In warmer zones, the winter planting window is wide open. You can sow seeds for winter vegetable crops, like salad greens, radishes, carrots, onions, Swiss chard, English peas and kale. Look for transplants of other cool-season vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower.
According to Myers, the hardiest vegetables that can withstand heavy frost of air temperatures below 28 include spinach, Walla Walla sweet onion, garlic, leeks, rhubarb, rutabaga, broccoli, kohlrabi, kale, cabbage, chicory, Brussels sprouts, corn salad, arugula, fava beans, radish, mustard, Austrian winter pea and ...
Ornamental kale and cabbage are some of the most popular winter annual plants. They lend a completely different texture to a winter landscape bed. Once the plants are hardened by cooler night temperatures they can survive most cold winters.
The general rule of thumb for planting a winter vegetable garden in Zones 7 to 10 is to plant during October. In Zone 6, get plants in the ground in late September. Finesse the timing with resources from your local extension office.
Pansies and violas bloom for most of the winter in mild climates, and some types will rebound in the spring in cold climates. They're technically annuals, but many varieties drop seeds so they'll come back again next spring.
Winter sowing is the process of planting seeds outdoors in a container during the winter months. The container remains outdoors until the seedlings emerge in the spring. The container protects the seeds from animals and harsh weather, but the exposure to colder temperatures breaks dormancy and the seeds germinate.
While many crops won't grow during winter's coldest temperatures (say goodbye to melons, tomatoes, squash, and peppers, for example), many vegetables will tolerate and even thrive on the cooler temperatures that come with fall and winter.
Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) is a good choice for an outdoor winter plant because it's an evergreen that keeps its leaves on its branches all winter long. It's drought-tolerant and thrives in both full and partial sun. Hardy to Zone 4, Japanese yews can survive harsh winters.
Plants like chrysanthemums, nasturtiums and asters are wonderful choices for seasonal planting arrangements. While perennials that will survive the winter are great choices, autumn is also a great time to explore new ideas will short-season annuals too.
Hardy winter annuals include snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), pansy (Viola x wittrockiana), viola (Viola cornuta), sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima), painted tongue (Salpiglossis sinuata), pinks (Dianthus chinensis) and nemesia.
Christmas Rose. This evergreen perennial blooms from winter to early spring depending on the selection and where you live (mostly early winter in warmer regions, and as late as February or March where it's very cold).
Depending on your region, there are a number of ornamental blooms that work well when planted in the month of December. Finding established pansies, primroses, and hellebores plants will give your December garden some beauty. Additionally, planting sweet peas and delphinium will make for a gorgeous springtime bloom.
Choose The Right Containers
Terra-cotta and ceramic pots absorb moisture, which expands as it freezes and cracks the container. Metal, concrete and wood containers typically handle freezes well, as do fiberglass and resin pots. Some plastic pots also survive winter fine, but may become brittle over time.
Welwitschia mirabilis: The world's toughest plant.
Late winter is 4 to 6 weeks before spring thaw begins. This could be any time in January to May, depending on your climate. Use your average last frost date and count back.
The most cold hardy plants can be placed around the outside of the grouping to help protect the less cold hardy plants from the cold and harsh winds that cause the freezing. Bury The Pot. Dig a hole in the ground and place the potted plant in the hole.
December means that it is time to start planning your garden wherever you live. You can also try growing some fresh herbs inside on your kitchen windowsill. Listed below are flower, vegetable and herb varieties that are great to start planting in December based on the Hardiness Zone that you live in.
The latest time to plant for most vegetables would be the second week in June with a short harvest time. If planting crops that mature within 50 days, you could plant those as late as the last week in June, but keep in mind the weather will be turning cooler, especially at night. Cool crops are best for late plantings.