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Dear Members

Please can you give your seed potato Forms to me by the end of the week. We need to order them with our supplier as soon as to make sure stock is reserved for us.

Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

Our Chairman Mick Hogan has asked me to post this Blog. Vegetables are appearing on his free table that are not edible for purpose. Woody and overgrow beetroot and sticks of rhubarb as above. Mick himself puts his own veg on this table when he has a glut of produce. Mick is talking about taking the table down if it continues, this would be a real shame if he does. So please whoever it is please stop and don’t spoil it for others.

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

Hi,

This is a message for members who have ordered items from Kings Seeds. I can confirm we will be sending off our orders at the end of October 2023. Please make sure I get the orders for processing if anyone still hasn’t looked at the seed catalogue then you must asap

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment secretary

I came across a hedgehog yesterday. So, let’s please be careful when strimming on site. Also, when we have bonfires, we need to make sure no wildlife is hiding there for shelter.

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

Tony Paine on plot 38 has got three blackcurrant bushes he wants to give away. If you want one go see him on his plot.

Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

The cauliflower probably originated in countries bordering the Mediterranean sea. Today cauliflowers are a major commercial crop in the United Kingdom. The cauliflower is named as a “super food” cauliflower eaten raw is an excellent source of vitamin C, K, B6, potassium, folate, & fibre. It is very high in protein, thiamine, & magnesium.

Cauliflowers do best in deeply dug, fertile soil It is important to keep the soil moist at all stages of the plants development. The seedlings are best transplanting to their cropping position to keep growth disruption to a minimum. Dig in plenty of manure in the Autumn.

Always remember to red the seed packet for growing instructions

Blog & research by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

When buying your seeds sort them out into sowing order (earliest date first) & store them in a cool dark place ready for the growing season. Remember if you already have packets of seeds stored these need to be sown first remember to check the sow by date on the packets. I personally don’t use out of date seeds if they don’t germinate it will put you back at the start of the busy growing season.

Don’t forget that growing instructions in a book are standardized so check on the seed packet , especially for those close-spaced varieties. I always read the instructions on seed packets as it gives you that reminder.  Check the weather as seed varieties can be planted in February at the start of the season,  but now the winter months seem to be longer as we learnt from early March last year, with the really bad weather conditions. The weather is always key to planting seeds.

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

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)

In Tudor times peas were a delicacy, often imported from the Netherlands, making them expensive to eat. Eating fresh peas became much more popular in the late 18th century, when British breeders started growing sweeter varieties. Gregor Mendel used pea plants in his experiments with genetics. Peas were first frozen by Clarence Birdseye who invented the ‘plate froster’ in the early 1920s in order to preserve food. The pea is said to be green when its young & immature. Ripe peas are usually yellow.

Peas have a good source of vitamins A,B1, & C. They are also high in protein, carbohydrate & fibre. The less water used when cooking peas , the less vitamin C is lost. Peas do best in an open position, but not one that is too exposed. |They are naturally a cold weather, growing best in Spring & cool Summers. They do not thrive in hot weather, drought, or poorly drained soils. Peas  generally don’t  germinate in cold soil, & this leaves them venerable to attack from mice & fungal diseases. Do not sow in an early cold Spring.

Always read seed packet for growing instructions

Blog & research by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)