Risky Business: Planting in January

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If you’re supposed to make hay while the sun shines, shouldn’t you also plant seeds when the ground is tilled? Even if it is January?

I was able to plant 3 types of turnips, kohlrabi, mustard greens, cabbage collards, kale, daikon radishes, and lettuce. The center box has Yukon Gold potatoes on the left, red potatoes on the right.

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I planted my rows east to west this time, and scattered seeds in wide rows. These winter greens and root veggies don’t need much cultivation, so I just left about 6 inches for me to navigate between rows. The less bare ground there is, the less area weeds have available, especially since I am not going to mulch the little paths.

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My husband mulched the center path with these leaves from somebody else’s yard, anybody recognize the type of tree?

We’ve had some nice rain, some pounding rain, and varying temps, so we’ll see how it goes. I planted carrots too, but I have had such a tough time with them. I planted a Kaleidescope variety of colors, so it will be fun if I actually get to harvest them.

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After the pounding rain, I checked on the seeds, and of course noticed some that had been washed into low spots, but was excited to see some of the daikons had started to sprout. I’m really hoping for some great vegetables from this garden. Fall/winter can be a great gardening time in North Florida. What about you? Are you snowed in for the week?

I recently did a woodland themed cake for a baby shower and plan to share that with you soon.

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12 responses »

  1. Can’t wait to start planting seeds in the house in a month or two. Michigan hasn’t gotten much snow this winter (knock on wood), but it’s cold. Wish we had more than one gardening season.

    • I love it so much! Planting more winter crops will also help me from trying to start my tomatoes and peppers too early- there’s no room for them now! I may just jump into summer crops. Squash is usually a bust anyway.

      • We have a lot of problems with squash that the last few years. Either the harvest is very small, the blossoms fall off or die young, or just a few babies. Every once in a while will find some granddaddy growing in the back. 😃 Tomatoes on the other hand have been are bumper crop most years. Look forward to planting those. I have been using all my frozen blanched tomatoes to make chili this winter. With the cold winter we had it’s been wonderful.

      • I’ve had more success in the fall with squash. Hoping for lots of tomatoes to can or freeze this summer. I love a bowl of spicy chili.

      • We had the strangest thing with pumpkins here (Mid-Missouri) last year. Healthy vines, LOADS of flowers, never a single fruit on any vine. I checked the flowers, the all looked female?! Our first try with pumpkins. Wondered if maybe it was because the seeds all came from a single fruit?

      • It was bizarre. I wondered if I missed the males and somehow nothing got pollinated. Oh well, try try again! 🙂

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