This year I’ve sown more than ever before. Immediately after Christmas, with the help of some pals who were staying for the holidays we made a hotbed using fresh pony poo in the greenhouse. Within three or four days the internal temperature of the heap had risen to around 70℃ and fell a few days later to around 40℃. I then started sowing and have continued ever since. It’s now almost three months later and many of those original plants such as lettuce, peas, kale, chard and spinach are now happily growing in the open in the potager.

My gardening diary tells me that our last frost was just four days ago, so I quite expect to have some more. The tender plants are still in the greenhouse and many more are in cold frames. To be frank, I’ve already run out of space in the vegetable garden. However, things like broad beans, field beans and peas will be gone by the time the tomatoes, peppers and aubergines need to go in.