Dear Plot Members,
This is to make plot holders aware the allotment committee meet the first Sunday in every month to discuss allotment issues. If there is anything you want to be raised in our monthly meeting, please put it in writing & place it in our site letterbox in the toilet area. Please include your plot number and name in any correspondence
Thank you
Old Lane Allotments Committee
SUPPORTING LOCAL WILDLIFE
Allotments can provide local wildlife with natural habitats birds,badgers,foxes,bees butterflies & slow worms, to all nature of wildlife. Its really surprising what you can see down on your allotment.
GREAT FORM OF EXERCISE
They say with 1/2 hour exercise on your allotment a day you could burn up to 150 calories. You can work up a really healthy appetite for the food you grow.
EATING HEALTHY
An obvious benefit to allotment gardening is eating healthy. That is fresh organic fruit & vegetables from ground to pan to plate without the supermarket price tag.
RELAXATION & IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE
Working on your allotment plot you will get a good sense of accomplishment at your results & efforts. Its also a fun way to relax and to relieve stresses & strains & will improve your quality of life.
Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
Hosepipes can only be used to fill up water barrels that you have on your plot. That strictly means hosepipes cant be used to direct water plants or land, it is forbidden on site. Anyone caught using a hosepipe other than filling up a water barrel will be in a strict breach of there tenancy agreement .
Thank You
Old Lane Allotments Association. (Blog created by Mark Burton – Site Secretary)
June is a very busy time on the allotment the nights should now be frost free, and daylight hours are longer which should give you plenty of time to get on with jobs that need doing. Now is the time to protect your strawberries by mulching around them with straw to keep mud splashes off, & keep birds of your precious ripening strawberries by cover your plants with netting.
Keeping on top of the weeds is still very important hoe between rows & let them dry out on top of the soil. Continue sowing beetroot, This is the last chance to sow main crop variety carrots that will be ready to harvest in September/October. Courgettes, Summer squash, & marrows if you don’t already have young plants you have raised in pots, you can sow the seed direct outside now the soil has warmed up. The beginning of June will be the last chance to grow maincrop peas, towards the end of the month switch to early fast maturing peas which should be ready to harvest in September. Outdoor cucumbers are usually started off earlier in pots, but if you sow them direct this month they should give you a crop in August/September.
Sow Outdoors now – beetroot, broccoli, Carrots, French beans, kale, pumpkins & Winter squash, runner beans, swede, Swiss chard, turnips, radish, Spring onions, continue succession of salad leaves, cucumbers, herbs.
Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
The Leeds City Council rules state to grow 60% edible crops, fruit and Vegatables etc. The other 40% of your plot which can include a greenhouse, sheds, pollytunnel and flowers which comes under the category non edible crops. If your plot is not in a satisfactory condition over the growing season, not cultivated, or you are not utilising the land Old Lane Allotments has the right to refuse your annual rent in October without warning . This section is in our rules and regulations which all members have a copy of. The waiting list for our site is over 20 people wanting an allotment garden. We are under extreme pressure from Leeds City Council basically make sure your plot is all planted up & cultivated over the main summer months of the growing season.
Blog Created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
We have had a delivery of wood chippings. They are in the bay area , that Tony Paine built.
It’s at the back of the car park, where the perimeter fence is.
We have managed to source some Anti Bird Netting that is cheaper than our previous supplier. It is down by 0.50p a running metre and is 4 mts wide. So the new price will be £1.40 a running metre , as opposed to £1.90 a running metre. It is Horticultaral bird netting and will last at least 7 years .
Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secreatary)
Hosepipes can only be used to fill up water barrels that you have on your plot. That strictly means hosepipes cant be used to direct water plants or land, it is forbidden on site. Anyone caught using a hosepipe other than filling up a water barrel will be in a strict breach of there tenancy agreement .
Thank You
Old Lane Allotments Association. (Blog created by Mark Burton – Site Secretary)
It has now been decided that no more scrap metal is to be put in the bay area. Members will have to dispose of scrap metal themselves. That bay area was built for wheelbarrow storage and manure.
Mick is going to organise a delivery of manure in the coming days, for the bay area at the back of the car park. It is just getting abused by some members as a dumping ground, and it’s not fair to the committee for this to keep happening.
So with immediate effect, we don’t want any metal or rubbish in the bay area.
Old Lane Allotments Committeee
Lighter evenings means we get more time on our allotment plots & with temperatures rising in May we should see some really vibrant sunny days. Watch out there is still a danger of frost even in May which will kill tender young plants. The soil should be warming up now so this is a time for some direct sowing of seeds but remember to stagger them to spread out your Harvests. Remember to harden off young plants this is where you gradually acclimatize the plants to outside temperatures & conditions over a two or three week period.
Continue to sow main-crop peas, sow sweetcorn directly outside always sow in blocks rather than rows to ensure pollination. Root vegetables can now been sown outside carrots, beetroot, swedes, parsnips & turnips.
Sow outdoors under cover – beetroot, cucumbers, French beans, Runner beans, sweetcorn.
Sow Outdoors – Beetroot, Brussels sprout, Cabbages (Summer), carrots, cauliflower, French beans, kale, lettuce, oriental leaves, lettuce, radish, rocket, runner beans, spring onions,swede, salad leaves, broccoli, Swiss chard, spinach.
Sow Indoors – Cabbages Summer, autumn winter & red, chillies & peppers, pumpkins & winter squash, courgettes, kale, marrows, sprouting broccoli.
Herbs – Succession sow further small batches of seed such as basil, coriander,chervil, dill, parsley, sorrel – may need protecting still with covers or cloches.
You may need to earth up potatoes & keep that hoe going for the continual weeds.
Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
friendly, locally-managed allotments in Beeston, Leeds
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Welcome to my world: digging, harvesting and other stuff
