January Jobs

Even though the passing of the winter solstice gave us a little boost and light is gradually increasing day by day, on these wet, short, dark days the best use of your time is to be spent planning and organising for the productive year ahead. Like most people I like to take time to reflect in January and contemplate the year ahead and I always without fail, sort and organise my seed tins! Deciding what you are going to grow and taking time to carefully plan your crop rotation and when you can start sowing. 

 

January is a great time for preparation not just for your beds but your potting shed too, so spending time cleaning and fixing tools as well as clearing out and cleaning greenhouses is time well spent. And you will be glad you took care of this when light levels begin to increase and the real fun begins.

 

January sow

 

Providing the soil isn’t frozen you can start to sow hardy winter lettuce, mustard salads and broad beans direct, perhaps providing some protection either with a cloche or horticultural fleece. And there is plenty of sowing indoors you can do too

• chillies 

• peppers 

• aubergines 

• basil 

• cauliflower

• rocket

• coriander

 

And if you are really feeling the bug to sow then why not sow some micro greens on the kitchen window ledge, they are a great source of nutrients and really pack a punch.

 

January grow

 

This dormant period of the year is also a great time to make changes and move any perennials, making sure that you give them a good water and mulch in their new positions.

 

It’s not too late to get your

• garlic,

• shallots 

• onions 

 

You can also be planting out fruit tree saplings or bare root fruit shrubs such as

• apples

• blueberries

• raspberries 

• whitecurrants 

 

January harvest

 

Despite the cold wet month January can be quite bountiful;

• carrots,

• winter cabbage 

• brussel sprouts

• chard 

• kale 

• leeks 

• parsnips 

• swede