Our Favourite Vegetables to Grow in Your Garden This Winter
As the warm days of summer fade, winter in Australia offers a unique opportunity for gardeners to cultivate hardy vegetables that thrive in cooler temperatures. Despite the drop in temperatures, your garden doesn’t have to lie dormant; winter is actually an excellent time to get outside and start growing plants in Australia.
The chillier weather slows plant growth but allows for essential garden maintenance and improvements, enhancing overall productivity. Winter gardening means plants are less likely to bolt to seed, ensuring a prolonged and productive harvest. Take advantage of this slower season to manage weeds, repair paths, and mend fences, keeping your garden thriving and ready for future growth. By embracing winter gardening, you can ensure a steady supply of fresh produce.
Our 5 Favourites to Grow this Winter:
Spinach: Spinach is a fast-growing leafy green perfect for winter in Australia. Spinach thrives in cool climates, avoiding premature bolting. It grows best in full sun, with some shade in warmer regions, and withstands temperatures as low as -2°C. For a successful harvest, sow seeds about eight weeks before the first frost and use covers to extend the growing season.
Kale: Growing kale in winter in Australia is both fun and rewarding. This hardy vegetable thrives in frost and even snow. Start seeds indoors 10 weeks before the last frost and transplant seedlings once it cools down. In northern Australia, sow seeds in early July; in temperate regions, plant in autumn, winter, or early spring. Kale prefers full sun or part shade in northern areas. Cold weather enhances sweetness and tenderness. Harvest outer leaves when hand-sized, leaving inner leaves to mature for future harvests.
Cabbage: Thrives in winter due to the shorter days, which enhance its sweetness. It can be grown from seed or transplants, with seeds started indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Plant cabbage in full sun with well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Seeds should be sown and kept moist, with seedlings thinned to 30-50cm apart. Harvest times vary, with early varieties ready in 12 weeks and later ones taking up to 20 weeks.
Snow Peas: Snow peas are easy to grow and perfect for home gardens or pots. Their sweet, crunchy pods can be eaten raw or cooked, making them a favourite with kids. Best grown in cooler months, they thrive below 25°C. Plant seeds in full sun, using a trellis for support. Sow seeds 7-15cm apart in damp soil; they germinate in 7-10 days and are ready to harvest 8-12 weeks after planting.
Mustard Greens: are a cool-season vegetable with peppery leaves, perfect for raw salads or cooked dishes. They are frost-tolerant, fast-growing, and ready to harvest in 5-6 weeks, making them ideal alongside longer-term brassicas like broccoli and cabbage. They thrive in full sun or part shade and do well in rich, well-drained soil, enduring temperatures just above freezing.
Winter gardening doesn't just keep your garden productive; it also provides an opportunity to enhance your gardening skills and try new crops that might not fare well in hotter seasons. With the right approach, your winter garden can yield a bountiful harvest, extending into early spring and ensuring fresh, homegrown produce is always within reach. With Salad Servers Direct you can garden all day and come inside exhausted and quickly heat up a bowl of any of our delicious soups, paired with some crunchy sourdough and you're relaxing in no time!