NOW storm Gareth has collected his tithe of compost lids and cloches maybe we can get back to getting ready for spring? I hope your greenhouses stood up to the winds.

This year I’m making an early start on my peas. Last year’s were dreadful, probably because of the heat but certainly not helped by all the pea moths too. If you can get them sown early sometimes you can avoid the pea moth. It’s been a mild winter, so I’m going to assume we are in for a pest ridden season as they won’t have been killed off by frosts.

Peas are my family’s favourite vegetable, as you can see we aren’t fancy. Homegrown peas, freshly picked are definitely far superior than anything a super market can provide. They have to be eaten straight away, straight from the pod. Nothing beats that sweet nutty pea taste.

I always sow the same ones, they are so reliable (apart from last year, but we won’t dwell on that). They are Hurst Green Shaft, a good traditional stalwart pea. The plan is to sow some every few weeks so I can get a good succession of harvests.

If you’re new to growing your own I’ve found soaking the peas for a good 24 hours is the best approach. I use little jam jars to soak mine, I’ve found that a wet paper towel can dry out too quickly. You can tell the good ones from the bad, as the good ones slowly swell and form a little tail as they ‘wake up’ and germinate. Then you just pot them up in nice deep pots ready to plant out as soon as the weather improves a little.

Because these are hopefully going out a little earlier, they will need the protection of a cloche, but I will worry about that later. They are definitely greedy little guys, so make sure the bed into which they will be planted is full of nutrients. Some well rotted manure dug in a week before planting always helps.

My allotment to do list:

n Onion sets and garlic can go out now, just make sure your soil isn’t waterlogged.

n Peas and beans can be sown.

n Sow Brussels and summer cabbage.

n Plant bare rooted fruit trees before leaf burst.

If you have an allotment query you can email: vixlot@outlook.com