What I Grew in February in Minnesota: A Greenhouse Reality Check

February in Minnesota. It's -10°F outside. There's two feet of snow on the ground. And inside my greenhouse, I'm harvesting fresh spinach for dinner.

That's not an exaggeration. That's what a quality polycarbonate greenhouse does in a cold climate.

What Actually Grows in a Minnesota Winter Greenhouse

Not tomatoes — let's be honest. February is cold-crop season even inside. But cold crops in a protected structure taste better than anything you've bought at a grocery store in February.

What I harvest in February:

• Spinach — the hardy workhorse. Survives frost. Tastes sweeter when it's cold.
• Kale — almost unkillable. I have Winterbor kale that I've been cutting since October.
• Mâche (corn salad) — tiny, tender, nutty. Perfect winter green.
• Hardy herbs — parsley, chives, some mint that I pot separately to contain it.
• Microgreens — these I grow on a small heated mat under a grow light. Sunflower, pea shoots, radish.

What the Greenhouse Looks Like in February

Inside temperature on a sunny day: 45–55°F. On overcast days: closer to 35–40°F, which is basically the same as a cold fridge.

The frame holds 3+ feet of snow load — I've had snow piled on the roof that I didn't bother shoveling, and it handled it without any issues. The 6mm twin-wall polycarbonate does its job: it keeps the inside noticeably warmer than outside, and more importantly, it protects plants from wind and hard frost.

The Investment That Pays for Itself

I spend about $8/week on salad greens at the grocery store in winter. That's $400 over a five-month Minnesota winter. After two winters, my greenhouse has more than paid for itself in greens alone — and I'm not counting the tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers I grew from May through September.

If You're in a Cold Climate

The question isn't whether a greenhouse works in Minnesota, Vermont, or Michigan. It does. The question is how ambitious you want to be.

Start simple: hardy greens through winter. Add a small space heater or heat mat if you want to push further. Add grow lights for microgreens. Each addition opens up more growing months.

Our Toughest Greenhouse was tested in exactly these conditions — that's why it's rated for 65mph wind and 3+ feet of snow. Free US freight always. Pre-order pricing locked through June 15.