JANUARY 2026

Hopefully everyone’s had a good Christmas break. As we are now past the halfway point of January, and therefore the halfway point of winter it’s good to start those wheels turning in the garden with the first moves into the new year. This month I want to give you a gentle reminder and a gentle push of plants that can be begun now and in February.

Firstly the reminder: Bare Root Plants.

For most of us this will probably be bare root Roses, but other plants such as soft fruits are worth thinking about now as nurseries start to despatch in January.

If you are likely to buy roses this year then buy them when bare root, they’ll grow as well as container grown specimens and are about two-thirds of the price. If you know where they will be planted and the outdoor temperature is above freezing then they can be planted into their spots when they arrive. Make sure the union point between the roots and the top growth is about 5cm/2” below the soil surface (I’ll cover more on roses in next month’s Diary).

If you have yet to decide on their final locations find an empty spot of soil in a relatively sheltered location and ‘heel-them-in’. This involves digging a wide but fairly shallow hole, big enough to fit the roots in when the plants are led at a 45 degree angle, a little like a sheaf of wheat. The roots and base of the stems should then be covered and mounded over with a substantial tump of soil to keep them warm and moist whilst awaiting their planting spots. Ensure the covering soil is packed around the roots, but remember also that this is temporary so all nursery labels and binding strings can be left on, and several roses/plants of different types can be put into the same hole together.

Soft fruit plants can also be heeled-in if needed. If you have space and are fond of fruits in summer then in the next month look out for early Strawberries, Raspberries, Currants, Blueberries, and Blackberries. Also keep in mind Rhubarb plants; store these in a sheltered spot and then plant them into their final spot as the soil starts to warm. Should you wish rhubarb can also be grown from seed, which can be sown outdoors in a sheltered spot from February onwards.

So we move onto those things that can be started this month and in February.

Potatoes 

Most potatoes will be planted in their cropping locations in March, however the tubers of the seed potatoes can be chitted from January onwards to encourage the formation of strong shoots. Always buy seed potatoes from a reputable source to be certain they do not carry blight, which would ruin your crop. Chitting gives the potatoes a bit of a head start, and allows you to place the strongest shoots uppermost when planting in March.

Seed Sowing

If you’ve some window sill space or perhaps heated propagators then many first seed sowings can be done at this time, in particular vegetables. This can give slightly earlier crops but will also free up space for other sowings in later months.

Checked packeted varieties for sowing dates but look for crops such as Broad Beans, Early Peas, Calabrese (the large green-headed Broccoli), Brussel Sprouts, Early Spring Cabbage, Summer/Autumn Cauliflower, Aubergine, Cucumbers, Melons, Leeks, Onions, Tomatoes, Radish, Sweet & Chilli Peppers, Pak Choi. As always with vegetables sow the crops you actually want to eat, unless you want them for ornamental display. In my experience a vegetable patch tends to fill up quickly.

Lemongrass, Rosemary and Sage can also be sown now ready for use in summer. 

In terms of flowers ready for summer, but often flowering long into autumn think Cosmos, summer-flowering Pansy, Pelargonium, Marigolds, Lobelia, Strawflower (Helichrysum) and Nasturtiums. 

The main sowings to do now are Sweet Peas for a real scented treat in spring and summer. If space is tight then sow them into one pot and move them on as they germinate and develop. At Blackbrook we have the luxury of a decent amount of space for propagation, though this quickly disappears every year! Each sweet pea seed is sown into an individual module where it will stay for the next month or so, and this year we have 60 plants to find spots for.

Keep any seed sowings in a well-lit area to prevent elongation of the stems. Rotate the pots and trays should the shoots start bending toward the light, and make sure they stay moist rather than wet. If possible allow the water to soak up from below when watering.

These jobs should give you a gentle easing into the new year as we await the warming of spring.