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The weeds are growing like mad this year. They seem to love the combination of spring showers and sunshine we've been having lately. Sadly, the fine weather is having as positive effect on the weeds as it is on me.Speedwell is one of the moist

Along with the sap rising, the birds cavorting and my enthusiasm surging, the weeds are growing with a vengeance. This February has been a month of weeding on my allotment and - I'm delighted to say - the plot has never looked this good so early

into life - including the weeds. My last couple of sessions on the plot have involved a never-ending cycle of weeding and sowing seeds. It's so important to keep on top of weeding at this time of year. If left, they can smother young plants, competing

I'm rather proud of the plot at the moment. It's weeded, fed, mulched and manured, the potatoes are chitted and in, and the beds are ready. Best of all, I've just top dressed my paths with lovely wood chips, which set the whole thing off to a 'T

Sometimes it seems like I've had the allotment forever - I just can't imagine life without it. It seems so long ago when I look back to the early days - no shed, no raised beds, only weeds and lots of work to do.I think we got most things right when

as the books say it should be.So what goes wrong with the compost on the plot? The answer is simple: lack of variety.The compost I make at work has grass clippings, weeds, herbaceous stems, annual plants, the odd barrowful of spent compost from pots

.I'm on a mission to tidy up my plot this month. It's looking quite unkempt (I think 'unkempt' is the right word although Ron next door might choose something stronger) and is rather letting the Gardeners' World side down. I bet the weeds dare not show

've not grown it before.The onions also went in, but not where I'd planned. The bed I planned to plant them in had been freshly weeded and forked over, but onions need a really firm bed. Last autumn I cleared, weeded and forked another bed, which was crying

a few baby vegetables. Baby beets and parsnips are just lovely. Besides, now the soil has warmed up and the evenings have got a bit lighter, my crops could well catch up with those on neighbouring plots.After all the weeding I've been doing recently

. They advocate the no-dig technique in which a thick mulch is applied to the soil surface every year. This could help prevent weed seeds from emerging as it prevents light from reaching them. Now that does sound like a good idea!