Ashford Allotments
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Minutes of September meeting

19/10/2014

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Minutes of the September meeting of the Committee of the Ashford Allotment Society can now be read on the 'Official Stuff' page.
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Thomas Etty's Heritage seeds

17/10/2014

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Do have a look at this fascinating catalogue - http://thomasetty.co.uk/ . Apparently they do discounts for allotment societies and I am awaiting more details!
Picture
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Garlic varieties at Harringe Plants

11/10/2014

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It's always good to support a local independent firm, especially when they are as good as Harringe Plants. Harringe Plants at Potten Farm, Sellinge, on the A20 have got garlic bulbs in for planting in November. Good big bulbs with lots of cloves, you get 3 to a bag for £2.99, making them a lot cheaper than some.

Varieties are (all softneck types)
CRISTO - strong flavour
GERMIDOUR - mild flavour, and
THERMIDROME - early, high yielding.


Harringe Plants are supporting the Pumpkin Show and have donated garlic and bulbs for cut flowers as prizes. Thank you!
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Pumpkin Show Nov Ist at the Trading Store

10/10/2014

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Bring your pumpkins and squash along on Saturday November 1st to join the fun and maybe win a prize. Unlike the Summer Show, the Pumpkin Show is open to anyone, not just members.
Pumpkin Show Picture
The Pumpkin Show is at the Trading Store at Westrees allotments, on Quantock Drive. there is loads of tarmaced parking. Bring your squash along by 11.45 - judging starts at 12. Prizes will be given out at 3.30pm.
There will be vintage and secondhand books, as well as vintage, secondhand and nearly new tools. All donations welcome - bring your unwanted gardening books or tools along. All proceeds go to the fund for next year's bigger-than-ever Summer Show.
Classes are:
Heaviest Pumpkin.
Best Child's Carved Pumpkin.
2 Autumn Squash, same variety.
Collection of 3 different Squash, one of each.
Ugliest squash
Best shaped pumpkin
Heaviest Marrow.

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Have you lost your polytunnel on William Road?

10/10/2014

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Bill and Kirsty wrestled down a flying polytunnel as it ccame past them at ear'ole level on Monday. We have been unable yet to find who has lost it. Can you please check and if it's yours phone Vivienne, or Gilda on 621352? Then it can be repatriated.
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Disease-resistant onions and more at the Trading Store

8/10/2014

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The Allotment Society has very kindly been given some seeds at the end of the season. There are a range of vegetable varieties, including seeds of disease-resistant Onion 'Santero', rust-resistant Leek 'Malabar', and grey mildew resistant Spring Onion 'Matrix'. After the problems with fungal diseases over the last couple of seasons these are well worth a try. The seeds are 10p a packet for Show funds, and there are a limited number of packets, so make sure you pop down to the Trading Store on its next opening on the 18th October.


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Oops - how embarassing! Read this if you're on William Road or Musgrove New . . . 

7/10/2014

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The plotholder of Plot 25 on William Road site has been clearing her plot preparatory to handing it back. Someone has generously helped themselves to her aluminium and Perspex cloche, glass & aluminium cold frame and a water butt. The plotholder hadn't given them away or said they were up for grabs - so whoever took them effectively stole them, I'm afraid.

Allotment etiquette is that you leave stuff on a vacated plot for the next tenant, unless the retiring plotholder offers it to you. If you are leaving your plot and want to give items to other plotholders, you can always tell the rep, who will find things a good home.

This plotholder would like her
aluminium and Perspex cloche, glass & aluminium cold frame and  water butt back please - she intended to take them and use them at home. If you are out there feeling awfully embarassed, please return the items to the plot and they will be taken home.
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Lost Property

4/10/2014

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A lady left a nice new card-bound notebook at the Trading Store several weeks ago. You havn't come back to claim it, so maybe you'll see this?
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The bonfire season is here again . . . 

3/10/2014

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. . . so just the usual reminders!

  • There is absolutely no law against you having a bonfire, so don't let anyone tell you there is! However:-
  • You are supposed to start your bonfire only at dusk! So not during the daytime.
  • Bonfires are a good way to dispose of diseased plant materials, and the nutrients from these and twiggy prunings are quickly returned to the soil; moreover, charcoal is an excellent soil conditioner - but:
  • You should not burn substantial timbers (which can be taken to the dump for making into MDF). Nor should you burn green, wet material (which should be composted) or plastic of any kind (it releases chemicals you really DON'T want to be breathing!!!)
  • Garden bonfires DON'T make any kind of significant contribution to greenhouse gases. Air travel, cars, and the flatulent cows of America are the ones to worry about there, not someone burning up a few pruning. Having said that:
  • It's not nice having smoke blowing into through your open windows on these mild evenings, so as a matter of common courtesy (and to keep the neighbours from complaining to the council) bag up your bonfire stuff to keep it dry (masses of steam from wet stuff will be mistaken for smoke) and check the wind direction before lighting up!

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Growing under cover offers at Hamstreet Garden Centre

2/10/2014

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Those of you thinking ahead to the winter and then the spring may be interested in some of the current offers at Hamstreet Garden Centre:

A wooden coldframe, with twinwall polycarbonate sides, good big'un with room for everything you need, is currently HALF PRICE at £39.99 from £79.99

A 4-tier mini-greenhouse, made by Gardman, the kind you put flat against a wall or fence, with shelves deep enough to take a seed tray end-on, and enough room for 5 across the width, is £27.49 from £54.99 - it has a green metal frame and a plastic cover of the kind with green textile reinforcing squares.

A small Gardman polytunnel, 6'7" wide (2m), 9'10" (3m) long and 6'3" (190cm) high, similar cover to the mini-greenhouse, is £79.99 from £159.99

A mini walk-in greenhouse, square enough to be erected free-standing and compact enough for the smallest plot, has shelves down one side and room for taller plants like tomatoes on the other. It is 6'3" (190cm) long, 6'3" high, and 4'1" (125cm) wide, with a self-assembly metal frame and the same reinforced plastic cover. Slightly less of a reduction at £59.99 from £89.99

We suspect these offers are to clear surplus stock which went unsold last season due to the really mild winter ?


These offers are for anyone, not just Gardening Club members
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