Top 11 Greenhouse Vegetables to Enjoy in the Cold Season

As you probably already know, especially if you’re into gardening and you like to grow your own vegetables, having a greenhouse is a real blessing during those cold winter months when we can’t plant anything in the garden. However, there’s a difference between the vegetables you can plant in your garden and those that develop properly in a greenhouse. Even so, there are plenty of greenhouse vegetables that you can attempt to plant this cold season. Today, we’re going to talk about 11 of the most popular ones. Let’s have a look!

11 Greenhouse Vegetables to Grow in the Cold Season

1. Tomatoes

Definitely one of the most popular options of greenhouse vegetables, tomatoes come in many shapes, colors, and sizes. Among the best ones are tomatoes on the vine, grapes, beefsteaks, and cherries. The beefsteaks are the easiest to grow and take care of, so they are perfect if you’re a beginner and you don’t have that much experience with greenhouse vegetables. However, you should keep in mind that most tomatoes need a consistent temperature, so make sure your greenhouse has a reliable heating system. They also require sunlight, but other than that, they should be ready in about 100 days under optimal conditions. Buy tomato seeds here.

2. Peppers

Another great greenhouse vegetable is the pepper, which also comes in plenty of varieties, colors, tastes, and so on. Most varieties are easy to grow in a greenhouse, but we recommend the greenhouse bell pepper. It might seem like it requires a lot of care, since it needs constant temperature and humidity. However, most greenhouses should already be equipped to provide your plants with excellent conditions. Moreover, the end result is absolutely worth the work you put in, since peppers are one of the most delicious and versatile greenhouse vegetables you will ever be able to grow. Buy pepper seeds here.

3. Garlic

Garlic is definitely one of the easiest greenhouse vegetables to grow, and let’s face it, one of the most delicious ones as well. You can use garlic for a lot of things, so it would be a pity not to take advantage of the cold winter months to plant some in your greenhouse. Garlic is planted by placing individual cloves in the soil, which is why we recommend you to purchase some California Softneck bulbs. However, before planting garlic, you should be aware of the fact that you will have to wait until summer to harvest it because it has a long growing season. Buy garlic seeds here.

4. Broad Beans

If you want to enjoy broad beans in spring, you should plant the seeds in late autumn. They also come in multiple varieties, out of which probably the most popular one is the Aquadulce Claudia. You should keep in mind the fact that broad beans can grow quite tall. This means that you might have to use sticks or canes and tie them up with a string to prevent them from growing downwards. Once the beans are ready to harvest, you can also use the tips. They’re absolutely delicious if you mix them with some butter. Buy broad bean seeds here.

5. Spinach

Whether you are a fan of spinach or not, there’s no denying the amazing health benefits that it brings. Spinach is also extremely versatile. We can use it when we cook, put it in shakes, and even use it in salads. Some great varieties that you should keep in mind are Merlo Nero and Riccio d’Asti. If you plant them in early autumn, you will be able to enjoy fresh spinach leaves all winter and even during spring and summer. If you want to make sure the spinach you planted won’t run to seed, we recommend you to remove any flowers as soon as you see them. Other than that, we should note that growing spinach in a greenhouse is a great idea. The leaves will be free of dirt and debris, and thus extremely healthy. Buy spinach seeds here.

6. Asparagus

Asparagus is not something that you can enjoy soon after you sow it. However, it is an exquisite vegetable that you could invest some time and effort into growing. Especially if you have a lot of space in your greenhouse. You can plant asparagus in autumn, but you will only be able to harvest it 2 years later. Even though it takes a while before the asparagus plant is ready to be harvested, an asparagus crown makes as much as 25 spears each year. Moreover, you can depend on this crop for about 25 years. So it’s not an effort that you will have to repeat often. Some of the most popular types of asparagus are Pacific Purple and Asparagus Pacific 2000. Buy asparagus seeds here.

7. Carrots

Carrots are also among the most popular types of greenhouse vegetables. This is mostly because they are easy to take care of and you can use them for many things. If you’re thinking of planting carrots in your greenhouse, we recommend Adelaide. You can harvest this type early in spring since it matures really fast. If you plant it in November, you shouldn’t have a problem enjoying fresh and healthy carrots straight from your greenhouse in spring. Some other seeds that you can try are Early Nantes and Amsterdam Forcing, both of which you can order on Amazon.

8. Winter Lettuce

If you want to be able to enjoy fresh salads in the middle of winter, then you might want to consider plating some winter lettuce in your greenhouse. As long as they are covered, winter lettuce plants can be harvested all throughout the cold season. There are so many kinds of winter lettuce out there that it can be difficult to decide on which one to sow. If you’re one of those people who can’t decide, we recommend you to purchase a seed mix such as the Mesclun Lettuce Seeds Salad Mix from Amazon.

9. Microgreens

As you might’ve already guessed, this category includes a lot of vegetables. They’re called microgreens because they’re quite small and can be mixed in with many types of meals. For instance, a lot of restaurants now use microgreens not only to boost the flavor of their meals but also to make them look more appealing. Their taste varies a lot, which is what makes them so popular. So why not plant some in your greenhouse and enjoy them at home whenever you want? If you were worried that you’ll have to plant microgreens separately, you should know that Amazon offers a great selection of microgreens seeds, such as this Basic Salad Mix Microgreens Seeds Blend that comes with arugula, kale, broccoli, cabbage, and many more.

Are Box Planters Suitable for Growing Greenhouse Vegetables in the Cold Season?

Box planters are an excellent option for growing greenhouse vegetables during the cold season. With their versatile design, top box planters for windows can easily fit into any space and provide a controlled environment for optimal vegetable growth. These compact planters offer protection against the harsh weather while allowing you to enjoy fresh, homegrown produce right from your windowsill.

10. Cucumber

There’s more than one type of cucumber that you can sow in your greenhouse. However, not all of them are easy to take care of. For instance, the typical long and green cucumber might be great to sow in the garden, but it is more complicated to grow in a greenhouse. That’s because you need to shrink wrap the cucumbers after the harvest. Otherwise, they won’t stay as fresh and firm. If you’re looking for a better alternative, let us suggest the Beit Alpha kind. These cucumbers are rather small, which means that you don’t have to shrink wrap them. In fact, you can package them quite easily after harvest. Moreover, they are seedless, sweet, and tender, which is always great news. Buy cucumber seeds here.

11. Herbs

Finally, you can also take advantage of owning a greenhouse by planting all sorts of herbs. Later on, you can add them to your meals all throughout the cold season. Most herbs are really not difficult to sow and take care of. You can even package and refrigerate them if you want to be able to enjoy them for a longer period of time. You can try planting cilantro, basil, watercress, and many others, and the end result won’t disappoint you. Buy herb seeds here.

Summing Everything Up

No matter what kind of greenhouse you have at home, be it a large one or a smaller one, you can still find at least a couple of greenhouse vegetables that you can plant and enjoy in the cold season. The good news is that most of them don’t require a lot of effort and can be left mostly by themselves. The even better news is that they are extremely healthy. Consequently, you won’t have to doubt the quality of your vegetables ever again. From tomatoes to carrots, microgreens, cucumbers, and so on, anything is possible if you’re willing to invest a minimum amount of time in the process. If you consider all the benefits of growing your own vegetables, especially in the winter, we think it’s quite obvious that the effort is worth it. Greenhouse vegetables require different growth conditions, and what works for cucumbers might not work as well for carrots. However, there are some basic tips you should keep in mind when it comes to growing greenhouse vegetables.