Allotment & Gardening in January: A Quiet Start to the Year

January is a great time to take a step back and plan ahead for the year in your allotment and garden. While growth slows down, there’s still plenty to be done—whether it’s preparing for the growing season or tackling the last of the winter harvests. It’s a quiet month, but there’s a lot of potential for getting a head start on the year ahead.

Allotment Tasks to Tackle in January:

The colder weather means it’s a good time to focus on tasks like organising tools, checking greenhouse structures, and planning your planting schedule for the spring. Use this time to tidy up, tidy up compost bins, and make sure everything is in order before the busier months hit. You can also check any raised beds or planters and start organising your seed collection.

What to Grow and Harvest:

Though it’s still early, certain vegetables can be started indoors, such as leeks, onions, and early brassicas. For outdoor growing, it’s a great time to plant bare-root fruit trees or bushes, like apples, pears, and raspberries. If the weather allows, you can harvest root vegetables such as parsnips, leeks, and winter greens like kale or cabbage. It’s also the time for planting early potatoes toward the end of the month, if you’re feeling adventurous.

January is all about preparing for the growing season while also enjoying the peace and quiet of the allotment as the year begins.

Recommended Video

Looking for ideas on what to sow in January? Jim from Down to Earth with Jim talks you through what to plant this month. Dont forget to give him a like and follow!