Here's this month's column from Cwmbran gardener Sean O’Dobhain, you can read more on his blog at allotmentnotebook.blogspot.co.uk

JANUARY, while bleak on the plot, is a month which promises things to come; catalogues arrive from horticultural suppliers and the shops begin to fill up with bulbs, tubers and colourful packets of seeds. For the plot holder, it's an opportunity to do a bit of shopping, an antidote to the winter blues.

Thoughts obviously turn to planning the season ahead. Last month I had a bit of a review in which I had a look at what worked and what failed, with that in mind I’ve made my seed list for 2016. I always go through last season’s seed packets first, throwing away any seriously out of date as old seed doesn’t germinate very well. I tend to order more specialist seed varieties online or via catalogues but bulky items like onions sets and potatoes are easily sourced locally.

Talking of potatoes, this month you can purchase your spuds and set them out in seed trays to 'chit'. Chitting encourages the potato stalks to start growing before they are planted out in early spring. Chitting benefits all potatoes but especially the ‘first’ and ‘second’ early varieties.

After buying your seed potatoes, look at each carefully and place them with the ‘rose’ end, or 'eyes', upward in the tray. Some may already have shoots developing, others might not, so check them regularly just in case a few have been placed upside down! Egg boxes are handy if you have them but seed trays lined with newspaper are fine. Place the chitting potatoes in a light, cool but frost free place until planting time.

This year I'm growing the 'first early' potato 'Rocket', a variety that did well for me last season and can be dug from 10 weeks after planting. While ‘Rocket’ isn’t the most flavoursome, the tubers don’t fall apart during boiling and they are usually plentiful. Other quick first early varieties you might consider are ‘Foremost’ and ‘Swift’ as well as the old favourites, ‘Pentland Javelin’ and ‘Arran Pilot’.

Last season I grew a second early potato too but they were decidedly average compared to my first early so I’m just sticking to ‘Rocket’ this year. Once again my main crop potato will be 'Sarpo Mira'. These pink skinned potatoes are the first of the 'Sarpo' blight resistant varieties. The foliage of ‘Sarpo Mira’ doesn’t need to be cut down in late summer to stop the blight spores spoiling the tubers. The plants get a chance to grow on longer, forming larger potatoes. Again, these did very well for me last season but if you want to stick with the tried and tested varieties then the usual main crop potatoes like ‘Maris Piper’, ‘King Edward’ and ‘Desirée’ are on the shelves now.

Allotment jobs for January:

• Plan where and what you want to grow on the plot this season – remembering to rotate your crops to avoid potential pests and diseases in the soil.

• Buy onion and shallot ‘sets’ ready for March planting; ‘Sturon’ won’t let you down.

• Continue to pick winter veg from the plot like leeks, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, kale, turnip, swede and parsnip. If you don’t have any of these on your plot then add them to your planting plan for this season!

• Dig up and divide rhubarb crowns. Split them with a spade ensuring that each section has roots and buds, replant in a new position to the same level with a mulch of well rotted manure or compost.

• Check for damage to structures on the plot due to winter weather, secure them until they can be repaired properly.