Ashford Allotments
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Get the hoe out!

31/8/2015

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I can't remember when we had an August this wet. Instead of the usual parched grass and the gibbon-like arms from carrying watering cans, we have lush grass needing constant mowing, a population explosion amongst slugs, and weeds, weeds, weeds.
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Click on the pic to go to the RHS article on hoeing
The old saying was "never let them see a Sunday" or, more prosaically, "always keep the hoe moving constantly between the rows". Or, to put it another way, "one year's seeding, seven year's weeding".

You can often tell a beginner's plot by the lush weed growth. Beginners buy a spade, a fork, a trowel, maybe a wheelbarrow - but a hoe??? Experienced allotmenteers will tell you that a hoe is at least as vital as a spade and a fork.
The chap above is using the hoe from the Wolf Multichange System - a good choice. But for real old-fashioned forged strength that will last you a lifetime, take a look at the Bulldog range of hoes - some brilliant designs and proper wooden handles -  a joy to use and own.
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Bulldog's 'Paxton' hoe cuts at the sides as well as the front and back - one of my favourites and a fantastic price for the quality.
Hoeing weeds at the seedling stage means they never get to sow their seeds. At first, you will see fresh weed growth after hoeing as you expose buried seed. But with continued hoeing, you will find the weeds get less, and less, and less. That is why you will see well-run allotments with very few weeds, even if the plotholder has been on holiday!

Hoeing is very staifying, MUCH easier than hand-weeding, and also trims the waistline!

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Special Offers at the Trading Store

27/8/2015

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Mark Saturday 12th September on your diary and run along to the Trading Store to pick up some bargains. Membership of the Trading Store is open to all, whether you're an allotmenteer or just a local gardener. For more about how to join (it's easy and you can do it on your first visit) and what the Trading Store has to offer its members, click here
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How the new charges add up for those concessions

25/8/2015

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Julie Rogers has sent me the following document which may help plotholders calculate how the new concessions work out.
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Autumn-planting asparagus

24/8/2015

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D T Brown are offering asparagus crowns for autumn planting. With the soil moist after all this rain, you can be sure of being able to get a bed prepared. Good preparation is the secret of success with asparagus - and good drainage! Autumn planting gives the chance for the crowns to establish, but if your soil is very heavy you are probably best waiting till spring.
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Green manure offer

21/8/2015

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Right now is the ideal time to sow green manures. Marshalls are offering a buy-one-get-one-free on mustard cliente for green manure - one of the best choices and very quick growing so you'll be able to dig it in quite early in the winter if sown now.
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Click on the picture above right to go to Marshall's offer!
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Special offer on new book about the history of allotments for Ashford Allotment Society members

17/8/2015

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Click on the pic for more info
As a member of Ashford Allotment Society, you can buy Lesley Acton's new book for £12.99 instead of the usual price of £14.99, by quoting the promotion code ALG when ordering.
Telephone the bookshop on 0115 837 3097,  10am-5pm Monday to Friday. Free P&P anywhere in the UK.

'Growing Space' looks at how changing economic, political and cultural cinditions have affected the demand for plots. It debunks the muyth that the provision of allot- ments was solely a benign activity for the poor. Instead it was a highly politicised process reflecting national and local policies on land use, and the constant struggle to hold onto these city fields and country gardens. Illus- trated throughout with photographs and colour pictures.
Full index. 270 pages.

About the author:
Lesley Acton is a conservation and cultural heritage consultant. She has written on allotments for the Institute of Archaeology. She is in contact with allot- menteers nationwide, and runs the popular website allotmentresources.org Do check it out, it's full of fascinating stuff.
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Potato blight alert!!!!

17/8/2015

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I have had a warning from Blightwatch of the very strong likelihood of Potato Blight in this area; indeed, I have already seen symptoms on William Road allotments.

Potato blight also affects tomatoes, especially those grown outside.

Tomatoes can be given some protection by spraying with Bordeaux Mixture.  This is less practicable with potatoes unless you only have a few. The best thins to do with pottaoes is to keep a close watch on the foliage and, if you see the first blight damage, remove ALL THE FOLIAGE TO GROUND LEVEL. This should be burned or put in household rubbish, not composted. The potatoes can then be lifted at the earliest convenient time - ideally within a fortnight.

Potatoes which have had a brush with blight will store better in canvas sacks than in paper ones, as the circulating air retards the further growth of any blight fungus.
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Above: the first sign of blight. Right: severe blight damage on tomatoes.
Click on the pictures for links to useful websites.
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Wildlife allotment

1/8/2015

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This year Melonie Pentecost, on Henwood, is entering her allotment in the Wild About Gardens competition run by Kent Wildlife Trust. Melonie has entered her garden before, but this is the first time she has entered her allotment. Good luck Melonie. For more about the Wild About Gardens competition click here


Here are some photos of Melonie's wildlife-friendly allotment.
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No more free plots?

1/8/2015

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Changes have been made to the rent arrangements for Ashford Borough Council allotment tenants

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