Plot Holder s Handbook

Transcription

1 Plot Holder s Handbook A Guide to Allotment Gardening Ratby Allotments Association

2 Contents: Introduction Getting Started o o o o Preparing your Plot Keeping your Plot in Good Condition Planning your Plot Crop Rotation Growing your Crops o o Growing from Seed Vegetable Plants Feeding the Soil o o Natural Plant Food Composting Water Conservation Bonfires Wildlife Gardening Terms 2

3 Introduction The Ratby Allotments Association has produced this handbook as a basic guide and as a source of useful information for new plot holders as well as the more established allotment gardeners Allotment gardening provides a healthy outdoor activity, with the added satisfaction of growing your own fruit and vegetables. It also provides a means to support habitat for wildlife and plant species. Working an allotment provides you and your family with fresh air and healthy physical exercise. For those with young families it is a great way to introduce children to growing their own healthy food and hopefully produce the allotment gardeners of the future. However, it is equally suitable for the more senior gardener and those with disabilities. Many allotment holders say that working their plot is an excellent way of dealing with stress and provides a sense of achievement. National Society of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners Ltd. (NSALG) ( NSALG is the recognised national representative body for the allotment movement in the U.K. Its origins date from 1901, as a members' co-operative. NSALG is a registered Industrial and Provident Society regulated by the FSA, and reports annually both to it as well as to its members. It is also the only full time professional organisation specifically representing the interests of allotment gardeners, operating from a permanently staffed Head Office building. The Society is owned, managed and funded by its members to protect, promote and preserve allotments for future generations to enjoy. Members can have their say at the Annual General Meeting, by appointing a member of their Society/Association to attend and vote on any motions that have been presented. While its work is predominantly representing the allotment movement, the NSALG endeavours to provide advice and information to members whether allotment or home gardeners. Members are also entitled to participate in their discounted seed scheme, and where activities such as bartering or meetings take place on allotment premises both allotment holders and home gardeners can be covered by the member association taking out insurance through our scheme. NSALG is recognised by the Government, other major organisations including RHS, Natural England, Food Standards Agency, HDRA, Pesticides Action Network, Pesticides Safety Directorate, Town and Country Planning Association, and the media, as the voice of the allotment movement. This gives NSALG many opportunities to represent all members interests and concerns both at official and unofficial levels. NSALG is part of the official consultation process relating to the disposal of statutory allotment land resulting in several saved sites, and is proactive in providing the media with considerable information on the allotment movement past, present and future, to promote the wider benefits of allotment gardening. The Society employs a full time in house legal consultant and retains one of the top 1000 law firms in the country to provide the NSALG with the most effective legal advice available, as well as the Society having many years experience of allotment issues. 3

4 Ratby Allotments Association As a plot holder you will be a member of Ratby Allotments Association. The Association is managed by a Committee, elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting, about which you will be notified and it is in your own interest to attend. All of the Committee are volunteers and are there to help you. The Society leases the land from Ratby Parish Council and has to comply with the rules and criteria as laid down in the tenancy agreement. Additional to the rules of the lease there will be Site Rules which have been established by the Association to enable its members to garden in a manner which is fair to all. These rules differ depending on where your site is situated. You will be given a set of rules when you first become a member. Anything you don t understand should be discussed with a member of the Committee. You will pay an annual rent to the Association for your plot and rents differ from site to site. Your rent includes the cost of rent to Ratby Parish Council, site amenities and maintenance, membership to the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, as well as necessary insurance premiums. Failure to pay your rent by the due date may result in you losing your plot. It is important to remember that any enquiries or complaints relating to the Association should be brought to your Committee in the first instance and NOT to the Parish Council. Sites have differing amenities for community use, all of which have to be maintained by the Association at a cost to the Association, so you should treat these with respect. As a member of the Association, you will also be expected to treat all other members with respect and without prejudice. Unfortunately, vandalism can be a problem. Your site will have security in place in the form of boundary fencing and gates and you will be given a key, for which you pay a deposit. You must always ensure you lock the gate when you enter or leave your site. However, despite all this, break-ins do occur, stores get damaged and tools stolen. If possible do not leave anything of high value on site. Your store should have a good lock and it is advisable that tools in the store are secured with a chain; you will not stop a break in but you can make it harder for things to be taken. Site insurance does not cover you for loss or damage to your equipment. If you are unfortunate enough to be a victim of vandalism or theft you should inform the Committee and also report it to the police. As a member you can bring guests on to site; however your guest s behaviour is entirely your responsibility and they must abide by the rules. You should not lend your key to anyone to go on site as non-members who are on site without a member are not insured to be on site. If you have someone who you would like to be able to work on your plot when you are not there, ask the Committee. Children should be under supervision at all times; the allotment site is not a safe place for children to be running around as there are hazards such as open water butts and broken glass, and unsupervised children may cause a nuisance to other members. Pets are not allowed. Ratby Allotment Sites There are three allotment sites in Ratby, Long Meadow by Taverner Drive, Pear Tree on Desford Lane, and in the churchyard. Long Meadow and Pear Tree are leased by the Association from the landowner, Ratby 4

5 Parish Council. This means that they are statutory sites and can only be changed from allotments in very exceptional circumstances. The allotments in the churchyard are temporary, in that the land will eventually be used for burial when required. These allotments are managed by the church, not the Association. Long Meadow is split into a number of full-sized and half-sized plots, with some raised beds. Rainwater from Ratby Bandroom is collected in a tank and is available for watering. There is no communal shed, but small storage units are permitted by permission of the Committee. Pear Tree has a variety of full- half- and third-sized plots. the roof of the communal storage container. Rainwater is also available here, collected from When prospective plot-holders join the waiting list, they are asked to give a preference for a particular site. 5

6 Getting Started Preparing your Plot When you first get your plot it may seem a bit daunting. Don t Panic! The immaculate plots you see around you on your site are the result of years of work. No matter how well your plot has or hasn t been cared for, you will have weeds. You need to work the soil as soon as possible and clear the roots. Weeds, such as Couch Grass, will immediately start to grow again and within a couple of months your plot, if not looked after, will soon be overgrown again. It is therefore important to remove all the roots as well as the top growth. Your site will have some very experienced gardeners who will be pleased to offer valuable advice on allotment gardening. You will hear many different methods of achieving good crops, some may work for you, some will not. If you need to know something, don t be afraid to ask, it may cut out years of trial and error. Handy Hints: Tools: How to Begin: Don t overdo it: Remove Weeds: Only five essential tools are needed to start work: spade, fork, trowel, rake and hoe. If your plot is overgrown, cut it back to a short stubble before you start digging. Don t do too much digging when you start, as with any form of exercise it is important to work at a steady pace and not rush. When you prepare your plot ready for planting, remove the roots of perennial weeds; the hard work will pay off in the end. You may wish to clear all your plot before starting to grow anything or you may wish to clear an area and plant or sow before moving on to the next area; it is down to your own choice and of course the time of year. To suppress weed growth you can cover it with plastic sheets or membrane, but the ground will become hard so you need to dig it as soon as you can. Autumn is a good time to winter dig (see page xx) and expose weed roots to the forthcoming frost and let nature lend a helping hand. Keeping your Plot in Good Condition The Association will expect you to keep your plot in a good condition and have the majority of your plot cultivated and producing crops. However, everyone has a differing amount of time to work their allotment, so for an allotment holder working full time it would not be expected for your plot to be to the standard of a person who is retired and is tending his plot each day, although when taking on an allotment you must be able to give enough time to look after your plot, as unattended plots can quickly become overrun with weeds and the Association will then be putting pressure on you to get the plot in order; failing that your membership could be at risk. If you are experiencing difficulties due to ill health or personal problems which are preventing you from giving adequate time to your allotment, speak to your site representative on the Committee. If they are 6

7 aware of this they might be able to help you keep your plot tidy until you are back on track. tell them they will presume you are neglecting your garden and take action. If you don t It is tempting to bring to site items which will come in handy such as old pallets and window frames. Unless you have an immediate need it is best not to clutter your plot, it looks untidy and you may give cause for complaint. Planning your Plot While you are doing all that digging it is a good time to plan out how you want your plot. There may already be a shed on your plot, if not you may want to put a shed up of your own. There is a restriction on sizes allowed so check with the Committee first. You need to decide what you intend to grow and where. If you want to grow fruit as well as vegetables you will have to plan out where your fruit will be grown, as most types of fruit plant will need a permanent site. If you would like to plant a fruit tree, check to see if the site has restrictions on these and choose a variety suitable in size for your plot. Crop Rotation As different plants take and give different nutrients to the soil you should plan out Crop Rotation from one year to the next. Growing the same crop in the same place year after year will result in a build-up of pests and diseases specific to that crop. Different crops take different levels of nutrients from the soil and inevitably these become unbalanced. Even the addition of fertilizers is unlikely to help since it is likely that the trace elements are depleted The simplest rule of crop rotation is not to grow the same thing in the same place two years running. The longer the gap between a crop occupying the same piece of ground the better. Some pests may be present at high levels initially but a gap of three or four years will see their numbers fall to a level less likely to do harm. There are many different ways to rotate crops, some more basic than others. Useful websites: The list below should help you identify what crops need to go together in the crop rotation. Brassica. This is one of the most important crop groups in a rotation as they are generally lime loving. Because of the requirement for a high ph level, they anchor one end of the crop rotation cycle. The group includes: Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Kale, Broccolis and Calabrese, Swedes, Turnips, Radishes, Landcress, Mustard Solanaceae - the potato family, which also includes tomatoes and aubergines. The potatoes form the anchor at the other end of a rotation as they need a fairly high level of nitrogen and prefer a slightly acid soil with a ph around 5.5. Usually manure is added to the plot the autumn before planting the potatoes. Legumes - the bean family. Anything with 'bean' in the name, runner, French, broad, field and peas 7

8 which are one of the oldest food crops grown by man. These share a wonderful ability to fix nitrogen from the air and so provide at least a good proportion of their fertiliser requirements. Alliums - the onion family. Allium comes from the Latin for garlic and includes shallots and leeks. Cucurbit - includes cucumbers, marrows, courgettes and pumpkins as well as cucumbers. Umbelliferae - this includes carrots, parsnips, Hamburg and ordinary parsley, celery and celeriac. Basic Rotation: Brassica follow legumes Legumes follow a manured crop Never manure carrots or parsnips If any bed contains white rot or club root avoid planting onions and brassicas in that area 8

9 Growing your Crops Growing from Seed Seed packets have printed instructions on how and when to sow, but these are only guidelines. Make your decision when to sow based on weather conditions, if in doubt ask for advice. A packet of seeds may tell you to sow directly into the ground late March, but this is not a good idea if there is snow on the ground. Even sowing in a greenhouse is governed by the weather especially if you do not have artificial heating. There is a saying. Sow seeds generously, one for the rook, one for the crow, one to die and one to grow In other words, not all seeds germinate satisfactorily so sow extra, if you are lucky and germination is good, you can always prick out unwanted seedlings or share them with other gardeners Another saying The rule of the garden, never forget, to sow dry and set wet of spring has gone and the ground is warming up before you sow your seeds Be sure the cold wet phase Sow beans in mud, they ll grow like wood If the soil is very wet it is worth starting your peas and beans in pots. Beans love plenty of cool moisture at their roots, so if the weather is dry for a long period, keeping them moist will be beneficial. This can be helped by putting a layer of newspaper under them when planting or sowing. Preparing the area where you intend to plant them with manure or compost will be beneficial too. When you hear the cuckoo shout tis time to plant your tatties out Well unless you have a resident cuckoo this does not help, but they are supposed to start calling out from mid March to early May. Good Friday is the traditional day to put in the potatoes, but this also varies on dates so, weather conditions being right, the second week in April is a good guide. If the ground is not warming up quickly enough, you can give your seeds a hot shower by pouring hot water on an empty seed drill just before sowing the seeds into the drill. Another way is sprinkling warm water onto the seeds after sowing and covering. Vegetable Plants For most crops, apart from root crops, the best way to give your plants a good start is to raise them in trays or pots. That way, they will be protected from bad weather, and you can plant them out when conditions outside are favourable. There is also much less wastage from slugs and snails, which can decimate germinating seedlings in the ground. If you do start your seeds off in trays in the greenhouse or cold frame, it is worth seeking advice on the type of compost you should use. Cheap is not always best and could result in failed germination or poor quality seedlings. Plants can also be bought from nurseries although you are limited to the varieties they grow. It is also worth keeping an eye open on site as other members may have too many plants for what they need. If 9

10 you have too many plants then you can offer to swap. 10

11 Feeding the soil. Depending on whether you want to grow organically or not will determine the type of fertilizers you will want to use as will the type of soil you have. There are many sources of information to help you decide. is a good source of information and of course there are your fellow allotment gardeners who will tell you what they recommend. You can obtain fresh manure and have it delivered to your plot or you can use Green Manure, grown from seed, which when dug back into the ground, provides nutrients. Let's look at why we fertilise first, then what job each does. Plants use minerals in the soil, often referred to as trace elements, water and nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium to grow. Most chemical fertiliser packets display the ratio of the contents of these by their chemical symbols (NPK) and show them as the NPK ratio. The basics you need to know are that Nitrogen encourages green leafy growth and potassium, also called potash, promotes flowering. So anything you want to grow, where the main part you eat is the leaf, like say a lettuce or spinach etc loves nitrogen and anything that needs a flower to produce the part you eat, such as tomatoes and other fruits, also need nitrogen, but a reasonable dose of potassium, to encourage the flowers to make the fruit. Natural sources of vegetable garden fertilisers basically come from the following: Chicken Manure Sheep Manure Horse Manure Cow Manure Blood and Bone mixes Green Manure These sources naturally have differing levels of strength and get used for different reasons. Chicken manure, which is available as dry pellets, is typically high in nitrogen and can be quite strong so it has to be used with care. Cow and Horse manure are weaker and are generally used as soil conditioners and aren't usually a great food source for plants. Care has to be used if you source Horse manure from a stable as it is usually saturated in urine and can burn plants. It should be left in a pile to compost down for a few weeks. Sheep Manure, often affectionately referred to as "garden marbles" because of their shape is somewhere in the middle. With all manure, ensure the grazing land has not been treated with herbicides, as residues could affect your 11

12 crops. Blood and bone mixes are sold commercially as a powder and can vary in "nutritional value" so check the labels and compare brands. Growmore is a commercial multipurpose fertilizer which can be used as plant food during the growing season and has the major nutrients required Nitrate of Chalk is a quick acting, growth promoting fertilizer in granular form. It contains some lime which reduces acidity. Good for brassicas and root vegetables. How much to use of any fertiliser depends on the size of your bed, what you're planting and when. Commercially packaged fertilizers often give instructions on use. If you are not sure what and how to use them, ask someone; usually the gardener with the larger cabbages is the one getting it right. Natural Plant Food If you want to save money there are many ways of making your own plant food. Banana skins contain a long list of nutrients, digging in a banana skin just beneath the surface near roses will provide food in which many soils are deficient. Beer - most vegetables like a drop now and again, none more than brassica, say once a week. excellent food for flowers too especially delphiniums and hollyhocks. It is an Tea leaves are a good addition to the compost heap. Nettles - you don t want to see them growing on your plot but they take up and store nutrients from the soil. You can make a liquid fertilizer by soaking nettles in a container of rain water for a month and diluting it 1:10 and pour it round roots of your crops. Nettles can also be added to the compost heap. They can also be used as a insect repellent by soaking them in water for a few days and use the water in a spray bottle against aphids. Comfrey acts in a similar way. If you grow it on your plot, make sure you use a non-invasive variety. Leaf Mould - this requires patience. Fill a large plastic bag with fallen leaves in the Autumn, make a few holes in the bag and fold over the top and secure with a brick or large stone, leave for 6-9 months, it should then be ready for use. This will enrich dry, stony soil. Wood ash -ash from your burned garden waste is good soil feed, but it needs to be stored for about a year and kept dry before it is ready for use. Bean and pea roots - when beans and peas have stopped cropping, cut off the tops just above the soil and leave the roots in the soil, if you are able, as these contain a lot of nutrients and will replenish the soil. Composting There are many ways to create a composting area, it is better to have either a DIY compost bin or the 12

13 commercial plastic ones. These keep the compost tidy and accelerate the composting process. There is work involved to achieve a good compost. Compost can act as a great fertilizer, enriching the soil with organic materials rather than making use of chemicals that can do more harm than good if used badly. Composting is a great way to save money as well. Using compost requires that you completely mix it into the soil, reducing compaction and providing oxygenation to the soil. Compost can help plants stay healthier, and that contributes to their ability to repel diseases and survive insect attacks. A healthy landscape can be achieved with a little help from composting. Getting the right mix The key to getting great compost is to ensure that you get the right mix! You want to try and get a 50/50 mix of Green wastes such as fruit and vegetable peelings and garden clippings and Brown wastes such as newspaper, shredded paper or cardboard. Getting this mix right will help your compost to aerate and break down quicker. However, there are some things you should never add to your compost bin including; meat, cooked vegetables, dairy products, dog faeces or cat litter, nappies, diseased plants or perennial weeds. Putting diseased plants and roots onto your compost will result in you reintroducing the disease back into your soil when you use the compost, if possible burn them. For more tips on how to get the best out of your compost bin and for other items you can compost at home, please visit There are many websites that give you tips and suggestions about composting and how to build your own compost bin. Bonfires The site rules state that no rubbish may be burned on the allotment. make use of the Council s brown bin collection. Always try to compost on site, or 13

14 Water Conservation You may think that you have to water all your crops every day, this is not the case even in hot conditions, it is better to water well a section of your plot one day and do the same to another section the following day, lightly watering the whole plot is non productive as the water will not penetrate the soil far enough. Different plants need a different amount of watering. Over watering can be as harmful as under watering so it is worth getting to know how much and when. In some cases over watering can lead to weak plants, plants watered correctly will form strong roots and develop a better plant. A quick guide to watering plants Broad Beans: Watering should not be necessary before flowers appear; water when the pods are swelling water in dry weather. French Beans: Spraying the flowers is not necessary; water during or after the flowering period in dry weather. Runner Beans: Water in dry weather when the pods have formed Beetroot: Dryness leads to woodiness and low yields a sudden return to wet conditions can lead to splitting. To avoid these problems water moderately at fortnightly intervals during dry weather. Broccoli/Calabrese: When planting young plants water well. Then only need water in dry weather Brussels: Cabbage: When planting young plants water well. A mature crop rarely needs water. When planting young plants water well. Then water if the weather is dry. Cauliflower: Must never be kept short of water, especially in the early stages. Carrots: Leeks: Water only in periods of drought. Water only in dry weather. Lettuce: When planting young plants water well. Always water in the morning or midday watering in the evening will increase the chance of disease. Marrow, Courgette, Squash, Pumpkin: Water regularly around the plants, not over them. Onions: Water only in periods of drought. Parsnip, Swede, Turnips: Water only in dry weather. Peas: Water in dry spells in the summer months. Potatoes: Water only in dry weather. 14

15 Wildlife There will be a lot of wildlife on your site, some welcome and some not. THE UNWELCOME Rabbits & Squirrels If your site has problems caused by rabbits and/or squirrels there will be numerous ways in which fellow gardeners deal with them. The method of cage traps is quite common but this brings with it the responsibility of dealing with a live pest. Once caught it is illegal to let them loose so you have to kill it and this brings with it another legal issue. Any animal caught cannot be killed in a way which may cause undue stress on the animal, it is illegal to drown them and bludgeoning them can also be deemed cruel. Rats and Mice These will be on all sites. Rat/mouse poison can be used with caution but care should be taken so as not to cause a danger to other animals such as hedgehogs and residents cats. Don t attract rats and mice by putting waste food on your compost heap. Foxes Love them or hate them, although they can and do cause crop damage they can also help in the control of the previously mentioned pests. Birds Pigeons, can cause damage to crops but on the whole are easily deterred by netting. Other birds can also be an ally as they eat snails, slugs, greenfly and other unwanted pests. So it s is up to you whether you encourage them to your plot. The use of black thread ties around fruit bushes and over seed beds can deter birds landing on your plants as they cannot focus on it and do not risk trying to land. Tunnels of galvanised netting will also protect vulnerable young crops. Aphids There are numerous brands of insect sprays available and for those who are growing organically there are ways of deterring pests and making sprays from natural ingredients. If you are using chemical sprays ensure you read the instructions and use in a safe way. It is worth mentioning that spraying with chemicals can also kill off the bugs that are there to help, such as Ladybirds. Aphids are not keen on garlic and lavender so planting these amongst roses will deter them from your prized blooms. Planting basil near tomatoes will have a similar effect. Carrot Fly Grow onions close to your carrots, this deters the carrot fly by disguising the carrot smell. 15

16 Slugs and Snails These do not like a rough surface, so large bark chippings or gravel make life uncomfortable for them. They do like beer, so part burying a container of diluted beer in the ground will attract them and they fall into the container and presumably die happy. Other gardeners will tell you a multitude of ways they trap slugs and snail. THE WELCOME There are a lot of creatures on site which are on your side and it is a good idea to encourage them to your plot. Frogs and Toads eat insects, slugs and snails, and some insects such as hoverfly larvae will benefit your plot by eating the aphids. Hedgehogs are likely to be around and these also dine on the slugs and snails. Ponds A small pond or wet area will encourage frogs and toads who, in turn, will eat some of the bugs you don t want on your plot. Make sure the ponds have sloping sides to allow frogs and toads to get out. Ponds do not need to be large or very deep. Bug Boxes or piles of logs or branches These will encourage the larger insects such as ladybirds and lacewing to hibernate on your plot and then go to work eating the smaller unwelcome aphids. Ladybirds can eat up to 5000 aphids in their lifetime. 16

17 Gardening Terms If you are new to gardening you will hear all sorts of terms and phrases which will have you scratching your head, so here are a few to help you out Pricking out - Transplanting small seedlings into larger trays or containers. Potting on - Placing a plant into a larger pot to promote growth etc Damping Down - On hot days in the greenhouse, spray benches and floors with water to increase humidity and lower the temperature. Pruning - Reducing the growth on a shrub/tree to promote new flowers, stems or foliage. Also for cosmetic reasons. Cutting back - Similar to pruning, but normally done to gain space. Pruning is better Club Root - A disease which attacks Brassica and some other root vegetables. Diseased plants should not be put on the compost heap, it is better to bin them. The disease can be spread around your ground so care should be taken. Ground which has club root should be treated with Lime and the area used to grow crops of a different group for a year or so. The problem with club root is that you don t know you have it until your lovely crop of brassicas start to wither or produce poor plants. There are a lot of suggestions to minimise the disease. Plant brassica in well drained soil to help resist the fungus that causes club root. Cut short lengths of rhubarb and push one into the soil alongside each plant. The oxalic acid rhubarb produces helps fight the disease. Add lime to the soil before planting brassica Jeyes Fluid (diluted 1 capful to a watering can full of rain water) sprinkled on the ground is said to help, although overuse will kill off worms and other friendly insects so use with care. Do not use Mustard seeds as a green manure in that area as mustard is in the Brassica family and will encourage the disease. Dead-Heading - Removing the old and faded flowers often promotes a longer flowering season/new flower. Disbudding - Removing side buds normally on chrysanthemums and dahlias etc to ensure all the growth resources go into making a large main flower. Pest - An insect, such as an aphid (greenfly, blackfly) red spider, caterpillars, slugs and snails. Disease - Fungus or virus infection such as mildew, damping off, black spot, rust. Insecticide - Kills pests - not diseases. Usually applied as a spray or sometimes as a dust. 17

18 Fungicide - Kills diseases - not pests (or viruses). Usually applied as a spray, though sometimes a dust. Potting Compost - is sold in bags for potting up plants or for sowing seeds. You can also get specialised Potting composts for all manner of plants, Most modern potting composts are based upon peat (like it or not) with chemical and/or organic fertilisers added. There are other types which don't use peat. Composted bark, composted farm-yard manure and composted anything else, should mean that the product has been composted to the point where it is beneficial to plant growth. Organic - Varied explanations for this. An organic fertiliser is basically made from something that was alive and is now - to all intents and purposes dead. For instance, bonemeal, dried blood, fish-blood & bone, manure (was once a live plant - or even animal). Organic Bug Killers and Pest controls are based upon 'natural' derivatives. Pyrethrum - an insecticide - started life as one of the chrysanthemum family. Organic gardening is a form of gardening that uses all of the above and more, but does NOT use any synthetic materials - in theory. Inorganic or Synthetic - Something man-made! Most sprays on the garden centre shelf are man-made sprays - after years of research. Perennial - A plant that lives for many years. Tender perennials need protection in winter; Hardy perennials can stay outside all year round. Most hardy perennials die down to ground level in winter, and sprout forth in the spring. Biennial - A plant that normally lives for two years, then dies. Seed is sown in year 1 and the flowers appear in year 2. Annual - A plant that lives for one year. An annual is sown, dies after flowering. grown, and flowers all in the same year, then Herb - One of a range of plants associated with cooking or medicinal healing. Basil, Sage, Thyme etc. Evergreen - A plant that keeps its leaves through the winter. The leaves are usually leathery or glossy to varying degrees. Most houseplants are also evergreens! Some perennials are also evergreen, but not the herbaceous ones. Deciduous - A plant that loses its leaves in the autumn - ready to have a rest throughout the winter! The leaves then reappear the following spring - all being well. ph - Is a scale used to denote the acidity or alkalinity (lime content) of 7pH is considered to be 'neutral' and supports most plant life. garden soil or growing compost. Acid Soil - A soil lacking in lime (Not necessarily a bad thing) and below the ph level of 7. Such soils can be adjusted with dressings of lime - IF required. Limey Soil - A soil with traces of calcium/lime. sometimes difficult to adjust in the long term. NPK - N= Nitrogen P=Phosphorous and K=Potash The three main food elements necessary for plant life. Basically, Nitrogen is required for foliage and growth, whilst Phosphorous and Potash are required for 18

19 flowers and roots. Tilth You will hear people say you need the soil to be a fine tilth for sowing seeds. This means the soil is well raked and all lumps and stones are removed Winter Dig - At the end of the growing season, late autumn, the ground should be dug deep and turned so that frost during the winter can kill off disease and soil pests are exposed to predators. Double Digging - Double digging involves loosening the soil more than 12 inches down. This creates conditions under which plants' roots thrive. Double digging aerates the deeper layers of your garden's soil. This allows your plants to grow bigger and more vigorously because they have room for their roots! It also improves drainage greatly, which is very important for healthy plants. Double-digging is the first step in creating the most productive garden bed possible. Begin at one end of the bed and dig a spade-head depth (approx. 12" deep) trench across the bed's width, placing the excavated soil in a wheelbarrow. Work a garden fork into the floor of the trench, and loosen the soil by tilling this layer too. Continue until the soil at the bottom of the trench is loosened. Dig a second, similar-size trench directly next to the first. Place the excavated soil into the first trench you dug. Loosen the soil at the bottom of this second trench with the garden fork as well. Dig a third trench next to the second trench. Backfill the second one, loosen the bottom of the third trench, and continue this process until you have tilled the whole bed. Fill the LAST trench with the soil excavated from the first. (The soil in the wheelbarrow) Chitting (Potatoes) - Chitting is the process of placing seed potatoes in a cool, light place to encourage strong sturdy shoots to grow before they are planted in the ground. If you want to grow very early varieties, such as Maris Bard, and to harvest them as early as possible, then chitting is essential. All potatoes will start to sprout. If they are not offered the right cool, light conditions they may develop elongated and white shoots (or chits). The aim is to have a small number of sturdy shoots, not masses of elongated sprouts, which dissipate the energy of the seed potato. If you rub sprouts off, then you'll get a smaller crop but larger potatoes. Keep seed potatoes in a cool but light situation, rose end upward. This should encourage a small number of eyes to sprout. Commercial growers never bother to chit their potatoes and it seems to make little difference to the yield. However, they are able to keep their seed potatoes dormant by providing very exact storage conditions and this is very hard for the home gardener to do. For this reason, most amateur gardeners do chit their seed potatoes but any you have bought late can go straight in the ground, unchitted, at around Easter time. 19

20 Notes 20