This post was most recently updated on January 12th, 2021
Here is what to plant in your Winter vegetable garden in February if you are in the Northern Hemisphere and what to plant in your vegetable garden in August if you are in the Southern Hemisphere.
Please read: This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prevent any disease. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
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What you can grow in your Winter garden varies significantly depending on where you live. In warmer places – Zones 8-10 you can grow a few things.
In cooler areas Zones 5-7 there are very few, if any things that you can grow at this time of year. It is however, a great time to reassess what worked and didn’t work in the past season, and plan for the new season.
Make sure you keep sensitive plants in doors and protected from frosts, and make sure everyone is well mulched and well watered.
To use the lists below, first you need to discover what USDA Zone you live in.
If you are looking for more information about vegetable gardening, I suggest that you also have a good read over our growing a prolific garden information.
We recommend that you get your seeds from Seeds for Generations as they are a homegrown, US family business specializing in heirloom seeds.
Jobs to do in the Garden at the end of Winter
This is the perfect time of year to plan out your garden for the coming season. Crop rotation may sound complex when you first read about it.
But it is crucial to prevent certain diseases like club-root taking hold in your garden, and it ensures the soil does not become depleted of minerals.
Winter is also a good time to sharpen and clean your tools, and re-handling as required.
This is the perfect time of year to plan your garden.
Once you have a good idea of what you want to grow it is a great time to sit in front of the fire with a hot drink and look through seed catalogues and order your seeds.
Inside your house you may like to start your tomatoes in trays, this will allow you to have a very large plant ready to plant out after the frosts have passed.
Place your cloches, cold frames or tiny plastic tunnels in your garden now and leave them for 3 weeks to warm the soil before planting into them.
Most of your seed sowing will happen next month, but you can get a head start with a few things this week in glasshouses, plastic houses or indoors.
Young seedling need well thinned, as overcrowding will cause them to die off. Too much moisture without the required warmth will cause rot.
Lift out seedlings as soon as the first pair of true leaves form and pot them into bigger pots. It is worth the effort, as most seed raising mixes have little to no nutrients in them so the plants will struggle.
If you have yet to prune your fruit trees, get in and do it now before the buds start growing. Remember to cover each and every cut with pruning paste.
What to Plant in your February (or August) Winter Vegetable Garden Depending on your USDA Zone
All Zones should be starting your seeds back inside, or at least in a greenhouse or under covers.
Obviously if your ground is already frozen solid, or you are covered in snow, you are going to have a hard time planting anything. Try growing under a caterpillar tunnel or under trees/ in sheltered spots.
All Zones should be starting your seeds inside, or at least in a greenhouse or under covers.
Key:
* Sow direct into your garden
Otherwise Start seeds in trays indoors or in a glasshouse first
ZONE 1-3
Asparagus *
Peas*
Turnips*
Garlic*
Rhubarb*
ZONE 4-5
Asparagus*
Peas*
Turnips*
Garlic*
ZONE 6-7
Asparagus*
Peas*
Turnips*
Garlic*
Kale
Broccoli
Cabbage
ZONE 8-9
Beets
Broccoli
Garlic*
Peas*
Cabbage
Kale
Kohlrabi
Cauliflower
Leeks
Radish*
Chinese cabbage
Mustard
Turnips*
Collard greens
Onion (bunching) *
Onion (multipliers)
Tomatoes
ZONE 10
Radish*
Kohlrabi
Squash (summer)
Mustard
Squash (winter)
Beets
Onions (bunching)
Tomatoes
Cantaloupes
Onions (multipliers)
Turnips*
Carrots *
Peas *
Watermelon
Collard greens
Peppers
Turnips*
Corn (sweet)
Potato (sweet)
Cucumbers
Pumpkin
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