Blog

Hedgehogs

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There have been several sightings of hedgehogs reported to me on our site. Marie on plot 4 saw one on a neighbouring plot. Also Lucy plot 37N & Jelena plot 9N spoke about there concern for hedgehog safety on site. please see below.

1 . Slug pellets & pesticides can kill hedgehogs & should be used as a last resort, crushed egg shells or grit around the plant can deter slugs. If you have to use pellets place them under something which is inaccessible to hedgehogs.

2. Always thoroughly disturb bonfires before you light them as hedgehogs or other animals could be nesting there.

3. Litter is a real hazard to hedgehogs, they can get there heads stuck in tins, plastic bags etc

I know a lot of members have made hedgehog hotels on there plots making it safe for hedgehogs to rest or to build a nest for themselves.

Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary) photos sent to me by Jelena Germansone & Marie Darlow

Whatever the weather brings in September the season definitely begins to wind down. The bulk of the harvest starts to come home now & gaps start to appear on your allotment plot.  You can still sow winter hardy spring onions, & also plant Japanese winter onion sets for harvesting from June next year. This is the last chance to sow spinach & winter lettuce, a few last minute radishes may give you a final crop until the end of the year. Now is the time to plant new strawberry plants, either those you have bought or propagated from runners. You can also transplant Spring cabbages for harvesting next year. You still need to keep those weeds down with the hoe before they get established. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, will need continuous feeding, & should be ready for picking.

The second early potatoes should have been lifted by now, if all the stalks have died off then there is no food been supplied to the tubers, so they wont grow anymore. Your main crop carrots should be ready for pulling some time this month. Sweet corn should also be ready to make sure it is remove some outer leaves & put your finger nail into the kernel if its milky they are ready. Pumpkins should also be ready cut the stalks a few centimeters from the fruit & leave in the sun to continuing hardening off.

Blog By Mark Burton (Site Secretary)

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Rising Costs

We have had an E mail from Gro/well – Codnor about price increases. Seed potatoes are going up by 15% and they think other manufacturer’s will follow suit with inflated prices. They have said its to do with fuel costs , transport/ packaging, yield & availability on seed potatoes. They have also changed the quantity per sack that we purchase to 20kg instead of 25kg. Although we try & keep are prices as low as we can for members we have to pass these costs on.

Seed potatoes will still remain at £5.00 but the quantity now will only be 4kg instead of 5kg. Seed potatoe order forms will be included with rent statements which will be given out at the earliest next week.

Thanks

Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary) On behalf of Old Lane Allotments Association

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Once again due to the ongoing pandemic there will be no Annual General Meeting which was scheduled for the 4th October 2021. Ways to pay for annual rents, seed potatoes & Kings seed orders will be explained when we distribute rent statements at the end of August/beginning of September .

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

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My hens Molly, Lilly , Onyx, Peppa, & Dotty have really settled in they are now eating greens, & i Have eggs already. They must be happy & settled to be laying. They are lovely natured animals all with there own characteristics & personalities. I am reading & learning about hens everyday to gain more knowledge.

Blog & pictures by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

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They seem to be settling in now having dust baths & chilling out for the day.

Blog & picture by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)

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After the first day they ventured out for a stroll I think curiosity got the better of them. It wasn’t long before they found food & water and started to enjoy life in there new hen house.

Blog & picture by Mark Burton – (Allotment Secretary)

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This was the first day for my 5 hens Molly, Lilly, Onyx, Dotty, & Pepa, I had to name them all as they have all got there own personalities. They didn’t come out of the house for the first day obviously cautious of there new surroundings.

Blog & Pictures by (Mark Burton – Allotment Secretary)

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We have a small number of 30 litre second hand plant pots for sale at £1 each.

See Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary if you would like to purchase any. All funds go back into the running of the site. Big thankyou from our chairman Mick Hogan for supplying them

Blog created by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary) picture Mark Burton

August with a bit of luck, brings us the best of the summer weather but being the traditional holiday month,  it can be hard keeping on top of your allotment with a fortnights holiday. Early potatoes should be dug up now, its best to harvest potatoes early in the day rinse them & leave them to dry,  in the sunlight for a day to harden the skins before storage.

Vegetables you can still sow in August

Spring cabbage, Spring onions, radish, beetroot, turnips, Spinach, Swiss chard, carrots, Kale for Winter & Spring cropping, parsley, coriander & chervil can be sown in the greenhouse for growing throughout winter. Plant out summer  Cauliflowers early this month for an Autumn harvest

Stop tomato plants growing now to encourage fruit to swell, keep side shoots in check, you want tomato’s & don’t want a mass of green foliage.   Keep an eye on your brassicas for butterfly eggs & caterpillars. Most of these will be under the leaves in clusters of little yellow/white balls. Pick or wash them off before they develop & dine on your dinner. Turn your compost the warm weather will help break it down, water it if it’s really dry.

Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)