I visited my allotment on Monday 16th and the ground was covered in a deep frost and rock hard which meant that my plans to dig in the stubble from my green manure (mustard, phacellia and rye grass) sown in August last year, were shelved. I settled instead for tidying my greenhouse and shed.

Early Winter marks the time when the weather begins to get much colder. Although the Winter Solstice or shortest day passed on 22 December, daylight hours are still reduced and combined with cloudy conditions, lack of sunlight and ground frosts means that plant growth comes to a virtual standstill.

However this is a good time to plan ahead for the Spring from the comfort of a warm living room.

Frosts are not completely bad however as they can improve the taste of winter vegetables. The flavour of parsnips, cabbages and Brussell sprouts are all sweetened by frost meaning that this is a good time to pick them until Spring.

Hard frosts also help to improve the crumb structure of previously dug soil and are also beneficial in killing off some harmful diseases and pests.

Whilst there are no vegetables suitable for growing outside at this time of year it is possible sow some varieties under cover now including:

• Early Peas and Broad Beans in the soil in mild areas, protect with cloches

• Bulb Onion seeds under glass

• Tomato seeds in pots indoors

If you are fortunate you will have a crop of winter vegetables including beetroot, Brussel sprouts, winter cabbages, carrots, parsnips, turnips and leeks. These should be lifted before the ground becomes frozen in very cold areas.

Other general tasks which can be carried out at this time of year-

• The roots of all winter brassica crops that may have been lifted by frosts should be firmed and ensure that nets are in place to protect against attack by pigeons.

• Lift a few leeks at a time and heel them into freshly dug soil which will not freeze rock solid. This will make lifting them a lot easier.

• Older rhubarb crowns can be covered with a large forcing pot or upturned plastic bin to promote the growth of tender red shoots.

• At our allotment site a large pile of leaf litter from road gulley/pavement clearing in the Autumn has been delivered by the Council roads service. This material is useful as a soil improver when it has broken down and can also be used to top up compost bins. The lead litter can take 1-2 years to break down sufficiently to form a useful compost . If the ground is frozen hard then the partly decomposed leaves can be applied as a mulch to keep down weed growth.

• Fruit trees should be fed with slow release fertilizers and a thick layer of compost or well rotted manure should be applied at the base of the base of the trees.

• Overgrown crowns of rhubarb can be lifted and divided and small sections can be brought into a greenhouse for forcing.

• Tender herbs should be protected by cloches to protect them from the frost.

• Mulch the crowns of herbs that have died back for the winter as this improves the drainage and provides some frost protection .Other herbs such as chives and mint can be brought into a greenhouse or cold frame, to force for winter use.

• Apply fatty acid based winter washes to dormant fruit trees to control over wintering pest problems such as aphids, apple suckers and scale insects.

J Greenfingers