HORSEMOOR GREEN ALLOTMENTS

The Day to Day working of an ALLOTMENT

THE DAY TO DAY WORKINGS OF AN ALLOTMENT SITE IN LANGLEY, BERKSHIRE, UK

For the benefit of visitors who do not know what allotments are - UK Allotments are plots of land rented to individuals to grow vegetables on. There is no standard size but the most common plot is 10 Pole, or 10 Rod these are ancient measurements equivalent to 302 square yards or 253 square metres.

This site has about 68 plots, most of which are being worked. The site is owned by the local council, but the day to day workings are run by our club and committee members.

' LANGLEY ALLOTMENTS & GARDENS ASSOCIATION'.

At this moment we have about 80 members . We also have a Trading Hut on site, where member can buy gardening items . This includes compost, canes, plants, etc. TheTrading hut / shop is open 3 times a week from March and closes Mid November. Through out the year we have events , such as BBQ's,Open days , and a stall at the local carnival where we sell produce and plants for club funds and for a local charity. A newsletter is produced 4 times a year to keep all members up to date with whats going on. The club is open to anyone in the area to belong , you do not have to have an allotment to be a member. The cost for a year is the great sum of £3.

Monday, 7 February 2011

We had our first Committee meeting of the New Year today, most of the committee where there.

We arranged our fist Event of the year , which is going to be a BBQ to celebrate the Royal Wedding. It is to be held on the 30th April between 2pm and 5pm. The BBQ is free to all members and there partners , all we ask is they bring a small item , such as a bowl of salad or maybe cakes etc. The club will be providing tea and coffee, but if members require something stronger we ask that they bring it with them.

On March the 5th our Trading Hut / Shop is having a sale . This is to get ride of the old items to make ready for the new. Some of the prices are to be very cheap and maybe buy one get one free we will see.

The Trading Hut is to open for the season on 26th March. Then every Saturday and Sunday from 10am till 12noon. From the 27th April the Trading Hut will open every Wednesday evening from 6pm to 7pm this may be extended as the nights get longer.

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What you should be sowing, planting and Harvesting

MARCH

March is the month when both plants and
gardeners are raring to get cracking, but often get delayed by bad weather.
Patience is the keyword for sowing and planting on the open ground,
frustrating as it may be. The delay will be worth it in the long run and
late-planted seedlings will soon grow on.
Weeds are often the first arrivals on the
allotment so be merciless with the hoe. Uproot and burn shepherd’s purse, a
brassica, to minimise risk of contamination with club root disease.
Lift the remaining parsnips before they try to
re-grow due to the increase in daylight. The parsnips will keep for a few
weeks if stored in sand like the carrots.
Set up the asparagus bed for planting crowns the
following month. Dig a trench 2 feet (60cm) deep and 4 or 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5
metres) wide. Work in a generous quantity of well-rotted compost and build a
mound 6 inches above the ground for good drainage. Leave the mound to settle.
Time to harvest the first of the forced sea
kale. Cut the slender stalks from the crown at the base. Replace the forcing
pot for further cropping.
Sow up a new patch of comfrey in an odd corner.
This provides a fresh crop of green manure. Harvest the first leaves from
existing clumps to get the compost pen active.
Prepare the sweetcorn ground. Dig down 1 spade
deep and work in well-rotted compost. A handful of bone meal per square yard
(square meter) is sufficient.
If there are any leeks left on the open ground,
dig them up and freeze them for soups or stews.
Don’t forget to set up the cloches to warm the
soil before planting out seedlings.
In the greenhouse sow more broad beans in 3-inch
(7.5cm) diameter pots for planting out later.
Keep sowing lettuce, spring onion and radish for
a succession of salad crops. If the weather is poor, raise in a cold frame or
under cloches.

If any spinach, chard or rocket remains on the open ground, lift it. The
foliage will turn coarser and the plants may bolt with the arrival of longer days.
TIP OF THE WEEK
If the grass has started growing then the soil
temperature is warm enough to allow the hardiest seeds to germinate.
Temperatures should be around 5 to 6 degrees Celsius. Warning heavy clay soil
is very slow to warm and planting should be delayed by a month.

The Day to Day working of an ALLOTMENT

Monday, 7 February 2011

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