Imogen blew out 2 panels in my greenhouse, one completely, but thankfully that’s the only major damage. Someone very kindly put the panel inside. It’s plastic, not glass so still in one piece. I am patting myself on the back for getting them both back in without too much swearing, though I noticed afterwards that the one which came out is now upside-down.

I’m very much hoping last night’s hefty frost will have done for some of the slugs. They have battered my field beans, some down to ground level. Most of the overwintering peas are gone now too. And the kale leaves have a fair number of small, slimey residents that I flick out the window if they make it home.

Because of the frosts and the woeful heat retention in the greenhouse my onions are living in the shed for a few days. They don’t all look in great nick and I am bracing myself for a re-sowing.

On a more positive note, at least 3 of the rhubarbs are poking their noses above their manure blankets. They are very weedy compared to the muscly thugs my neighbour has on his plot, but I can’t wait till my first crop – and to making rhubarb vodka…

The builders’ bags of autumn leaves are rotting down nicely – I think I can decant one into another when I have a high-energy moment. That gets it down from 4 bags to 2 in just a few short months. I can’t do much else outside, it’s all sopping wet, not least because I’ve just drained my overflowing waterbutts.

At home it’s chits away! There are lots of articles on whether chitting is worth it, but it’s definitely the easiest storage option for living in a flat. I have 2kg each of Dunluce and Charlotte from JBA, plus the potatoes from Seedy Sunday. There’s a noticeable difference in size between Dunluce and Charlotte – 30 Dunluce seed potatoes compared with just 17 monster Charlottes, some of which I will probably end up cutting in half a couple of weeks before planting time. I’ve got woodash to dust the cuts with and help them callus over.

Most of my chilli & aubergine seedlings are developing nicely, but unfortunately greenfly have found the growlights, which means a daily aphid squish. A couple of the seedlings look like they might be blanks – no true leaves are developing at all. I’ll give them a bit longer, but as I’ve got more of most varieties than I need, they would be an easy cull.

The second sowing of chillies is about to go in – Padrons, Black Hungarian, Cayenne Yellow, Bulgarian Carrot and some pre-soaked Fish and Pasilla Bajio. Together with Lipstick & Goccia d’Oro peppers, Casper & Ophelia aubergines (Rosanna aubs refused to germinate) and some caper & wild garlic seeds.