Rooted Connections January Newsletter

Written By Lauren Escobar

January Planting Guide for the Low Desert (Zone 9b/10a)

January is a quiet powerhouse month in the low desert garden.
While much of the country is dormant, our soil is alive and ready. Cooler temperatures, mild days, and fewer pests make this an ideal time to plant cool-season crops and lay the groundwork for spring.

What to Plant Now

Direct Sow Outdoors

  • Carrots, beets, radishes, turnips

  • Spinach, arugula, lettuce, kale, Swiss chard

  • Peas and snap peas

  • Cilantro, dill, parsley

Transplants

  • Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage

  • Collards, kale, lettuce

  • Rosemary, sage, thyme

Start Indoors

  • Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant

  • Basil

  • Onions and leeks

January Growing Tips

  • Water deeply but less frequently

  • Mulch beds to protect roots from temperature swings

  • Cover tender plants during frost nights

January planting is about trust — seeds rooting quietly while we prepare for what’s next.

🧺 January Garden Checklist: Simple Tasks, Big Impact

January invites us to tend slowly and intentionally.

Outdoor Tasks

  • Check frost cloths and be ready for overnight lows

  • Mulch all beds and containers

  • Prune herbs lightly (not woody plants yet)

  • Thin seedlings for airflow and strong growth

Indoor Tasks

  • Start spring seeds indoors

  • Clean and sharpen garden tools

  • Sketch your spring garden layout

  • Take soil notes: drainage, sun, and spacing

Small actions now set the stage for abundance later.

🍲 Seasonal Eating in January: Nourishment from the Garden

Winter asks us to warm, ground, and replenish.

What’s in Season (Arizona Low Desert)

  • Leafy greens (kale, chard, spinach)

  • Root vegetables (carrots, beets, turnips)

  • Brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower)

  • Fresh herbs for soups and teas

How to Eat This Season

  • Soups and stews with greens and roots

  • Roasted vegetables with warming spices

  • Simple broths infused with herbs

Eating seasonally aligns the body with the land — a quiet form of self-care.

🍵 Garden Teas for Winter Wellness

Your winter garden doubles as a healing apothecary.

Herbs to Brew

  • Chamomile — calming, digestive support

  • Lemon balm — gentle nervous system relief

  • Rosemary & sage — warming, grounding

  • Violas & pansies — edible, uplifting, beautiful

Simple Winter Tea Blend

Chamomile + lemon balm + a few viola petals
Steep 5–7 minutes. Drink warm. Breathe deeper.

Tea invites us to pause — something winter naturally asks of us.

🧘‍♀️ Staying Grounded: January Breathwork for Gentle Beginnings

January can quietly carry pressure — resolutions, expectations, fresh starts.

Try This Kundalini Breath Practice

4–4–6 Grounding Breath

  • Inhale 4

  • Hold 4

  • Exhale 6
    Repeat for 2–5 minutes.

Pair this breath with time in the garden — hands in soil, feet on the earth.

📚 Homeschooling in January: Flow Over Force

Winter is not the season for acceleration — it’s the season for integration.

What Learning Looks Like Right Now

  • Fewer worksheets, more observation

  • Garden-based science

  • Reading aloud

  • Seasonal crafts, journaling, cooking together

Children, like gardens, thrive when learning honors rhythm instead of pressure.

Lauren Escobar
Next

November Planting