11 Seeds You Can Start in January
Get a jump on your gardening season by starting seeds in January! Farmer Briana Yablonski shares 11 seeds you can plant in the New Year.
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After the hustle and bustle of the holidays subsides, it’s time to look ahead to this year’s growing season. Although it may seem like warm days spent working in the garden are years away, they’ll be here before you know it. So, get a jump on your garden by starting seeds in January.
Before you sow seeds, remember that your growing zone impacts when you should start seeds. Therefore, the ideal time to sow seeds depends on where you live. Gardeners in Georgia can start their kale seeds in January, but growers in Minnesota should wait until February or March.
I’ll share some vegetable, herb, and flower seeds you can sow in January. I’ll also provide information on growing zones so you can determine whether or not it’s time to start seeds where you live.
Parsley
Start in January in zones 6-11.
A key ingredient of chermoula, tabouleh, and chimichurri, parsley is a must-have in the kitchen. And since the biennial plants continue to produce new growth for a full growing season, you can plant parsley once and enjoy weekly harvests from spring through early winter.
There are two main reasons you can (and should) sow parsley seeds in January. First, the seeds take anywhere from two to four weeks to germinate under ideal conditions. Second, parsley seedlings can tolerate cold temperatures, so you can transplant them outdoors before your last frost date.
If you’re worried that temperatures will be too low when the plants have outgrown their containers, you can bump them up into a larger pot. However, it’s fine to plant the seedlings outside when nights dip below freezing as long as you harden off the seedlings and cover them with row cover.
Delphinium
Start in January in zones 6-10.
Delphinium is an impressively tall flower with slender stalks covered in bell-shaped blooms in colors like white, blue, and pink. Varieties like ‘Pacific Giants Blend’ stand out in gardens and hold up well in bouquets. Since the plants grow well in cold temperatures and take a long time to flower, sowing delphinium seeds in January gives them time to mature before hot weather arrives.
Aim to sow delphinium seeds in containers 10-16 weeks before transplanting them outdoors. Keep the seeds between 65-70°F (18-21°C), then move the seedlings to a cooler location (50-55°F or 10-13°C) until they’re ready to transplant. It’s fine to transplant the seedlings outdoors while frost is still a threat, but make sure to properly harden the plants off to prepare them for life outdoors.
Keep in mind you can transplant delphinium seedlings outdoors in the fall in zones eight and above. Covering the plants during the winter will protect them as they overwinter, and the mild temperatures will allow them to bloom as early as the beginning of spring.
Kale
Start in January in zones 7-10.
No matter if you like the smooth green leaves of ‘Dazzling Blue’ kale or the ruffled red leaves of ‘Redbor,’ you can find a kale for you. This cold-tolerant crop is a staple in cool-weather gardens, and starting the seeds in January allows you to enjoy a harvest as early as March.
All types of kale are quick to sprout and grow, so the seedlings will be ready to transplant about a month after you sow the seeds. However, if you pot the growing plants up into a larger container, you can keep them indoors for up to two months. When you carefully acclimate the seedlings to cold temperatures and protect them with row cover, they have no problems surviving temperatures down to 25°F (-4°C).
If your kale plants don’t seem to be growing much in February or March, don’t worry. The low levels lead to slowed growth, but longer days will speed up their development. By harvesting the outer leaves of your kale plant, you can enjoy continued harvests throughout the spring and into early summer.
Lettuce
Start in January in zones 8-11.
Lettuce seeds are quick to germinate and grow, so you can expect them to be ready to transplant four to six weeks after you sow them. That means planting in mid to late January will give you seedlings that are ready to go in the ground in mid-February to mid-March. Since these periods are quite cold in much of the country, consider your growing zone and cold protection strategies before planting.
If you plan to grow lettuce in an open garden or raised bed, you shouldn’t expose seedlings to temperatures much below 30°F (-1°C). However, if you have access to a cold frame, low tunnel, or even multiple layers of row cover, the plants can easily survive temperatures down to 20°F (-7°C).
When you’re growing lettuce in the late winter and early spring, look for cold-hardy varieties. Although all lettuce doesn’t mind cool temperatures, some cultivars are better suited to hold up to the stress of below-freezing weather. ‘Rouge d’Hiver’ is one variety known for its cold tolerance, but it is susceptible to bolting in warm weather.
Onions
Start in January in zones 7-10.
Since you can plant onions from seeds, sets, or transplants, there’s no need to start these alliums from seed. However, growing from seed is the least expensive method and allows you to grow varieties that aren’t always available as sets or transplants. You can directly sow onions, but planting them indoors and later transplanting allows you to harvest them earlier in the year.
If you want to plant multiple onions in a raised bed, consider starting seeds in a single tray or container. The young plants don’t take up much space, and you can easily separate them when planting time comes. Plan to transplant eight to twelve weeks after you sow the seeds. If you find the slender leaves are becoming tangled in their trays, you can trim the leaves so they’re four inches tall.
Onion seedlings can handle light frost, so you can transplant the seedlings a few weeks before your predicted last frost date. Covering the onions with a layer of row cover when temperatures dip below 30°F (-1°C) will help limit plant stress.
Stock
Start in January in zones 6-9.
Known for its beautiful flowers that smell like sweet cloves, stock is a fast-growing flower in the brassica family. The plants can tolerate temperatures as low as 20°F (-7°C), so you can plant them outside earlier than many other flowers. Since stock grows best in cool weather, getting the seedlings in the ground early in the year allows you to enjoy healthy plants and flowers.
In most cases, you should start stock seeds indoors about eight weeks before your last frost date. However, if you have access to a protected structure like a high tunnel, you can start them up to a month earlier. Therefore, January is often an ideal time to sow stock seeds.
Plant the seeds in cell trays or containers and lightly cover them with soil. When kept between 65-75°F (18-24°C), they should germinate within one to two weeks. It’s okay to transplant the seedlings before the last frost, but make sure to first harden off the seedlings.
Snapdragons
Start seeds in January in zones 7-10.
Although you can overwinter snapdragons in warmer climates, you can also start them in the winter and plant them outdoors in the spring. The seedlings can tolerate a light frost, so there’s no harm in planting them outdoors before your last frost. Just make sure to let them slowly acclimate to the colder temperatures before planting them outside.
Avoid covering the seeds with soil since they require light to germinate. They will take one to three weeks to sprout at an average indoor temperature and a few more weeks to grow their first few sets of true leaves. Once the seedlings have three or more sets of true leaves, pinch off the top set of leaves to encourage the plants to develop a bushier shape.
You can find all kinds of snapdragon varieties, but be aware that some bloom in cooler weather and others in the heat of summer.
Lisianthus
Start in January in zones 6-10.
If you haven’t heard of lisianthus, be prepared to meet your new favorite cut flower. The beautiful rose-like flowers come in a range of colors and can last over two weeks in a vase! However, they’re slow growers that are tricky to produce from seed. Starting the seeds in January allows you to end up with inch-tall seedlings by the time the last frost arrives.
The tiny seeds germinate best at temperatures around 70°F (21°C) and require light to sprout. In ideal conditions, they will emerge in about two weeks. Once you spot the seedlings, keep them in an area that’s between 60-70°F (16-21°C) since prolonged warmer temperatures can alter the plant’s growth and prevent it from ever flowering.
Lisianthus are some of the slowest-growing seedlings, so don’t worry if they seem to be barely increasing in size. Most plants take at least two months to reach a size that’s large enough to plant outdoors. Providing good ventilation, moderately moist soil, and lots of light will help keep the little plants happy.
Celery
Start in January in zones 7-11.
Since celery is slow to germinate and grow, plan to sow the seeds 10-12 before you plant them outdoors. That means if you hope to transplant in April, you should sow your celery seeds in January. Although celery can tolerate some light frost when it’s protected by row cover, it’s best to wait until the last frost has passed and temperatures are stable.
Place celery seeds on the soil surface and gently water them. The seeds require light to germinate, so avoid covering them with soil. If you keep the soil moist and place the seeds in an area with temperatures between 70-80°F (21-27°C), they should sprout in two to three weeks. Once the plants are up, move them to a spot that’s between 60-70°F (16-21°C).
Since celery is a slow grower, it’s fine to start the seeds in an open tray in January, then bump the seedlings into larger pots a few weeks later. Just wait until the seedlings have two sets of true leaves before moving them to their final container.
Collards
Start in January in zones 8-11.
Collards grow and taste best when they grow in cool weather, so spring, fall, and winter crops are ideal. If you want to grow a spring crop of collards, you can transplant them outdoors a few weeks before your first frost arrives. You can even plant them outdoors more than a month before your last frost if you have a protected growing space.
Most collards are ready to transplant about four to six weeks after you sow them. So, if you start the seeds in mid-January, plan to transplant them in the middle to end of February. They germinate best at temperatures around 75°F (24°C), but the seedlings prefer to grow at temperatures near 60°F (16°C).
If you want to grow a fall crop, it’s best to remove your spring-planted collards in the summer and start a new round in July or August. You can then transplant the seedlings in the ground in late summer or early fall and harvest the sweet leaves throughout the fall and into the winter.
Viola
Start in January in zones 8-10.
While violas can survive the winter outdoors in zones six and above, you can also start these seeds in January and plant them outdoors in the early spring. Both pansies like ‘Got the Blues’ and smaller violas like ‘King Henry’ are suitable candidates for early planting.
Place the tiny seeds in containers or seedling trays, cover them with a light dusting of soil, and water well. The seedlings should emerge in a week or two when kept around 70°F (21°C). The violas will be ready to transplant outdoors eight to ten weeks after planting. They don’t mind a light frost, so don’t be afraid to plant them before your last frost date.
Removing old flowers will encourage the plants to produce new blooms. You can use the edible blossoms for garnishes or cut the stems for small bouquets.
Closing Thoughts
Although you may be tempted to start all of your seeds in January, resist the temptation. If you sow your seeds too early, you’ll end up with large transplants that have nowhere to go.
If you want to get ready for your gardening season in the New Year, spend time creating a garden plan, ordering seeds, and learning about new topics like composting and cover crops.
