Sowing in January: Broad Beans

January is traditionally too cold for anything to be sown. However, in warmer areas, you can sometimes sow broad beans. These are the earliest beans to crop. If your soil is too damp (through rain or snow) then they will not grow, so ensure the soil is relatively dry.

Broad beans will require a sunny position, but soil type is less relevant. They are normal sown in double rows, 9 inches apart, and with the seeds the same distance apart in each row. Dwarf varieties of the vegetable won't need support, but taller varieties will. Use cane or posts with string to give this support.

The worst pest that will afflict your broad beans is blackfly. To deter them, remove the  top 3 inches of the shoot when the plan is in fire.

Harvest the beans when the pods have swelled. They can be used immediately or frozen and used later. The green broad beans freeze better than the white ones.

Broad bean, feta and basil mash

For this dish, peeling the broad beans probably is essential - unless they are really tiny and fresh. The mash can be served as a side dish, but to keep it simple just eat it spread on toast (bruschetta, if you want to be classy about it).

400g shelled broad beans
150g feta cheese
50g basil leaves
500ml olive oil

Pop the broad beans from the pods and cook in boiling water until just tender. Cool in cold water, then peel them by squeezing between your fingers. Place the beans in a food processor with the feta, a generous handful of basil and a generous splash of olive oil. Blend the mixture in short bursts to get a rough mash. Season with salt and pepper, though the former might be unnecessary with the feta. Use at room temperature.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture and patio furniture.

General Gardening in January

Snow hasn't really been prevalent this winter, and it looks like that is going to continue. But what have we had instead? Rain. The weather is really preventing us from doing very much in the garden, but there are a few simple things you can do to prepare your garden for the spring. Some of these tasks are simply carrying on things we talked about last year, but some are quite new!

If it looks like its going to get cold in your area, then keep the water pipes drained or lagged. However, if you've escaped the cold, its probably safe to run them again.

This is the principal time to prepare the soil for a vegetable garden. Your main concern must be, as elsewhere in the garden, with the condition and fertility of the soil. When digging the soil, it is a good idea to periodically loosen the lower soil by double digging. Dig two spade spits deep, but don't mix the lower spit of soil with the upper spit. You need only do this every few years. The rest of the time, a single digging will suffice. You should also avoid walking on wet or sticky soil because this will compact it.

Additionally, now is the time to make sure you've ordered seeds and plants for the next year. Even this is leaving it to the last minute, so ensure you get on with this.

Tackling the borders of your garden, the bits that can be reached from a solid path, is another easy job to do this month.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture and patio furniture.