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Things should really get going on the allotment in April, the days will start to lengthen & temperatures start to rise.  Do keep an eye on the weather forecasts as a cold snap or snow are not unheard of in April & the occasional frost is to be expected.  The first rule is never trust the weather.

There is plenty to sow & plant outside especially if the month of March was not suitable.Onion sets & shallots can be planted now, remember shallots need a long time in the ground. Aim to get your seed potatoes planted by the end of the month, you can start to sow carrots & peas outside. Remember though the peas are a good snack for mice, so keep them covered. Radish can now be sown outside & keep sowing every three to four weeks for a continuous supply over the summer.  Beetroot can be sown directly outside,but may need covering if the soil is too wet, also leeks & Turnip.

Aubergines, chillies , tomatoes can now be sown in the greenhouse as they all need a long growing season. You can also sow cucumber seeds in the greenhouse for planting outside later. Sweetcorn also needs a long growing season, it would be ideal to start them in modules under cover.  Courgettes, pumpkins & other squashes can be started in the greenhouse, also kale, marrows, climbing beans & dwarf French beans under cover. Start sowing also celery indoors, aubergines, & Summer cabbages & other variety’s from the brassica family.

Lettuce,rocket & salad leaves can also be sown outside along with root vegetables all dependent on the weather of course.

Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

LCC Power To Inspect Allotments

Dear Members,

Leeds City Council authorised officers are entitled to inspect allotment sites whether they are administered by Leeds City Council, or leased to a self administered association like our site.  Over the growing season authorised officers can inspect allotment sites to see if members are,  cultivating to a satisfactory standard & are utilising the land for growing purposes.  As the new growing season is about to start soon we wanted plot holders to be aware of this information, & adhere to the site rules.

Old Lane Allotments Association

Planting potatoes

Plant your chitted potatoes when the soil starts to warm up, usually in mid- March to early April. Start by digging a trench 7.5 – 13cm (3-5 inch) deep, add a sprinkling of fertiliser to your trench before you begin planting. Plant early potatoes about 30cm (12 inch) apart with 40-50cm (16-20 inch) between the rows, second earlies & maincrops about 38cm (15 inch) apart with 75cm (30 inch) between the rows. Handle your chitted seed potatoes (tubers) with care, gently setting them in to the trench with the shoots pointing upwards, be really careful not to break the shoots. Cover the potatoes lightly with soil & fill in the trench. As soon as the shoots appear, earth up each plant by covering it with a ridge of soil so the shoots are just buried. You need to do this at regular intervals creating a small mound around the plant to prevent any sun damage or element damage.

Harvesting

Your home grown potatoes should be ready for lifting from June until September, depending on the varieties & the growing conditions. Earlies can be lifted & eaten as soon as they are ready, this will be when above -ground growth is still green,& usually as soon as the flowers open on the plant. Second & maincrop varieties can be kept in the ground much longer, until late September, even though above-ground growth may well be looking past its best. Two weeks before you lift the crop, cut the growth off the plants at ground level. This should give the skins of the potatoes sufficient time to toughen up, making them far less prone to damage from lifting and easier to store.

Blog written 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)

Cast your minds back to July 2021 everyone received confirmation that annual allotment charges would increase over the next three financial years by 3%. Leeds City Council gave us 1 years notice of the changes that would apply. This increase started for the 2022/23 growing season which members paid in October 2022. The same 3% increase will apply for the 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 growing seasons, concessions still apply. Increase for water rates will depend on any Yorkshire Water price changes .Our water charges are only £7 per member annually. However this could increase with any long periods of drought over the growing season

Old Lane Allotments Committee ( Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

GOOD –  HOUSE/KEEPING – MAKING TIME

Allotment holders as a top tip should consider the equivalent of half an hours work each day on their plot as a minimum time to achieve reasonable results. People often have to multitask juggling work, family time & allotment gardening. This makes plotting how much time you will have to dedicate to your allotment difficult to gauge.

A couple of hours a week may see you through the quiet season in the winter months, but by early Spring you will need to think about setting aside much more time for sowing seeds & planting. You need to put in an appearance at least once a week just to keep on top of the weeds & pests. The more complex the plot, the more time you will probably have to spend keeping it in line. Following a regular routine with your visits, set days & evenings every week – should make it easier to allocate ongoing tasks on the plot to plan start & finish dates. Taking a more scatter gun approach of squeezing in visits when you can, or not at all when time is tight, can see you falling behind on sowing planting & tidying up jobs. Growing seasons are tight & a measure of good housekeeping on the plot is really important to hit all those deadlines. So basically its  all a balancing act. Nothing beats the excitement & anticipation of the simple act of pulling up a carrot or digging up your “spuds” that have been hidden for months underground, like buried treasure. The truth is once  people have started with the joy of allotment gardening, they find it hard to make time for anything else.

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

Brussels sprouts are part of the brassica family,  and as we know they date back to the 13th century & were grown in the region of Belgium that gave them their name. Recent hybrid varieties are a revelation for reliability of cropping &  the holding power of the sprout on the stem. Sprouts are really low in calories & high in protein fibre, they are low in glycaemic making them ideal for weight loss dieting. They are very nutritious vegetable’s containing high levels of flavonoid anti oxidants. Sprouts are packed with vitamins A, K, C and complex B vitamins as well as potassium, manganese & iron.

Brussels sprouts grow best in firm, fertile soil, rich in organic matter. They benefit from a sunny & sheltered position away from high winds. The soil must be dug over in Autumn & not prior for planting out. Use cabbage collars round the base of the plant to prevent  root fly & protect from birds.

Always read the seed packet for growing instructions

Blog & research by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

WHAT TO GROW

One of the srangest things I have come across is a grower that has a crop that he or she doesn’t like. So the first rule is to grow what you like to eat. Although this may seem obvious , often it can be strangely ignored. Write down what you or your family like to eat. Think seasonally Summer most people like salads & in Winter most families like root hardy vegetables. When you go shopping see which fruit & vegetables are the most expensive (so you can save money). Having eventually made a list of what you want to eat. You can then choose the varieties you want to grow. It’s easy to get carried away when your planning, be realistic about the time you have available ; think about how much time you will have in a good week, and in a bad week. Pick plants & seeds that are happy with that & grow them in the right place. On the other hand do try crops that you haven’t eaten before. The worst case is you waste a packet of seeds & a small patch of land.

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

KEEP BRITAIN TIDY

Please Help with the Great British Spring clean running from 22nd March – 23rd April 2019. Anyone who gets involved is making a real difference.  If everybody picked up 5 pieces of litter imagine what an impact that would have on our Country. It would really help turn the tide on litter pollution. Lets improve the environment on our doorstep.

PICKING UP LITTER ON OUR ALLOTMENTS OR ON THE STREET

  HELPS TOWARDS THE NATIONAL CLEAN UP OF LITTER

Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

We want to give members an oppurtunity to be involved with the running of the site. We have 5 committee officers at present who all work hard on a voluntary basis. We keep the site managed, & maintained to what we think is a very good standard. All are members work hard on their plots & the passion for allotment gardening is there for all to see. Our site is full going into the new growing season, with just over eighty members who occupy plots. We would welcome fresh input & ideas to continue improving the site. Anyone who has any questions about helping on the committee or wants a chat with one of the committee officers feel free to approach them when they are on site. Or E mail : oldlanelotts@gmail.com with any questions or queries.

Old Lane Allotments Association