10 Top Winter Vegetables to Grow in the UK

Achieving a bountiful supply of winter vegetables from your garden throughout the season is a shared desire. However, many gardeners in the UK believe that cultivating greens during the colder months is an unattainable feat.

Winter arrives, and our gardens can seem a touch deserted. However, filling them with fresh winter vegetables will add a touch of vibrancy and life at a time of year when all seems dark and gloomy. Additionally, vegetable roots can help stop soil nutrient loss throughout the “dormant season”.

Let’s fetch our spades and trowels from the garden shed and once and for refute that rumour. You can still raise a barrow full of winter veg this and every year.

Growing Winter Vegetables in your garden, greenhouse & home

There are many ways in which you can raise a good crop during winter. The methods you choose depend on space, the types of crops, and the month you plan to start. Here are some questions and answers to give you plenty of ideas:

When can I start sowing my winter crop?

August to September are the best months to start off your winter vegetables. You can also sow seedlings on a warm window sill in October and November. However, some plants, such as spinach, chard, and rocket, can be sown in succession throughout the autumn and winter.

Can I grow Winter Vegetables in Containers & Pots?

Absolutely yes! Growing winter vegetables in containers and pots are much easier between autumn and early spring than doing the same in the heat of the summer. I would say that this is the preferred method for several reasons:

• It’s the perfect solution if you are limited in space.
• Winters are generally far wetter, so you don’t need to water as often.
• With reduced sunlight, plants tend to grow slower and don’t require as much soil to flourish.
• Weeding is also lighter and easier to perform.
• You can move your winter vegetables to a quieter area of the garden, placing them in a cloche, greenhouse, conservatory, or porch should the weather turn.

If you have access to a polytunnel, then you will receive a greater and earlier yield. You will need to feed your crop, if in containers and pots. I suggest a good, general-purpose fertilizer, once every 2–3 weeks.

Make sure you have a container that is big enough for your plants. Some winter vegetables need more room to grow than others. I prefer to use 14 LTR buckets. I purchased mine from a local hardware store (B&Q). They cost around 99p, and to fill a couple of buckets, I typically purchase a bag of peat-free compost. Check the literate of the compost to get the correct quality. Drainage is essential, so make sure to drill several holes around the bottom of each bucket. Ensure that the container is at least 18 inches deep and wide.

Vegetable varieties to try this Winter

You will be surprised just how many winter vegetables you can grow in the UK. Consider growing root crops such as carrots, onions, beetroots, mooli, radishes, leeks, and parsnips. Throughout the winter, leafy crops like cabbages, beets, Brussels sprouts, kale, mustard, chard, parsley, and rocket will offer plenty of food for the plate. Why not try land cress, peas, broad bean and pea shoots, sorrel, mizuna, coriander, lambs lettuce, and winter purslane? Other varieties of veg, such as broad beans, garlic, shallots, and onions, will increase your stockpiles in preparation for an early spring harvest. Before planting, make sure you read the instructions on the seed packet to avoid disappointment.

Planning is necessary if you want to have enough veggies to last you throughout the winter. Brassicas and leeks can be planted in pots, seed and cell trays, or outdoor seedbeds. Such pots should typically have a diameter of 5–90 cm (2–3 ft), although 7.5–15 cm (3-5 in) is the most normal range for growing on seedlings and young plants.

Directly sow turnips, broad beans, and parsnips. Once more, always check the packets for the sowing date. Ignoring such information could cause your plants to die or prevent them from producing fruit or significant quantities of leaves.

1. Winter Salads

Winter salads are the ideal window sill plant since they can be grown without a pot in trays or window boxes. If you sow them indoors every few weeks, you can have a steady supply of food throughout the entire Winter. Keep them in a sunny location to encourage quick leaf growth. Remember to feed.

2. Broad Beans

3. Brussels Sprouts 

Brussels are perfect for planting in pots since they grow tall rather than wide and put on very little lateral growth. Find a pot that is at least 15 cm deep to enable healthy root development; for individual pot growth, a pot with a circumference of 10-15 cm will suffice. 

4. Garlic 

If planted now, garlic won’t be ready until the late spring and early summer, but is still worth growing. “Wight Cristo” is a good all-purpose variety for cooking. The cloves need to be planted at a depth of 2 cm (1 inch) below the soil’s surface and a distance of 10 cm (4 inches). 

5. Spring Onions 

When sown in Autumn, spring onions have a rather quick growth rate and are ready to harvest in the early Spring. I recommend the hardy variety, “White Lisbon”. Ensure a space with a 3-inch gap between each plant for the best crop. However, they don’t mind being packed together. For more information, read this article on growing spring onions.

6. Onions & Shallots

Like garlic, onions are a simple crop to raise. But it is worth noting, that they won’t be available for harvesting until next Summer. Choose an early variety and plant each set with the bulb’s tip barely poking through the earth at intervals of around 10 cm (4 inches).

7. Carrots 

Carrots require a deep pot to allow for a long development of roots unless you are growing baby carrots which are harvested early for exceptional sweetness. I recommend sowing them in a pot or container that is at least 30 cm deep and 30 cm around the outside. Since they can be harvested before the root fully develops, baby carrots can be planted in considerably shallower pots.

8. Perpetual spinach

Sow perpetual spinach seeds in succession to ensure a steady supply of tasty ‘cut and come again’ leaves throughout the autumn and winter. Continuous picking will ensure that your spinach crop lasts right through until Spring.  Do not allow your spinach plants to bolt! Remove any flower heads, and keep the soil moist.

9. Beetroot 

Beetroot needs to have a deep pot, as it is a root vegetable. However, because they grow near the surface, a great depth is not necessary. Just ensure that the container is 15 cm or deeper for optimal root growth.

On their own, beetroots don’t take up much lateral room. So, you could fit roughly ten plants in a pot with a 30 cm circumference. Pick out some of the smaller beets to give the others the opportunity to grow if your beetroot appears to be cramped for space. There’s no harm in eating any of the thinnings. Very nice in a salad!

10. Cabbage 

Cabbage doesn’t require a particularly deep root. Because of this, you can get away with growing them in small pots. However, do bear in mind that they are thirsty plants, especially as they grow bigger. I would still recommend a larger pot that is at least 20 cm in diameter and 10 cm deep for each plant.

• Add a layer of crushed rock or stones to the bottom of the container or pot before adding good-quality potting soil or peat-free compost to help with drainage.
• Adding feet to your pots may also help with drainage.
• Water your plants frequently, but not excessively. Don’t let the compost dry out. Every plant in a pot needs more water than it would in the ground. Therefore, don’t forget to check up on them frequently.
• Every few weeks, feed your winter vegetables. An all-purpose water-soluble fertiliser should be suitable. Typically, tomato feed will suffice.
• Put your containers somewhere warm and well-lit, so they won’t freeze. Try enclosing your outside plant pots and containers with bubble wrap or a light garden fleece if the weather is chilly.

Growing winter vegetables can present several problems;

• Club root can affect broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.
• Several green crops are prone to bolting when under stress.
• During the colder seasons of autumn, winter, and spring, slugs and snails may be a real annoyance.
• Flea beetles typically damage the leaves of oriental salad.
• Winter vegetables are usually preyed upon by pigeons, thus netting is advised.
• Cabbage whitefly may harm brassicas.

Here is a great video on the topic of vegetables that you can grow in winter:

Summary: Frequently asked questions regarding growing Winter Vegetables

Enjoy your winter vegetable gardening! And do let me know how you are getting on via the comments below.

For more information on this topic, consider visiting this RHS page, also this article on vegetable gardening for northern climates.