January Doesn't Ask Much

January doesn’t ask much of you. Most of the garden is resting, and so, honestly, can you. But there’s a quiet kind of momentum to be had in the depths of winter — a few trays on a windowsill now mean a head start come spring.

Sow now (indoors)

Chillies and aubergines want the longest run-up of anything you’ll grow this year, so an indoor sowing now on a bright windowsill or under lights is worth it if you want a real harvest by late summer. Broad beans can go into pots in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Sweet peas sown now, given a cool, bright spot, will be sturdier than spring-sown ones.

Plant out

Little to nothing goes outside this month — the ground is cold and often waterlogged. Bare-root roses, fruit trees and hedging can still be planted while they’re dormant, weather permitting (skip it if the ground is frozen or sodden).

Harvest

Leeks, parsnips, and any winter brassicas (kale, sprouts, purple sprouting broccoli coming into its own) are still there for the digging. A hard frost sweetens parsnips, so don’t rush them.

Protect

Check fleece and cloches after any hard frost or heavy snow — weight from snow can snap canes and collapse structures. Bring the last of any tender pots under cover if you haven’t already. If you have a pond, don’t let the surface freeze over completely — float a ball on the water or use a pond heater; never smash the ice to “let air in”, since the shockwave can harm fish and other wildlife.

General jobs

Order your seeds before the good varieties sell out. Clean and sharpen tools. Chit early potatoes on a windowsill if you’re keen to plant in March. If you have a greenhouse, give the glass a clean — more light in means healthier growth for everything you sow this year.

This weekend

If you only do one thing: sow a tray of chillies. Everything else can wait a few more weeks, but chillies can’t.

Timing shifts by region — sow and plant roughly 2–3 weeks later if you’re in the North, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.