I am starting to wonder whether a ‘hands off’ approach to the allotment is the best way forward.

At the weekend I met a cheery fellow plot holder who this year had also embarked on this ridiculous charade for the first time.

He admitted to having neglected his patch for five weeks while holiday and work took priority. Things had overgrown somewhat.

But, beneath of the thicket were bulging courgettes, corn on the cob that look like it had been genetically modified by NASA and chunky potatoes.

The generous soul bunged us some veg, but I begun to think leaving the ground littered with weeds could actually encourage the vegetables to fight back.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not lazy, but springing into action every time a prickly shoot peeks out of the mud is perhaps unnecessary.

Some tips would be useful. Allotment holders may also need to start thinking about vegetables that are hardy to wet conditions.

I have barely had to water the plot this year and there have been many weekends when I couldn’t venture onto the waterlogged soil.

The real test, I think, will be trying to deal with the paddy field conditions if this climate is to stick.