The weather outside may be frightful, but it’s
not too early to start planning your springtime garden or even growing indoors!
Some cold-hardy varieties can be planted as soon as the ground is thawed to
yield early-season greens. Additionally, some plants thrive on a blend of
indoor/outdoor growing time and can be grown inside during the winter and moved
outside when the weather warms up. And don’t forget seed starting, if you live
in a more temperate zone, such as zone 8 or warmer, now’s the time to start your
outdoor veggies under a greenhouse light so they’re ready to thrive when spring
rolls around.
Keep reading to learn more about hearty plants to
grow in winter!
Understanding Your Zone
Not all plants will grow well in every climate,
so before you decide what to grow in winter, it’s best to understand your
growing zone, or your USDA plant hardiness zone. If you don’t know
your zone, click here and enter your zip code to figure it out. Once you
understand your growing zone, you can better select plants for your vegetable
garden and landscaping, no matter the season.
5 Winter-Hearty Plants
Most plants, when cared-for correctly in the
right zone will survive the winter months, although they may appear dormant and
colorless. However, here are 5 plant varieties you may want to consider growing
during the cooler months.
Olive
Trees
Olive trees are both beautiful and beneficial as they can both add
greenery to your home and boost your health. You may already know about the
benefits of the olive fruit, but what you may not know is that the olive leaf has nutritional benefits as well.
Olive leaf extract can support blood health, reduce free radicals, and may
support a healthy immune response.
In case you don’t live in a zone that’s conducive
to growing your own olive tree, check out this Olive Leaf Extract from Gaia Herbs, these Olive Leaf Capsules from Oregon’s Wild Harvest, and these 500 mg Olive Leaf Supplements from Natural Factors.
Holly
The subject of holiday music, holly bushes are easy to grow and hardy to
zones 5 or 6. In fact the holly bush is actually greener in winter, with lovely
little red berries, adding color to your homescape all year long. You’ll want
to plant your holly bushes in pairs and they do best when planted in the early
spring.
Evergreen
Trees
Evergreen trees are the classic choice when
looking to add color to your yard in the frigid months. If you live in a colder
zone, these are a perfect choice as they actually require a cold freeze to
thrive. Before planting evergreens in your yard, consider what purpose you want
them to serve and take into consideration how tall your selected plant will be
when mature.
Chard
& Kale
Some of the first vegetables to be harvested each
year are cold-hearty greens such as swiss chard and
kale. In fact, these veggies require colder temps to produce. Rich in fiber as
well as vitamins A,K, and C, swiss chard and kale can be started indoors
and moved outdoors in the early spring. Unlike many other greens, they are
resistant to pests and can even continue to produce indoors when moved inside
and kept in cool, moist soil.
What does your winter gardening routine look
like? Tell us about it in the comments section below!