This just leaves me to Wish You All A Very Happy Christmas

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "This just leaves me to Wish You All A Very Happy Christmas"

Annabel Pearson
5 years ago
Views:

Welcome to the December edition of the Compton Allotment News. Articles, pictures, photographs, open days, recipes, news, advice on growing, etc... Please send to Sue Day at keithandsueday@virginmedia.

To find out the winners and losers, also rans and the new kids on the block, you can find the information on pages 5 and 6.

1 Welcome to the December edition of the Compton Allotment News. Articles, pictures, photographs, open days, recipes, news, advice on growing, etc... Please send to Sue Day at The Allotment Survey results are now in. Thank you to everyone who entered their data. To find out the winners and losers, also rans and the new kids on the block, you can find the information on pages 5 and 6. The Compton Club is now the new home of the beautiful picture created by Natasha Ragless which featured in last months newsletter. Here it will be able to be enjoyed by those visiting the village club and also promotes our lovely allotments. Please see below all Committee details. These are also on the notice boards at each end of the allotment, but are not at all useful if you have mislaid or lost your key! You can also find this information on the Compton Parish website:- Richard Bennett Chairman Val Venton Secretary Ann Gooding Treasurer Pete Quinlan Plot Lettings Officer, Keys and Applications for Sheds and Structures Colin Venton Taps and Applications for Sheds and Structures Jonathan Draper Plot Lettings, Keys Steve Meager Taps, general maintenance Margaret Quinlan Thanks go again, to everyone who has contributed to the Newsletter this month. This just leaves me to Wish You All A Very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year

allotment. Please contact Ben on 07703 403133 if you have sighted them.

2 Rabbits So cute, but they will devastate your crops These have started to be seen on the allotment. They are coming under the gate at the Polsted Lane end, and leaving their signs at the Withies end of the allotment. Please contact Ben on if you have sighted them. Depending on the feedback, we may have to explore avenues on how to remove them. We do not want them to make homes on the allotment. Mr McGregor would not be amused.

What Bees Get Up To During The Winter Susan Kimber With the days shortening and temperatures dropping there are few bees out foraging, but this does not mean that they have hibernated.

3 What Bees Get Up To During The Winter Susan Kimber With the days shortening and temperatures dropping there are few bees out foraging, but this does not mean that they have hibernated. The worker bees regulate the temperature and humidity within the hive throughout the year but, with low temperatures outside, the task of keeping the brood area at a balmy 35 C becomes that bit harder. The bees produce heat by consuming their stores and clustering together, the bees constantly moving back and forth within the cluster, just like penguins! Even if there is no brood being raised the bees maintain the temperature at 25 C. This heat control therefore requires high honey consumption and a colony, which numbers about 10,000 bees during the winter months, can quickly get through the honey that they have stored in the summer months. Luckily October was a glorious month and the bees were able to take full advantage of the ivy flower, the last nectar producing crop of the year. So please do not cut back ivy before it has flowered as the high glucose nectar is invaluable for bees, butterflies and wasps. Apart from ensuring that the colonies had enough stores for the lean months ahead it was also important that the bees were healthy. I had been notified in the summer by APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) that there was a notifiable brood disease within 3 km of my hives and, in September, all my colonies were inspected by the seasonal bee inspector. All hives, including foul brood the bees would have been killed and the combs destroyed not a nice experience. The good news is that in three weeks we will have passed the shortest day and as soon as the bees sense the days are lengthening they will feed up the queen so that she can resume laying eggs and the colony will start rearing brood again. If, at any time, the daytime temperature rises above 12 C the bees will be out foraging for pollen to feed the new larvae. The first important sources in January/February are hazel and willow but the bees will forage on Christmas box in January and crocuses as soon as they flower! These early flowers are vital for the bees so if you are thinking of planting bulbs please plant crocuses.

4 January Foraging on Christmas Box February Crocus pollen February Bringing the willow pollen home Thanks go to Susan for keeping us up-to-date during the year

Allotment Survey Results November 2017 It makes interesting reading.

Pumpkins/squash, chilli's, garlic and cape gooseberries are all

for existence with the badgers, so is low on the list.

Curled leaf parsley and mint were the only herbs grown in the

Today we also grow flat leaved parsley, chives, rocket and basil.

5 Allotment Survey Results November 2017 It makes interesting reading. This year everyone grew potatoes and onions, followed by carrots, broad and runner beans. Popular too were leeks, parsnips, cabbage, cucumber and tomatoes. Peas by contrast were low on the list. These vegetables were all grown in large amounts fifty years ago. Pumpkins/squash, chilli's, garlic and cape gooseberries are all very popular, these along recently grown introduction, but competes for existence with the badgers, so is low on the list. Raspberries, red currants, blackcurrants and strawberries are still the favourite soft fruits. The greatest change is the growing of herbs and flowers. Curled leaf parsley and mint were the only herbs grown in the 1970's. Today we also grow flat leaved parsley, chives, rocket and basil. Again new introductions. In the 1970's dahlias and chrysanthemums were the only flowers encouraged to be grown. This year has been the year of the dahlia, but flowers used as pollinators and for cutting include, gladioli, lilies, annuals, perennials, wild flowers and spring bulbs.

Many people use their compost heaps to improve the soil but also Growmore, chicken pellets, horse manure and leaf mould.

Many people garden organically, but slug pellets and weed killer are judiciously applied.

winter. Today a much wider variety of fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers are grown to supplement the huge readily available produce in the supermarkets.

We know that in the early years tobacco was grown, crops to feed cattle and pigs kept on a small holding.

6 Many people use their compost heaps to improve the soil but also Growmore, chicken pellets, horse manure and leaf mould. No longer do cart loads of cow manure arrive on the plots or mushroom compost from the farm in Shackleford. Many people garden organically, but slug pellets and weed killer are judiciously applied. The emphasis appears to have changed from growing long rows of each type of vegetable, many to store in clamps like potatoes, carrots and beetroot to keep the plot holders fed through the winter. Today a much wider variety of fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers are grown to supplement the huge readily available produce in the supermarkets. People seem to be using the allotments for health, recreation and other uses today. We know that in the early years tobacco was grown, crops to feed cattle and pigs kept on a small holding. Borage grown for the colonies of bees kept on the allotments in the years them along with the trimmings from produce. The school children tended two large plots in war time when everyone had to dig for victory. It will be interesting to repeat this survey in another ten years to see how the growing trends change on the allotments to suit the plot holders. To see for yourself, the full results can be seen by clicking on the link below and pressing OK at the start and scrolling through the questionnaire, then press the button saying done and scrolling down. The results come up in graph form. Carolyn

7 December : Winter has arrived and now there is not much work to be done at the allotment during these short days. Many of our beds have been covered with black plastic sheeting over the Winter months to keep down weeds and get the soil underneath warmed up in early Spring. We will still be going down to the plot to harvest our brassicas, leeks and parsnips, and avoiding frosty days when the ground is to hard to lift our parsnips and leeks. The sacks of potatoes that we have stored will be checked over to remove any that may have gone bad to prevent them affecting all of the others. The frame of our compost heap has seen better days, so we will be knocking up a new one with some salvaged pallets using the layout shown in the picture below : Site the three pallets on level ground and nail them together. Nail a couple of planks of wood across the front of the three pallets at the base. Using u-nails, attach chicken wire across the space remaining on the front. We will put most of our allotment waste into the compost bin, but will always try to avoid mixingin pernicious weeds like mares tail and couch grass. Drop us an if you have any questions (bill.fordham@gmail.com) or come over to visit us on Plot 28D!

Mike Davey answers questions How did you hear of the allotment? I first heard of the allotments through one of my sons teachers and immediately was sold by the most beautiful surroundings.

8 Mike Davey answers questions How did you hear of the allotment? I first heard of the allotments through one of my sons teachers and immediately was sold by the most beautiful surroundings. How long have you been on the allotment? I think it was about 10 years ago that I first took on an allotment, actually I rather ambitiously took on two allotments but after 3 years or so I realised that this was a mistake and decided to focus on just the one allotment. Then a couple of years ago I created a number of raised beds on the allotment and therefore went reduced and I will do anything to avoid weeding! What are your 3 favourite things to grow? Leeks ( Musselburgh) Cabbages ( Golden Acre ) Carrots ( Tendersnax ) What has been your greatest growing success? Probably the leeks but due to the wonderful fertile soil I find most vegetables grow very well. To add variety and colour, I also enjoy growing some flowers which includes Lavender that grows very well and is well received by the bees, Gladioli, and Dianthus. I also thought it would be fun to have a small pond so after having gained permission from the committee, I now have a pond which attracts a wide range of butterflies and dragon flies and this Spring attracted a number of frogs which meant tadpoles which was great! What notable failure do you recall? For 5 years I tried to grow Peas, miserable failure each year, probably just down to not being able to water enough. Cauliflowers also a disaster. What tips for growing would you give to others? Dig in generous amounts of manure which is rich in Organic matter in November ( Gro-Sure Farmyard Manure is what I use ). Anything you would like to grow, but our climate is against us? A Neem tree, beautiful looking, native to Burma. Also, bananas... Your favourite fruit and vegetables? Apples for fruit and for vegetables probably carrots. What are your earliest memories of being on an allotment? When I took my allotment over it was in a dreadful state, after several hours of digging and weeding I began to question my sanity

The History of the Allotments in Compton, Surrey If you have not already bought a copy of

may have links to the allotments. Full of stories and beautifully illustrated it is only 5.

To-date Carolyn has raised 320 for the allotments.

9 The History of the Allotments in Compton, Surrey If you have not already bought a copy of then there is still time to obtain one for yourself or as a Christmas gift for friends who may have links to the allotments. Full of stories and beautifully illustrated it is only 5. All the proceeds go directly to the allotments courtesy of the Parish Council. To-date Carolyn has raised 320 for the allotments. Please contact Carolyn on:- maslincarolyn@gmail.com A little bit of Tender Loving Care and a Lot of know- how gets Good work John, Pete and Ben

A Work Party will take place on the allotment on Sunday 19 th March. 9 am 12 noon.

A Work Party will take place on the allotment on Sunday 19 th March. 9 am 12 noon. Welcome to the March edition of Compton Allotment News. Adverts, articles, pictures, photographs, open days, recipes, news, advice on growing, etc... Please send to Sue Day at keithandsueday@virginmedia.com