Plant out spring cabbages

Cabbages are ready to be planted outside when they are 10-15cm in height and have 4-6 true leaves

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Get spring cabbages into ground that's been cleared of weeds but not dug over, as all brassicas grow best in firm ground. If you have acidic soil, liming early in winter also helps with this group of plants.

Different varieties of spring cabbages need specific spacing, so check and expect that they'll need at least 30cm between plants and 45-60cm between rows. You could harvest every other plant as immature greens. Plant them right up to the first set of true leaves, firm well and water them in.

Inspect sweetcorn

Sweetcorn cobs are generally ready to harvest any time after the old flower at the top has turned dark brown, but it's best to give it a further look before you start picking.

Pull back the leafy sheath at the top of the cob and use your fingernail to press into a kernel to check the sap: if the sap is milky, it's ripe; if it's clear, the cob needs a little longer. In warm weather, this can change in a day, so keep checking and pick as soon as you see the milky sap.

Harvest nasturtiums

Snip off the flowers of nasturtiums to liven up salads and desserts. The flowers have a pleasant, peppery taste while the young leaves, also edible, are stronger.