January 2020 Allotment News

What’s your 2020 vision?

Welcome to 2020 to all our allotment members and WordPress followers. We hope you had a great 2019 and are looking forward to a new year of gardening. If you would like to share your plans or gardening resolutions for 2020, please contact us. Use the link in the menu above.

Rents Now Due

Our annual rent and membership fees are due now. Many thanks to all those members who have already paid for 2020. If you have not paid yet, please see this link of how to pay, or click on the link in the menu at the top of this page. If you do not pay by the end of January your plot may be re-let to someone on our waiting list.

http://www.ketteringallotments.co.uk/rent.html

https://russellattwood.wordpress.com/allotment-rents/

Membership Records and Contact details

We have been working very hard to keep our records accurate and up to date. Some members have retired from their allotments or reduced the size of their plots so that new members from the waiting list can have a plot. If you are giving up or moving house etc, please contact us so we can amend our records. If you have already given up and are receiving this newsletter by mistake, please accept our apologies and let us know so we can amend our records

Security Concerns

There have been some reports of gates being left open. Please lock all gates as advised by your stewards for your own security. There has also been a case of theft of a polytunnel cover from a Scott Road plot. Please report all incidents to the Police – call 101 or use their online reporting form

https://www.northants.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

Longest Parsnip?

It is not often that we see how deep parsnip roots go, as they usually break off when we dig them out. The very wet weather has made the soil very soft and muddy and one of our Northfield Avenue members has harvested some parsnips with all of their roots. Well done Harry!

Network Rail working to improve the railway line near Northfield Avenue.

Hopefully everyone is aware that our railway line to St Pancras is being electrified. This major infrastructure investment is nearing completion. Network Rail will be doing some vital safety work to improve the fence on our boundary with the railway. Please observe all safety instructions if this is near your plot. Remember that the cables are 25 000 Volts, so beware!

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/safety-in-the-community/railway-safety-campaigns/always-on/

Latest news from the National Allotments Society

see their latest newsletter below. See Page 30 for a most interesting article on coping with deluges and droughts

http://online.flipbuilder.com/cwao/mmyn/

December 2019 Allotment News

Rent due soon

Our annual rents are due on 1st January 2020. The rents are the same as last year, no increase. Full details of how to pay are on the page in the menu above 

https://russellattwood.wordpress.com/allotment-rents/

If you are giving up and  no longer keeping your allotment, please let us know so we can stop nagging you for rent. We can re-let your plot to someone on the waiting list

Big Compost Experiment

Citizen science project from UCL and BBC radio 4’s Inside Science

The above BBC Radio 4 programme has teamed up with one of the UK’s top universities to conduct a citizen science experiment on composting. Details are in the links below

https://www.bigcompostexperiment.org.uk

https://www.plasticwastehub.org.uk/news/announcing-the-launch-of-the-big-compost-experiment

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0009yxv

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/headlines/2019/nov/big-compost-experiment-launched

Seed catalogues

Now is the perfect time to order your seeds. The widest selections are available online. Here are some suggestions:

The Garden Shop in London Road Kettering

Kings Seeds https://www.kingsseeds.com

Real Seeds  https://www.realseeds.co.uk

Seeds of Italy https://seedsofitaly.com

Marshalls https://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk

 

Article Published

The latest edition of the Allotment and Leisure `Gardener magazine from theNational Allotment Society features an article on

Coping with Droughts and Deluges by Russell Attwood (see page 30 of the magazine)

November 2019 allotment news

Floods on Margaret Road

Following the sustained heavy rain over the week ending 26 October the river Ise overflowed and flooded the Margaret Road allotments. This regularly occurs in wet winter periods. See the photo below showing the allotments. many thanks to Sydney for the photo

Clocks change and a new gardening season

We are now in GMT and have the long, dark nights of winter ahead. Gardens have moved from the early autumn of bountiful harvests to late autumn cool. Harvesting is still going on, with Brussels, parsnips and kale entering into their season. Other crops have been stored for use throughout the winter (carrots, potatoes, squash, onions). It is still a busy time on the allotment (if not flooded), and with fewer hours of daylight we have to work hard to get our jobs done before sunset.

Jobs for November (if not flooded!)

• Plant garlic of not already done in October
• Set rat traps in sheds. Peanut-butter is a good bait. Rats will look for warmth and food in our compost bins and sheds as the nights get colder. This is the time to be really vigilant and trap them before they breed and do more damage. Don’t put anything in compost bins that might encourage rats, eg remains of pumpkins after halloween.
• Mulch your plot. Find whatever mulch is available and cover the soil. Ideally put cardboard on first, then mulch. This will decompose nicely over the winter, protect the soil from heavy rain which leaches valuable minerals and turn your topsoil into beautiful compost that you can rake over without digging in the spring next year. See this clip on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3alQs6WK6Ng&feature=youtu.be

• Collect fallen tree leaves for mulch, compost of leaf mould.
• Remove diseased potatoes and take them to your green waste bin at home. This will prevent blight and other pests next year. Damaged potatoes still grow back next year and harbour pests and diseases.
• Harvest leeks, kale, parsnips and sprouts. Also Jerusalem artichokes if you have them.
• Remove the top netting from fruit cages as heavy snow in winter will make it sag.
• Plant soft fruit and miniature fruit trees
• Check stored potatoes, beetroot, carrots, onions, pumpkins for signs of rot
• Check out seed catalogues for next year’s plans

Rent 2020

No rent increase for 2020!

The rents for 2020 will be the same as this year. Another year of prudent financial management has meant our plots remain excellent value.

Details of how and when to pay rent are on this link below

https://russellattwood.wordpress.com/allotment-rents/

Marrow Competition Results

Margaret Road members held their annual fun competition recently (on a rainy Sunday)

Here are the results – well done to everyone and thanks for taking part

Pumpkin Competition

Winner = Mary 124 lbs 12 oz (that’s the pumpkin, not Mary)

2nd = Dai 86 lbs 11 oz

3rd = Rebecca 69 lbs 1oz

4th = Stuart and John – 47 lbs 8 oz

5th = Glenda – 16lbs 8oz

Longest Runner Bean Competition

1st Rebecca 46 cm

2nd Dai – 30 cm

3rd Glenda – 25cm

Heaviest Marrow Competition

1st Dai – 11lbs

Here are some recipe ideas for your pumpkins, marrows and squashes

Click on this link for recipes

5th November = Bonfire Night

You are allowed a bonfire on the 5th- but risk-assess and follow the rules

We discourage bonfires, but understand that tradition allows one on the 5th of November. Consider your neighbours and the air pollution. See our guidelines, by clicking on the link below:

http://www.ketteringallotments.co.uk/bonfires.html

Did you know that November 5th is when the air in England is most polluted? Studies have shown that the air pollution is huge because of fireworks and bonfires, so think about athsma patients before you burn.

https://www.kettering.gov.uk/info/20044/pollution/12180/bonfires_and_smoke_nuisance

No-dig gardening film

please watch it – (3 minutes long, so no time for popcorn)

http://www.global9services.com/Russell%20Attwood%20Allotment.mp4

link to potato catalogue

 

Alternative link for the above

Seed Potato Catalogue 2020

Here is the catalogue from our local supplier in London Road, Kettering.

Click on the link below or here

SEED POTATO CATALOGUE 2020 2

Pumpkin Show this Friday (25th October)

1pm start

Kettering Art Gallery

£5 admission, link below from KBC for details

https://www.kettering.gov.uk/info/20025/museum_and_gallery/12248/talks_at_the_alfred_east_art_gallery

 

October 2019 Allotment News

Come to the Pumpkin Show on October 25th

Learn about lasagne gardening.

How to grow fabulous vegetables on your allotment with

No digging

No watering and

No weeding (well almost no weeding!)

The pumpkin show is not just about pumpkins. Speaker Russell Attwood shares his many years of  successful experience of allotment gardening. The super technique of lasagne gardening means Russell can produce amazing crops from his 3 allotments with no digging, no watering and (almost) no weeding. Find out more at

Kettering Art Gallery

Friday 25th October

1 pm. (refreshments available from 12:30pm)

Admission £5 or £3.50 with a Kettering Leisure Pass

Details on this link

https://www.kettering.gov.uk/info/20025/museum_and_gallery/12248/talks_at_the_alfred_east_art_gallery

Waiting Lists update

Field stewards have been working hard to get plots for those on the waiting lists. More enquiries from people has meant that our lists are still growing. New members at Scott Road have been allocated small plots, to give new members a chance and reduce the waiting list.

If your plot is too much for you and you want to reduce its size, please let us know so we can make someone on the list happy and allocate them a small plot.

If you want to give up your plot please contact us or your field steward.

Taste of Autumn Show at RHS Wisley

click on the link below to find out more

https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/viewevent?EFID=421&ESRC=CMS

Another site about no-dig gardening!

click on the link below

https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/diy-instructions/no-dig-gardening/

Allotments in the News

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/allotments

 

September 2019 Allotment News

Fly tipping at Northfield Avenue

It appears that a third party has dumped a load of bricks and building waste on our Northfield Avenue site (photos below). Did you witness anything? Did you record a licence plate or registration number or film it? Please contact us if you have any information.

Please keep the gates closed to prevent fly-tippers entering allotment land. 

Northfield Avenue will soon have a new gate and be much more secure. The new gate is on order and will be installed in the near future.

Portion Control

I was told that the key to a healthier diet was portion control, so I decided to only have one potato for dinner…

Sarpo Mira variety grown on Scott Road allotment 2019 from self-set tuber left over from 2018. 

A chance to see the Pumpkin Show

• when– Friday 25th October 2019 at 1pm

• where – Kettering Art Gallery, Sheep Street

• see below from Kettering What’s On (Page 9)

https://issuu.com/ketteringboroughcouncil/docs/what_s_on_issue_8_print?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ

https://www.kettering.gov.uk/info/20025/museum_and_gallery/12248/talks_at_the_alfred_east_art_gallery

Pallet Guide – what pallets are safe to use?

click on this link for a useful guide to pallets

https://www.universalpallets.com/2018/01/ultimate-guide-pallet-markings/

This page shows what pallets are safe for use on allotments

https://www.universalpallets.com/2019/07/discarded-wooden-pallets-safe/

 

Why were there so many flea beetles this year?

Perhaps they came from the oil-seed rape fields on farms? See this story 

https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/harvest/harvest-2019-grower-sees-flea-beetles-climb-out-of-trailer

Share your stories on allotments 

https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/garden/g28713736/allotments-baxterstorey/

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/aug/12/allotments-share-your-pictures-and-stories

News from National Allotments Society

Open weekend at Barnsdale (near Oakham)

Barnsdale Gardens, Oakham – 17 and 18 August Summer Vegetable Weekend
Barnsdale will be opening up the productive areas that are normally off-limits to visitors, and their expert grower will be available to advise you on your own veggie production.

HAVE YOU GOT A RAT PROBLEM ON YOUR SITE?

NAS are organising courses in October / November in your region – could you provide a venue ?

The Control of Rodent course held recently in Leeds was very well attended and successful. Please email natsoc@nsalg.org.uk  with an expression of interest for forthcoming courses or venue possibility.

Click on the link below to read the latest Summer Newsletter from National Allotments (NSALG)

https://mailchi.mp/fa3f01d740a3/summer-news-from-the-national-allotment-society-2398301?e=b13995087f