Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District
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  • Home
  • About
    • About >
      • Staff & Supervisors
    • Donate/Affiliate Membership
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Newsletter >
      • News articles
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Strategic Plan
  • Programs & Services
    • Ag Stewardship >
      • Agriculture Resources
    • Cover Crop Seed Program
    • Drainage
    • Financial Assistance/Cost Share Programs >
      • Invasives Cost Share
      • Landscape Callery Pear Removal Grants
    • Invasive Species >
      • Invasive Trade In Program
      • Landscape Callery Pear Removal Grants
      • Hamilton County Invasives Partnership
    • Map Resources
    • Spring Native Plant Kit Sale
    • Fall Native Sale
    • Rain Barrel Info & Sales
    • Rule 5 Submission
    • Soil Is Alive: Soil Health Trailer
    • Soil Maps & Surveys
    • Soil Testing
    • Stony Creek Feasibility Study
    • Photo Contest
    • Report a Polluter
    • Tool Loan Program
    • Video Resources
    • Water Resources >
      • Well Capping
      • Well Water Testing
  • Urban Conservation
    • Backyard Conservation
    • Landscape with natives
    • Urban Agriculture >
      • Micro-Irrigation
      • Donate Your Vegetables
      • Garden Resources
    • Creating and Maintaining a Prairie
    • Restoring HOA Native Landscapes
    • Stormwater Landscape Maintenance Training
    • Rain Garden Info
    • Seed pack
    • Tree Info
    • Where to buy native plants & seed
  • Events
    • Workshops & Events
    • Rain on Main
    • Pay Dirt Hamilton County
    • Past events & recordings
  • Online Store

Cool Season Vegetables for Central Indiana

Gardeners and experienced farmers call early spring, winter, and late fall "shoulder seasons." Shoulder seasons are outside the typical growing season. Some vegetables grow well during the shoulder seasons. In fact, growing some vegetables in cooler weather has benefits. These include fewer insects, more seasonal moisture, and better taste.

Vegetables that Grow in the Cold
Not every vegetable can grow in cooler and colder temperatures. Below is a list of those that can categorized by their tolerance to cold and frost.

Semi-Hardy Vegetables (Tolerates Light Frost)
Semi-hardy vegetables will tolerate light forest. With a hard frost, these plants need protection from plastic or a cloth to continue growing.
  • Beets
  • Carrot (Spring Planting) (About growing carrots)
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Chard
  • Chinese Cabbage
  • Endive
  • Lettuce
  • Parsnip
  • Potato
  • Salsify

Hardy Vegetables (Tolerates Hard Frost)
Hardy vegetables can be started in the late summer to early fall. It is best to start them indoors and transplant once ready. Growing in a hoop house (small or large) throughout the winter will allow them to continue to grow in most scenarios.
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels
  • Cabbage
  • Collards
  • Kale
  • Kohlrabi
  • Mustard
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Peas
  • Radish
  • Spinach
  • Turnip

Tender Vegetables (Damaged by Light Frost)
A light frost will damage tender vegetables (listed below). You can extend their life by covering them with plastic or cloth in anticipation of frost.
  • Beans
  • Cucumber
  • Sprouts
  • Eggplant
  • Muskmelon
  • Okra
  • Pepper
  • Greens
  • Pumpkin
  • Squash
  • Sweet Corn
  • Sweet Potato
  • Tomato
  • Watermelon
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