When you think of the winter season, gardening generally doesn’t come to mind. However, you can absolutely execute a successful harvest in the colder months or create a beautiful, vibrant landscape if you know what to plant in the winter. And with the use of a Power Planter auger, you can complete your winter gardening projects more efficiently and much faster.
What Can You Grow in the Winter?
Popular Edible Crops to Plant in the Winter
You might be surprised to find out what vegetables grow in the winter, and that some actually taste better when grown during cold weather. The trick for winter growing is to plant in the summer or fall and harvest in the colder months. There are plenty of options when figuring out what to plant in the winter.
Carrots
Carrots are one of the vegetables that get sweeter when grown in cold weather. They convert starches to sugars after a frost, making them more flavorful. In order to keep the soil from freezing so that you can pull your carrots throughout the winter, you can deep mulch the garden bed and then top that layer with a cover to hold it all in place.
Turnips
Turnips survive in temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit, so they can be harvested well into the season’s cooler weather. As with carrots, turnips also grow sweeter when sown in late summer. They also offer a range of health benefits, making them a smart choice to add to your winter garden.
Beets
Like carrots and turnips, beets are a root vegetable and are able to grow slowly in the cold. They can only handle light freezes, so they are a good plant to harvest in early winter before the freezing temperatures come around. The beauty of beets is that the whole plant is edible, from the root to the stem!
Brussels Sprouts
What is better than roasted brussels sprouts when it’s cold outside? Luckily, you can still harvest them when the weather gets chilly. Brussels sprouts can survive in weather as cold as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. They have a long growing season, so you’ll want to plant them about four months before your first frost date.
Broccoli & Cauliflower
Broccoli and cauliflower both thrive when planted about 10 weeks before the first frost. These tasty plants are brassica vegetables, which do not do well in the heat, so cool weather is your best bet for achieving a healthy harvest.
Greens: Lettuce, Kale, Spinach, & Arugula
Winter is salad-growing season, the perfect time to harvest your leafy greens! Brisk temperatures suit these plants; just make sure to use covers to keep them healthy and thriving. These are hearty crops and will serve you well throughout the winter. Get ready to have delicious salads all season long.
Plants for Winter Landscaping
Your yard does not have to be full of leafless trees and dead shrubs during the winter. You can absolutely create a vibrant and beautiful landscape when you know what plants to grow in winter. Here is a list of cold-resistant plants to add to your yard this season:
- Boxwood
- Holly: Inkberry, Blue, or Winterberry
- Juniper
- Red Twig Dogwood
- Coral Bells
Why Use an Auger When Planting in the Winter?
Beyond just figuring out what to grow in the winter, you’ll also want to know what tools to use to make it easier. Let’s face it, no one wants to tackle tough jobs in the winter. So, make this one easier on yourself by utilizing an auger wherever and whenever you can. There are so many benefits to adding an auger to your tool collection when planting for a winter harvest. Here are a few:
- Speeds up planting: Whether you’re sowing your seeds in late summer or early fall for your winter harvest, an auger will significantly speed up the process. Augers make quick work of drilling uniform holes more effectively than digging by hand.
- Loosens soil: An auger drills deep into the ground, breaking it up and creating loose, aerated soil that’s easier for roots to expand into. This is important for crops growing in the winter, as they grow slowly and need all the root access they can get for moisture and nutrients.
- Reduces physical strain: Augers eliminate one of the hardest parts of gardening: digging. Instead of bending and chiseling away at hard soil, straining your wrists and back, the auger will handle the heavy load for you. This is especially helpful when planting dozens of seeds or handling large shrubs.
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Works in tough, compacted soil: Once temperatures start to drop, soil can become more difficult to penetrate. Using the power of a cordless drill, augers dig through dense soil with ease. This makes them invaluable for late fall planting or mid-winter maintenance.
Winter doesn’t have to mark the end of your gardening season. With the right selection of hardy crops or cold-tolerant landscape plants, your garden and yard can stay productive and vibrant well after the temperatures have dropped.
With the help of an auger, preparing for winter becomes even more manageable. Augers will help you plant faster before the first frost arrives, power through tough soil, and reduce the physical strain that comes with preparing garden beds. Whether you’re prepping for carrots or installing new evergreens for landscaping, an auger will help streamline the process.
If you’re unsure where to start or which auger would be best for your project, check out our Auger Buyer’s Guide to find the right fit for you.
