Jobs for Easter weekend and the folowing week

WOW! I’m going to go away more often! 5 nights out of the village and how impressed was I when I peeped at the Garden on my first afternoon home? It looks fabulous – thanks to everyone who has been working so hard. BUT, of course, there’s loads more to be done so hopefully we’ll have a good turn out tomorrow (Saturday) starting at the earlier time of 10.oo. I’ve ordered some bread as well so bring your money if you’d like a loaf.

Water – it seems that we might get some rain from Monday onwards. If you have a watering can please bring it and then we can empty the tanks round the polytunnel, putting the water onto all the fruit bushes and trees around the garden. If we then clean the tanks with some Jeyes Fluid (has anyone got any please?) we’ll be able to collect and store the water cleanly when it rains.

Strawberries – Monica and Sarah were working hard on weeding the strawberry bed today and refreshing the plants that are there. I guess Cpt Angie might be up for people making some ridges to replant the strawberries onto so that the fruit can be kept out of the mud/off the soil. We might want to cover the ridges with plastic once they are wet too, to keep moisture in as well as keeping the fruit clean.

Potting on and planting out – there are more French beans to plant out in PT Major and quite a few courgette, marrow and squashes to be potted on. This is important because it the roots of a plant overfill a pot there’s not enough soil to keep the plant moist and feed it as it grows. It’s like outgrowing your school uniform or cocktail frock (what would I know of that?!) – it’s just too tight and uncomfortable! There are radishes and beetroots in modules to plant out too, whilst marveling at how much better things have come up in modules than in the crate beds in the tunnel.

New bed preparations – we also need to progress with the new bed layout so that it is ready for planting, and to allocate space to crops.

Presents – Matt is hoping to bring us some presents tomorrow: a small shed unit, some metal builders fence panels which will be great for the fruit cage, and maybe some picnic benches, so there will be unloading and arranging to do too.

Refreshments – I know there is a secret stash of Digestives at the Garden, but can someone please bring milk for coffee?

See you there

Rosemary

Is Summer really over?

The real heat wave is supposed to be over (!) so opening the polytunnel is no longer necessary until the weather really heats up again. All the crops in there still need watering so please, if you know that you can water between now and Saturday, let Kate know that you’ll be doing it. Please water the courgettes and the French  beans too that are planted in South Bed: Captain Tunnel is away so help is required!

Sunny Days & Cold nights Watering Alert to all Growing Groups

This year the garden routine has been organised differently. As you all know all the crops have been divided into groups and the co-ordinator (or Captain,) of each group is responsible for those crops. From sowing to planting and very importantly at the moment watering. This is a very fair idea as it spreads the responsibility across members.

Last year we had a watering rota but this year each growing group is responsible for organising their own rotas if that becomes necessary.  The fruit bushes around the edges, for instance  take a lot of time to water so this is where a team effort is really helpful. The salad crops also need more attention than the more deep rooted crops.

The weather has been unusually dry and it is a crucial time at the moment with all the seedlings and young plants being nurtured that they have the water they need and protection should there be a danger of frost. So whatever crops are sown, either in the polytunnel or the beds it is important to make sure that the crops are being cared for. The more mature crops are also in danger of needing some  watering as the heavens remain perfectly blue. The onion bed is actually looking dry now and the purple sprouting broccoli might need a bit of watering to help it sprout.

Graham, Captain of the bean patrol, is going away for a couple of weeks and his broad beans have just been planted outside so after a chat this afternoon I agreed to put some cloches over them in case we get the colder weather which is forecast. Lovely though it is in the day, the temperature drops rapidly at night and there is a possibility of frost.

As I looked around for something I could use to keep the fleece off the ground, I had an allotment moment . There was a short cloche which covered half a row but what to do about the rest? Angie had pruned the fruit bushes some time ago and the cuttings were lying in a neat heap. I took some bendy ones and these proved to work really well as hoops. Pushing each end firmly in the ground and where necessary binding two shorter pieces together with wire in the middle, the fleece then sat nicely over the beans, weighed down with some bricks etc either side. Graham is going to check that his seedlings in the tunnel are cared for while he’s away. His runner bean seeds were planted on Saturday and the wig-wam  made of canes, looks very impressive, also a team effort.

Thanks to Sylvie the last of the Charlotte potatoes got planted in bed 8 yesterday. While I was down there today I gave them all a good watering and my plan is to give them a really good soaking once a week but it may be necessary to do it twice weekly. I watered the broad beans in bed 9  as well as the leek seeds and chard I planted last week, also covering them with fleece. The garlic has also been given some water. I hope we get some rain soon as I only meant to go down for half an hour and it turned into two!

Some members have already volunteered their help in watering, would anyone else be able to spare an hour  or so a week? Have a think about which crop group you’d like to help out and let them know. As more things get planted more will need nurturing.

S.