Growing vegetables is a delightful year-round activity. While the abundant harvest of summer vegetables is hard to beat, you can also enjoy homegrown produce in the winter months with careful planning and the right crops.
Achieving a year-round vegetable harvest is entirely possible. A greenhouse can be beneficial for winter planting, but many crops that thrive in colder months can also be grown outdoors.
Having grown and harvested vegetables year-round for chefs, I’ve always had a variety of crops ready to pick, even during the coldest months. With some forward planning, there are specific crops you can plant in July that will nourish you through winter and spring.
Which Vegetables Are Best to Plant in July?
Many vegetables can be planted in July, including quick-growing crops like lettuce, beans, carrots, radishes, fennel, and chicory. However, if you want vegetables to enjoy during the colder months, here are seven fantastic options to consider:
1. Cabbages
Cabbages are categorized by their harvest times. For July planting, you have two primary options:
- Winter Cabbages: These hardy varieties, with compact, ball-shaped heads, can be planted in July for a harvest starting in November.
- Spring Cabbages: These looser-leaved cabbages can be sown in July and harvested from late winter onwards next year. Sow seeds indoors in trays of seed compost and transplant outside about a month later, spacing them around 18 inches apart.
2. Winter Salads
Growing salad leaves is an excellent way to utilize a greenhouse in winter. Hardy winter leaves like corn salad (lamb’s lettuce) can be grown both outdoors and undercover, providing a nutty flavor to your winter salads. Other excellent options include winter purslane, mizuna, mibuna, and komatsuna.
Sow winter salad seeds indoors in module trays during July, then transplant seedlings outside in late summer or early fall. This ensures good germination and reduces the risk of slugs.
3. Perpetual Spinach
Perpetual spinach, also known as spinach beet, is a large, hardy leafy vegetable that can be harvested year-round. It resembles spinach in taste and appearance and can be harvested as a cut-and-come-again crop. Regularly picking the leaves encourages further growth and prevents bitterness.
Sow perpetual spinach seeds either indoors or outdoors in July. Direct sowings should be made in 1-inch deep drills spaced 12 inches apart. Thin seedlings to eight inches apart as they appear.
4. Winter Radish
Winter radishes, such as daikon (mooli) and black Spanish round radishes, are larger and milder than summer radishes. These underrated vegetables are perfect for fall.
Sow seeds in July directly where they are to grow, in drills half an inch deep. Thin seedlings to four inches apart once they develop. Keep the ground moist but not waterlogged. Winter radishes grow quickly and can be ready in under 10 weeks. Protecting them with a cloche or straw covering can prevent frost damage.
5. Kale
Kale is a classic winter crop whose flavor improves with cold weather as frosts convert starches into sugars. You can harvest kale throughout winter and into spring by removing leaves as needed.
Sow kale seeds outdoors directly into their growing position in well-weeded, raked ground. Keep the soil moist and protect seedlings from slugs. Kale can also be grown in pots, with dwarf varieties being ideal for containers.
6. Turnips
Turnips are versatile brassicas with sweet, earthy roots that can be eaten raw or cooked. They come in varieties with white or yellow flesh and can be round or flat-shaped. Fast-growing turnips can be harvested within six weeks, while slower-maturing varieties can be stored for winter.
Sow turnip seeds outdoors in July in rows 10 inches apart, thinning seedlings to four inches apart. Succession sowing can extend your harvest through fall and winter. Protecting roots with horticultural fleece or straw can shield them from severe frosts, or lift and store them indoors.
7. Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is easy to grow and highly productive, providing harvests even in the colder months. A July sowing, done either outdoors or indoors, can ensure winter harvests. Indoor sowing gives more control, with plants ready to transplant outdoors 4-6 weeks after sowing.
Harvest Swiss chard by taking individual leaves as needed. Larger outer leaves should be taken to encourage new growth. Hardy in milder climates, Swiss chard will continue producing leaves through winter, especially if protected with cloches.
Conclusion
With the right crops and a bit of planning, you can enjoy fresh, homegrown vegetables throughout the winter. July is a perfect time to plant these hardy vegetables, ensuring a bountiful and varied harvest during the colder months.
