WHAT TO GROW IN JANUARY

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It is winter in the North (New York). As a retiree I became a snow bird. Now I winter in Tampa, Florida from January to May. It is time to prepare the growing boxes in the Tampa for a successful growing season here. January is a good time to grow vegetables.

There are a few notes. When growing vegetables in a garden make sure you find the sunniest spot to grow vegetables. They need 6 to 8 hours of sun daily. Make each growing bed 4 feet wide. You can reach the bed from all the sides. Use good quality soil. Fill up the box with good soil. Use organic matter. Use good compost. Make sure each there is enough water to water your box on a regular basis.

Plan your garden careful. There are cool crop vegetables. Herbs you can grow in January. Cilantro is very easy to grow in January. Dill is another herb you can grow in January. Lemon Balm is a third herb that grows well in January.

Peas are great vegetable to grow in January. Fava beans grow very nice in January. They grow well. You can also plant lettuces, and roots vegetables like beets, carrots, turnips. You can also plant kale and broccoli. They have strong stem that can stand winds and critters. Plant the seeds 4 to 6 inches apart 1 to 2 inches deep. Keep the soil moist and it will germinate quickly.

I have 2 boxes in a community garden in my new neighborhood. I am planting herbs and vegetables in them. I will keep you update of the progress of the boxes.