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People are always banging on about summer salads, but it's the winter months when I crave fresh, green leaves. Even now in April, there's still not enough fresh greenery about, despite the fact that spring is well and truly here. Just the other

I had hoped that the ultra-harsh winter weather would decimate overwintering populations of pests. This would go at least some way towards making up for all the bay trees and mimosas that gardeners lost during the cold spell.The outcome

- varying between warm and wet - conditions should now be perfect for blight infection to occur. It looks as if I won't be able to bank on a continuous crop of home-grown potatoes this winter.I'm watching the weather with a degree of grim resignation

was the natural place to be. Packed full of ideas for what to grow this year, and armed with packets of seed, I was determined to get some seed sowing done. But before the fun bit, I had to stop prevaricating and clear out the greenhouse.It's well worth cleaning

, but my thoughts are turning to the Mediterranean, and summer holidays. I like to imagine what I'll be growing and eating in the summer: masses of zingy tomatoes, sweet and crisp peppers, juicy cucumbers and buttery salad leaves. Oh, and warm ratatouille

done, I forked a barrow load into the now-empty greenhouse bed and began seed sowing. First, I direct-sowed lamb's lettuce, then sowed 'Arctic King', 'Winter Gem' and the greenhouse lettuce 'Rosetta', which I've not tried before, into modules.Next, I

at the weekend, it was plain to see that the local slugs were showing no signs of slowing down. I uncovered several large clumps of their eggs; clear or slightly off-white spheres, each about 1-2mm in diameter (pictured, above). I gathered the eggs up in a pot

and snails are attacking my fruit, but are investing the most energy in munching my overwintering brassicas and winter lettuce.We even found a slug sliming its way across the kitchen floor, having stowed away in some apples we had brought inside to put

from year to year; it is not an exact science, but it is 15cm or so tall and about 20cm or more wide at the base. The result of that tiny bit of extra effort in autumn is an early crop of gorgeously succulent garlic, with bulbs that have shown little

’re also starting to snuggle down for the winter. My veg plants benefit from the extra warmth provided by fleece and cloches. I like to keep out the cold by drinking twice as many cups of tea.