Urban Gardening in Autumn and Winter: What to Plant and Do
- The RHS says most garlic needs one to two months at 0 to 10°C (32 to 50°F) to form good bulbs, which is why it is planted in autumn, 2.5cm (1in) deep and 15cm (6in) apart.
- 'Aquadulce Claudia' is the RHS pick for autumn-sown broad beans, sown in October or November in milder areas, 5 to 7.5cm (2 to 3in) deep.
- Daffodils and crocuses are best planted by the end of September and tulips in November, at two to three times the bulb's own depth.
- Roots in pots are more exposed to cold than roots in the ground, so the RHS advises wrapping containers in bubble polythene or straw and grouping them at the first sign of frost.
- Penn State Extension says most indoor herbs need about six hours of direct sun, or 14 to 16 hours a day under lights placed 15 to 30cm (6 to 12in) away.
Most balcony gardens are abandoned in September, when the tomatoes finish and the basil turns black. That leaves five months in which the pots, the compost and the space are all paid for and doing nothing.
Winter growing in a small space is modest. Growth slows to almost nothing in December and January, and no amount of enthusiasm changes day length. What autumn offers is planting: things that go in now, sit through the cold and crop or flower in spring. This guide gives UK months and US timings by frost date.
What can you still sow and plant, and when?
UK timings below come from RHS growing guides. US timings come from university extension pages and are tied to your first autumn frost or to the ground freezing, because a calendar month means little across a continent. The National Gardening Association's frost date tool gives your dates by ZIP code.
| Crop | UK timing | US timing | Pot and depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garlic ('Solent Wight', 'Germidour') | Mid-autumn to early winter, roughly October to December | October in Maryland; one to two weeks after the first killing frost in Minnesota | Pot at least 25cm (10in) deep; clove tips 2.5cm (1in) below the surface, 15cm (6in) apart |
| Broad beans ('Aquadulce Claudia', dwarf 'The Sutton') | October or November in milder areas, otherwise February | A mild-winter practice; elsewhere sow fava beans in early spring | Container at least 40cm (16in) wide; seeds 5 to 7.5cm (2 to 3in) deep |
| Winter lettuce ('Winter Density') | September or October, under cloches in mild areas | Plant early enough to establish before frost; add 14 days to the packet's days to maturity | Trough at least 30cm (12in) wide |
| Rocket (arugula) | August and September for winter leaves, kept under cover | As for lettuce, with a row cover or cold frame | Trough at least 30cm (12in) wide |
| Daffodils and crocuses | Preferably by the end of September; later is better than never | Before the ground freezes; mid-September to mid-October in Minnesota | Two to three times the bulb's depth, one bulb width apart |
| Tulips | November | Before the ground freezes | Two to three times the bulb's depth |
For US readers, the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map answers a second question: whether a perennial herb will survive your winter outdoors. It is based on average annual extreme minimum temperature, in 10°F zones and 5°F half zones, and you can search it by ZIP code.
How do you grow garlic in a pot?
Garlic is the best-value winter crop for a small space, because it occupies a pot only when nothing else wants it. The RHS garlic guide explains the timing: most varieties need one to two months at 0 to 10°C (32 to 50°F) for good bulb development.
Use a pot at least 25cm (10in) deep, filled with peat-free multi-purpose compost. Split the bulb into cloves, and push each in, pointed end up, with the tip 2.5cm (1in) below the surface and 15cm (6in) between cloves. A 30cm (12in) pot, about 15 litres (4 US gallons), takes four or five.
Buy seed garlic from a garden supplier. The RHS warns against planting supermarket bulbs, which may not suit the climate and carry a biosecurity risk. Its suggested varieties include 'Solent Wight', 'Germidour', 'Cristo' and 'Arno'. Softneck types store longest, potentially for a year. Hardneck types have fewer, larger cloves and a stronger flavour.
In the US, timing runs by frost. University of Minnesota Extension plants one to two weeks after the first killing frost, 5 to 7.5cm (2 to 3in) deep, under 7.5 to 10cm (3 to 4in) of straw or leaf mulch. University of Maryland Extension gives October.
Autumn-planted garlic is ready from late spring to early summer in the UK, and between late June and late July in Minnesota. Keep the pot outdoors all winter, since the cold is the point. Water only if the compost dries out.
Are autumn-sown broad beans worth it on a balcony?
In a mild, sheltered spot, yes. The RHS recommends sowing in October or November, or in February, in milder areas or sheltered sites with well-drained soil. It names 'Aquadulce Claudia' as a good variety for autumn sowing and overwintering.
Wind is the problem at height. 'The Sutton' is a dwarf variety that the RHS calls ideal in containers and windy sites. Sow seeds 5 to 7.5cm (2 to 3in) deep and 15 to 23cm (6 to 9in) apart, in a container at least 40cm (16in) wide, which is roughly 30 litres (8 US gallons).
If your balcony is exposed, high or in a cold part of the country, wait until February. You lose a few weeks of earliness and avoid a pot of frost-blackened seedlings. In much of the US, where winters are harder, fava beans are a spring-sown crop, so check your state extension service's planting calendar.
Which salads grow through winter?
Fewer than seed catalogues imply, and they need to be established before the cold arrives. The RHS lettuce guide suggests a winter variety such as 'Winter Density', sown in September or October under cloches in mild areas. Rocket sown in August and September will crop in winter if kept under cover.
The RHS salad leaves guide advises choosing varieties suited to colder weather, and protecting them with cloches or plastic-free fleece. It lists corn salad 'Cavallo' among its recommended varieties. A clear storage box upturned over a trough does the same job as a cloche on a balcony.
Chard is the reliable standby. The RHS says it survives winter outdoors without protection but stops producing new leaves once temperatures drop. Under a cloche it may give a few leaves in mild spells, and it regrows early in spring.
If you are reading this in November with nothing sown, it is too late for outdoor salad this year. Maryland Extension makes the point for US growers: fall crops often fail because they are planted too late. It suggests adding 14 days to a variety's days to maturity to allow for shorter days. Grow indoors instead.
Microgreens and pea shoots do not care what month it is. Pea shoots are ready three to four weeks after sowing on a windowsill, at 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) tall, by the RHS estimate. The method is in our guide to very small spaces.
When and how do you plant spring bulbs in pots?
Bulbs are the easiest thing on this page. The RHS bulb planting guide says daffodils and crocuses should go in preferably by the end of September, and tulips in November. If you have missed the date, plant anyway. The RHS advice is that late bulbs keep deteriorating in the bag, so get them into compost at once.
For pots the RHS suggests three parts peat-free multi-purpose compost to one part grit. Plant at two to three times the bulb's own depth, so a 5cm (2in) bulb sits 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) down, pointed nose upwards. In containers, space bulbs one bulb width apart.
A deep pot can take two layers: tulips at the bottom, then compost, then crocuses or small daffodils above. The upper bulbs flower first and the tulips push past them weeks later. Keep the compost moist but not waterlogged. Start a potassium-rich liquid feed every 7 to 10 days once shoots appear.
In the US, University of Minnesota Extension advises buying hardy bulbs in August or September and planting promptly, so that roots grow before the ground freezes. In Minnesota that usually means mid-September to mid-October. Warmer states plant later.
How do you protect pots from frost?
A plant that is hardy in the ground can still die in a pot, because its roots sit above ground behind a thin wall of plastic or clay. The RHS rosemary guide spells out the risk: prolonged low temperatures can freeze the compost and roots in the pot.
The Met Office defines an air frost as the air temperature falling to or below freezing, and a ground frost as ice forming on surfaces that are below freezing. Ground frosts arrive first and more often. The RHS advice on preventing winter damage is to act at the first sign of frosts.
Wrap the pot, not only the plant
The RHS suggests wrapping containers in bubble polythene or straw so the roots do not freeze. Hessian (burlap) over the top hides the plastic. For rosemary it also suggests blankets. Add horticultural fleece over the foliage of anything tender.
Group and shelter
Push pots together for what the RHS calls mutual protection, and move them to a dry, sheltered spot. Against the wall of the building, away from the balcony edge, is usually the warmest and least windy place you have.
Keep them on the dry side
The RHS advises watering less in winter, because sodden compost does more harm than cold. Its container maintenance guide suggests moving pots under temporary cover in very wet periods until they dry out a little. Feeding is not necessary in the winter months.
Two smaller points. Choose frost-resistant containers if you are buying new, since ordinary terracotta may crack when wet compost freezes. Take saucers away for the winter so that pots drain freely.
Can you keep herbs going indoors?
Some of them, if you are honest about your light. Penn State Extension says most herbs need about six hours of direct sunlight indoors, near a window with a southern exposure. The alternative is 14 to 16 hours a day under lights placed 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30cm) above the plants.
Window direction makes a large difference. University of Minnesota Extension rates south and southwest windows at more than 1,000 foot-candles, east windows at 250 to 1,000, and north windows at 50 to 250. In a British December even a south-facing sill gets a few hours of direct sun at most.
So choose accordingly. The RHS says potted mint brought indoors in autumn and placed on a sunny windowsill will keep cropping, and that parsley continues given enough light and warmth. Penn State lists chives and coriander (cilantro) as more tolerant of lower light than most.
Basil is the difficult one. It is not hardy in the UK, and Penn State notes that it cannot survive below 50°F (10°C). It wants rooms at 65 to 70°F (18 to 21°C) by day. Without a grow light, winter basil usually grows thin and pale, and buying it is the sensible choice.
If you do buy a light, Minnesota Extension describes LEDs as energy efficient, long-lasting and cool-running. It suggests 12 to 14 hours a day for herbs, with the lamp 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30cm) above the leaves. A plug-in timer saves you from remembering.
Rosemary, thyme and sage are better left outside in a wrapped pot than brought into a heated flat. They are evergreen, and the RHS notes that rosemary can be harvested all year round. Pick lightly in winter, because the plant is not replacing what you take until spring.
What should you do each month from October to February?
The table is written for a UK balcony or doorstep, with the US equivalent in the last column. Treat the months as a guide. A sheltered London courtyard runs weeks ahead of an exposed fourth floor in Leeds, and a Minnesota balcony is not a Georgia one.
| Month | Plant or sow | Look after | US equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | Garlic; broad beans 'Aquadulce Claudia' in mild spots; the last daffodils and crocuses; winter lettuce under a cloche | Bring mint, parsley and basil indoors. Clear finished tomato pots and save the compost for bulbs | Around your first frost: plant garlic and bulbs, and move tender herbs inside before it |
| November | Tulips; more garlic; broad beans if not yet sown | Wrap and group pots at the first sign of frost. Remove saucers. Pot up mint roots indoors for fresh leaves in December | After frost, before the ground freezes: finish bulbs and mulch garlic with straw |
| December | Microgreens and pea shoots on the windowsill | Check wraps after wind. Water outdoor pots only if dry, and do not feed | Deep winter: indoor trays only |
| January | More microgreens; garlic varieties sold for late-winter planting | Wash empty pots and trays. Order seed | Deep winter: plan, order seed and check your zone |
| February | Salad leaves and peas indoors; chillies on a warm sill; broad beans outdoors in mild areas | Watch for bulb shoots and start their feed. Ventilate cloches on mild days | Late winter: start chillies on a warm, bright sill; hold outdoor salads until nearer your last frost date |
The RHS gives February as the start for sowing salad leaves indoors, February or March for peas indoors, and late winter to mid-spring for chillies. By the end of the month the balcony year has started again, and the guide to starting an urban garden takes over.
Questions readers ask
Can herbs survive winter outside in pots?
The woody evergreens usually can in most of the UK: rosemary, thyme, sage and bay, provided the pot drains freely and is wrapped in a cold spell. Mint dies back and regrows from the roots in spring. Parsley dies down outdoors unless covered. Basil will not survive. In the US, check each herb's hardiness zone against your own.
Is it too late to plant bulbs in December?
Late, but plant them anyway if the bulbs are still firm. The RHS advice for missed deadlines is to plant immediately, because bulbs deteriorate in the bag. Expect shorter stems and later flowers in the first spring. Tulips are the most forgiving, since November is their normal planting month.
Do outdoor pots need watering in winter?
Rarely, but not never. Pots against a wall or under a balcony above can sit in a rain shadow and dry out completely, and evergreens keep losing water through their leaves. Check every couple of weeks with a finger. Water in the morning on a mild day, and only if the compost is dry.
Can you grow anything on a windowsill with no direct winter sun?
Microgreens and pea shoots, because they are harvested before light becomes limiting. Most potted herbs will stretch and weaken on a north-facing sill, which Minnesota Extension rates at 50 to 250 foot-candles. A small LED grow light on a timer is the only reliable way around that.
Sources
- Royal Horticultural Society grow-your-own guides: garlic, broad beans, lettuce, rocket, salad leaves, chard, peas, chilli peppers, mint, rosemary. Accessed 21 September 2026.
- Royal Horticultural Society. Bulbs: planting; Preventing winter damage; Container maintenance. Accessed 21 September 2026.
- Met Office. Frost. Accessed 21 September 2026.
- University of Minnesota Extension. Growing garlic; Planting bulbs, tubers and rhizomes; Lighting for indoor plants. Accessed 21 September 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension. Fall vegetable gardening. Accessed 21 September 2026.
- Penn State Extension. Growing herbs indoors. Accessed 21 September 2026.
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Released 15 November 2023.
- National Gardening Association. Frost dates calculator. Accessed 21 September 2026.
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