• July Newsletter

    Here we are, over halfway through the year and the summer solstice has been and gone!

    According to the Met Office it has been the driest spring for over a century and after such a very dry start to the season the weather finally broke a bit recently and we have had some very welcome rain. However, the ground is still dry underneath the top few centimetres and some plants are struggling to establish themselves.

    The outlook for the rest of the month into August is changeable with the potential for some hot spells and also heavy thundery rain. A typical start to summer then!

    The site is looking very good at the moment, with several new plot holders who are really making a fantastic effort. Welcome to them!

    Water and watering ~ taps, butts and hoses!

    Because we have had such a dry start to the season many plot holders are having to water plants to get them established and help them survive. A gentle reminder that we should all try to be as careful with water as possible. A few tips for best practice:

    Using a can to water at the base of the plant is much more effective than spraying over a whole area.

    When the weather is warm watering in the early morning or evening is better than watering in the heat of the day as there is less evaporation.

    Please remember to turn taps off after you have used them. We have had a couple of instances when taps have been left running and butts have overflowed.

    Break ins

    Sadly we have had several incidents of people coming on to the site and breaking in to plot holders’ sheds. Thankfully it doesn’t look as if anything has been taken but the criminals (and that’s what they are) damaged the gate and cut through the chain with bolt cutters. They came well prepared, known legally as ‘going equipped’, which might indicate that it is more than young people.The police have been informed and advice has been sent out to plot holders by email. Our local PCSO has informed us that they are increasing their trips down Bachelor Gardens and hopefully a more visible police presence will act as a deterrent.

    The committee met recently and it was unanimously decided that we would purchase some cameras to increase surveillance of the entrances so that if there is a repeat of the break ins we will hopefully have some clear pictures to pass on to the police.

    Not all visitors break in to sheds!

    Know your bees

    Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be a lot more insects around this year? After travelling long distances the front of my car was well splattered with bugs, much more so than for the last few years. And at the plot some flowers have been covered with bumble bees. They seem very fond of chive flowers and opium poppies. I’m no expert but I was intrigued to discover how many different species of bumble bees there are, over 20 different ones!

    https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/learn-about-bumblebees/identifying-bumblebees/

    Follow the link above if you’d like to learn more about these amazing creatures.

    The HDAF Allotment Show

    This year the show will be on August 11th in the Sun Pavilion in The Valley Gardens. It’s a great opportunity to see what others are growing and enter some of the classes. There are flower and vegetable classes, baking and preserves and special sections for novices and children. The show schedule and entry form can be accessed via the links below:

    http://thehdaf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Schedule_25_5.pdf

    http://thehdaf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Entry-Form_25.pdf

    Why not give it a try? There are lots of shiny silver cups to win as well as the prize money!

    Part of the show is the awarding of the trophy to the best site in the Harrogate area. Historically we won this seven years in succession. Could this be our lucky year again? The judges were on site on Friday 27th of June and were impressed with what they saw. There are prizes for the best individual plot too!

    Composting

    Has anyone else been having problems with compost this year? Whilst I fully support the idea of using less peat based products I have to admit that my experience of peat free compost and grow bags has not been altogether positive. In fact I do wonder where the manufacturers get the raw materials from, as I have found shredded plastic and even fragments of glass in some! Anecdotal evidence suggests that there is still a long way to go before they get the formulation right. The key to improving chances of success seems to be to keep a very close eye on the watering and feed earlier than usual to counteract the lack of nutrients.

    Social events

    We are hoping to have a BBQ in the summer. It was a great success last year and is a great way to get to know your fellow plot holders. We’ll let you know a date and more details asap.

    You may also have noticed that Gary has planted some pumpkins on Janet’s old plot. These will form the basis of the stock for our pumpkin sale which will be held just before Halloween and is a great fundraiser.

    Updating the site map and plot numbers

    Just a little bit out of date!

    I am trying to put together an up to date site map, complete with the plot holder’s first name, to put on the notice board on the garage. We have a number of new plot holders and it is nice to be able to put a name to a face. If you aren’t sure of your plot number then please ask!

    We would also like to encourage people to display the number of their plot somewhere visible. Let’s try and get creative and make some interesting signs to show which plot is ours!

    Plot holders I have spoken to have said that they think it is a nice idea as it will help to build a sense of community. However, if you aren’t happy to have your name (just your first name, no other details) included on the map then please let me know. You can leave me a note in my greenhouse. Judi, (Plot 6b on the top path and 25a on the main path).

    Do have a wander around the site to see what everyone else is growing. It’s great to share ideas and see what works. Don’t forget the swap and share table by the garage if you have any excess produce or spare plants. It’s a great way to try new things or prevent waste.

    Happy gardening!

  • HDAF Allotment Show

    This year’s HDAF Allotment Show is on Sunday 17th August in the Sun Pavilion in The Valley Gardens.

    It’s a lovely event where allotment holders across Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon get chance to compare notes and compete for a large selection of silver cups and trophies. There are classes for flowers, vegetables, produce and baking. Some of the classes are for children and novices. There are also stalls selling plants and other garden related items.

    For the last few years the number of entries in some classes have been quite small…this means that if you enter, you stand a good chance of winning! Even if you are new allotment holders it’s worth having a go in the novices class. (In fact, amusingly, I got a second prize for my cabbage…even though I was the only entry in the class!)

    So, if you are doing some planning about what to grow, it’s worth putting an entry in!

    The show schedule and entry form are below:

    http://thehdaf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Schedule_25_5.pdf

    http://thehdaf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Entry-Form_25.pdf

    Good luck!

  • May Newsletter

    Welcome to an occasional newsletter on our new website. It’s lovely to see some new members hard at work on their plots as well as the old hands who are back for another season. If you are interested in joining us then you will find a form to apply for this here. There is a waiting list for the few plots that come up from time to time.

    The first ten days of May have been as dry as April was and we are all desperate for some rain. The soil is really dry and a lot of us are having to water every morning or evening to keep newly planted out seedlings alive and thriving. Add that to a late frost earlier this week which caught some people out and nipped a lot of potato shoots and the weather is not playing fair! It has been a question of deciding whether or not to fleece as another cold night is forecast.

    Here’s the link to the met office weather forecast if it is any help!

    The strawberries are flowering and we’ll all be hoping for a good harvest this year.

    Is anyone planning to go to the Chelsea Flower Show this year? Or will you just be watching the coverage on the television? Having been to Chelsea a few years ago I can honestly say that it is an experience not to be missed but it is SO busy! Crowds and crowds of people make it hard to see the show gardens up close so watching in on the tv feels like a better option sometimes. If you can’t venture that far south then the RHS Flower show at Wentworth Woodhouse in July might be a better option…http://rhs.org.uk

    Lots of the plant and seed companies are having sales at the moment and it’s not too late to pick up some bargains for this season. Here are a few that might be worth a look:

    http://www.farmergracy for dahlias, perennials and bulbs

    http://www.suttons.co.uk. http://www.thompson-morgan.com. http://www.dobies.co.uk

    The three firms above are all part of the same group and have similar products but it is worth searching all three as they have different offers at different times, so it pays to be patient…leave something in your ‘basket’ whilst you think about it and they will sometimes come back with a discount code to try and tempt you to sweeten the deal!

    Locally, Horticap Nursery http://horticap.org.uk have lots of plants on offer at the moment as do Reighton Nursery’s Ilkley branch at Old Bridge Nursery or if you are heading to the coast for a day out, their big nursery at Filey. They are very competitively priced!

    A little bit of housekeeping…please try and keep on top of the weeds at the moment. The dandelions are blowing seeds everywhere and due to the dry weather the weeds are setting seeds and spreading early. If you leave them they might blow onto your neighbour’s plot as well as your own!

    A little reminder that each plot holder is responsible for cutting the path to the left of their plot as you stand and look towards the sewage works. Please try and keep paths between plots tidy and mown. If you don’t have a mower of your own then there is a shared mower in the garage. Ask a committee member for the key.

    Happy Allotmenteering!