I’m sure there’s a very good reason why we have the four seasons here. I don’t think I could keep going all year round, working on the allotment.

There have been times I wished for moderate climate all year round, that must have been before I had the allotment.

Now I’m only too glad of the late autumn, winter  and perhaps the very start of the spring, when there isn’t much more to do and all I’ve got to do is to sort out the seeds, plan what’s going to be grown where  – and do some maintenance.

My polytunnel looks a bit tired now but it still works, it gives shelter to the early lettuce and later the tomatoes and peppers. I’ve got one of the water butts close by, I like to use rainwater as much as possible; some years this is no problem! I cleared any weeds from the beds, hoed it and the tunnel is ready.

There was a small area behind the polytunnel, very close to the boundary fence where it was impossible to grow anything – the brambles were too vigorous. I decided to put my two composter bins there and also managed to put up a barrier using the ever useful pallets, thus keeping the heap of weeds and/or garden waste that I can’t fit in the bins any more. The narrow strip of ground will be put to good use – I’ll have summer flowers there, to attract the bees.

When the time comes and the plastic cover gets too fragile and starts falling to bits, I don’t think I shall replace it with the same, I shall use a fine mesh. I’ve seen large tunnels covered like that, I’m sure it gives protection of sorts and the bonus is that I wouldn’t have to worry about watering it, the weather can do it for me.

Next job was to find the right place for my new azada and the door was the perfect place, there was even a hook there already!