Gardening: Between storms and sunshine, this is when great gardens begin

Each week at the moment throws ice, water and sunshine at us in no discernible order.

Thankfully there is plenty to do indoors between watching the water table rise and trees fly past the window. Winter in general is the perfect time to plan and prepare without actually doing too much work.

If you haven’t already done it, lower your heart rate into a zen like state by sowing sweet peas inside. If sown in January they will be slower growing which means more effective and thicker roots to provide healthier flowers that will last much longer than their spring sown compatriots. This is a great thing to do alongside interested small children.

All you need to do is push the peas into moist soil and cover with newspaper for warmth until they germinate in just over a week. Find the deepest pots you can as these allow the roots to search deeper for moisture and nutrients. All legumes fare better where roots are trained to go deeper.

Cleomes and antirrhinums are well worth the time and effort. Cleomes are a hardy annual that can be started off indoors but take a long time and light to germinate and need the exacting conditions.

Sow the seeds on top of damp compost and keep around 15C in a window. This combination usually sees them germinate and turn into purple and white sparklers. Once they ve grown a leaf or two, pot them up so they can go outside when the frost has gone. Like poppies and foxgloves, they despise root disturbance so planting from pots gets around this.

Antirrhinums, or snapdragons, which is far easier to write on a label stick, is the Greek name for ‘dragons snout’ . They originate from Spain and Italy so love the sunshine and can be treated as half hardy annuals. They enjoy a well drained but loamy soil in which to set root easily and then be planted out as soon as the frost has receded.

On the Plot

Even though it’s January we can be getting a head start to earn those jealous looks from across the path when spring arrives. You will benefit from having a greenhouse or cold frame, but if not, a windowsill and a tolerant partner will suffice.

Carrots will germinate under glass now and have a longer growing season which develops flavour and size aligned with their root development. They should be ready for pulling out of their sandy beds in 12 weeks time once transplanted outdoors and kept away from pests.

If you want a quicker crop, then radish, rocket, lettuce and spring onions can be sown carefully indoors. Radish, rocket and lettuce will be ready in around three weeks as long as you don’t mind baby leaves, and who does?

I can never understand why radish is nt more of a thing. It's spicy, peppery and grows in no time. Like a chilli that grows in colder conditions. If we had n’t discovered chillies we d be all over rocket and radish to provide that extra kick other salad crops don’t provide.

Keep any greenhouses ventilated to ensure there is no chance of lingering blight affecting next years tomatoes. Chit seed potatoes to give them a head start from Good Friday when they are traditionally planted in a deep trench in rotation after brassicas or legumes.

Either will have prepared the ground well, offering nitrogen for all those leaves potatoes need.

If you’re lucky enough to have a heated pad under trays then you can start things like tomatoes, aubergines and even okra off now.

If you just want to get out and do something then raised beds and paths can be put together or defined now while the ground is soft and workable. Alternatively, you can even just go out there and sit on a fine day and wait for new ideas.