Because we often think of garden-fresh veggies as a summer season treat to enjoy when the weather is warm, there are a number of crops that can't reach their full potential without a bit of wintery weather.
These are vegetables that we don't want to plant in the summer, for the most part. When the weather becomes hot, they tend to bolt and go to seed, leaving them hardly unusable. Instead, we'd want to grow these crops in the cooler months of spring and fall, when the weather is mild but still susceptible to freezing temperatures at night.
Aside from the fact that they are among our favourites, the beauty of such crops is that they allow us to produce fresh food at home for much longer than the summer months. These fantastic veggies, in fact, demand it!
Beets
While long, harsh winters can harm root vegetables like beets, cold can enhance their flavour. Beets have a sweet, earthy flavour that some people enjoy, and their sugar content only rises after a frost. As a result, they are excellent vegetables to plant in the fall and early spring.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts have spent a long time in the frozen vegetable aisles, where they are frequently ignored or shoved to the side on holiday dinner platters. However, they've recently made a big sensation and are being used in a variety of trendy meals. There's good news! They're cool-weather crops that taste even better with a nip of frost on the toes.
Cabbages
Cabbage is a phrase that may be used in a variety of ways right now. We're all familiar with the cabbage heads found in Coleslaw and sauerkraut, but there are many additional types of cabbage: Napa, Savoy, Red, and so on. No matter what kind of cabbage you have, a light sprinkling of frost will make it taste better. It's a unique feature of the Brassica genus.
Carrots
Carrots are a staple in most kitchens. They're not only delicious as a side dish, but they're also utilised as flavouring vegetables in a variety of meals, along with onions, celery, and/or bell peppers. Carrots that have spent a few chilly nights are noticeably sweeter and more delectable.
Kale
Kale plants, another brassica with nutrient-dense leaves, are best cultivated in the shoulder seasons, when a light frost dusts their shoulders. Kale is high in nutrients and may be used in a variety of dishes, including green drinks, soups, scrambles, noodles, salads, and more.
Leeks
The humble leek is a must-have but frequently ignored vegetable in the cool-weather garden. Leeks are tasty and may be picked late in the season, despite being overshadowed by cousins such as onion and garlic. They improve slightly with each frost, as long as the earth does not freeze into concrete.
Parsnips
Parsnips, an underappreciated root vegetable, demand a place on our dinner tables. They're more than just a seasonal oddity, and while they're great roasted, they're also versatile. Like carrots and beets, parsnips are a root vegetable that reaches its peak when frosts sweeten it up.
Spinach
Spinach has long been a traditional cold-weather crop. Spinach only grows well when it's chilly outdoors, and those nutrient-dense leaves aren't at their finest until they've been frosted over. Salads, stir-fries, and pies all benefit from it.
Turnips
Turnips—the swollen root—and the delectable turnip greens—get sweeter with a frost, making them a last root vegetable on the list. This is a wonderful, quick-growing veggie to include in your early spring and fall gardens. Turnips are worth learning about, and don't forget to consume the turnip greens as well.
Bottom Line
Growing these crops is enjoyable and rewarding. The majority of them are rather pleasant, and one of the advantages of cool-weather gardening is that pests are considerably less of a problem. Plus, there's nothing like walking out in the cold winter weather and digging up something delicious to eat.
