It’s January. The ground is hard and cold, and often covered in lacy white frost. It’s hard to remember what summer’s like, sometimes. But now is the perfect time to start thinking about planning, planting and enjoying your produce.

You need to start by assessing the space you’ve got. It doesn’t matter if it’s a community plot, a new allotment, planters along the high street or a back garden – the fundamentals are the same.

Garden Organic has a great guide to assessing your space here. They explain the key things you need to think about:

Where’s the sun? This is sometimes called ‘aspect’. It just means that if your garden or growing space faces south, you might have lots of sun – although if you have big trees at the bottom, your south-facing plot could be very shady.

What’s your soil like? Soil that has been compacted down – perhaps like areas around new build estates – are difficult to drain and plant roots find it hard to get started. And some weeds can give you a hint as to what type of soil you have. Garden Organic give these tips:

• Chickweed - fertile soil with good structure.
• Creeping thistle - heavy clay soil.
• Dandelion - heavy clay and slightly acidic.
• Pineapple weed - crusty surface.
• Corn spurrey – sandy, light and acidic soil.
• Perennial sow thistle – wet, neutral or alkaline soil.

Then you need to think about what you’d like to grow. There’s detailed advice from Garden Organic here, but first you need to think about what you like to eat! And what do your family, friends, neighbours or coworkers enjoy? It can be a good chance to speak to other people and make arrangements to swap produce. If you grow too many courgettes and they grow too many onions, you have a perfect opportunity to exchange food.

You do also need to think about how much space you have and your typical climate. If you look online for advice, bear in mind that what grows well in Eastern Scotland will be very different to Kent, for example, and the timings for sowing and harvesting will also be different.

And who will be working in or enjoying the space? If you’re taking over some community land or making use of a public space, then you really will want it to be as accessible to as many people as possible. Raised planters can help those with mobility issues or people who use wheelchairs to get involved in the gardening. Think about sensory issues, too – adding scented herbs are good for the pot and for cheering everyone up too! Can you find space for some benches so people can have a rest?

The key to keeping this manageable is by involving as many local people as possible. Your nearest men’s shed might be able to help with planters and benches; find an Incredible Edible group to help out with community growing; Garden Organic run seed swap events and offer practical advice. If you are wondering what to do with your planned vegetables, then the Women’s Institutes have plenty of help both online and if you contact your local federation.

And don’t forget The Wildlife Trusts! Coronation Gardens is for food AND nature, after all. So when you are planning your plot, check out the advice here to make sure you’re keeping local wildlife happy too. Here are some top tips for planning out your wildlife-friendly vegetable garden.