The vegetable garden is suffering an onslaught of chickweed, so after battling for a few days of hand weeding I decided to call in reinforcements. Dragging the henhouse down from the upper level was a struggle but it was worth the effort. The henhouse just fits in the first few metres of the potager which is fenced on all sides. So all I had to do was let the girls out. They’re thrilled. Within seconds they were rootling about and eating weeds.

I have no doubt that they’ll find their way into the cauliflowers and broccoli, but, for the moment, I don’t care. I planted too many thinking I’d pull them for the hens anyway, so they can help themselves. When they start to take too much I’ll cover the plants with fleece. Then there’s the added bonus of their poop everywhere. Win-win.

In other news I have been sowing seeds in trays in the greenhouse. in the last few days I’ve sown Japanese bon Odori cucumbers which were my prize crop last year. Plus tomatoes: San Marzano, Brandywine, Green/red striped, Roma, Sweet Baby, Black Cherry, White Queen, Big yellow, fat Amish, Pink striped, Beefsteak, Costoloto Fiorentine, Belmonte, Listada di Gandia, Bargemont, Black Krim and Orange Banana. Seventeen varieties should look pretty on a plate and I’ll have some plants to give away.

I also sowed Yolo Wonder, Hungarian Wax and Corno di Toro peppers plus Best Jumbo and Petit Gris de Rennes melons and some Grand Vert basil.

Meanwhile the physalis that I sowed in the greenhouse at the end of last summer have grown into monsters and are loaded with fruit. The golden berries are ripening well and we’ve already had several punnets. Great source of vitamin C in midwinter. This experiment has proved to be a real winner. WHenever I’ve grown them outside they’ve taken months to begin producing fruit, then they keel over and die at the mere hint of a frost. No danger of that in the greenhouse.

And finally, the toads are back in the pond. I’ve counted at least nine so far. The best time to spot them is in the evening, with a torch.