January Planting Guidance

January is a great time to tick off a few gardening jobs before everything starts to ramp up around March.  Here's your monthly guide to get your January Willowherb box all planted up.

Video guidance coming soon

Summer Planting Trio

The lilies, Agastache and erigeron will look fabulous all together.  The lilies are pretty easy and can simply be planted where you intend them to stay.  You can do the same with the seeds but I’ll describe how to start them off in seed trays and then prick them out.  That way you can look after them carefully and you won’t mix them up with weeds. 

Lilies

Lilies need good drainage and full sun in summer, ideally with their feet cool, heads in the sunshine.  So pick a spot that meets those criteria and if you’re gardening on heavy clay they may be better in a pot.

Planting Lilies in Borders

If planting in borders, plant quite deep – about 20cm (8”) depth.  Mark where they are with a plant label.  Plant them together in a group leaving about 20cm (8") between the bulbs.  Water lightly to settle the soil.

Planting Lilies in Pots

1. Part-fill a large pot either with a mix of John Innes No. 3 and horticultural grit or with peat-free multi-purpose compost leaving about 15cm to the top.  

2. Position your lily bulbs on the surface together in a group - picture how the Agastache and Erigeron will look with them.  Either put the lilies towards the back of the pot or in the centre.  Remember that the lilies will have a shorter flowering period than the others in this trio.

3. Cover with a 15cm layer of compost, filling almost to the top.

4. Add a thin layer of horticultural grit on the top.

5. Place in a cool, bright, sheltered spot such as an unheated greenhouse, a cold frame, or adjacent to a house wall.  Or put them in their final position if it’s relatively sheltered.  

6. Keep compost moist but not too wet.

7. Move them to their final position in spring.

Agastache and Erigeron
Both of these have tiny seeds so it’s too tricky to station sow them.  For a really easy life you can sprinkle them on the surface of pre-watered soil where you want them to grow and just press lightly so they have contact and stick to the soil.  Or if you want to keep a close eye on them, start them off in seed trays as follows.

What you’ll need

• Seed tray / home-made paper pots / old fruit trays
• Seed compost (fine textured, low nutrient)
• Vermiculite/horticultural grit (optional but helpful)
• Watering can with a fine rose (optional but helpful)
• Labels (always!)

1. Prepare your seed tray

• Fill trays with seed compost.
• Tap the tray gently to settle the compost.
• Level the surface (don’t firm it down hard) so the seeds will all be at the same height in the tray.

2. Sow the seeds

• Both types of seeds are tiny and also need light.  The Erigeron seeds have a special green covering to make them a bit easier to handle and easier to see.
• Sprinkle the seeds very thinly on the surface.
• They need light to germinate, so do not cover with compost.
• A light dusting of vermiculite is optional — it lets light through but keeps moisture even.  I’ve had success with these seeds with a light covering of horticultural grit as another option.  Otherwise, lightly press the seeds onto the compost so they have good contact.

3. Water gently and label

• Water from below if possible: stand the tray in a shallow tray of water until the surface darkens.
• If watering from above, use a fine mist to avoid dislodging the seeds.
  
• Label the seeds.

4. Put them out

• Place somewhere bright and sheltered.  Both of these types of seeds are happy with a cold spell and you can put them outside as long as it’s not somewhere too windy or wet.  Alternatively, a cool windowsill or unheated greenhouse works well.
• You can leave the seed trays open, or cover with a clear lid or sheet of glass to keep off too much rain and maintain humidity.  If you do this, remove the lid daily for a few minutes to prevent damping off.
• Remove the lid once the seedlings are up.
• Keep the compost moist, never wet.
• The seeds should germinate between about 1-4 weeks, usually with the Agastache coming up first.

5. Pricking out / potting on

When seedlings have at least two true leaves:

• Lift them gently with a dibber or pencil.  Handle by the leaves, not the stems.
• Transplant into individual modules or 9cm pots.

I sometimes skip this step and still get lovely plants, either leaving them in their seeds trays until late spring or potting them on straight to the pot with the lily bulbs in.

6. Planting out

Between March and May when you’ve got healthy little plants, transplant them to their final positions, either in a sunny bed or a large pot with the lily bulbs.  

 

Sowing Tomatoes Indoors

For the tomatoes, follow a similar principle to the Agastache and Erigeron, with a few key differences.  You will need to sow these indoors: tomatoes need warmth to germinate, although Sungold germinates happily with gentle warmth.  If you’ve got a heated propagator, great, but it’s fine if you don’t.

What you’ll need

• Seed tray / modular tray / home-made paper pots
• Seed compost (fine, low nutrient)
• Clear lid or propagator top or just a clear plastic bag
• Spray bottle or fine rose watering can (optional but helpful)
• Labels
• A warm spot (18–22°C) for germination

1. Prepare your modules / seed tray

• Fill each cell, pot or the seed tray with seed compost.
• Tap to settle the compost.
• Level the surface so the seeds will sit evenly.

2. Station sow the seeds

• Place one seed per module or arrange around the seed tray — Sungold F1 seeds are precious, so this avoids waste.
• Make a shallow 3–5mm indentation with your fingertip or a dibber.
• Drop the seed in and lightly cover with a pinch of compost.
  

3. Water gently

• Water from below or use a fine rose to water from above.
• The compost should be evenly moist, never soggy.

4. Cover and place somewhere warm

• Add a clear lid or propagator top or pop a clear plastic bag over the top to hold humidity.
• Place the tray somewhere 18–22°C — an airing cupboard is often too warm; a fairly warm room is ideal.
• Remove the cover for a few minutes each day
• Tip: Tomatoes don’t need light to germinate, but they do need warmth.

5.    Germination

• Sungold usually germinates in 7–15 days.
• As soon as seedlings appear, remove the lid and move them to the brightest spot you have - a south facing windowsill is perfect.
• Important: If they don’t get enough light, they’ll stretch and become leggy.

 6. Growing on in modules

• Keep the compost lightly moist.
• Turn every few days so seedlings grow upright.
• Once seedlings have two true leaves, they’re ready for potting on but no great rush here.

7. Potting on

• Move each seedling into a 9cm pot with fresh compost.
• Plant them deeply — bury the stem up to the first leaves.  Tomatoes root along their stems, so this makes stronger plants.

8. Hardening off (April–May)

• Start giving plants a few hours outside each day.
• Increase gradually over 10–14 days.
• Protect from frost — tomatoes are tender.

9. Planting out (Late April - late May)

• Plant into greenhouse beds, large pots, or growbags.
• Space plants 40–50cm apart.
• Stake or string them immediately — Sungold is vigorous.
  

 

Planting Paperwhite Daffodils for a Spring Display

1. Preparing Pots and Compost

• Pick a container you’re happy to display indoors once the bulbs are in flower.
• Add compost: Fill the bottom of the pot with compost (bulb fibre or multi purpose both work).  Leave enough space at the top so the bulbs will sit with their tops at the surface.

2. Plant the Bulbs

• Position the bulbs: Gently press the bulbs onto the compost.  Place them close together for a full display, but avoid letting them touch each other or the sides of the pot.
• Top up with compost: Add more compost so the tops of the bulbs are just visible and any emerging shoots sit above the surface.
• Cover with grit and then water: Cover the surface with a layer of horticultural grit, then water lightly.

3. Encourage them to Flower

• Move them somewhere cold and bright: Keep them below 10°C if possible and ensure the compost stays moist but not waterlogged.  A sheltered outdoor spot (such as against a house wall) works well.  This cool, bright start encourages strong flowers and prevents the leaves from growing too tall.  Protect from hard frost - 
  if a severe frost is forecast, bring the pot indoors overnight and return it outside once things thaw.

4. Enjoy your spring flower display

• Bring them indoors: When you see the first flower buds forming, move the pot into the house to enjoy the display.
• Support the stems: Insert decorative twigs (beech, silver birch, or hazel look lovely) to help keep the stems upright.
• Water as needed: Check weekly by pressing a finger into the compost and water lightly if it feels dry.

5.After flowering

• If you have space, you can store the bulbs for next year.  Cut off the spent flower stalks, allow the leaves to die back naturally, then let the bulbs dry.
• Re pot them when you’re ready to bring them into flower again next year.

A note on hardiness
Paperwhite daffodils aren’t hardy, so planting them outdoors won’t reliably bring them back the following year.