Top 6 Plants To Grow This Winter
In our previous article, we covered how to get your garden ready for the winter. It may be hard to believe, but growing plants is still possible throughout the winter months. Your garden doesn’t have to look empty and dreary during these months.
Whether you’re a beginner at gardening or have natural green fingers, we will take you through our top 6 plants you can grow this winter. From vegetables to flowers, these plants are sure to give life and colour back to any garden!
Flowers
1) Pansies
These are a staple flower for any gardener. They bloom in a variety of eye-catching hues of yellow, orange, white, pink, and purple to brighten up your garden. Unlike other flowers, pansies can be grown in spring and even in winter, as they can thrive and survive during freezing temperatures for a short period of time. Perfect in flower beds, hanging baskets, indoors, and outdoor pots. Basically, they can be planted almost anywhere and at any time!
2) Snowdrops
If you plant snowdrops around late autumn or early winter in well-drained soil, they’ll make an appearance anytime from January to March. They are commonly known as one of the most winter appropriate flowers because of their winter white colour and droplet shape. Like pansies, they also tolerate the cold weather and you might even catch them growing through blankets of snow! They happily grow well around under your trees or shrubs.
3) Tulips
November is the ideal time to prepare for your spring flower display and sow your tulips bulbs while they’re dormant. They bloom into vibrant colours of red, yellow, pink, white, and more. Bulbs can be purchased at your local garden centre. Tulips benefit from being planted deep in soil to protect them from the negative impact of frost. The pointed end of the bulb should be positioned up. Aim to plant the bulbs two to three times their height in depth and double their width apart from each one in the soil.
Vegetables
1) Onions
Onions are a hardy vegetable that tolerate cold weather to a certain degree. They vary in many types from growing individually to growing in clusters such as shallots. The great thing about them is they can be sown outdoors or inside a greenhouse in winter. With the proper care and storage, you will have home-grown onions ready to harvest in spring, and can be used in the majority of cooking recipes. Onions can be stored in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated place in net bags for 6 to 8 months.
2) Garlic
Usually garlic is grown by planting individual cloves. This time of year is ideal for most varieties of garlic because they enjoy a period of cold temperatures for good root development. It’s recommended to start them in modules in a cold frame, or a greenhouse before transferring outside in the spring. Due to their little maintenance and space needed, they are a perfect option for beginner gardeners. Like onions, they can be used in most recipes. Plus, you might pick up a fresh garlic scent to your garden when harvesting in the spring – that is of course assuming you are a fan of it!
3) Carrots
Not only are they delicious and nutritious, carrots are relatively easy to grow. For an early spring harvest, sow your carrot seeds in rows throughout November and December under cloche or in an insulated greenhouse. Planting carrots near your onions and garlic will mask their strong scent and keep carrot flies away from your crops. If growing in a cloche, cover your vegetables with fleecing, mulch or straw to prevent the soil from freezing and protect from pests.
At Abington’s Complete Garden Services, we have over 30 years of experience in garden services in Abingdon. We can provide you with a complete package of garden design, landscape gardening, and garden maintenance services so you can achieve your dream garden. To begin your journey to your dream garden, please get in touch with us today.