10 hours of daylight has returned!

Late January edible garden

Friday, January 24, 2025

If you have noticed that plants stop growing in the winter, whether indoors or out, you would be right.  It is not just the temperatures that affect this slow down.  It is also the amount of sunlight.

Basically, plants go dormant when receiving less than 10 hours of daylight during our cold winter temperatures.  For my latitude, this was from November 22-January 19 for this winter season.  You can look on this site to see when your daylight hits 10 hours.  daylight calendar

When planting in the fall for winter crops, you need to plan that they are at full, harvestable size by November 22nd this past fall.  They remain this size until the end of January, when they begin growing again when daylight is back to 10+ hours.  edible winter garden

Growth starts back up now, for indoor and outdoor plants.  The lettuce, chard, sorrel, cabbage, kale, celery, and herbs that have overwintered will start growing with vigor again after this time with clear days and warmer temperatures.  Start your edible spring garden now

You can scatter sow seeds now of cold hardy crops and they will be primed for the longer days.  It is surprising, but not unusual, to see the little greens popping their heads out in February.  It is great time to start your cold hardy crops in cold frames or outdoor greenhouses.  What to plant for the January 2025 edible garden  

End of January is also when you can start indoor seeds for a jump on spring and summer harvests.  Indoor seed starting calendar

The force of life is amazing!