January and February are important months for preparation when you have an allotment. There are lots of things that need to be done to make life easier in the busy months ahead. During the winter it can be easy to think that nothing needs to be done, or that the conditions are not right, but time spent now is an investment:

• Plan your plot - what are you going to grow, what was good last year, what do you enjoy?
• Order your seeds - this can be done early, so that everything is ready for the sowing season.
• General maintenance - clean your tools, fix any items that may have broken last year and give your shed a through clean.
• Clean your seed trays and pots - to remove any potential disease which may be left over from last year.
• Start chitting your potatoes - if you buy these in January, they can be left to chit until it is time to plant them out.
• Finish your digging - break up the ground and remove any debris.
• Cover the ground with black plastic - this will increase the ground temperature so you can plant earlier in the season.