Kickstart Your New Year with These Must-Do January Garden Tasks

January can bring some of the coldest temperatures of the year. So, outdoor gardening might not be on your list of priorities. However, January is the perfect time for garden tasks regardless of your growing zone.

For all you gardeners in cooler climates, think of January as your garden prep time. With a new year at hand, it’s an opportunity to dream, plan, and prepare for a successful year of gardening.

Now is the time to review your seed inventory and order fresh seeds in time to start seeds indoors if needed. As you review last season, you can decide what to do again and what changes to make.

• What did you plant? 

• What do you need for next season? 

• New varieties you want to try?

• What favorites do you always need on hand?

January is a perfect time to inspect your weeding tools and see what worked well and what might need upgrading. It’s also important to clean and sharpen pruners and shovels. 

Make sure you have grow lights, heat mats, seed starting mix, and all the trays and containers you’ll need to start growing seeds indoors. 

Clean and sanitize containers you will be reusing to reduce the growth of pathogens. First, wash everything off with soap and water, and remove all visible soil. Then, sanitize with a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar. You can also use a 10% bleach solution or spray with hydrogen peroxide.

Your indoor plants may need some extra TLC in January. With low light conditions, they may be dormant. Indoor plants like coleus and sensitive plant are tropicals that appreciate adequate humidity. If your plants get too dry, you can increase the humidity by placing a humidifier nearby or placing plants on trays with stones and water.

January can be a good time to plan big projects you have in mind, such as installing fencing or changing the garden layout. Take the time to plan out the steps, and then start putting your plan in place.

As you go through your seeds and decide what to plant next, you can sketch out your garden plan and decide where each variety will go. This garden plan will help you know what to plant where. Use your garden plan along with our Seed-Starting Planner to know when to start your seeds indoors or direct sow outside.

The perfect time to start winter sowing is after the winter solstice, usually December 21.

• Seeds to Winter Sow: milkweed, lavender, sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias, evening primrose, chives, dill, parsley, sage, catnip, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi, kale, bok choy 

You’ll appreciate strong tomato cages that can hold up the weight of those 1 to 2-lb Beefsteak Tomatoes. If you’re looking for a reliable DIY option that will last for years and easily folds to store, follow our step-by-step instructions for our favorite tomato cages.

January is the perfect time to be growing microgreens. They are quick and easy to grow and so healthy for you. You’ll love having these colorful greens ready to add to your plate.

In climates with mild winters, you can tackle many garden tasks in January. Depending on how mild of winters you get, you may be both harvesting and planting. Beets and broccoli planted in a fall garden may be ready to eat. January is also a good time to review your garden plans and start seeds indoors.

In warmer climates such as California, Texas, and Florida, you can do all the same garden tasks as above and also:

If you have crops growing in January, you will want to stay on top of weeds. Even if your garden is bare, now is a good time to eradicate weeds before you plant.

January is often a time of dormancy for perennials, which makes it the perfect time to prune. Rose bushes, asparagus, and other perennials can be cut back before they start their spring growth. 

Poppies, pansies, sweet peas, and alpine strawberries can be planted in cool weather. This means January is the perfect time for sowing these seeds outdoors in mild climates.

In climates where spring comes early, January is the perfect time to start seeds indoors so they’re ready for transplanting. Here are some seeds you can sow indoors in January:

• Onions

• Broccoli

• Kohlrabi

• Pansies

• Cabbage

• Tomatoes

Every 2 or 3 years, you should do a soil test. If your ground isn’t frozen, now would be a good time to get your samples to test.