Vegetable Gardening | How to Grow a January Vegetable Garden
January in the vegetable garden. The weather can be dark, bleak and cold and not very inviting. So is there anything we can be doing in the kitchen garden or vegetable garden in January? Absolutely yes, to begin with there is vegetable garden planning for the next year of abundance. If not already in existence begin by planning your vegetable garden layout and rotation system to ensure the same crops are not grown in the same beds year after year which will help prevent disease build-up.
Second part of your planning should be choosing vegetable varieties that you intend to grow and order the seed.
Also part of your disease prevention programme should be clearing up any remaining crops that are finished in the vegetable garden and general plant debris.
Continue a regime of digging over your vegetable plot and incorporate as much compost and / or well rotted manure as you have available to you.
Remember that slugs still need food and your growing vegetables will be targets. Mice will have a great time if they get into your stored crops.
Brussels Sprouts
Continue to harvest Brussels Sprouts and remember that there are many ways to cook and enjoy this vegetable.
If any Brussels sprouts stalks appear tall and vulnerable to wind rock take the precaution of earthing them up. Nothing worse than going down to the vegetable plot only to see your Sprouts lying on the ground getting full of soil and grit that no amount of washing seems to remove!
Remove yellowing leaves to prevent the spread of grey mould and brassica downy mildew.
When picking, take the biggest sprouts from low down first.
Rhubarb
If you cannot wait to eat those fresh sticks of rhubarb then January is the time to start forcing rhubarb.
To force rhubarb place a large container that will exclude light, such as a bucket, dustbin or made for purpose forcing jar over the crown to encourage the fresh shoots to grow.
For extra warmth put manure or straw over the top.
Chicory and seakale can be forced in a similar manner.
Broad Beans
In milder areas to have broad beans ready to plant out in spring, sow now in pots and put them in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Protect from mice.
Onions
If growing onions from seed rather than sets (small bulbs) sow now in a heated propagator and they will be ready to plant out in March. Onions from seed need a long growing season.
Potatoes
Order seed potatoes.
Crops to Harvest
- Brussels Sprouts
- Parsnips
- Celeriac
- Sprouting Broccoli
- Turnips
- Leeks
- Swedes
- Jerusalem Artichokes
Warm Your Soil
Tunnel cloches, bought or home made, and polythene sheet are ideal to cover the soil to prepare the ground for early sowings of Lettuce, Radish, Peas, Broad Beans, Spinach, Salad Onions.
Stored Vegetables
Place mice controls near stored vegetables.
Regularly check stores and remove any rotting or mouldy specimens.
Vegetable Seeds to Sow in January
Vegetable seeds that can be started in January for planting out in February and for early cropping include:
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Radish
- Spinach
- Salad Onions
- Turnip
Raised Garden Bed
If you intend to grow your vegetables in raised garden beds next season, January is not too late to build your beds if not already completed.
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