What to Plant in January (UK)

January is the quiet month, and that's no bad thing. The garden is cold and mostly asleep, so this is your chance to plan, order seeds and get a tiny head start indoors. Do a little now and you'll feel miles ahead by spring.

Sow indoors

Only the slow, heat-loving crops need starting this early — and only if you have a warm, bright spot like a heated propagator or a sunny windowsill above a radiator.

• Chillies and peppers — they need a long season, so January is ideal at 18–21°C.
• Aubergines — same story; sow now for a fighting chance of fruit by late summer.
• Onions from seed — sow now if you want larger bulbs than sets will give.
• Early salad leaves — a tray of cut-and-come-again leaves on a windowsill keeps you in greenery.

Sow outdoors

Honestly? Almost nothing. The soil is cold, often waterlogged or frozen, and seeds will rot rather than germinate.

• Broad beans — only in the mildest southern gardens with free-draining soil, and only if you didn't get them in during autumn. See sowing broad beans. Most growers are better off waiting for February or March.
• For everywhere else, leave outdoor sowing well alone this month.

Plant out

• Garlic — if the ground isn't frozen or sodden, you can still get cloves in. Autumn is better, but January planting often catches up.
• Bare-root fruit — raspberries, gooseberries and fruit bushes can go in on a frost-free, workable day while they're dormant.
• Rhubarb crowns — plant dormant crowns now if the soil is open.

Harvest now

The winter veg you (or someone) planted last year is earning its keep:

• Leeks — stand happily in the ground; lift as you need them.
• Kale — sweeter after frost; keep picking the young leaves.
• Brussels sprouts and winter cabbage — at their best right now.
• Parsnips — frost improves their flavour, so dig them fresh.
• Stored roots — carrots, beetroot and onions from store, plus winter salad leaves under cover.

Jobs for January

This is the month that pays off later. A few calm hours now saves panic in spring.

• Order your seeds — catalogues are full and the popular varieties sell out fast.
• Plan your potatoes — buy seed potatoes ready to start chitting towards the end of the month or in early February.
• Force rhubarb — pop a bucket or pot over a crown for tender, early pink stems.
• Plan the plot — sketch where each crop goes and try a simple crop rotation plan.
• Clean and tidy — wash pots, sharpen tools and disinfect the greenhouse on a dry day.
• Improve the soil — spread compost or mulch over empty beds for the worms to work in.
• Check stored crops — remove any roots or onions that are starting to rot before they spread.

New to all this? Our easiest crops for beginners guide is the gentle way in, and how to start a vegetable garden walks you through the basics. To see how every job fits across the year, use the planting calendar and our full month-by-month gardening guide.