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What to Bring to the Plot in February: 

A Realistic Kit List

I probably should have posted this first, because February is the month where having the right things with you makes the difference between a decent session and going home cold, wet, and annoyed. It’s not about packing for an expedition — it’s about bringing the few bits that actually earn their place in your bag.

A simple haversack or shoulder bag is ideal. Nothing technical. Just something you can sling over your shoulder, reach into easily, and not worry about getting muddy. If you want ideas for bags that work well for this sort of thing, there’s a link at the bottom to a post on the Fieldcraft blog.

Gloves that still work when wet

Most gloves are brilliant until they get damp, and then they turn into cold sponges. A cheap pair of nitrile‑coated gloves will keep your hands warm enough and still let you grip tools properly.

Bring two pairs. One will get soaked.

A flask

A hot drink isn’t a luxury in February — it’s survival. Tea, coffee, broth, whatever keeps you upright. It buys you another half hour of useful work.

A kneeling pad

The ground is cold and unforgiving this time of year. A kneeling pad saves your knees and stops the cold seeping through your trousers before you’ve even started.

A small first‑aid pouch

Nothing dramatic — just plasters, antiseptic wipes, and a bit of tape. February is full of hidden brambles and sharp edges you forgot were there.

If you want a proper look at what a simple, sensible allotment first‑aid kit should contain, I’ve linked to the full post at the bottom.

A notebook and pencil

Pens sulk in the cold. Pencils don’t.

Use it to jot down:

  • what needs repairing

  • what you’ve run out of

  • what you want to sow next

  • what you promised yourself you’d remember

Future‑you will thank you.

A spare pair of socks

It sounds excessive until you step in a puddle that didn’t look that deep. Dry socks can rescue a session that would otherwise send you home early.

A small bag of ties, labels, and a marker

February is a month of small fixes — tying in a cane, securing netting, labelling a pot. Having these to hand saves you walking back and forth to the shed.

A simple snack

Cold weather burns energy faster than you think. A banana, a flapjack, or a couple of biscuits will keep you going long enough to finish the job you came to do.

A realistic attitude

This is the most important thing you can bring.

February isn’t about big transformations. It’s about small wins:

  • clearing a corner

  • tidying a bed

  • sharpening a tool

  • drinking a hot brew in the shed while the rain passes

If you leave the plot slightly better than you found it, that’s a February success.

Related posts

Brew Kit (for keeping warm on the plot): https://ribblehead-allotmenter.blogspot.com/2025/01/brew-kit.html

First Aid Kit (for a sensible, compact setup): https://ribblehead-allotmenter.blogspot.com/2025/01/first-aid-kit.html

Fieldcraft Blog – Bags & Carrying Systems (for choosing a simple haversack): https://ribblehead-fieldcraft.blogspot.com/2026/01/bags-for-fieldcraft.html

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