Lucy Moore has been a plot member on our site since 29/6/19 on plot 46SB she wanted to show some before & after pictures of her plot below. Lucy said ” I really enjoy having a plot & highlights from the year include growing my first ever broccoli . Growing a giant pumpkin, taking on another 1/2plot & seeing lots of lovely sunsets . Thanks to the committee for running such a lovely site”
Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary) Photographs sent in by Lucy Moore
July is one of the driest months so a lot of time may be spent watering your plot. Although the hectic sowing of the first part of the year is past, there are still things to sow, plant, and happily harvest. Those early potatoes should be coming out of the ground by the end of this month, and although they do not store as long as main crop varieties they will store before you finish eating them.
Leeks – Finish transplanting or “dibbing in” leeks raised in pots, modules, or temporary seed beds. They should be in their final position this month. If you have too many to transplant cut them up & put them in a stir fry instead of spring onions.
Peas & French Beans – This is your last chance for sowing or planting out peas & beans. any later the pods are unlikely to develop in time.
Root Vegetables – Sow your last batch of beetroot now. Late carrot & turnip varieties can still go in at the end of this month.
Other crops you can still sow – Radish, spring onion, Kale, Chinese cabbage, Lettuce, Spring cabbage, last chance to plant out any Brussels sprouts, winter cabbage, autumn cauliflowers you have been growing from seed.
Don’t forget to keep your onions weed free, summer thinning can be now done on apple, pear, plum trees etc. Keep the hoe in your hand & keep on top of those weeds.
Blog By Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
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.
Thank you
Old Lane Allotments Committee
Carpets & Rugs
Dear plot members,
Please can you not bring carpets/rugs on the allotments. It states in the Leeds City Council rules & regulations that they shouldn’t be brought on site for health & safety reasons.
They seem to be appearing & they are being used as weed control on plots,which is not allowed. They are also being used on walkways between plots & these become really slippy & hazardous in the bad weather. Health & safety is everyone’s responsibility. I know some carpets have been on site a long time & have been left by tennants that are no longer members. Bringing them to site is breaching our site rules
Thank You
Old Lane Allotments Association
Dear Members,
Further information regarding this 2020’s Best Worked Plots competitions (includes best worked plots overall, and best newcomer plot). As last year all plots will be viewed over the course of the season and considered in light of the areas outlined below. From these viewings a shortlist of possible winners will be agreed. The scoring system will then be applied to this shortlist to assist the judges in making their final decision regarding winners and runners-up.
1. Quality of crops (max 40 points) – Broad range of vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers being grown (relative size of plots will be taken into account).
2. Condition of the plot (max 35 points) Plots should be weed free and the soil well cultivated. Paths and other areas should be weed free and tidy. Buildings should be in good condition.
3. Environmentally friendly practices (max 10 points) Compost bins in use. Rainwater collection and planting designed to attract natural predators.
4. Overall visual effect (max 5 points) Inclusion of attractive features such as hanging baskets, pots, benches alongside an attractive and interesting layout.
Winners will be announced at the AGM (October).
Old Lane Allotments Association
Jam in the making
Nick was certainly busy after he had picked some strawberries that the Depuy team had grown on their plot. The pictures below show him making jam from start to finish
Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary) Pictures sent in by Nick Oldridge of Depuy Synthes who occupy plot 28.
Plants Mean Prizes
This year has been a strange growing season so far with restrictions & social distancing. We have decided to still proceed with the competitions that we have on site every year. Finest worked plot which could be two categories, also finest newcomer to the site. Prizes will be announced next month. Everyone has worked very hard on their plots this year under difficult circumstances. We have been lucky that we have been able to still enjoy growing fruit & vegetables.
Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary) For & on behalf of Old Lane Allotments Association.
Trees on site
We have been asked by Leeds City Council that non edible trees have to be cut down to 6ft in height. Those wishing to purchase non edible trees have to put them in pots to reduce high growth. If a plot member leaves the site they can take the pots with them. Obviously fruit trees have to be bought on dwarf root stock.
Leeds city council have been spending considerable amounts of money felling non edible trees on allotment sites from the parks & countryside annual budget.
Old Lane Allotments Association
The carrot fly not only affects carrots but parsnips and even celery as well. The fly’s maggots cause the damage, killing seedlings and burrowing under the skin of mature plants, leaving brown tunnels behind. The fly’s produce two generations in a year and are active in April/May & July/August which almost ensures they can get at our crops. You can try sowing outside of these time frames in February,March,June,September, and October but its not an absolute guarantee that your crop will not suffer from carrot fly.
The fly is attracted by the smell of carrots & is most active during the day, so thinning, which bruises foliage and releases the scent, is best carried out later in the day. Inter-planting with stronger smelling onions is suppose to confuse the fly but evidence is mixed. Growing your carrots high in containers like half barrels in the ground could keep your crops out of reach. The best barrier to protect from carrot fly is to grow them under fleece, especially in the danger months. There are no chemicals available to amateur gardeners, but there are now more carrot fly resistant seeds being sold like ” Systan Flyaway” & “Resistafly” which could be your best option.
Blog & research by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary) – Pictures Mick Cooper
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)
friendly, locally-managed allotments in Beeston, Leeds
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Welcome to my world: digging, harvesting and other stuff
