January in your patch

Wondering what to do in your patch this January? It’s the start of the New Year, and whether you’re recovering from a busy December or you have a New Year’s resolution to spend more time with your garden, it’s time to get out there! After festive distractions, your patch may be a little tired and in need of love. Here are practical, climate-resilient tips to help your garden flourish in the summer sunshine.

Climate-Resilient Garden Tips

What to do this month to keep your garden healthy, productive and ready for anything — from heatwaves to unexpected storms, these simple steps will help your patch cope, recover and flourish all year round. Click here to explore our Climate Resilient Gardening Hub for more climate-smart gardening advice.

Cooling & Greening

Leafy greens and other vulnerable veggies will benefit from extra shade on hot days. Consider setting up a temporary shade structure to protect plants from sun damage, especially afternoon sun. A moveable shade structure can be useful to protect young seedlings. You can also try “living shade” by growing fast climbers, like cowpea or climbing beans, over a trellis — they’ll give extra shelter while adding nitrogen to your soil. For best results, position shade cloth or structures facing west or northwest to block the harshest afternoon sun. Read about other options for creating shade in your patch here.

Support Biodiversity

We’re not the only ones who suffer on days of extreme heat. Leave some clean water out for birds, insects and other native animals that may be actively searching for it on hot days. Shallow dishes with non-slip surfaces will allow animals to drink and bathe without risk of drowning. For birds, baths should be at least a metre off the ground so visitors are safe from attack by cats. Flush out the dish and replace the water at least once a week to avoid mosquitoes breeding.

Pests and Diseases

Protect tomatoes, capsicum, and eggplant from Queensland fruit fly with insect exclusion netting. Keep an eye out for blossom end rot on tomatoes.

Extreme Weather

January’s heat can be relentless, so keeping your garden cool and hydrated is key. Water soil deeply in the early morning a few times a week rather than quick daily sprinkles — this encourages strong roots and helps plants cope with heat stress. Ahead of extreme heat days, give beds a deep soak so moisture reaches the root zone. If plants are visibly wilting, some may benefit from light foliage watering, while pots may need an extra top-up as they dry out faster. Our fact sheet Irrigation In An Arid Nation has loads more info on smart water habits.

Mulch is your garden’s best friend in summer. Top up veggie beds, herb gardens, and ornamental areas after watering, to about 7 cm deep, keeping mulch clear of stems and young seedlings. Choose sustainable mulch that will enrich your soil as it breaks down.

And don’t forget shade! Think of it as “slip, slop, slap” for your plants — place them over vulnerable spots on high UV days, windy days, or while you’re away. These small steps make a big difference in helping your garden survive, recover, and thrive during the hottest days of the year.

Food-Growing Resilience

Food-Growing Resilience: Consider swapping heat-sensitive greens for Malabar spinach, warrigal greens,orach, amaranth, or purslane for salads and stir fries.

Garden Tasks & Planting Guides by Region

Warm Areas

(Rarely experience frost, or only very light frost. Generally include northern coastal and inland regions (North from about Coffs Harbour and all the way across to the west to Geraldton). These gardens need extra protection for sun-sensitive plants and benefit from heat-tolerant vegetables.)

It’s pretty hot out there at the moment, and it definitely isn’t the ideal time to be planting much. That said, there is some planting to be done towards the end of the month.

Edibles to plant now – Eggplant, zucchini, cucumber, capsicum, chillies and tomatoes can still go in, with late January being best in many areas. Lettuce can be planted towards the end of the month, but it will appreciate some protection under a shade cloth tent or in dappled shade. There’s also still time to pop in some asparagus — just choose a cooler, well-mulched spot in the patch to help young plants settle in during the heat.
Herbs – Lemongrass is a great option if you haven’t planted it already. Its tough, woody nature helps it cope with heat better than most herbs at this time of year.
Juicy Treats – It’s not too late to plant watermelon and rockmelon, or to get longer-term crops like pineapple and mango in the ground for future summer harvests.
Flowers – Pretty up the patch with marigolds and sunflowers. Planting these around your veggies adds colour and interest, while also attracting beneficial insects to the garden.
Plant & Soil Nourishment – Plants are hungry during the height of summer, so a little feed goes a long way. A seaweed tea or low environmental impact liquid fertiliser is perfect for keeping growth and fruiting on track. Throughout the growing period, you can also add diluted worm teas every couple of weeks to boost soil life and plant health. Apply all feeds directly to the soil early in the morning, following the recommended concentrations on the packet. Give your soil a boost with heat-loving green manure like cowpea, lablab, or millet. These fast-growing crops improve soil structure, feed beneficial microbes, and quietly build fertility, leaving your patch in better shape for the next round of plantings. For extra bonus points, climbing varieties like cowpea or lablab can even provide temporary shade for young, sun-sensitive veggies while they’re growing. Check out the Crop Rotation article on the SGA website for a bit of information why and how green manure crops can help.
Pot Plants – Protect your pot plants while you are away this summer. Mulch the top of the pots, sit them in a saucer of water (or the bathtub if it gets enough light) and you’ll be set! Or even run dripper lines to them from your main irrigation pipes.

Cool to Cold Areas

(Frequent frosts and cooler summers. Include Tasmania, the southern highlands of NSW, the ACT, southern Victoria, and small pockets of southern SA. Plants need protection from frost and may struggle with heat stress during occasional hot spells.)

It’s cool inside (hopefully) and pretty warm outside, but there is still a lot of things you can pop in the patch at this time of year.

Edibles to plant now –Lettuce, spinach, silverbeet, and spring onions can all go in now, giving you fresh leafy greens over summer and into early autumn. Leeks are also a good option if you want something slower-growing for later in the season. Zucchini can still be planted too, just make sure they get plenty of sun and water during hot spells. If you’re thinking ahead, now’s a great time to start planning where garlic will go once the weather cools a touch.
Herbs – Tasty herbs that are ready to roll include basil, parsley, watercress, sage and dill. You could give mint a go as well, but be careful to contain it in a pot, otherwise it can take over! As tempting as it is to plant coriander, it will not do well this time of year and will head straight to seed.
Flowers – Add some colour and movement to the patch by planting stock, verbena, and ageratum. It’s also a great time to sow sunflower seeds. Choose a sunny spot where you’d like cheerful sunflowers later in the year, plant the seeds at roughly twice their depth, cover lightly with soil, and be patient — they’ll be popping their heads up before you know it!
Plant & Soil Nourishment – Plants feel the need for a feed at this time of year. A seaweed tea or low environmental impact liquid fertiliser is perfect, especially for the seedlings planted in at the tail end of last year. Throughout the growing period diluted worm teas can be added to your garden every couple of weeks. This will help keep up the growth and fruiting capabilities of your plants. Apply to the soil early in the morning, in the concentrations mentioned on the packet.
Now’s a great time to plant green manure crops like millet and mung beans. They’ll help rejuvenate a tired veggie patch, improve soil structure, and quietly build fertility for next season’s heavy-feeding plants!
Weeding & Maintenance – Weeding is an awesome job to do at this time of year. Cut down the competition between your tasty treats and these space invaders, and tidy up your patch. It may sound tedious, but it’s incredibly rewarding!

Temperate Zones

(Occasional winter frosts, especially inland. Include much of southern Queensland, southern NSW, Victoria, inland South Australia, and parts of WA. Summers can get hot, but plants may still need some shade on extreme UV days.)

Edibles to plant now – Why not try leeks, sweet corn, beans, cucumber, spring onions, and zucchini? These crops will keep your patch productive through the warmer days of January.
Herbs – Still too hot for most herbs, but lemongrass will take the heat if planted out now.
Flowers – Time to pop in some sunflower seeds. Find a sunny spot where you would like to see some happy sunflowers later in the year and plant the seeds to double the depth of the seed. Cover lightly with dirt and wait. They’ll be popping their heads up in no time! Why not try some lovely flowering stuff in your patch as well, like: nasturtium, verbena, petunias and marigolds. These guys are great at attracting pollinators and beneficial insects to your patch, they look attractive and fresh as well.
Green Manure & Soil – Consider a green manure crop to add some life and nutrients to an overworked patch. At this time of year try cow pea, mung bean, soy bean and millet. This will improve your soil incredibly. For a bit of forward planning, you’ll find it well worth the effort! Check out the Crop Rotation article on the SGA website for a bit of information why and how Green Manure crops can help.
Feeding – Plants feel the need for a feed at this time of year. A seaweed tea or low environmental impact liquid fertiliser is perfect, especially for the seedlings planted at the tail end of last year. Throughout the growing period diluted worm teas can be added to your garden every couple of weeks. This will help keep up the growth and fruiting capabilities of your plants. Apply to the soil early in the morning, and in the morning, in the concentrations mentioned on the packet.
Maintenance – Keep your patch tidy and reduce competition from weeds. Top up mulch on your veggie patches, herb gardens and ornamental beds, especially important if you are heading off on holidays. A hot summer tip is to mulch after watering the patch, to a depth of about 7cm. Keep mulch clear of plant stems… especially young seedlings. Choose sustainable, low environmental impact mulch, one that will enrich your soil as it breaks down.

Of course, this is just a rough guide, and many of you will find your situation varies from the above listing, due to microclimates created in your garden, location in relation to your nearest major city, extremes of weather (quite possible at this time of year) and garden type. For more precise planning, you can check interactive climate maps for your area — this is especially useful as seasonal extremes are becoming more common. Consider keeping your own phenology record specific to your garden.

The one thing that remains the same for all zones and regions is this: start out the year as you mean to go on, and give your patch some much needed love! Have a think about what you want to get out of it. Make a list ( if you don’t already have one). Due to the heat this may be the time where you sit back and plan what you want to achieve so that when the weather does cool somewhat, you’ll be full steam ahead.

Otherwise be smart about the time you spend in the garden, avoid the heat and direct sun and remember to hydrate. Early mornings and evenings can be a blissful time to spend in your garden.

Information sources:
Bagnall, Lyn, Easy organic gardening and moon planting, published by Scribe Publications, VIC.
McFarlane, Annette, Organic Vegetable Gardening, published by ABC Books, Sydney, NSW.