Education Center
Winter Growing Basics
Winter growing involves the use of a top, transparent material to capture sunlight and heat a growing area during the day, while covering plants with additional layers of insulative cover at night. Download the winter growing guide below for more information on how to prepare your garden for winter.
Planting Dates for Winter Harvest Crops — With Nov. 9 Persephone Period
About the Persephone Period
The key to scheduling your winter harvest plantings is to identify the date by which your day length has decreased to 10 hours on its trajectory to the winter solstice. It is during this darkest time of the year — referred to by Eliot Coleman as the Persephone Period — that growth slows to a glacial rate for most crops.
The goal is to seed your plants so they are about 75% mature by the time you enter the Persephone Period. Though plants may not grow appreciably thereafter — that is, until day length has again increased to more than 10 hours — they can be harvested as needed as long as their maturity holds.
Winter Harvest Planting Guide [pdf]
Resources for Gardeners
- Planning Your Garden
- Planting Timeline
- Seed Starting & Transplanting
- Container Gardening
- Raised Beds
- Composting Tools & Site Selection
- Weeding Tips
- “A Pocket Guide to Common Diseases in the Urban Garden“ by Dr. Rachel Naegele and Dr. Mary Hausbeck
- Roto Tilling Options
- Seeds Saving