What to plant in January in Nigeria

5 vegetables, fruits and herbs to sow or plant in January in Nigeria, for the climate around Cotonou area, southern Benin.

Climate: Hot, humid and frost-free all year, with nights never below 20 °C; the main rains fall from April to July and again in September and October, with a short dry spell from November to March.

Vegetables

  • Tomato Solanum lycopersicum

    Sown in the dry season under irrigation, it fruits before the heaviest rains bring disease.

    Harvest: 70–90 daysEasyIn potsCare guide →

  • Chili pepper Capsicum annuum

    Warm nights and steady heat suit it, and it thrives in containers on a balcony.

    Harvest: 70–100 daysEasyIn potsCare guide →

  • Cucumber Cucumis sativus

    Quick to crop in warm weather, especially on a trellis in a container.

    Harvest: 45–60 daysEasyIn potsCare guide →

Herbs

  • Coriander Coriandrum sativum

    Best sown in the cooler, drier months, since it bolts quickly in the heat.

    Harvest: 40–50 daysModerateIn potsCare guide →

  • Spearmint Mentha spicata

    Vigorous and fragrant in a shaded pot, and it tolerates the humid warmth.

    Harvest: 60–70 daysEasyIn potsCare guide →