known to last up to 30 years, so it's a true investment in quality!

So with these tips in mind we hope that you will consider growing some cold-weather crops this January! Don’t let the calendar dictate whether or not you can still partake in the hobbies that you love, especially one such as gardening that will not only help you get some fresh air and exercise, but could also help you grow some healthy food and save money on costly groceries!

February is a fantastic time to put your thinking cap on and start planning out your garden goals for the Springtime, but always remember that where there’s a will there’s a way and you can absolutely keep gardening through these brisk months!