What to Plant this month: January

*For gardening in sub-tropical region; for other regions, check out gardening schedules and plant information at www.gardenate.com

LEEKS & LETTUCE

Did you know both leeks and (romaine) lettuce can be regrown from kitchen scraps? The re-growing process is essentially the same for all these foods. Simple and it saves you from buying extra plants!

Leeks

Planting

• Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.

• Space plants: 10 - 20 cm apart

• Compatible with (can grow in same bed): Carrots

Harvest in 15-18 weeks. Loosen with a fork rather than pull by hand.

Storage

Cut up leeks into 1-inch pieces and blanch (partially cooked by placing in boiling water for 1 minute). Drain and spread across clean dishtowel and cool completely before portioning into freezer-safe bags and freezing until needed. Leeks will not be entirely cooked by blanching so you will need to cook with them as if they are (almost) fresh.

Lettuce

Planting

• Easy to grow. Sow in garden, or start in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks...Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.

• Space plants: 20 - 30 cm apart

• Compatible with (can grow in same bed): Carrots, Onions, Strawberries, Beets, Brassicas, Radish, Marigold, Borage, Chervil, Florence fennel, leeks.

• Avoid growing in same bed: Parsley, Celery.

Harvest in 8 - 12 weeks.

Storage

Clean lettuce leaves and wrap in paper towel and store in sealed bag in the crisper drawer in the fridge. The paper towel will soak up excess moisture to allow lettuce to remain crisp for longer.

Happy gardening!

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