13 Vegetables You Can Winter Sow
If you haven't done your winter sowing, there is still time. January and February are great months for getting those cold-weather crops started. Here are some of the veggies you can start while you're waiting for the spring planting season.

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Winter sowing is an easy way to start your cool-weather vegetables. It’s economical and low maintenance and ensures that your seeds sprout as soon as the soil is right for their growth. It also produces stronger, more resilient plants and saves time and resources.
This type of planting is great for any seeds that require cold stratification. It allows Mother Nature to do what she does best: make things grow. Many seeds require periods of cold and thawing to break down their hard outer shell. You can accomplish this indoors, but allowing it to happen naturally is much less complicated.
By repurposing common household items, you can get your cool-weather crops started outdoors. All you need are some milk jugs or other similar clear containers and high-quality potting soil. Here are some tasty vegetables that you can winter sow now for early germination and healthy, vigorous plants in early spring.
Kohlrabi ‘Purple Vienna’

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botanical name Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes ‘Purple Vienna’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 10”-12” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Kohlrabi is a brassica in the same family as broccoli and cauliflower. It has a similar flavor to other veggies in this group, a bit of sweetness with a touch of peppery spice, like radishes. You can bring out the sweetness or spice of this vegetable when cooking by adding seasonings in either flavor profile.
‘Purple Vienna’ is a beautiful cultivar with jewel-colored bulbs. They look like root vegetables but grow on top of the ground. You can eat these raw or cooked. They are also great for pickling. Kohlrabi is a great source of vitamin C!
This vegetable is ideal for winter sowing because it thrives in cool weather and gets even sweeter with light frosts.
Cauliflower ‘Snowball Y’

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botanical name Brassica oleracea var. botrytis ‘Snowball Y’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 24”-30” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Rice it, dice it, steam it, or stir-fry it. Cauliflower has made a comeback. Cauliflower is another brassica that prefers cool temperatures and takes well to winter sowing. It’s frost-tolerant and has plenty of health benefits.
‘Snowball Y’ is a compact variety that matures quickly, so it’s perfect for gardeners with a short growing season. It has attractive, edible leaves that curl around the heads, which gives them added protection. It holds up well in the garden for an extended harvest season, too!
Cabbage ‘Copenhagen Market’

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botanical name Brassica oleracea ‘Copenhagen Market’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 12”-16” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
As the perfect vegetables for winter sowing, brassicas keep the garden going during the cooler months, and cabbage is a beauty to behold. I love watching the round and weighty heads develop almost as much as I love their crunchy texture in coleslaw! Cabbage is great year-round but sweetest during the cooler months.
‘Copenhagen Market’ is an heirloom variety that dates back to 1909. It’s fast to mature, so it’s great for those with a short growing season. Compact enough for small gardens and raised beds, this one is easy to grow and has great flavor.
Beets ‘Detroit Dark Red’

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botanical name Beta vulgaris ‘Detroit Dark Red’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 12”-18” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Beets are a quick and tasty cool-season crop, and they are great for winter sowing. Their earthy flavor and nutrient density make them a great addition to the diet. You can eat them raw or cooked, and their greens are edible as well. They are similar to spinach or chard and full of iron.
‘Detroit Dark Red’ is an heirloom variety, setting the standard since 1892. They grow large without becoming woody and have plenty of delicious sweetness. Always directly sow beet seeds in the soil. Their roots don’t like disturbances.
Spinach ‘Bloomsdale’

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botanical name Spinacea oleracea ‘Bloomsdale’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 6”-8” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Spinach is an all-star winter vegetable that performs excellent when winter sown, and gets better with frost. It’s fast to mature, and you can start harvesting the baby greens about a month after they sprout. Direct sowing in winter is ideal, as the roots don’t like disturbance.
‘Bloomsdale‘ is a delicious heirloom from the early 1800s. It’s stuck around for so long because it’s dependable and has great flavor. Succession sow for a continuous harvest until the weather warms up.
Onions ‘Cabernet’

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botanical name Allium cepa ‘Cabernet’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 2”-3” rounds |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
If you want to grow strong, plump, gorgeous onions this year, winter sowing is ideal. This only applies if you’re planting seeds and not sets. You should wait to plant sets until at least March.
I’m a big fan of red onions. There simply is no substitute for their sweet and spicy flavor. Not to mention, they look beautiful in a hanging basket in the kitchen. ‘Cabernet‘ are gloriously deep, wine red. They have a great storage life, to boot!
Bok Choy ‘Toy Choy’

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botanical name Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis ‘Toy Choy’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 5” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Speaking of stir-fry, bok choy is a wonderful addition to this and many other flavorful Asian dishes. Also called Chinese cabbage, bok choy has a mild cabbage flavor with crunchy stalks and tender leaves. It’s fast-growing and looks pretty in the garden.
‘Toy Choy‘ is a dwarf variety. It’s great for growing in containers and matures in just 30-35 days after germinating. You’ll want to directly sow this one because it matures quickly. Germination occurs in about five to ten days, so you’ll have delicious bok choy in just over a month with this variety.
Scallions ‘Tokyo Long White’

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botanical name Allium fistulosum ‘Tokyo Long White’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 16”-18” |
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hardiness zones 6-9 |
Scallions are a year-round favorite that works well when you winter sow it. You can grow this as a perennial in Zones 6-9 and harvest it through most of the year. As a garnish or central ingredient, the mild, sweet onion is a kitchen staple.
‘Tokyo Long White’ is extra flavorful and robust. The blue-green tops look wonderful sprinkled on a soup or stew, and the whites are juicy and tender. When you harvest, leave an inch of white above the ground; they will grow back for continuous harvesting.
Swiss Chard ‘Celebration’

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botanical name Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris ‘Celebration’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height Up to 20” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Swiss chard is a leafy green with tender stems and leaves. As a relative of beets, it comes in a variety of shades, including red, yellow, and white. All parts of the plant are edible and have a mild flavor. Unlike beets, it does not produce a large root.
‘Celebration‘ is a multi-colored variety. It looks stunning in the garden and on the plate. Brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow make this variety stand out in the kitchen. You can harvest the tender baby greens in as few as 20 days after germination.
Lettuce ‘Parris Island Cos’

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botanical name Lactuca sativa ‘Parris Island Cos’ |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 10”-12” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Lettuce, interestingly, is a member of the Asteraceae or Aster family. If you allow it to bolt, it will produce tall stalks of flowers. No one really wants that, though, so it’s usually a cold-weather crop. It’s also a great vegetable for winter sowing. The tender leaves sweeten with frost.
Lettuce isn’t the most nutrient-dense vegetable, but it’s full of healthy fiber. Romaine types, like ‘Parris Island Cos,’ an heirloom from Clemson University, contain more nutrients than their iceberg cousins. You can harvest baby greens in as little as 21 days, but the mature heads are crunchy and wonderful!
Brussels Sprouts ‘Long Island Improved’

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botanical name Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera ‘Long Island Improved’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 20”-24” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Another fun cruciferous vegetable, Brussels sprouts, has gotten a bad rap in years past. Fortunately, some creative and talented chefs have breathed new life into these little brassicas. You’ll find them on many menus at fine dining establishments. The small, cabbage-like heads prefer cool weather and are frost-tolerant.
‘Long Island Improved’ is an heirloom variety that dates back to the late 1800s. Tall plants look like tiny palm trees, creating texture and interest in your beds. They are ideal for winter sowing.
Kale ‘Dazzling Blue’

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botanical name Brassica oleracea ‘Dazzling Blue’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 24”-48” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables you can grow. High in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium, potassium, and folate, it packs a major punch. It might look like a lettuce relative, but it’s actually a brassica and a great cool-weather grower.
‘Dazzling Blue’ will shine in your winter garden. Cold weather brings out more of the blue and purple hues. The magenta veining glows throughout the leathery, heavily textured leaves. This variety is highly cold-tolerant and simply beautiful.
Arugula ‘Rocket’

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botanical name Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa ‘Rocket’ |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 12”-24” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
If you love the peppery, zesty flavor of arugula, you’ll be glad to hear that not only can you winter sow this tender green, but you can begin to harvest it in as few as 20 days. It’s frost-tolerant and has beautiful lobed leaves that add an interesting flair to salads. It also makes a great pizza topping.
‘Rocket‘ is an heirloom variety with a classic spicy flavor. It has a tartness as well, adding complexity to the flavor profile. It also produces lovely, white, edible flowers with pretty purple veins.