I did a very quick trip the the plot at the weekend to collect some food, I took leeks, chard, kale, black radishes and parlsey, sage and rosemary.Which is not bad for January and much better than last year but the plot is looking very January-ish and sad. There is so much work to do before the end of February and then I’ll be thinking about sowing and everything!There are signs of life though….rhubarb is starting to pop up along with the weeds.The rosemary is flowering which makes me happy but reminds me that the herb patch needs a haircut and generally things need attending to.Ma reckons she’ll be back to full strength next weekend, assuming she is, this is the list of work for next week.

• paint the shed (me)
• weed (ma)
• dig up raspberries (me)
• cut back remaining raspberries (me)
• move gooseberry bush (both but mostly me!)
• tidy up the area next to the shed (both)
• plant sweet peas and put in a cold frame (both)
• buy a cold frame, which will probably be a little plastic thing we can weigh down (both)
• sort out seeds and get the ones we need (both)
• burn plant waste (both but mostly me!)

The last weekend of January, we probably won’t get to the plot so there is another list for February.

• buy and assemble new raised beds
• buy compost and fill new and old beds
• sow leeks
• sort out the herb patch, things need cutting back and tidying
• clear the brassica bed
• clear the leek bed
• buy and assemble a new greenhouse
• sow tomatoes (end of the month)
• sow beetroot and carrots (end of the month)

That is enough to be thinking about, there is a trip to Wilko in my future and lots of manual labour!