As soon as the weather conditions allow, a little gentle exercise digging over the vegetable plot after the excesses of Christmas will not only make you feel better but it will also benefit the soil especially if you incorporate as much organic matter as is available.

A visit to your local garden centre is perhaps a must to make an early purchase of your vegetable seeds, onion sets, shallots and of of course, seed potatoes, whilst a good selection of varieties are available.

To start off place them on their end in a light frost free area with their eyes uppermost in a container such as an old egg box or seed tray. This process is commonly known as "chitting".

Onion sets and shallots should also be placed upright in a seed tray and not left in their original wrapping to prevent rotting.

Whilst making your purchases at the garden centre do browse around carefully and avail yourself of the attractive offers that can often be had at this time of year on items such as lawn mowers, greenhouses, garden ornaments, statues and fountains.