January's long, hangover-free weekends offer a perfect opportunity for some horticultural housekeeping, according to a recent article. While many feel pressured to pursue self-improvement during this grisly month, the writer suggests mirroring nature by hibernating and storing energy for warmer months. However, for those who must do something vaguely horticultural, sorting garden seeds is recommended.
The inspiration comes from a photograph of Monty Don's seed stash, housed in a battered vintage index-card cabinet in his potting shed. The writer created a miniature version using a set of six Ikea Moppe mini drawers painted earthy green, assigning each drawer a couple of months for sowing. This system revealed that April and September needed their own drawers, and many seeds—like broccoli or rainbow chard—were unsuitable for a tiny balcony or north-facing garden.
Thus, a capsule collection emerged: a ruthless edit of seeds actually to be used, such as hardy annual flowers, different poppy varieties, and sweet peas. A shoebox would suffice for this purpose. Seed-sorting in January allows one to time travel through an imaginary garden of the year ahead, conjuring images of what seeds could become. It's a chance to shrug off 'shoulds' and select what to grow, allowing for surprises along the way—as close to a resolution as the writer gets.
