January Planting in Southern California's Inland Areas

Despite the cooler weather and intermittent rain, for gardeners who live in Southern California’s inland areas, January can be an excellent month to plant cool-season vegetables.  Below is GardenZeus expert Darren Butler’s list of tasks for gardeners considering planting cool-season vegetables in January. To see customized recommendations for varieties and cultivars for each vegetable and purchase seeds for spring-through-summer crops, enter your zip code.

Start seeds indoors and outdoors in warm, bright, protected areas; and transplant starts directly outdoors during warm and frost-free periods for cool-season vegetables and herbs that are frost tolerant and less prone to bolting. Start seeds indoors of vegetables and herbs with slow germination and/or long seedling periods such as parsley and tomatoes.

Irrigate new garden beds and wait 10 to 21 days prior to planting to flush weed seeds, and remove or till in weed seedlings.

Inspect and repair raised beds, garden structures, fencing, hose bibs, and drip or other irrigation systems.

In new beds or compacted soils, double-dig or loosen soil with a spading fork and remove stones and obstructions shortly before seeding new crops. Amend soils prior to planting by surface dressing and/or gently working in compost, organic matter, manures, and other amendments.

Monitor new starts and seedlings daily to minimize plant losses during establishment.

Seed or transplant crops successively for successive harvest, especially of crops that you eat regularly or in large quantities.

Spot-plant in bare garden areas.

Add organic amendments and 1 to 1 1/2 inches of fine mulch after vegetable and herb starts are 3 to 6 inches tall.

Consider growing cover crops in dormant garden beds.

Plan spring vegetable-and-herb plantings in well-drained, reasonably fertile, uncompacted soil with sunny southeastern to western exposures.