*The following information is designed for a temperate southern hemisphere garden – In particular it is designed for a Melbourne garden. This is meant as a general guide, indicating the type of things I plant, sow and harvest. If you have had success with doing things differently then I would love to hear from you and I can update these pages accordingly.*
January is all about the harvest really, there isn’t a huge amount of sowing seeds to be done and other than watering and occasional feeding this month is mostly about reaping the benefits of hard work earlier in the season.
Seeds to Sow (either direct in the garden or in punnets etc):
Beetroot, Beans, Broccoli*, Cabbage*, Cauliflower*, Carrots, Celery, Cucumber**, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Parsley, Radish, Silverbeet, Spring Onion, Sweet corn**, Turnip, Tuscan Kale, Zucchini**
*Brassicas like Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Tuscan Kale can be sown now but will need to be well protected from cabbage white butterflies. They will also need somewhere to live in the garden when big enough and from a planning perspective it may be better to leave sowings until next month. I usually sow Cauliflower, Cabbage and Tuscan Kale in late January but leave the Broccoli until February.
Seedlings to plant out:
Eggplant**, Tomato**
**These crops can still be planted but the harvest will be reduced as they are being planted so late in the season.
Garden maintenance I need to perform:
- Continue to harvest from herbs to ensure good growth.
- Continue to tie up the tomato plants as they grow.
- Mulch, mulch, mulch
- Seed Saving: Silverbeet, Watercress, Lettuce, Chervil, Celery, Parsley
Harvesting now:
Seasonal Plants: Basil, Beans, Cape Gooseberries, Capsicum, Chillies, Cucumber, Eggplant (if you planted very early), Garlic (if you planted yours late), Onions, Potatoes, Shallots, Strawberries, Thai Basil, Zucchini
It should be possible to harvest these plants all year round if correctly succession planted:
Broccoli (but it is very susceptible to pests during the warmer months), Beetroot, Carrots, Celery, Kale, Lettuce, Parsley, Radish, Sage, Silver Beet, Spring Onion, Thyme
