Tim Prater

Well, Wednesday might have been a washout, but Saturday certainly was not!  Brilliant sunshine!  The fig tree got properly planted in a bigger pot, the next two raised beds got placed in situ and partially filled with the old grass turf, more ground got dug over and weeded, the two last raised beds got another coat of preservative, lettuces and tomatoes were planted, and more salad seeds sown! 

Many thanks this week to Geoff, one of the Saga gardeners, for the donation of some much needed hazel poles for beans, to Jill for the dozen tomato plants, and Theresa for the seeds and flowering plants!  Excellent news is that the Sandgate Society has very kindly given us £100 to enable us to build on what we have achieved so far, and take us into next year with all the seeds and plants we need!  We are bursting with ideas of what we would like to grow from the autumn, into winter and early spring, the aim being to grow food all year round.

The first of the salads has been picked!  The ‘cut and come again’ salad in the boxes is having its first cut, and will be joined by the radishes not far behind, later this week!  When cutting or picking salad, make sure you only take the leaves, and not the stem and crown of the plants, so that they can sprout again.  That way we should get several servings from the same plants!  Mixed with young nasturtium leaves and flowers, also calendula petals, and maybe chives, how more local and seasonal can you get!!

I mentioned last week to take time to look at things….. well, look at the photo attached for the view we have from the garden… that really is something!  On a smaller scale however, keep checking the beans and salad leaves for unwanted critters trying to move in!  Until the garden is balanced with more predators to help us out like ladybirds, ground beetles and, who knows…maybe some frogs…we shall have to be on our guard!

Next organised meet ups – Monday 6pm, Wednesday and Saturday 10am

If you are on WhattsApp, Sheila our Technical Advisor can add you to the group.

What’s next

• Watering – covered for this weekend! Early morning or later in the afternoon is best on warm days!

• Last coat of preservative on the last 2 raised boxes

• Get all boxes in situ and fill with whatever we have got!

• Sow more seeds

• Eat salad!

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What a difference that rain has made!  The carrot seeds have sprouted and things are starting to romp away!  We managed to source some bean canes from the Park compost heap, and to demolish a large chunk of courgette cake.  Welcome to Sue and Andrew who joined us this week – Thanks Sue for the butternut squash plants, broad bean seeds, and French beans, much appreciated….we also had an anonymous courgette donation, all have been planted, but the broad bean seeds are to be saved for the autumn!  If you know people with veg plots/allotments, ask them to bear us in mind when it comes to dividing plants later in the autumn, as that is when we will be looking for donations to the cause…more about that nearer the time!

What’s next

• I have been told to expect sunshine this week, so if you walk by early morning or late afternoon, give those seedlings a water.  Try to avoid watering when the sun is high and if there is direct sunlight as this can do more damage than good.

• We are wood treating the last of the raised boxes….looking good!

• Continue clearing the ground to the left of the fruit and herb section

• More tomato plants to plant out, more seeds to sow for continuity

• Most important – take time to have a look at all the achievements so far!

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