🍂 WINTER (December–February) Garden Tasks

There's still plenty to do in the wintertime! Here's what you can get started on while it's too cold to plant anything;

• Prep beds and soil

  • Add 2–3” of compost to empty beds.

  • Test soil every 1–2 years; Austin soil tends to be alkaline.

• Protect from freezes

  • Keep frost cloth on hand (1–2°F freeze cloth for light freezes, 4–6°F greenhouse cloth for hard freezes).

• Mulch deeply—this stabilizes soil temps and conserves moisture even in winter.

• Start seeds indoors (late January–February) for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant.

Veggies to Plant

Direct sow or transplant (depending on month):

• Greens: Kale (‘Lacinato’, ‘Red Russian’), Swiss chard (‘Bright Lights’), spinach (‘Bloomsdale’), lettuce mixes

• Roots: Carrots (‘Danvers’, ‘Nantes’), beets (‘Detroit Dark Red’, ‘Chioggia’), radishes (‘French Breakfast’, daikon)

• Alliums: Onions (‘Texas Legend’, ‘1015Y’), leeks

• Brassicas: Broccoli (‘Green Magic’), cabbage (‘Early Jersey’), cauliflower (‘Snow Crown’)

• Peas: Sugar snaps (‘Sugar Ann’, ‘Cascadia’)