January is an ideal time to prepare for your vegetable patch. Some crops can even be started indoors or under cover:

• Onions & Leeks: Sow seeds in trays or pots under cover to give them a head start. Varieties like ‘Globo’ for onions or ‘Pandora’ for leeks are ideal for early sowing.
• Early Potatoes: If you have space, plant a few seed potatoes in large pots in a greenhouse or polytunnel for an early crop. Alternatively, start chitting seed potatoes in egg cartons on a bright, frost-free windowsill.
• Asparagus Beds: Feed and mulch asparagus crowns if you missed this task in autumn. Use well-rotted manure or a balanced fertilizer to encourage vigorous spring growth.
• Dwarf French Beans: If you have a slightly heated greenhouse, sow beans in pots now for an early crop. Varieties like ‘Adoration’ or ‘Tender Green’ work well for quick germination.
• Broad Beans: In milder climates, sow broad bean seeds like ‘Super Aquadulce’ in pots or directly into well-drained soil for a robust spring harvest.
• Stored Crops: Check stored vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions to ensure they remain in good condition. Remove any that show signs of rot to prevent it spreading.
• Forced Vegetables: Start forcing chicory and seakale by covering crowns with pots or buckets and surrounding them with manure for warmth. This will produce tender, blanched shoots for early harvests.
• Carrots: In a cold frame or polytunnel, sow early varieties such as ‘Nelson, Nantes or Adelaide’ for a spring crop. Use cloches to keep soil temperatures consistent.
• Spinach & Salad Leaves: Sow hardy spinach, winter lettuce, or salad mixes under cover for fresh greens during the cold months. Varieties like ‘Winter Density or Winter King’ lettuce and ‘Perpetual Spinach’ perform well in cooler weather.
• Tool Care: Sharpen, clean, and oil cutting tools like secateurs and shears. Give spades, forks, and hoes a thorough clean, and treat wooden handles with linseed oil to extend their lifespan.
• Greenhouse & Cold Frame Maintenance: Clean glass, plastic panels, and frames to allow better light penetration and remove pests or fungi. Wash all pots and trays in preparation for early sowing.
• Shed Organisation: Take stock of your gardening supplies. Repair or replace broken canes, nets, and other essentials. A thorough tidy-up might even reveal lost treasures!
• Plan Ahead: Use gloomy days to browse seed catalogues and create a list of seeds, bulbs, and tubers for the year ahead. Now is also a great time to restock on labels and compost.