Blog

Happy New Year! The start of a new gardening year is always a time to reflect an what worked well last year and to take time to think of what you wish to do better this year and what new plants you may want to grow.

1. 1. If not done so already, use the long winter evenings to browse seed catalogues or web sites and make your seed order. I always like growing a few old favourites and adding a few new varieties each year for that added interest. This year there are many new and exciting varieties to choose from in both Flowers and Vegetables, all tried and tested by the Kings Horticultural team.
   Who knows, those new additions may become old favourites in the future.
   
   
2. 2. If you didn’t get the chance to sow your Sweet Pea seeds in a cold frame back in October or November, there’s still time. You can sow sweet pea seeds this month under glass with very little heat or on a warm windowsill. I like to sow mine into small pots or root trainers filled with a good seed sowing compost and germination usually starts within 10-14 days.
   
3. 3. Gardeners are always looking ahead, so despite it being January, I will be making my first sowings of summer bedding flowers. If you want to grow Geraniums or Begonias, these can be sown in a heated propagator or a warm place indoors at a minimum constant temperature of 21C (70F). Geranium seed should be lightly covered with a sprinkling of fine grade vermiculite. But as Begonia seed is like dust, this needs light to germinate, and is best sown on the surface of the compost with no covering at all. We recommend using a good quality seed sowing compost like Kings Seeds own brand peat freer Seed sowing compost, and please remember to always water seeds and seedlings with clean tap water. Do not use water taken from a water butt. If you have got the heated propagator on, make use of it for sowing some Chilli and sweet Peppers. These require heat to germinate and require a long growing season. The earlier you sow, the sooner the fruits will be ready to harvest this year.
   
   
4. 4. Seed potatoes will start to be delivered from this month. As soon as they arrive, lay the tubers out in seed trays in a light, frost-free place. This will enable the tubers to start chitting (producing small green shoots) ready for planting out in spring. Remember, potatoes should be ordered before 31st January!
   
   
5. 5. January is a good time of year to plan your vegetable plot. Make sure you are not growing the same crops in the same place as last year. Crop rotation is very important to prevent the build-up of soil-borne diseases like club root on brassicas or white rot on onions. In simple terms, split your plot into three if possible. Try to grow all your brassicas in a block together. Legumes, like peas and beans; then onions and any root crops and sweetcorn together. This makes planning and crop rotation easier each year.
   
   
6. 6. Check on stored tubers of Dahlias. Make sure there are no signs of rot appearing. If you do see any signs of rot, and it can easily be removed, cut it away cleanly with a sharp knife and dust the wound with yellow sulphur. This will help heal the wound and stop it spreading to the rest of the tubers in store. If any tubers are very badly affected, the only answer is to throw them away and buy some new ones for this year, we have plenty available to choose from in our 2026 Spring Catalogue, available on line or Request a Copy.
   
   
7. 7. If you can’t wait for the taste of fresh peas in the summer, why not try sowing a few pea seeds for Pea shoots. Theses can be sown in pots or trays of compost or even on damp Kitchen roll. These will quickly germinate on a warm windowsill and you can cut the shoots when 7-10cm tall and add to salads or stir-fries and these tasty young shoots will have the sweet flavour of fresh peas.
   
   
8. 8. If you didn’t get all your winter digging finished by the end of December last year, make the most of any dry days this month to get on with this important job, so you are all ready for the spring. Only dig if the soil is not waterlogged or frozen, if it is wait until it dries out.
   
   
9. 9. If you are lucky enough to have a cold greenhouse, cold frame, polytunnel or conservatory, you can make an early sowing of a few salad crops. I like to sow some Radish or baby salad leaves in pots or troughs this month, as this will give me some early fresh salads to enjoy within about 40-50 days from sowing. Remember when sowing at this time of year to still ventilate these growing spaces on dry days so they do not get a build-up of stagnant air, which can cause Botrytis and mould.
   
   
10. 10. On wet days, retreat to the shed and greenhouse and spend the time washing Pots and trays, so you are fully prepared for all the seeds and plants you wish to grow this year.