For the last couple of years we have not had any frost or sub-zero temperatures. We got a bit of frost last year which hurt the board beans over wintering and they got over it. Last week we got a longer and harder frost where the day time temperature didn’t really get much over 1c for a number of days, we had frost and snow. I wasn’t surprised that the over wintering broad beans this time did not survive, all apart from one. I pulled up all the dead plants and when I got home I sowed a new batch which I’ll keep outside undercover until they show and then plant them out. It is maybe I have been spoilt with such mild winters in the past.

Along with new beans, I decided to start a bit earlier on chillies, leeks, and onion seeds. For Christmas I was given a heated propagator so put it to use. Having filled a couple of the seed trays with compost, I left it overnight to warm through before sowing and I’ll keep it heated during the night and unplugged during the day until germination. It will be interesting to see how it all goes.