This has to be the slowest start to any year I’ve had. There’s no excuse – the weather hasn’t been that bad. Still, I often start stuff out too early, so perhaps taking it a little easier – and not over-sowing, which is a particular horticultural bad-habit of mine – will mean the stuff I do sow will get proper attention.

So – today, in the cold frame, a small pot of Brussels Evesham Special (the devil’s food; I grow them for the strange people in my acquaintance that think they taste nice) and a larger tray of leeks (Musselborough). I’m hesitant about the leeks after the unpleasantness with the Alium leaf miner but I love them so much that I’ll try again, with precautions. I’m trying the toughest I know; hopefully it will be okay.

In the heated propagators, small pots of a very few chillis (Cayenne and Aji; I plan on growing some others too) and Phlox (Coral Reef). Two small trays of Cosmos (Psyche) and Nicotiana (Sylvestris) because in previous years I’ve concentrated so much on veg that the flowers get forgotten.

After the excellent results I got from using reflective surfaces to guide the light (a north-east facing window’s never brilliant…) onto the seeds, I’ll be doing that again too. It cuts out all my light but hey – I can go for a walk…