Keep Your Greenhouse Operational In Winter With These 5 Plants

Sarah Shaikh
3 min readOct 25, 2023

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Do you believe winter has exhausted your options for crops? Are you planning to take a reluctant break from gardening until summer? Or are you dreading that the plants would not survive the cold weather? Rest assured, your greenhouse can stay active in this weather.

The greenhouse industry is booming with each passing year, and gardeners work throughout the year. Although your options may be limited, it does not mean that you should stop gardening. Look at these 5 plants you can grow in your greenhouse in winter.

1. Lettuce

Leafy greens are one of the best harvests for this season because they can resist it. You can even grow lettuce in an unheated wooden greenhouse. If you have a plan to sample a host of salads on Christmas, your wish is granted.

You can plant the seeds directly into the ground instead of initiating in planters. You can use two methods to harvest lettuce. First, plant them mid-autumn. Second, plant them early to mid-winter.

2. Potatoes

Potatoes grow beautifully in winter if you keep your greenhouse temperature regulated. One of the commonly used meal ingredients of the cold season, potatoes are moderately cold-resistant.

You can plant them in early winter and harvest them before spring. Alternatively, you can sow the tubers mid-winter, and move them outside when the soil temperature rises.

3. Garlic

You might not consider garlic as a winter crop as it sprouts in the spring. However, it develops best in cold temperatures. The best practice would be to plant garlic bulbs in the fall and reap them in spring. Remember to keep the pointed side up.

Garlic requires a minimum of three weeks to develop properly. Keep the bulbs in the ground for six weeks for best results. The flavor tastes better under 40 degrees.

4. Winter Beans

Beans are the cheapest crop options for the chilly season. You don’t need specialized equipment to harvest them. They are one of the best break crops you can plant in autumn and enjoy in the spring.

Their fibrous roots break through hard soil easily and they require low water supply for nourishment. You will not need insulation to protect beans from wilting.

5. Parsley

The most common kitchen ingredient and a delightful garnish, parsley is an all-year-round crop. You don’t need to heat your greenhouse up until the temperature drops lower than 20 degrees Celsius.

Although the leaves fall off at low temperatures, the plant itself weathers the extreme cold and sprouts leaves as soon as the climate turns warmer. Make sure to keep your greenhouse clean to let plenty of light in.

In a Nutshell

Winter can limit your options as to what to grow in your greenhouse. However, you can plant several leafy greens and roots to keep your place up and running. You must be cautious about the timing and temperature regulation, though. Even if some crops can survive extreme weather, not all plants may remain viable in unheated surroundings.

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