6 Plants, Vegetables and Herbs You Can Grow in Your Greenhouse This Winter
What to Grow in a Greenhouse During Winter
Winter doesn’t have to end your growing season. With a greenhouse, sensible insulation and, where needed, a little supplementary heat, you can keep harvesting and set yourself up for an early spring. Below are six reliable winter growers, plus tips and helpful links.
1. Potatoes
Potatoes are a classic winter project. Grow them in hessian sacks or large pots so you can move them as conditions change. Protect from frost with good insulation or gentle heating.
Plant in January for a March harvest, keeping compost just moist and frost-free with greenhouse heaters or extra insulation when cold snaps hit.
2. Carrots
Sow carrots in autumn and let them size up slowly over winter. Harvest as soon as the soil warms. If the winter stays mild and your greenhouse holds heat, you may pull a few earlier.
Top tip: shield beds with carrot fly netting to reduce pest pressure.
3. Winter Lettuce
Salad isn’t just for summer. Many lettuces prefer cool conditions. Try Winter Purslane, lamb’s lettuce or Little Gem types and sow from August to November for steady winter pickings.
Top tip: if a cold snap is due, add cloches inside the greenhouse for a double layer of protection.
4. Hardy Herbs
Pot up herbs and move them into the greenhouse to keep them ticking through darker months. Growth will slow in deep winter, but fresh sprigs are still on the menu.
- Dill
- Parsley
- Mint
- Marjoram
- Oregano
- Sage
- Thyme
- Winter tarragon
5. Aubergines (with added heat)
Aubergines love warmth, but with a greenhouse and extra protection they can be started in winter for an earlier crop. Use insulation and consider a gentle heat source such as a paraffin heater to maintain stable temperatures.
Sow seeds in January to February; plants may take up to six months to reach fruiting, so early starts pay off.
6. Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are a winter staple and tolerate frost well, growing reliably under greenhouse conditions. Expect roughly three months from transplanting to harvest, then enjoy them fresh for up to five days.
For best flavour, harvest after a light frost and avoid overcooking — four to five minutes is plenty.
Conclusion
Plenty grows in a UK winter: potatoes, carrots, lettuces, hardy herbs and brassicas can all thrive with protection. A well-managed greenhouse, smart insulation and, when required, safe low-level heat from greenhouse heaters will keep you harvesting now and primed for spring.