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5 Best Ways to Grow Vegetables All Year Round in Any Zone!

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With the high cost of living these days, there are many people looking to save money where they can.

There is also a movement to be more self-sufficient and grow healthy vegetables usually found in the best natural food market in their area.

Feeding a family from what you grow is a big challenge. Many people think they have a short growing season and can’t have access to their own veg outside of a few months.

The reality is that there are lots of ways to grow vegetables all year round—even in cold climates. In this article, we will go over some of the ways to make that happen.

Urban gardening harvest vegetables self support—grow vegetables all year round
Grow vegetables all year round—Image via Markus Spiske.

How to Grow Vegetables All Year Round?

Here’s what you need to do.

1.      Pick the Right Crops

Many cold hardy varieties have been specially bred to grow even in other climates.

There are types of vegetables that are very hardy and will grow even if you don’t take measures to keep them warm in the winter.

The key is to find these varieties and plant them according to the season. Many require long growing times, so during the summer months, you should set aside some open ground in the garden to plant them for a winter harvest.

  • Things like carrots, beets, and other root vegetables will actually be better once the frost starts.

This is because the plant will load up on fructose to protect itself against the cold. The result is a sweet vegetable.

  • Other good cold tolerant plants include leeks, broccoli, kale, and cabbage.

These nutrient-dense foods will help nourish you and your family through the cold months.

In fact, many of these crops can stay in the ground even when there is snow. It’s almost a way to preserve them as they won’t be growing any longer, so you can just pick them out when you need them.

2.     Make a Cold Frame

It’s possible to grow warm weather products even in the colder months with the right protection.

What’s a cold frame?

“A cold frame is essentially a large greenhouse that will stay warm even when the sun is low in the sky. This means that you can grow tomatoes all year, depending upon the zone you’re in.”

If you are very far north, then tomatoes in January may not be realistic, but other vegetables like lettuce and spinach can easily be grown in a cold frame or a greenhouse, even in cold climates.

There are even mini versions that work when your space is limited.

3.     Start Seeds Early

It is very tempting to start putting out plants before the weather allows.

However, there are times when the weather does heat up earlier than you anticipate. When this happens, it is a shame if you aren’t ready for it.

“The way around this is to start your seeds early and have the plants ready just in case. If you see that the last frost has already happened as the forecast calls for warm weather past the traditional date, your plants will already be big enough to start hardening outside.”

This will give you a head start to start getting food on the table much sooner when you can actually transplant them.

In some cases, you will be starting seeds late.

For example:

  • You can plant garlic late in the fall, and it will be one of the first crops to pop through the ground in the early spring or late winter, depending on the zone you’re in.
  • Carrots offer the same benefit. You can sow them in the fall and harvest them in the late winter.

4.     Plant Local Varieties

Many plants have been grown to feed the local people for hundreds if not thousands of years.

Our ancestors knew what plants worked in a particular climate and environment. So choosing those local and heirloom varieties that have stood the test of time would work the best for you.

Heirloom vegetables and fruits are from seeds that have been passed down from generation to generation. You will end up with plants that are easier to take care of, offer more pest resistance, and are often much tastier than other hybrid varieties.”

If you want to eat delicious food all year, look into the seeds from local seed swapper clubs and ask which ones are the best.

5.      Keep Growing Them

You can plant even late in the summer, and make sure you pick from those plants later than usual.

The key is to create conditions, so the plant doesn’t realize that it’s time to start slowing down production and dropping leaves.

The first thing to do is to cover the plants with felt covers.

  • They allow sunlight and are thin enough for water to pass through as well. These act like a greenhouse; the sunlight passes through and then heats up the area underneath.
  • It won’t prevent a hard frost, but it will keep the temperature a few degrees above what the plant would feel if it weren’t covered.

Mulching is also an excellent way to keep the harvest going since it will help keep the plant’s roots warm.

  • If the temperature is mild during the day and then cools down at night, the soil won’t cool down as much as the air, giving the plants more time to stay active and produce vegetables.

Planting close to a wall is also a way to keep them warm.

  • The wall of a house or fence will absorb the sun’s heat during the day.
  • At night when it cools down, the heat will then dissipate into the air nearby.
  • This keeps the plants warmer than the plants in the rest of the garden.

Lastly, you can bring some plants inside and near a window where they can get sunlight.

  • This will keep them warm and produce food to eat for much longer.
  • Things like lettuce, small tomato plants, and peppers can give you food almost through the winter.

That was all about how you can grow vegetables all year round and during the winter.

If you want to grow healthy and tasty vegetables all year round, make sure you follow this amazing guide. On that note, let’s head towards the conclusion.

Pile of vegetables—grow vegetables all year round.
Grow vegetables all year round—Image via Marisol Benitez.

Conclusion

Growing healthy vegetables at home is a dream of every yard owner. Moreover, if you can grow every vegetable—no matter in which season you are growing—all year round, there is nothing more you need.

Therefore, we have formulated this fantastic guide which you can follow to grow hale and hearty vegetables all year round.

I hope you liked it. If so, please consider sharing it with your friends and family. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments section below.

Regards,
Happy planting.