Okay. so it’s a tad wet and cold out there (slight understatement) but sunny spring days will be upon us before we know it.

Ever the optimist, so I’m going to try and get ahead with my crop rotation plan while it’s the quietest time in the garden.

The principles of crop rotation are to grow specific groups of vegetables on a different part of the vegetable plot each year. This helps to reduce a build-up of crop-specific pest and disease problems and it organises groups of crops according to their cultivation needs.

My plan comprises a sketch of the plot, including all the beds and other growing spaces. I photocopy this plan every year and write in which vegetable crops I'll be growing in each bed.

I take care to check the plan I drew for the previous three years to make sure I'm not growing two crops of the same family in the same spot more than once every three years.

Of course, like every other plan, my crop rotation sketch is subject to change, according to what's ready for planting and which beds I've prepared. But I do try to stick to the general plan to ensure the nutrient levels of the soil are maintained evenly across the plot. I group my crops into roots (carrots, parsnips and beetroot), brassicas (cabbages, broccoli and kale) and legumes/other (peas and beans, onions and garlic).

A traditional three-year rotation plan:

Year One: Section One: Roots; Section Two: Brassicas; Section Three: Legumes/Others.

Year Two: Section One: Legumes/Others; Section Two: Roots; Section Three: Brassicas.

Year Three: Section One: Brassicas; Section Two: Legumes/Others; Section Three: Roots.

As well as reducing the likelihood of pests and diseases building up, careful planning means that one crop will benefit another if planted before it. For example, potatoes are brilliant for breaking up the soil for deep-rooting peas and beans.

They, in turn, fix nitrogen into the soil, which benefits nutrient-hungry brassicas.