Sowing Seeds for Your Winter Crop

Sowing Seeds In Late Summer/Early Fall & Preparing For Winter

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson

If you grow in a greenhouse or even if you have an outdoor garden threatened by winter snow, you should be sowing seeds for your winter crops in late summer or early fall.

If you sow in late August to early September*, your seeds will germinate and grow into well established plants by November, before the snow really starts to fly.

*Climate Change reality: October is the new September. There is still time to sow for winter if you get started now

First, if you live in a mild climate, you might be able to harvest some plants throughout the winter. You can protect them with straw or row covers.

If you are unable to harvest, at least you will have established plants when the snow melts, and a significant head start on your spring planting and spring eating.

Second, if you’re contemplating getting a Growing Dome® this fall, the key is to start sowing seeds in flats now. 

By the time you install and prepare your Growing Dome with soil, your plants will be up and ready to transplant into your new indoor beds. Get started now and have fresh greens and produce all winter long.

You Can Now Create Your Own Online Growing Dome Quote

Use this helpful Get a Quote tool to identify the perfect size and price of Growing Dome for your growing needs. There is no obligation.

Simply follow this link to Discover Your Return on Investment for 20 years of fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers, all year-round.

With your custom quote in hand, come back here and find your Starting and Transplanting Vegetable Guide below.

sowing seeds in a raised bed

Starting and Transplanting Vegetable Crops

Easily survive transplanting – can be sown in flats or pots.

  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Collards
  • Strawberries
  • Lettuce
  • Peppers – must be transplanted in CO
  • Tomatoes – must be transplanted in CO
  • Eggplant – must be transplanted in CO

Require care in transplanting – can be sown in flats, pots, or in final destination.

  • Kale
  • Kohlrabi
  • Watermelon (does better than other melons generally)
  • Spinach
  • Parsley
  • Chard
  • Mustards
  • Celery – requires care in transplant, but recommend transplanting in CO due to long season growing needs (very slow growing).
  • Leeks – ok to transplant, but require care.  ~95 days to maturity after transplant, 125 after direct seeding. Transplant starts when leeks are about pencil thick. Leeks need to be hilled or mounded during growth.

Difficult to transplant – only sow in final destination.

  • All root crops
  • Carrots
  • Radishes
  • Beets
  • Beans
  • Corn
  • Cucumbers – especially susceptible to transplant shock
  • Cantaloupe and other melons – especially susceptible to transplant shock
  • Okra
  • Peas
  • Squash and pumpkins – especially susceptible to transplant shock
  • Turnips

We hope you find this information helpful. Look out for our next blog post and video on thinning and transplanting.

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Growing Spaces
The staff at Growing Spaces enjoys sharing with you. We hope you enjoyed this article!

10 Comments

  • Hi
    Do you have any domes in Michigan that I can check out?
    Leaning towards a 18 foot dome
    Who have you sold them to in Michigan ?
    Thank you
    Dave

  • Please help me I live in the desert. Can’t even grow cactus! Tried pot growing still everything dies, trying to pack up to move, in the mean time I’d like to learn how to grow fruits and vegetables. Thank you so much Dorothy Thies

    • Hello Dorthy,

      We have a desert cooling package that would allow you to grow in the desert. Our kits also come with a 50% shade cloth that helps reflect and block some light, and therefore IR radiation, keeping the growing dome cool in hot temperatures. You can also check out southwest-solar. They manufacture solar swamp coolers that can be added to our kit after construction to inject cool air, even when it is hot out. Evaporative cooling and shade is the answer when growing food in the desert.

    • Thank you for appreciating our content and product Robert. We have several different sizes, so if you are limited on space, check out the 15′ Growing Dome. The 15′ can fit into very small yards and ends up on roofs sometimes too!

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