GARDEN NOTES

Everything you need to know to get the most from your plot in January

Everything you need to know to get the most from your plot

THERE IS A SIGH OF RELIEF TO BE BREATHED in January, as cold and wet days provide an excuse to stay inside and plan what this year’s harvest might look like. It is tempting, while surrounded by seed catalogues, to get carried away but I have to remind myself of the end-game: “What does it taste like and do I want to eat it?”

Last year I was picking ‘Sungold’ tomatoes in the greenhouse right up until October – they are so delicious, they seldom made it to the kitchen before being consumed. This year I am adding ‘Belriccio’ beefsteak variety to the list, along with ‘Russian Rose’, as both come highly recommended by taste guru James Wong. In the raised beds, sugar snap peas are a must – they looked so pretty in my vegetable beds last summer growing up a gothic-arched steel pea frame (0117 934 1790; agriframes.co.uk). ‘Oregon Sugar Pod’ is a good bet as it is mildew resistant, and I’m going to try the purple ‘Shiraz’ mangetout, too.

I’ll also be sorting out the shelves in the greenhouse and cleaning nooks and crannies to remove overwintering pests. A garlic greenhouse candle is a good way to smoke them out without having to remove any plants (01493 750061; greengardener.co.uk), but maybe I had better warn the neighbours before the pungent aroma starts to waft over the fence…