A productive week. Not only did I mulch my asparagus but I also planted my first broad beans. I wasn't sure how many to put in, so I set up a mini cane pyramid and planted about ten beans round it. In about a month I'll do the same again. The pigeon netting is up; since I lack any form of DIY skill, I've used bent bamboo canes as a framework and piled earth around the edges of the net.. Unexpectedly it's actually stayed up and as a bonus appears to be keeping the pigeons out. I've dug over the potato plot, a piece of previously untouched soil, and while I haven't actually removed any of the weeds, I've loosened the soil into handy bite sized chunks in the vague hope that the frost will get in there and make my job easier. I have quite an area of grass to clear before March, at least 4m x 7m - my potato plot and my fruiting veg plot. Luckily it's mainly couch grass and seems to be light on the heavier stuff like dandelions and thistles.

The birds are hoovering their way through the sunflower seeds like they're going out of fashion. I'll need more of those and more peanuts for next weekend. From the amount that's being eaten I suspect I'm feeding every bird on the entire allotment site. Maybe they'll munch a few slugs while they're at it. On the plus side, I have a very sociable robin, send by some universal department of cliches, who comes to watch me digging from no more than a yard or two away. He has not yet perched on the handle of my fork but it's probably only a matter of time.

It was a fine, clear afternoon today and I was able to work until about 5pm. Although it's only January the first signs of spring are coming. The buds on the apple trees are lenthening and the garlic I planted last month is starting to appear through the soil. The purple sprouting broccoli is purple sprouting, and the gardening magazine are starting to go on about chitting seed potatoes (Apparently I need egg boxes. And seed potatoes.). What's more amazing is that I quite happily did two and a half hours' hard exercise today, and would have kept going if the light hadn't gone. I am really not an exercise person, as at least four lapsed gym memberships will testify, but I don't think I'll ever get bored of the allotment.

Planted: Broad Beans Aquadulce Claudia

Harvested: Nowt, although the leeks are coming along nicely