The temperature in my greenhouse is fluctuating wildly. It rockets during the day, when the weather is sunny, then plunges at night. The contrast is far more marked than at this time last year.

This year I delayed sowing many crops, and I almost wish I had waited a little longer. I’m constantly venturing into the greenhouse with sheets of horticultural fleece, to provide young crops with extra warmth at night, then opening the doors and windows during the day (the wretched automatic vents have failed again).

The temperature has been so high during the day that I’ve had to remove the lids from two propagators, to prevent them from ‘boiling’ the seedlings. I keep a couple of watering cans close by, as the plants are guzzling water at such an incredible rate. The water gradually warms up to greenhouse temperature, which is much better for seedlings than ice-cold water, straight from the butt.

I’m not the only one dashing about. Recently one of our hens had a funny turn, so we put her, temporarily, in a nice snug box in the greenhouse. After an evening of luxurious rest, she ventured out of the box to explore, wreaking havoc in the process.

We’ve released her back outdoors, and hopefully she will now settle down. Now, if I can fix the automatic vents, and if the temperatures even out, order will be restored…