As the pricking out continues in my polytunnel, with vegetables starting to outgrow their pots and needing larger ones, my polytunnel is starting to feel like its shrinking. I officially call this time of year 'Gardeners Juggle season'.

Balancing pots on make shift shelves and on any window ledge with the smallest bit of light. Everywhere I look little pots of compost are smiling back at me. It's also the time of the year when you discover that one bag of multipurpose compost was never going to be enough and you should have bought at least three! Compost, pots, plant labels, and more space – there's never enough.

I just wish Mother Nature could turn the heat up over the North West just a shade more, so I can get my peas out! I planted my peas out too early last year as we were going away to the Lake District for a week. I thought I was doing them a favour, but when I returned they have been blasted to almost death with cold wind. They never really recovered, I had a terrible pea year last year. Once bitten twice shy, I won't be doing that again; the complaints from my daughter were unbearable.

Here are my experimental Black Peas or Carlin Peas as some folk call them. They are doing really well. I cannot wait to see if they will grow pods. You cannot beat an experiment I have read they can grow to be around 7 foot in length, so I'm going to have to buy some more bamboo canes. That's another thing you never have enough of too!

My allotment to do list:

n Complete the planting of onion sets

n I need to sow beetroot, carrots, parsnips, lettuce, spinach, spring onions, kohl rabi, radish, turnips, Swiss chard (it's all go isn't it?)

n Why not try growing some scorzonera or salsify.

n If scab is problem on your apples and pears now is the best time to apply treatment.

n Plant up a new asparagus bed but it will take two years to establish before producing succulent shoots.

Email: vixlot@outlook.com