I can’t believe it’s nearly March! What have I been doing in the garden over the past few weeks?

Most importantly of all, I have spent the last couple of weeks tidying up the potting area to make sure that everything is ready for the new season’s crops. I've weeded as much as possible; however, there is a limit to how much I can accomplish due to the very wet soil at the moment. If I’m not careful, I’ll end up with a total mess and loads of clay! We have quite heavy soil here in the Cotswolds, which is great for holding nutrients but you have to be careful in the winter and not compact it too much.

I have sown the chilli plants as they require a long growing season. It's always best to get them started and onto a warm windowsill in February. Additionally, I have sown kale, broccoli and some cauliflowers, all of which can be placed in both pots and the ground, depending on space. I have also bought and started to chit my early potatoes (I'll be doing a blog on chitting later).

I have even planned out where things might start to go in the vegetable garden, although this plan might change as the season progresses (but it's nice to have a loose plan).

There are signs of life everywhere outside now – the asparagus bed is not far off sprouting and there are definite signs of movement near the rhubarb. I have overwintered the garlic and shallots (I'll talk about this later in the season) and they are growing happily, giving me hope for a good harvest this year. 

There’s a lovely feeling that things are on the verge of bursting into bud. Hello Spring!