Sandgate Community Garden

Luck was on our side this week and the sun was shining at all the right times!  Hundreds of garlic cloves and onion sets have been planted by dedicated planters on their hands and knees…. Even more leaves collected, paths laid, compost heaps turned, and a smoke tree planted near the banana.

The elephant garlic planted by the nursery children has started to sprout.  Growing these will be an interesting experiment as the bulbs have been in suspended animation since last year, with nowhere at the time to grow; they should have been planted or eaten by this time last year, but spent the winter, spring and summer in the fridge to see if they would hang on until now to burst into life.  We shall see around June next year if they have succeeded with their mission!

This is such a good time of the year for things to establish themselves before the winter sets in, and we are awaiting a big delivery of hedge plants and raspberry plants.  Without warning they will arrive in bulk on the doorstep and it will be action stations to get them in the ground before they dry out, as they will arrive bare root, no pots, no soil, but dormant and cheaper!  Although the leaves are gone, the roots will get a chance to cosy down into the soil ready to explode into growth in the spring – that is the theory.

The autumn sunshine enables seeds to sprout, and they have to take their chances.  They are up against the frost, being stood on, or dislodged by the gardeners hoe.  Many seeds have come from the last season’s crops and flowers, they are a free bonus as they can be brought on and established for the next season.  The thing is being able to work out what is an unwanted pesky weed and what is not…. That is a skill, and so we shall have to see what will try to establish itself and if we can manage to, at times, refrain from hoeing everything in sight and allow them to come through!  Picture below shows just how many seedlings are popping through at any one time!

The woolly blankets have been made and drawn over the more tender established plants for winter cropping, and prevents the birds from taking an easy meal.  Protection can be down to minus five degrees, so let us hope we will not have to test that!

What’s next?

• Set out exactly where that hedge is going to go

• Keep collecting fallen leaves

• Protect the sown pea shoots

• Check for any dislodged onion or garlic sets as birds can pull them up

• Check all covered crops for mildew – remove any rotting leaves and weeds.

• Weed the weeds!

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The Wednesday session was busy, leaves got collected, the newly dug area raked over, and some new paths created with wood chips.  The plan is to keep to the pathways, trying not to compact the soil by treading on it, therefore keeping it workable.  We emptied a compost bin onto the plot to be used for legumes (peas and beans), these are the hungriest of the vegetables, and this was our first home made compost!  It seemed like a lot inside the bin, but spread out, it goes nowhere at all, and it will be at least three months until the next of the compost is ready to use.  Luckily we have now been directed towards a possible local supply of horse manure, and if regularly collected and added to our compost bins, will make the dream of a ‘no dig’ policy come true!  Simply add a layer of compost as a mulch, and let nature do all the work, it is magic!

The broad beans got planted, some peas to harvest as pea shoots, and sweet peas for an early flowering crop, but the garlic and onion sets are having to wait for the weather to improve!  Saturday was a complete washout and mainly involved replanting violas that got ripped out of their planting holes by the wind! 

We still have food that can be harvested and has not as yet been eaten by the wildlife.  The sawfly disappeared from the Chinese cabbages as quickly as they came and have left the hearts to mature.  The kale has been giving us leaves for a couple of months now, and an excellent kale lasagne has been made and the recipe shared.  The purple sprouting is starting to show the first broccoli heads which is very exciting, reward for the months of fastidiously removing cabbage white butterfly eggs and caterpillars!

Fingers crossed for a break in the weather next week, so much still to do.  A couple of pictures of the nursery playground have been added below to show how much work the children have done…….looking colourful! 

What’s next?

• Any more wood chips available for the paths?

• Collect leaves for the leaf compost bin

• Plant the onion and garlic sets if the weather allows!

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Things are moving really fast now, the plot has been dug by Paul with the digger, a pond shape created, hedging and more soft fruit plants on order, the windbreak mesh has arrived as well as winter fleece to protect from the worst of the weather to come.  We have started to work on the turned soil removing clumps of grass, big roots and stones, then raking to a finer tithe, all in advance of a big plant up just as soon as all the preparation has been done.  Last week’s list of jobs had to be put on hold as we were overtaken by the event of the big dig, but it was most welcome and we are all chuffed to bits!  We now need to set out the new planting areas together with pathways as a priority, as we have to tramp across the newly dug area to get to the established plot.  The clocks have gone back an hour this weekend, yet another reminder that we are fast approaching the winter months and need to get things planted just in case there should be a freeze over……you never know, and it is always good to be prepared!

The onion and garlic sets are on standby to be planted first, and we know that it is certainly not a competition; however, the garlic and onion sets planted with the nursery have already started to romp away, with big shoots already showing!  They have had an unfair advantage of time and mild weather……not that it is a race or anything!  Garlic and soft fruit bushes or plants like to be frozen for at least a couple of weeks during the winter months, and are all the better for it.

The nursery children have planted spring bulbs by making a layer cake with them.  With some soil in a large pot, the biggest bulbs such as tulips and hyacinths are planted first, then more soil, a layer of miniature daffodil bulbs, more soil, a layer of grape hyacinths, soil and a topping of violas, pansies and primroses!   Lots of mess and grubby hands, but plenty of surprise and interest in the tasks, as well as discovering worms and all manner of minibeasts, and that’s just the nursery staff!  Afterwards, children and staff took a bucket of fruit peelings to contribute towards the compost heap,  check out the larger plot, and to peer into the hole of the soon to be pond……… who knows, they could be pond dipping by next summer!

What’s next?

• Continue to collect leaves

• Finish raking the soil

• Set out the plots and paths

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Well, we really have had enough rain now, and had little chance of doing much on the plot this week…however, there has been plenty going on behind the scenes!

It has been a truly amazing week of donations.  Put out the call that something is needed, and the Sandgate Community rallies round and provides, just brilliant!  We now have the offer of a sturdy bench to sit on…… we just have to work out how to get it there….thank you to Hilary and Eddie for that.  Thanks go out also to Lewis as we now have a wheelbarrow at last……. Such luxury!

Jill donated two cloches, already put to work protecting some winter spinach, a compost bin from Joanne,  and another from Sal…they really will be put to good use as we have filled one up already and are starting on the other.  The impending expansion has meant a good think and look at what we need to do over the winter in preparation for spring. 

As we are so close to the sea, the wind whips across the plot and brings salt which has an impact on how and what we grow.  A windbreak should be the answer – the best form being a hedge that can slow the wind down and, take some of the force over the top and away from the crops.  So once the new area has been dug over, we will be planting a mixed coastal wildlife hedge to include plants that can take the strain, with an emphasis on Sea Buckthorn which has berries that also happen to be a superfood.  To help the hedge along, as well as to protect the crops until the hedge is mature, we will need to put in temporary net fencing around part of the plot.  The hedge, once mature, will also be a great wildlife haven.  To encourage even more wildlife, we also hope to be able to provide a small shallow wildlife pond and are working on plans to do this.  Of course, all this costs money, and again we have been fortunate enough just this week to have been donated £200 from the Sandgate Society as well as £200 from the Parish Council.  This money means we can now achieve these plans, and more….details to follow at another time.  Thank you!!

We have a follower and well-wisher by the name of Freddie who had expressed an interest in buying two apple trees for the garden.  Brogdale apple festival in Faversham seemed to be the best place to find these trees as they have over 2,000 varieties to choose from (see photos attached)!  A member of their staff recommended an eating and a cooking variety, perfect for the site, and we now have two Heritage apple trees!  Thank you Freddie!

Wow!  What a lot has happened in one week, and although we did not manage to get much done on the plot, there has been a start made working with the Saga Nursery children outside their classroom with the planting of some onion and garlic sets, plus some broad beans.  We sowed some sweetpea seeds, planted some winter hardy plants plus some bellis daisies and winter pansies for a bit of winter and spring colour.  Next week the children will be helped to plant some spring bulbs.  Oh, and Chris gave them a pineapple plant to grow inside their classroom…our fingers are crossed for that one!

What’s next?

• There are plants and trees to be planted

• Posts to be put in the ground and wires to be attached

• Banana tree needs to be wrapped

• Leaves to be composted

• More tidying hoeing and digging!

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Bit of a wash out this week with the rain, however I hate to say we do still need it as dig down a bit, and it is still dry!

Some people have noticed that there is a mysterious line drawn beyond the plot, and yes, it is true, we are to expand further out into the grass!  We are very excited at the prospect, and are looking forward to filling this space too!  Thanks to Paul the Head gardener and Saga for their continued support and encouragement. 

We put out a message to the community for some items we need, we are still looking for offcuts of blue water pipe to use in the making of cloches, but we now have more compost bins and a leaf rake!  The message being please consider us before throwing garden resources out as we are good at recycling…… we could do with a wheelbarrow!

We are now the proud owners of a comprehensive compost making system, with leaf mulch on the go, and a three tiered way of producing the best compost going.  Happy days!  By moving or turning the compost on a regular basis, it incorporates air, mixing the contents, builds the heat needed to break it down and stops it becoming a nasty smelly and soggy mess with dry bits!  The final product will look like fruit cake, almost looks good enough to eat!

One of the great things about growing your own food is you have the choice to use chemicals in the form of pesticides and herbicides or not: to use natural methods have been our choice, and you have to take the rough with the smooth.  Our Chinese cabbages have been invaded by hordes of caterpillars, and at first we were intrigued that these looked quite unusual and interesting until we further realised they were sawfly larvae…. Ah well….too many to pick off as you can see from the photograph, and an important message learnt.. the need for vigilance, and to accept that growing organically benefits us and the wildlife! 

The nursery children helped us to plant some elephant garlic this week.  Elephant garlic is not actually a garlic as we know it, much milder, it belongs to the leek family, and is very tasty!

Finally, congratulations go this week to some of our members for the best squash soups (We might have to start a recipe page soon!), and to Chris for amazing us all by producing a home grown pineapple.  That takes some beating!

What’s next?

• Empty those herb boxes!  We need to paint the boxes but the weather might decide otherwise!

• Finish setting up the compost bins

• Anyone got access to animal manure?  Horse, cow even alpaca!! Makes a great plant liquid feed!

• Keep collecting those leaves – even in your own gardens!!

• Planning – the next phase – expansion and planting for the next season.

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This week we have waved goodbye to the tomato plants, harvested all the green tomatoes, and are ripening them on window ledges.

At last the little chilli plants sown from seed have been potted up and taken indoors, they will be replanted next year, after the risk of frost has passed.

The nursery children came along on Wednesday bringing all their fruit peelings for our compost heap, swapping it for a few vines of tomatoes to ripen in their classroom.  We spent some time rummaging around in the heaps to see what there was in there, and identifying all the wildlife!  We had help collecting more leaves, and have finished the leaf mulch bin and now have a mission to fill it up!

On Saturday afternoon we took some potted up cuttings and collected seeds to barter at the Hythe seed and plant swap!  We came away with a variety of different seeds and plants we can use in the garden and not a single penny had to change hands!  It is such a good idea, and the Hythe Environmental group were also pressing apples in the square from donated apples….. the resulting juice was quite delicious!  As you can imagine, we need lots of seeds for next year, however luckily we were able to get 96 packets of seeds at a garden centre seed sale for 50p a packet!  They should keep us going for a while!

What’s next?

• Collect leaves, leaves, and more leaves!

• We need to sort out two more compost heaps

• Keep tidying, weeding and turning over the ground as it is emptied

• Start to empty the herb boxes – save any plants that can be saved

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Watering was certainly not an issue this week, there was plenty of rain for a change….. it managed to hold off for our celebratory picnic for which we were grateful!  Many of the ingredients for the food came from the plot, it tasted so good!

The strawberry bed has been planted up at last, and the new plants have time to set some roots before the weather gets too cold.

Below are two pictures of Amaranth that have appeared totally unexpected in the flower area.  Amaranth is a superfood, used as a grain or made into oil; in fact the entire plant is edible and has medicinal benefits.  It is often used as a bedding plant because it is so colourful and comes in many different forms.  However, check out the colours of the rainbow chard…just stunning!

What’s next?

• Continue to clear and tidy the plot

• Ooops! Still not potted up those chillies or cut back tree base growth!

• Start putting in support posts

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It has continued to be very dry in the garden this week, and we have been working flat out to keep up with the watering, in particular new seedlings and the new strawberry plants!  The more established plants will reach further down under ground to find their water and are looking fine!  The tomato plants are looking naked as all the leaves have been stripped from them so that the tomatoes can ripen.  The butternut squashes and carrots have now all been harvested, and we are starting to see the earth again in preparation for a new phase of planting to come in the autumn.

The nursery children made their way to the garden this week, and spent some time grazing on tomatoes and salad leaves….. it was lovely to have them there, and we will be spending some time helping them in their garden, and they will be collecting their daily fruit peelings to bring to our compost heap!

Some of us made our way to the Climate Change march in Folkestone on Friday…. We are always aware of the influence of the weather on the garden, and weather extremes can mean that crops fail.  We are keen to understand and monitor how the garden is affected in the Sandgate microclimate…. This will be an ongoing process.  Talking of climate; just as we look forward to our first garden picnic to celebrate a successful first season, it seems the heavens are going to open and drench us with some long awaited rain!  How typical is that!!

What’s next?

• Monitor watering situation

• Keep picking

• Forgot to pot up the chilli plants!

• Keep collecting the leaves

• Dig over the newly exposed beds and remove any weeds

• Cut back new growth around the base of trees and any newly sprouted shrub roots in the wrong place!

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It’s all about the brassicas on the plot at the moment!  We have some very lush salad leaves, purple and green Pak Choi, towering purple sprouting, red veined chard, and juicy spinach: perfect for blitzing into a smoothie or pesto – or taking pride of place in a colourful salad or stir fry.  The Chinese cabbage is starting to draw itself up into a conical shape, ready to make a crispy heart in the centre, and we are looking forward to trying them.  The butternut squashes are getting a few more days collecting this late summer sunshine before we harvest them, and the salt and wind scorched fruit trees are sending out new green shoots, and are looking fresh again.

We have had a small amount of excess produce which we have been taking to the library on days when they have mother and baby groups etc.  We have also taken a few tomatoes and beans to the Old Fire Station on Saturday mornings when the Farmers Market is not running.  One lady came up to the garden on Wednesday morning to ask what we had ready and available, and it would be great if more people got used to the idea of coming along when we are working there to get some local and seasonal veg – most people have been very kind and supportive and donated a little money when they take something so that we can invest in more seeds and plants for next year.  One thing we will not have to buy next year is new strawberry plants as the few strawberry plants we had this year have sent out lots of ‘runners’ making new plants for us to gather and transplant into our newly dug strawberry bed!  So far we have collected 40 new plants, but we still have more to move…nature is just amazing!

Exciting week coming up as we have made new links with the nursery on site, and some of the children will be coming along to the garden on Wednesday to have a look and maybe try some of the salad leaves.  We hope to be able to help them with their raised beds and pots outside their classrooms and provide seeds and/or plants throughout the year.  Children are much more likely to try eating fresh fruit and vegetables if they have had an active part in growing them, so this is an important step in the garden’s development, to be able to be of help within the community – we hope to be able to do more as time goes on……

What’s next? 

• Watering

• Picking

• Collect the rest of the new strawberry plants and plant into new bed

• Check brassicas for cabbage white eggs and remove

• Check that purple sprouting are all staked securely

• Pot up chilli seedlings ready to take indoors over the winter.

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There is a different feel in the air now, and as the nights are starting to draw in, we are beginning to think of autumn and the changes to the plot….

We have harvested the big blue winter squashes this week, they can finish ripening in a sunny spot anywhere as they have finished growing, and we need to start clearing and reusing the space.  The butternut squashes have been exposed, and are next to be harvested.  There are plenty of tomatoes but we may soon have to consider bringing them indoors to finish off.  It has been very dry still, so watering has been a must, especially for the new seedlings of winter spinach and Chinese salads.  Leaves are starting to fall; another valuable resource we hope to be able to make good use of and start collecting.

The compost heap has been turned for the first time, and we were treated to the sight of a slow worm in the middle of it….. that was our dose of awe and wonder for the day…such an amazing thing to see.  It went off into the undergrowth and will hopefully make its way back to the warm compost again.  The picture below does not do it any justice.

What’s next

• Keep watering

• Keep picking

• Are the butternuts ready?

• Start planting up the strawberry bed with the plants we already have.

• Pick up and compost fallen leaves especially in the growing area.

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