Author: oldlanelottswp

Etiquette the customary code of polite behaviour amongst members in a profession or group . Each allotment has an unspoken law that develops over years, the kind of etiquette that should be followed.

• Keep Your Plot Tidy – Keeping your plot tidy has a real significance on the allotment but you wont make any friends if your plot is untidy & unruly. A messy plot is a magnet for pests & diseases that spread & cause problems for other plot holders. Be as tidy as possible.
• Deal With Weeds – Weedy plots are a pain for neighbouring plot members, weeds spread via both underground roots & seeds. These seeds spread via the wind, so by not weeding you will be causing work for your neighbours.
• Tackle Diseases – Always deal with any disease attacks as soon as possible, as you know disease will spread quickly to other plots. Dispose of any infected plant material off the site to limit the spread of disease. Also tell your neighbours so they can set up defences on their plot & be on the guard.
• Keep Paths Clear – Always make sure that other plot members can get past your plot, and the access is clear especially if they are pushing a wheelbarrow.
• Respect Other Peoples Space – Firstly not everyone wants to chat, some people come to there allotment for peace & tranquillity. Never take short cuts over someone’s plot , it can be annoying if someone walks over your seedlings which become damaged. If people want to chat they will.
• Help Your Neighbours – The big rule helping your neighbours, as allotments are all about community & helping each other. If your neighbour is going on holiday offer to water there plants, and they sure will do the same for you. Sharing tips & ideas can be useful for us all.

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com

Start with the soil, healthy soil leads to healthy growing plants with fewer problems. Follow a crop rotation (Even a simple one) to prevent a build up of pests & problems. Be vigilant most problems can be dealt with early. Keep plants healthy water when required , don’t overcrowd plants. Grow a wide variety of plants , big areas where you have one specific vegetable growing allows pests & diseases to find their host plants with ease.

Diseased plants should be thrown away not composted. When choosing plants & seeds look for disease resistant varieties. Pest & disease problems with plants vary from year to year so always try again sometimes the result’s can be different.  Attacks from pests & diseases can be demoralising for any gardener. You can however minimise the problems by looking after your soil & plants.

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

Beetroot contains betaine , a substance which relaxes the mind & is used in other forms to treat depression. It also contains trytophan which is also found in chocolate believed to promote a self of well being. Recent claims suggest that it helps to lower blood pressure,beetroot is a good source of iron & folate – natural occurring folic – acid. It’s belived that beets originated somewhere in ancient Eygypt during the reign of the 3rd dynasty.

The Victorians used the juice of beetroot to dye there hair & as a form of make-up to put on there cheeks to make them rosy. Beetroot is one of the sweetest vegetables often with a ten percent level of sugar, which gradually releases into the body. Did you know that eating 200g of cooked beeroot has the same health benefits as drinking 500ml of fresh juice. Beetroot grows best in well drained, fertile soil thats had well rotted garden compost or manure. Before sowing add a handful of general purpose fertilizer per square meter.

Always remember to read the sowing instructions on seed packets

Blog & Research  by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

Broad beans are high in protein & fibre ,an excellent source of folate also a good source of other B vitamins. They are rich in Phytosterols which help lower cholesterol levels in the body, they are an excellent source of minerals such as iron, copper, calcium, magnesium, & potassium. It was widely believed that rubbing a wart on the furry inside of the bean pod would cause it to shrivel & disappear.  Beans were also found in the tombs in ancient Eygypt where they were left as food for the departed & their souls in the afterlife. The Greek philosopher & Mathematician Pythagoras forbid his followers to eat or touch the bean as he said they contained souls of the dead.

Broad beans always grow better in fertile well drained soil where plenty of compost or manure has been dug in. A sheltered site is considered for Autumn sowing, spring sowing is fine out in the open. Once the beans begin to form pinch out the top of the plants to deter black fly.

Always remember to read the seed packet for growing instructions.

Blog & research by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

Grow Organic is a 100% organic fertiliser, it improves soil & breaks clay. I have included some pictures so plot members can read what it can be used for, & what the benefits are. We stock a minimum quantity and the price is £6.65 & would cover  1/2 plot if spread out & dug in. People who use it say it is as good as cow manure without all the hassle of delivery & off course the mess. It can be used for different applications.

All monies taken go towards the up keep of the site.

OLD LANE ALLOTMENTS COMMITTEE

Dear members,

Tony Paine (Plot 38) has placed a number of cuttings from his red gooseberry bush outside the main hut building. They are not in pots so they really need to be planted & watered straight away.

Please help yourself if you require one for your allotment plot.

Tony Paine

Blog & photos by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

 Stores Opening Times 2019 Growing Season

Monday          10am – 12 o clock   Tony Paine   (plot 38)

Tuesday         Closed –

Wednesday    9am – 12 o clock  Mark Burton (plot 14)

Thursday       Closed –

Friday            9am – 12 o clock     Mark Burton (plot 14)

Saturday        10am -12 o clock   Tony Paine   (plot 38)

Sunday          Closed

If for some reason the stores are not open on said above days/times it will be due to unforeseen circumstances. All monies from stores go to the upkeep of our site. If you could bring the correct money for your purchases that would be great.

Thank you

Mark Burton / Tony Paine

ON BEHALF OF OLD LANE ALLOTMENTS COMMITTEE

Dear plot members,

Tony Paine (plot 38) has a selection of second hands tools for sale priced at £2.00 each.

See him on his plot & take a look !!

All monies taken go towards the upkeep of our site

Old Lane Allotments Committee 

Over this years growing season I have scheduled blogs on vegetables with a difference. Rather than explaining how to grow them which are on the back of seed packets. I thought it would be interesting to write about the origins of vegetables, and their health claims and (did you know ?) facts.

I hope you will find them as interesting as I did when writing them & accessing the research & facts

Blog by Mark Burton ( Allotment Secretary)

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Photo by photos_by_ginny on Pexels.com

January usually brings bad weather but hopefully you can still complete those winter jobs that are still on your to do list. Check your stored vegetables , empty your potato sacks to see if any have become rotten, a squeeze will establish if a potato has gone bad. It would be a good idea to check the underside of your strung onions where rot usually starts from. January is not a month for outdoor planting or sowing you can try to grow some summer cauliflowers in a frost free place such as a cold-frame or frost free greenhouse, but obviously sowing in the deep winter months is a gamble.

          Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)