January in the Garden – Food Gardening in Subtropics and Warm Areas of Australia

January in the Garden – Food Gardening in Subtropics and Warm Areas of Australia

by Ewa Bekiesch, Permaculture designer, educator, self-sufficient living consultant, and healthy food advocate.

January and February are the hottest months in Australia. Gardening hours are limited during this time of year, but we don’t stop growing food. I usually prioritize tasks, and the list below outlines my food forest summer priorities. Most of the work is done in the early morning or late afternoon, as it’s not practical—or safe—to work in the midday heat.

Instead, I prefer sitting on the veranda with a cold drink, planning my autumn garden, or reading an interesting book. It’s a far better way to spend the hottest part of the day. I also take the opportunity to invent new recipes or bake cakes in my airy kitchen. Cooking and baking are activities I truly enjoy, and the time spent there feels rewarding.

This article may give you some ideas about what can be done, sown, planted, and harvested in January for those living in the subtropical or warm regions of Australia. Please note that the advice is based on my personal experience and the work we do in our food forest. Feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions in the comments section below the article.

***Before diving into the article below, let me share a few words about our online store***

At our online store at www.foodforestseeds.au you’ll find carefully grown seeds, plants, and cuttings straight from our sustainable permaculture garden. Every product is nurtured with love and grown 100% naturally—no harmful chemicals, no shortcuts—just healthy, robust plants ready to thrive in your garden.

Here’s why our plants stand out:
Naturally Grown: Our plants are cultivated without pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers, making them healthier for you and your environment.
Handpicked with Care: Each seed, cutting, and plant comes from strong, resilient mother plants.
Perfect for All Gardeners: Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, you’ll find something to inspire and grow.

By choosing our products, you’re not just buying plants—you’re supporting a small family business and contributing to a more biodiverse world. Together, let’s grow something truly amazing!

General work in the garden during January

Mulching

If you haven’t mulched your garden beds yet, now is the perfect time! Mulch helps keep the soil cool and moist, making it ideal for healthy plant growth. Any organic matter can work as mulch—as long as it’s seed-free! Grass clippings, bamboo leaves, straw, sugarcane, lemongrass, banana leaves, and other green materials that grow abundantly are all excellent options. Shredded paper and cardboard can also do the job.

Remember not to overdo it—10 cm is the maximum mulch thickness. Adding more can prevent water from reaching the soil. When mulching around fruit trees, leave some space around the trunk to allow the tree to “breathe.” This is crucial for its health.

Want to see how I turn old banana leaves into fantastic mulch? Watch the video here.

Shade

Shade is an essential part of summer gardening. The sun can quickly scorch your plants and veggies, and it can happen in the blink of an eye. Sunburned tomatoes or capsicums are useless—great for the chickens, but we’re not growing food just for them (though they might wish we were!).

Placing shade cloth over your still-fruiting plants can help extend your harvest for a few more weeks. A dedicated shaded area will keep your veggies and herbs well-protected, allowing you to plant new edibles year-round. Growing food under fruit trees is another fantastic way to maximize space and protect your plants from the intense summer sun.

Watering

Plants need water! Smart watering is essential to maximize growth while minimizing water usage. Watering directly under the plants is highly efficient and helps prevent evaporation. It’s best to water your garden either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Watering in the evening may attract slugs to your veggies, so it’s best to avoid it. Watering during the hottest part of the day doesn’t make much sense and can even harm the plants. Generally, watering once a day should be sufficient, especially if you’ve mulched your garden.

Clearing

The garden is bursting with growth in summer. Everything is growing quickly, and keeping it under control is crucial. Clearing the space around young fruit trees and the plants you’re growing is essential. Some plants, even if edible, can take over and suppress others. These “bullies” can be trimmed and eaten if they’re edible, composted, or used as mulch.

What not to do

There are a few things which are not recommended to do during the hot summer time:

• Sowing or planting subtropical winter vegetables like brassicas and radishes is not ideal now, as they won’t thrive until autumn. They’re likely to bolt and get eaten before they’re ready for harvest.
• Working during the day in summer is a big “no-no.” You won’t get much done anyway because it’s too hot, and you’ll stop enjoying gardening for the same reason.

Sowing, planting, harvesting

Notes:

1. There are many more plants you can grow, but I’m limiting my list to those I grow in my food forest and have had the best experience with.
2. Many of the plants listed below are available as seeds, plants, or cuttings in our online store at www.foodforestseeds.au To find what you need, simply use the search function or browse through the relevant categories in the shop.
3. Through our online store, we’re excited to share many of the fruits and vegetables we grow—available as seeds, cuttings, and plants. Each one is naturally grown, non-GMO, heirloom, and open-pollinated, ensuring they’re as pure and sustainable as possible.
4. Enjoy exploring and happy gardening!

Sowing

I have most of them self-seeding and taking care of themselves in the food forest so not much for me to do but if you don’t have them yet, you can sow now ( check the ‘Food Forest Guide’ for more info about the plants listed below).

• Amaranth
• Asian Pigeonwings, Butterfly Pea – Clitoria Ternatea
• Asparagus
• Basil
• beetroot
• beans
• Borage
• carrot
• Cape Gooseberry
• Artichokes
• Bottle Gourd
• Indiana Lettuce, Chinese Sword Lettuce – Lactuca indica
• Capsicum
• Chili
• Chives
• Choko
• Edible Chrysanthemum
• Eggplant
• Luffa
• Madagascar Bean
• Okra
• parsley
• edible flowers
• Pigeon Pea
• Poor Man’s Bean
• Pumpkin
• Rosella
• Sage
• Squash
• Sweet corn
• Tomato
• Tromboncino
• Winged Bean
• Zucchini

Planting

There are no trees on this list, mainly because there are so many fruit trees you can grow in a warm climate. Choose what you enjoy eating and what suits your garden best. If you’d like to see the trees we’re growing, check out our ‘Food Forest Guide‘.

Many plants don’t mind the heat. Make sure they are sun-trained before you plant them and also check where they grow best, sun, half-shade, or shade.

• Aloe Vera – Yellow flowering
• tomatoes
• beetroot
• Cape Gooseberry
• Carrot
• celery
• Celeriac
• Cassava – Manihot esculenta
• Basil
• Galangal – Thai Ginger –Greater Galangal, Alpinia galangal
• Ginger
• Gotu Kola – Centella asiatica
• Lemongrass – Cymbopogan citratus
• Longevity Spinach – Gynura procumbens
• Okinawa Spinach – Hawaiian lettuce – Gynura bicolour
• Peruvian Parsnip – Arracacia xanthorrhiza
• St John’s Wort – Hypericum perforatum
• Goldenrod – Solidago canadensis
• Tarragon, Estragon – Artemisia dracunculus
• Pigface, Baby Sunrose – Aptenia cordifolia
• Brahmi-Memory Plant – Waterhyssop – Bacopa monnieri
• Bana Grass – Pennisetum purpureum x amaricanum
• Sugarcane Red – Saccharum officinarum
• horseradish
• oregano
• QLD Arrowroot
• Rose Geranium
• shallots
• turmeric
• garlic chives
• sweet potatoes
• mint
• Rosella
• Zucchini
• Pumpkin
• Squash
• Bottle Gourd
• Tromboncino
• Okra
• Pepino
• Pineapple
• Gotu Kola – Centella asiatica
• Sugarcane Red – Saccharum officinarum
• Sweet corn
• Sweet Leaf
• mint
• Rosella
• Zucchini
• Okra

Harvesting

We harvest daily, based on what we feel like eating, cooking, or what needs to be harvested. The January harvest list includes what grows in our food forest and what’s ready for picking, including fruit from our trees. As you might expect, we don’t harvest everything every day. Many of our plants continue growing and patiently wait their turn to make it to the kitchen. Others may become green mulch through chop-and-drop, go to the compost if they’re taking over, or be used as food for our chickens, ducks, or worm farm. The possibilities are endless.

Perennials crop in January:

• bush basil – Ocimum oxcitriodorum
• Cranberry Hibiscus – Hibiscus acetosella – leaves
• Galangal – Thai Ginger –Greater Galangal, Alpinia galangal – leaves and roots
• Gotu Kola – Centella asiatica – leaves
• Lemongrass – Cymbopogan citratus – leaves and stalks
• Longevity Spinach – Gynura procumbens – leaves and stalks
• Okinawa Spinach – Hawaiian lettuce – Gynura bicolour –  leaves and stalks
• Peruvian Parsnip – Arracacia xanthorrhiza – leaves and roots
• Pepino Solanum – muricatum – fruit
• Rosella – Roselle – leaves and calyx
• St John’s Wort – Hypericum perforatum – flowers
• Tarragon, Estragon – Artemisia dracunculus – leaves and flowers
• Cassava – Manihot esculenta – leaves and roots
• Brahmi-Memory Plant – Waterhyssop – Bacopa monnieri – leaves
• Bana Grass – Pennisetum purpureum x amaricanum – leaves
• West Indian Arrowroot – Maranta arundinacea – root
• Sugarcane Red – Saccharum officinarum – cane
• Sweet Leaf – Sauropus androgynous – leaves
• Elderberry – Sambucus Nigra – berries and flowers
• Yellow Cherry Guava/Lemon Guava – fruit
• shallots
• garlic chives
• pineapples
• sweet potatoes – leaves and roots
• bananas
• passion fruit
• pawpaw – leaves and fruits
• grapes
• Loganberries – leaves and fruits
• Horseradish leaves – leaves and roots
• limes
• Boysenberry – leaves and fruits
• star fruit – fruit

Short-living perennials and annuals we harvest in January:

• squash, tromboncino, zucchini, pumpkin
• chilly, capsicum
• eggplant
• cucumbers
• tomatoes
• celery, celeriac
• parsnip
• beans
• Asian Pigeonwings, Butterfly Pea – Clitoria Ternatea
• Okra – Abelmoschus esculentus
• West Indian Gherkins, Maroon Cucumber – Cucumis anguria
• Indiana Lettuce, Chinese Sword Lettuce – Lactuca indica
• Pigeon Peas – Cajanus cajan
• sunflower
• Bottle Gourd, Calabash – Lagenaria siceraria, and other gourds

Are you ready to transform your garden into a lush, productive paradise? Whether you’re starting a small veggie patch, a vibrant flower bed, or a thriving food forest, we’ve got you covered! Check out our online shop at www.foodforestseeds.au

If you would like to support our work, you can do so in many ways:
*Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you get notified about new videos. It’s free!
*Leave a comment under the videos you watch
*Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
*Buy a plant, cuttings, seeds, or my Food Forest Guide at https://www.foodforestseeds.au
*Buy us a coffee. Our PayPal email is permaculturehaven@gmail.com

Enjoy your garden!

Ewa