Bay Area Winter Gardening

It’s a grave misconception that you can’t garden during the winter time. We’re here to share ways to sustain a garden during these colder climates we experience in the Bay Area. Below you’ll find an array of plants who are winter tolerant so you can continue to incorporate some of that gardening magic into your routine—

s p i n a c h

As you may know, spinach is infamous for being a hardy and resilient crop. They are capable of braving temperatures below zero degrees! Interestingly enough, spinach’s sweetness grows sweeter as temperatures drop.

Although it’s tolerant of such conditions, they still require some extra care and protection. To salvage its beautiful leaves, a row cover can be installed. Additionally, planting it a couple of months prior to the initial frost is key to optimal health.

K A L E

Similar to spinach, kale can brave the same temperatures as spinach! Kale’s rubbery, thick exterior allows it grow strong and deliver amazing taste. Imagine yourself in the thick of winter chomping on some fresh kale! Amazing. Just the same, make sure to also plant these ones a couple of months prior to the first frost.

C A R R O T S

Unlike many of us, the cold brings out the best in carrots because it helps produce more sugar. In fact, the sugar acts as a barrier to protect the roots from freezing. This way, they can withstand temperatures down to zero degrees! However, the tops of carrots are more sensitive and can only tolerate about fifteen degrees. Carrots must be planted around three months before the first frost, so make sure to consider this time difference when planning your winter garden.

GOOD THINGS TAKE TIme

The last crops we’re sharing below require some tender love and care for them to be able to have a successful harvest. There’s so much to learn from the gardening process and we believe this is one of them: good things take time. If we want to see abundance, we have to be patient and gentle! Her are three crops to plant this winter in your garden that we think are well worth the wait:

A S P A R A G U S

Asparagus is another crowd pleaser, and thankfully, it is not only a crop that will deliver solely for one season, but it will continue to show up in abundance for up to 20 years! As you are considering what to add to your winter garden, look to the future and see if you would want to plant for the long-term. It’s very important to note that an asparagus bed can take a while to establish—it can take up to several years to see any produce! However, once it's been nurtured enough, you will see multitudes of asparagus spears (exceeding 20 per year) every single harvest. Asparagus takes time, but it’s incredibly worth it in the end.

G A R L I C

Garlic is another crop that needs some patience. If you plant it this winter, don’t expect to have any garlic babies until the following summer! They are diverse in type, which gives you plenty of options to choose from. Planting garlic bulbs in the fall will reap the best results come the following spring when you begin to see shoots emerging. We would recommend growing this in your garden, as garlic is a staple in the kitchen!

O N I O N S

The holy grail of the garden. What would we do without onions?? You guessed it, onions need some TLC and patience as well. Similar to garlic, once gardened in autumn or winter, they won’t be ready until the following summer. Since it has this long growing process, garlic will still be underground once you begin to garden your spring crops. Because of this, cautious to not disrupt the growing garlic when gardening new plants!

Happy gardening! If you need assistance with your winter garden, we are always here to help: