Column: "January is always a bleak time of the year for us gardeners - but there's always plenty of other jobs to be getting on with," says Derbyshire dad

January is always a bleak time of the year for us gardeners, in terms of growing, but there's always plenty of other jobs to be getting on with.

Now is the perfect time to be getting on with those jobs that got put to one side last year. We have been busy installing two new greenhouses and sorting the beds inside to grow in.

It won't be long now until the onslaught of spring, where every second is filled with compost and seed sowing, or it feels like that anyway. While you have time now, don't forget to top dress each growing bed with a good layer of horse or farmyard manure or some good quality shop bought or even better homemade compost. By looking after your soil now, it will repay you tenfold later in the year when you are harvesting some amazing home grown fruit and vegetables, or even flowers.

All our autumn sown veg are doing great in the greenhouse. A few months ago we sowed Peas, sweet peas and Broad beans so that we could get a head start in the game. We have also sown some beetroot between Christmas and new year (which is a little early, I know!) Into modules and popped them on a shelf in the greenhouse.

We are down to our last jar of pickled beetroot, so this year we are going to triple what we grew last year in the hope it will see us through the winter. You can either sow in modules and plant out later or direct sow them into the veg beds from the end of February/beginning of March.

Each year just gets better and better down at the plot. We keep adding more growing areas and doing the things we love, which is definitely working for us. Me and Oscar have started posting longer videos on our YouTube channel, so be sure to find us and see what we are getting up to. Jobs for the month... ● Mulch all the growing beds with either farmyard manure, compost, horse manure or any other organic matter. We love to use homemade compost. ● Make sure you have plenty of seeds, compost, labels and string ready for when the mayhem begins. ● Wash all greenhouse windows to maximise light getting through in start for the growing season. ● Cloche growing beds to warm the soil ready for direct sowing in a few weeks. By doing this it will give you a little head start with germination even by warming a few extra degrees. What to sow in January.... • Tomatoes • Chillies and peppers • Aubergine • Brussel sprouts • Onion seeds • Garlic and onion sets • Broad beans • Cauliflower Seeds like tomato, chillies, peppers and aubergine will all need plenty of warmth and light. If you can't give them this, it might be best waiting until March so they don't become leggy.