Known as the Blackthorn Winter, this signals the beginning of ‘Hungry Gap’ season, when the Winter vegetables start to become short prior to new season’s produce arriving.

This year we have been remarkably lucky – the purple and white sprouting have yielded early and well, the cauliflowers have started to come in waves, sprouts have lasted longer than expected and cabbages are still holding out.

Early potatoes, which were planted at the beginning of February, are just showing through – fingers crossed that we don’t lose too many with frost.

Carrots, new spinach, sugar snap peas and broad beans have all germinated well and are under fleece.  We have also planted out early cabbage, calabrese and lettuce together with a few Chinese Cabbage to help fill the gaps.

Onion sets, beetroot and rainbow chard have been sown and in the tunnel cauliflowers, courgettes, shallots and tomatoes are germinating in pots.  Hopefully by Easter we will have planted much more.

Easter is traditionally potato planting time – we hope it will be warm enough this year for this to take place.