These are some photographs sent in by Nick from (Depuy Synthes) of some of the produce they have harvested over this years growing season. They occupy plot 28 on our site. They grow most of there fruit & vegetables for local food banks. Well done to all those involved.
Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
South Leeds Conservative Club
Wooler Street, Leeds, LS11 7JH
With the first frosts hitting us this month as the season really starts to slow down we can now prepare for the next growing season. Its not too late to plant out over wintering onion sets. You can plant your garlic now. Towards the end of the month you can sow broad beans for an early crop. Your greenhouse should come to an end this month any green tomatoes can be made into chutney or ripened over the next couple of months producing red tomatoes. Store them in a cool place in the dark not touching each other in case one rots & passes on to other fruits. If they dont look like they are ripening put an over ripened banana in with them this will release ethylene gas that contributes to ripening. Runner beans & French beans will come to an end this month.
When land becomes vacant you can dig it & Spread manure over the surface. Leave the soil in large clumps the worms will break them up to get to the manure. Now is the time to give the greenhouse a good clean out & wash down making more direct light next growing season.
Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
These pictures were taken today on my plot, the fox having a lazy day on the allotments.
Photographs by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
You don’t need a compost bin to make compost, you can simply make a compost heap. A compost bin makes your garden or allotment a lot tidier. Plastic compost bins are useful making good use of space. Ideally a compost bin sits on soil in a sunny position, as placing one in the shade takes the compost longer to form.
Hot Composting – You construct the compost heap carefully with the right materials in even layers. You wait for it to heat up, then start to cool down , then you have to turn it to mix up the layers. And then do it all again, finally you can relax then let it mature for several weeks before use.
Cold Composting – Most people don’t have time to make a hot compost or they don’t have the right mix of materials. You can take a more relaxed approach with cold composting. You throw things in as & when you have them & let it decompose in its own time.
Things To Compost – Compost breaks down because bacteria, fungi & mini beasts eat organic matter. They need a balanced diet of browns & greens (equal amounts by volume) . Browns – Carbon Rich Materials – Twigs, dead leaves, cardboard, newspaper, straw, hay, wood shavings. Greens – Full Of Nitrogen – Fresh leaves & stems, grass cuttings, vegetable peelings, Apple cores, tea leaves, coffee grounds, faeces from vegetarian animals. You can also add egg shells for calcium but crush them up first as they are slow to break down.
Blog By Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
South Leeds Conservative Club
Wooler Street, Leeds, LS11 7JH
CROP SPACING
Different vegetable’s have individual spacing requirements which sometimes determine their final size. More often vegetable’s are grown in rows with a recommended spacing between plants, and between the rows. They may alternatively be grown in equidistant (equal distances) spacing between the plants – the average of the recommended spacing between plats & rows : so plants 15cm (6inch) apart, may alternatively , in rows 30cm (12 inch) apart, alternatively be grown 23cm (9 Inch) apart each way. This method probably gives the best results so plants have an equal share of light, air, moisture, & soil nutrients
As they mature they form a canopy over the soil which suppresses weeds.
Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
The Better Action For Families team that occupy plot 5 on our site run by Lynn Bailey entered produce grown on their allotment at the Middleton park show. They received the certificates below . Well done to everyone involved. Thanks Lynn for the pics.
Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
Sweet peppers & Chilli peppers have probably been eaten since 7500BC & thought to have originated from Mexico, although that is not known for sure. Nowadays about 90% of all cultivated forms of chillies are of Mexican origin. The Jalapeno chilli takes its name from Jalapa , the state capital of Veracruz. Sweet peppers are also known as bell peppers, they are sweet because unlike chillies they have minimal capsaicin which is what gives chillies their ‘heat’. The Charapita chilli pepper roughly grows to the size of a pea, however a kilogramme of these would cost you around 19 thousand pounds. It is said to be the most expensive chilli in the world.
Chillies especially red ones are high in vitamin C and also rich in vitamin B , they are very high in potassium & magnesium. Sweet peppers are also high in vitamin C, and have high levels of vitamins B6, A, E, plus natural occurring folic acid. Keep them inside when growing & feed them with seaweed food when they start to flower.
Always read the seed packet for growing instructions
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
