Zone 5 - What to Plant in January

Zone 5 - What to Plant in January

It's January in Zone 5 and most gardeners are starting to get the itch to start ordering and growing some plants. January is the perfect time to start ordering your seeds for the coming season. You can even start planting a few items in late January to be prepared for early season plantings. Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower can all be started in late January indoors to be ready for a March transplant outdoors.

Storage #4 is a great producer of dark green color cabbage that have excellent storage life. This versatile variety also works great in the late fall for fresh market, especially in muddy and rainy conditions. Due to its earliness when used for storage, we recommend later season plantings for best storage results.

'Reine des Vallees' is grown in Europe by home gardeners and commercial fruit growers. Its name in French means "Queen of the Valleys". Its name in Italian is Regina delle Valli. Whatever the name, this cultivar is THE standard in Europe for alpine strawberries. The major fruit exporting growers in Europe grow this variety exclusively. Reine des Vallees is a clumping type (produces few to no runners) and is day neutral which means that flowering is not dependent on day length. It is very productive and produces scarlet red fruit with the distinctive wild strawberry flavor and aroma that is expected from fraises des bois.

Happy Rich Baby is an excellent summer producing baby broccoli. Produces uniform, vigorous, dark-green florets that look like baby broccoli heads. One of the best flavors broccoli flavors with hints of sweetness. Produces generous amounts of side shoots when first floret is pinched out and plants are spaced 12-18" apart.

'White Soul' is a white fruiting variety that has been around for several years. It is a clumping type (few to no runners) and is day neutral meaning that flowering is not day length dependent. The fruit is among the largest white fruit produced by alpines. Has the wild strawberry flavor and aroma expected from alpines and has a hint of pineapple flavor. I consider white alpine fruit to be sweeter than red alpine fruit in general. Tends to be a very strong grower and top producer. This variety will "fool the birds". They don't go after the fruit as much as they do for red fruit.

Red Wonder, aka Fraises des Bois, is a tasty Alpine Strawberry that is easy to grow from seed. Red Wonder is one of our favorites because it's considerably sweeter than most strawberries. An everbearing strawberry plant that produces all summer long.

Ruegen is an heirloom cultivar that is still as good today as it was when it was first selected. Several cultivars on the market today have been selected from Ruegen. Also known in various European countries as 'Rügen', 'Rujana', 'Rjugen', and 'Rugia'.

The Orange Dream cauliflower performs like a dream in outdoor and greenhouse growing conditions. This cauliflower is a medium-large plant. Orange Dream is a pastel orange cauliflower that exhibits great tolerance to heat and stress.

Pineapple Crush alpine strawberries are a unique and delightful variety known for their vibrant yellow to orange-hued berries and exceptional sweetness. These compact plants produce fruit that not only boasts a striking color but also offers a tropical flavor reminiscent of pineapples, making them a favorite for fresh eating and culinary creations. Thriving in various growing conditions, Pineapple Crush strawberries are hardy and require minimal care, making them ideal for home gardens and containers. Their attractive foliage and charming white flowers enhance any garden setting, while their continuous harvest throughout the growing season ensures that gardeners can enjoy a delicious bounty of unique berries.