We had a serious break in sometime yesterday evening. The lock at Old Lane entrance was damaged beyond repair. There was also severe damage done to the hut building. We have had to close off access to the old lane (asda) entrance. We have limited keys avaliable for the lock we have put on. So the main access to the site will be from St Anthony’s Drive entrance.
blog created by Mark Burton (Site Secretary)
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)
pictures from last year
Happy New Year to all members.
As most of you are probably aware my partner Amanda aged 54 passed away on 26/11/2025. So life has been a real struggle over the last couple of months which is why I haven’t been on site. I am trying to manage my life without her now which has been one of the most difficult times of my life. I have now realised I need to get back to my allotment and be with friends that will be supportive , who I know will look out for me. Although I won’t be coming back in my full capacity as secretary, the allotments are something that has helped me over the last ten years I have been a member. Just want to thank the committee for there continued support with my personal circumstances. A special thank you I would like to say to Mick Hogan our trustee who has seen me at my worse and come to see me everyday. He has been motivating me to overcome my mental health obstacles. He has been my rock and mentor over the last weeks and is a true friend. When the better weather comes let’s hope we have a successful growing season for the 2026 season
Thank You
Mark
Just letting members know we are turning off the water to the site Monday 17th November 2025
Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
It’s now that time of year when we need to get our land ready for next Spring, which involves digging the plot over and letting the elements get into the soil. When it comes to next Spring your land will be ready for planting. You leave the plot with weeds over the winter you will be playing catch up next year when the growing season starts. Some members cover there plots with ground cover to keep the weeds at bay. In effect we work our allotments all year round , winter digging , carrying out repairs, before we know it the growing season will be starting again.
Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
Good Morning,
Anyone still wanting kings seeds. There is a cut off date now of 23th October 2025 so we can get our order to them for next year’s growing season
Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
Can we please make sure you give the potato order forms to Mark Burton. We need them ASAP. Alot of members brought the form to the Annual General Meeting.
I can then place an order with our supplier and reserve stocks. We will have to make the cut off date now for the 23th October 2025
Thankyou
As you are all aware Mick Hogan has what we call a free table which is at the back of his shed. its visibly seen from the main path through the site. Mick puts vegatables , fruit, etc when he has a glut of produce, other members also put items on there for other plot members to take
In the last weeks fruit and vegatables are appearing on the free table that are not edible, they are rotting and obviously no one takes them. Mick has to compost all of it. Mick has asked me to publish a blog saying he doesnt want anybody putting items on the free table. He will continue to leave his own produce for members to take.
Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
The Committee would like to thank all plot members that attended our Annual General meeting on the 29th September people turned up in numbers & it was a good night had by all
Old Lane Committee
South Leeds Conservative Club, Wooler Street, Beeston, Leeds , LS11 7JH
Buffet included from 6.45pm
Mark Burton – Allotment Secretary
friendly, locally-managed allotments in Beeston, Leeds
A place to return to education, and meet your personal and professional goals in a supportive learning environment. Choose from short courses to PhDs at https://warwick.ac.uk/study/cll/
Welcome to my world: digging, harvesting and other stuff
