January is a long, cold month. As a gardener, I struggle to contain my eagerness to get seeds into the ground at this time of year. I long for the lush, green growth of spring and summer and grow increasingly impatient with every passing frost filled morning. There are lot of gardening jobs to be getting on with, but seeds are on every gardeners mind right now!
January is not the best time to start seeds, particularly if you don’t have a heated greenhouse or grow lights. There’s not enough light, not enough heat and (personally) not enough window sill space in my house to grow anything. However, if you are absolutely determined to start some seeds, there are a few that will grow now.
HARDY FLOWER SEEDS:
Some of the more hardy flower varieties can be started undercover now. These include:
- Lathyrus odoratus Sweet Pea.
- Lathyrus latifolius Perennial Sweet Pea.
- Daucus carota Wild Carrot.
- Daucus carota ‘Dara’
- Achillea millefolium.
- Alchemilla mollis.
- Echinops ritro.
- Gaura lindheimeri.
GREENHOUSE VEGETABLE SEEDS:
The following vegetable seeds can be sown in a heated greenhouse now if you’re lucky enough to have one!
- Aubergines
- Summer Cabbages
- Cauliflower
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Salad Onions
- Turnips
- Chillis
OUTDOOR SEEDS:
Honestly, the only things I would dare put outside in January in London are:
- Broadbeans (Though still cover with fleece or cloche)
- Onion sets
- Garlic
- Spring bulbs (might still grow with some luck)
Best advice I can give, as someone who has sown everything too early during my first year on the allotment, is to wait. Plants grow quickly and though it can feel really difficult to wait, it is usually the best course of action. There is nothing more disheartening than sowing too early and having it all die on you before the growing year has even got started!
