In the garden this week: Sweet peas and winter lettuces

Sow sweet peas Sweet peas may have faded only recently, but they do best from an autumn sow, which makes now the time to buy seeds. Those sown in October make bigger plants which flower earlier than those sown in spring. Look for highly scented types such as 'Matucana' to avoid olfactory disappointment, and protect them from hungry mice or they will disappear overnight. Winter salad days Winter needn't be devoid of salad. Sow winter lettuces now, but don't just use whatever seed you have left over; you need to choose varieties that are particularly hardy and able to stand up to the weather. 'Veneziana', 'Winter Density' and 'Winter Crop' (from organiccatalogue.com ) are all up to the task, and should see you in lettuces from late winter. Sow under cloches to prevent leaves getting mud-splashed in winter rain.