- 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!
