Cold climate gardening means growing plants where winters are long and cold, and summers are short. Gardens in cold climates face hard frosts, frozen soil, snow, short days in winter, and a growing season that may last only a few months. Yet cold climate gardens can be wonderfully productive, with crisp vegetables, hardy fruit, and flowers that thrive in cool summers and need a cold winter to bloom well.
The key is to work with the cold rather than against it. Choose cold-hardy plants, protect tender ones, warm the soil in spring, extend the season with cold frames and greenhouses, and store the harvest for winter. A cold climate gardener who plans around frost dates and picks the right varieties will harvest well, while one who plants tender crops too early will lose them. Before you plan, check your local extension service for your local frost dates and recommended varieties.
Understanding a cold climate
The defining feature of a cold climate is the length of winter and the shortness of the frost-free season. Soil may be frozen for months, and it warms slowly in spring, so seeds sown too early will rot. Frost can occur late in spring and early in autumn, and a single cold night can kill tender plants. Snow can be a help as well as a hindrance: it insulates the soil and protects roots from the worst cold, but heavy snow can break branches. Days are short in winter and long in summer, which suits some plants and not others. Start by learning your frost dates — the average last frost in spring and first frost in autumn — and your hardiness zone, using our hardiness zone finder. Those dates decide when you sow, plant and harvest, and they matter more than any general planting calendar. Our mountain gardening guide covers similar challenges at altitude.
Cold-hardy plants and varieties
Choose plants that are hardy in your zone, and choose varieties bred for cold climates. Vegetables such as kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, beets, turnips, peas, broad beans and potatoes are all cold-hardy and taste better after a light frost — see growing kale, growing cabbage and growing carrots. Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach and chard grow well in cool summers. Fruit such as currants, gooseberries, raspberries, apples and sour cherries all need a cold winter to fruit well. Flowers such as daffodils, tulips, crocus, peonies, daylilies and asters all thrive in cold climates. For tender crops such as tomatoes, peppers and squash, choose the earliest varieties, start them indoors, and grow them in the warmest spot or under cover. Always check the hardiness rating on a plant label, and do not buy plants rated for a warmer zone and hope they will survive — they usually will not.
Warming soil and starting early
In a cold climate, spring is about warming the soil. Cover beds with black plastic or a cloche for a few weeks before sowing, to warm the soil and dry it out. Use raised beds, which warm up faster than ground-level beds, and fill them with dark, compost-rich soil that absorbs heat. Start seeds indoors, on a bright windowsill or under grow lights, four to six weeks before the last frost, and harden them off gradually before planting out. Use cold frames, cloches and row covers to protect young plants and to extend the season — see our cold frames, cloches for plants and row covers guides. Water in the morning, so plants are not wet overnight, and mulch after the soil has warmed in late spring — mulching too early keeps cold soil cold. A greenhouse, even a small one, makes a huge difference in a cold climate, letting you start seeds early and grow tender crops all summer.
Frost protection and season extension
Frost protection is a core skill in cold climate gardening. Cover tender plants with frost cloth, old sheets or hessian on cold nights, and remove the covers in the morning so plants do not overheat. Water plants before a frost, because moist soil holds heat better than dry soil. Move pots against a south-facing wall, which stores heat from the day, or bring them indoors on the coldest nights. Use a cold frame or a greenhouse to extend the season by weeks at each end, and grow winter salads such as lamb's lettuce, winter purslane and land cress under cover. In autumn, harvest tender crops before the first frost, and protect root crops with a thick mulch so you can keep digging them into winter. Our frost cloth and winter gardening guide explain the methods in more detail. Keep a frost diary, noting when frosts occur, so you can plan better each year.
Soil, feeding and winter care
Cold climate soil needs care through winter. Add compost in autumn, so the soil is fed and protected over winter, and sow a cover crop such as winter rye or clover on empty beds — see our cover cropping guide. Do not dig frozen soil, and do not walk on it, because you will damage its structure. In spring, wait until the soil is workable before digging, and add compost again. Feed plants in spring and summer, when they are growing, and stop feeding in late summer, so growth hardens off before winter — soft, sappy growth is killed by frost. Protect the crowns of tender perennials with a thick mulch of straw or leaves in autumn, and wrap tender shrubs in hessian. Store the harvest well: potatoes, carrots, beets and squash all store for months in a cool, dark, frost-free place, and freezing, drying and preserving extend the harvest through winter. Our harvest storage guide covers the methods.
Designing a cold climate garden
Design a cold climate garden for shelter and sun. Put the vegetable garden in the sunniest, most sheltered spot, with a hedge or fence to break the wind. Use south-facing walls for tender fruit such as figs and grapes, which benefit from the stored heat. Plant windbreaks of hardy trees and shrubs on the windward side, to protect the garden from cold winds. Use raised beds, which warm faster and drain better, and paths of stone or gravel, which store heat. Plan for winter interest, because the garden will be bare for months: evergreen shrubs, coloured stems, seed heads and a bird feeder all give the garden life in winter. And plan for the harvest: a cold climate garden produces a lot in a short season, so grow what stores well, what you can freeze, and what you will actually eat. A well-designed cold climate garden is a joy in summer and a pleasure to look at in winter, with birds visiting the feeder and evergreens holding their colour against the snow.
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake is planting tender crops outdoors before the last frost, which kills them overnight. The second is choosing plants rated for a warmer zone and hoping they will survive — they usually will not. The third is mulching too early in spring, which keeps the soil cold and delays growth. The fourth is feeding plants late in summer, so soft growth is killed by frost. The fifth is leaving tender plants unprotected on a frosty night, when a simple cover would have saved them. The sixth is digging frozen soil or walking on it, which damages its structure. Finally, do not ignore the harvest: a cold climate garden produces a lot in a short season, so plan storage, freezing and preserving, or much of it will go to waste. If you are unsure about frost dates or varieties, check your local extension service for local advice.
Frequently asked questions
When should I plant in a cold climate?
Plant cold-hardy crops such as peas, lettuce, kale and radishes as soon as the soil can be worked in spring. Wait until after the last expected frost for tender crops such as tomatoes, peppers and squash, and start those indoors first. Your local extension service can give you frost dates for your area.
What vegetables grow best in a cold climate?
Cold-hardy, short-season crops: kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, beets, turnips, peas, broad beans, potatoes, lettuce and spinach. Many taste better after a light frost. Tender crops need the earliest varieties and protection.
How do I protect plants from frost?
Cover them with frost cloth, old sheets or hessian on cold nights, water the soil before a frost, move pots against a warm wall, and use a cold frame or greenhouse. Remove covers in the morning so plants do not overheat, and do not leave covers on for days.
Do I need a greenhouse in a cold climate?
It helps a great deal, even a small one. A greenhouse lets you start seeds early, grow tender crops, and extend the season by weeks at each end. If a greenhouse is too much, cold frames, cloches and row covers give much of the same benefit at lower cost.
Can I grow fruit in a cold climate?
Yes — hardy fruit does well. Currants, gooseberries, raspberries, apples and sour cherries all need a cold winter to fruit well. Choose late-flowering varieties where spring frosts are a risk, plant them in a sheltered spot, and protect blossom with frost cloth on cold nights.