January

January Tips

January can be an excellent time of year to get the allotment in tip top shape, but the ground can often be too wet or frozen making it difficult. However, there’s always work that can be done! If the weather allows, why not try to spend an hour or two in you allotment doing some smaller tasks:

• Get rid of any damaged / rotten veg,
• Harvest your sprouts, parsnips, cabbage, and leeks checking them for damage,
• Take stock of what general maintenance needs to be done –
• Could the shed do with a new coat of varnish or a clean out of the guttering?
• Top up the paths with more stones / bark?
• Does the compost heap and bins need a tidy up?
• Have a good organise of your tools and inventory ready for the spring,
• Treat greenhouses and polytunnels for mould and mildew,
• Weather permitting begin preparing the beds with manure / compost.

January Planting

Towards the end of the month you can start to think about plating:

• Onions,
• Broad beans,
• Lettuce,
• Early carrots,
• Radishes,
• Fruit tress,
• Cauliflower,
• Cabbage,
• Spring onions.

The latter end of January is also the perfect time to start potato chitting.