GrowSmart Calendar - January

It's hot and dry this month so watering in the morning and evening is really important.

Plant herbs and leafy summer greens like lettuce. Sow beetroot, beans, carrots, lettuces, radishes, silverbeet and spring onions. Plant potatoes too. Inlcude lots of flowering plants to encourage the insects that help keep pests away like daisies, flowering alyssum, fennel and parsnip.

Sow seeds for autumn/winter crops like brocolli and cabbage. For best results, keep your seeds moist while germinating and out of the hot sun, then transplant to the garden once the seedlings have grown about 10cm.

Plant of the month - Lettuce

Lettuce can be grown all year as long as varieties (like 'Cos') are grown in the cooler months and heat tolerant varieties (such as 'Buttercrunch') are planted in the warmer months.

Sow mesculin mix seeds every couple of months to give you a ready supply of greens. Sow a range of greens like rocket and mustard so you can 'pick and mix' your salads.

Why are green vegetables great for your health? Find out here..