http://burydellallotments.wordpress.com Newsletter 32 – AUTUMN 2018 EVENTS CALENDAR AUTUMN 2018 /SPRING 2019 Some key dates for events hosted by the Burydell Allotment Association are listed below: Sunday 4 th Nov - 11am Bacon butties and tea Saturday 9 th Mar – Annual Quiz (evening start time to be confirmed) We will give you more details by email and on notices on the gate and on the board outside the hut. In this ISSUE: - Allotment News - Open Food Garden - Competition winners - Bumblebees and allotments - Looking ahead to 2019 Allotment News It has been another successful growing season with bumper crops thanks to the long, hot summer days. We currently have no people on the waiting list and there are 3 vacant plots. Please encourage family, friends and neighbours to take on a plot. A reminder that the water supply will be disconnected on the 1 st November in order to protect the pipes from damage. Similarly the barrier will be in place from November to prevent cars from damaging the grass pathways. REFLECTIONS ON OPEN FOOD GARDENS (5 th Aug)
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http://burydellallotments.wordpress.com
Newsletter 32 – AUTUMN 2018
EVENTS CALENDAR AUTUMN 2018 /SPRING 2019
Some key dates for events hosted by the Burydell Allotment Association are listed below:
Sunday 4th Nov - 11am Bacon butties and tea
Saturday 9th Mar – Annual Quiz (evening start time to be confirmed)
We will give you more details by email and on notices on the gate and on the board outside the hut.
In this ISSUE:- Allotment News- Open Food Garden- Competition winners- Bumblebees and allotments- Looking ahead to 2019
Allotment NewsIt has been another successful growing season with bumper crops thanks to the long, hot summer days. We currently have no people on the waiting list and there are 3 vacant plots. Please encourage family, friends and neighbours to take on a plot. A reminder that the water supply will be disconnected on the 1st November in order to protect the pipes from damage. Similarly the barrier will be in place from November to prevent cars from damaging the grass pathways.
REFLECTIONS ON OPEN FOOD GARDENS (5th Aug)
Following on from the success of last year’s Open Food Gardens campaign, we again opened the doors to local neighbours and interested visitors. Cake and refreshments were on sale to the public and a table full of fruit and vegetables was on display. Thanks to all who showed their enthusiasm.
More about the organisation:Sustainable St Albans is a group of volunteers encouraging people to do local, practical things to live more sustainably when it comes to topics such as food, waste, transport and energy usage.The organisation was recently awarded funding by the Heritage Lottery Fund to organise the St Albans Sustainability Festival 2019, which will be held from 11th May – 1st June.
No one can do everything and we can all do something
As with last year, the sunflowers were judged by the committee. Photographs of the sunflowers were taken while blooming in their
prime. This year’s winner is Ted, with his large bug-attracting sunflower.
Polly, Ted’s mum tells us:‘You’ll be pleased to know that the prize was super exciting for Ted and we went to Ayletts yesterday and bought an Ant Hotel with the voucher!’
DAHLIA COMPETITION The Dahlias were judged by the committee. Photographs of the Dahlias were taken as they bloomed across the season.
This year’s winners are Aly and Adrian Fricker from Plot 38, pictured here with Aly’s mum.
Best PlotOn Monday 2nd July, Ayletts once again judged the BLAA Best Plot competition. Jan Castle accompanied the plant area manager while he took over 2 hours deliberating and appreciating each plot and the range of flowers and crops being grown. The winners received gift vouchers from Ayletts Nursery.
2018 Winners:
Best Plot:Plot 32/32A – the U3A Group
Best Plot Runner up Plot 27b – Kati + Oliver
Best Newcomer Plot 31A - Winston Bothwell
Best Newcomer Runner up - Plot 7 - Eve, Vivienne and Damien Rodwell Davies
St StephensA highlight on the allotment calendar, this Annual Show will took place on Saturday 8th September. There have been some outstanding entries from Burydell in the past for years.
2018 Winners:
Winning entries were submitted by Derrick Davis, Kim & Nick, Ian Getley, Kati & Oliver, Jan Castle, Jan Davis , Aly’s mum and Mark Taylor.
BUMBLEBEES AND ALLOTMENTS
In a recently published book called ‘Buzz – The Nature and Necessity of Bees’, author Thor Hanson points out that there is a distinction between those scientists who studied honeybees (a domesticated species), and those who studied bees in the wild. “It’s like asking an ornithologist a question about chickens.”
Bumblebees and wild bees pollinate 2/3 of our crops that require pollinating. They especially forage on legumes (vetches, beans and peas). While we may not need their ‘services’ until the following spring / summer when the first broad beans appear, sowing green manure in the autumn will help them survive when they first emerge in February.
Emma Nelson from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust writes:‘If the Queen has food enough in February, and finds a suitable nest site, she can begin; and if her workers find enough forage in Feb/March, she and her daughters will raise another brood… and another. If not, the nest will fail. If nests fail, there’s a high chance our crops will fail.’
Which crops are beneficial to plant this autumn to feed your pollinators in February?
Phacelia tanacetifolia (green manure)
Red Clover(Trifolium pratense)
Winter heather (Erica carnea)
Comfrey(Symphytum officinale)
Rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis)
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2019
Centenary of the UK Forestry Act and creation of UK Forestry CommissionNational Gardening Week, 30 April – 6 May 2019National Allotment Week, 12 -18 August 2019Chelsea Flower Show, 21-25 May 2019Gardener’s World Live, Birmingham, 11-13 June 2019
FRIENDS OF BURYDELL LANE ALLOTMENT ASSOCIATIONWe enjoy the support of many Park Street and Bricket Wood Residents as a result of the Association agreeing to extend the hand of friendship to non-allotmenteers. Anyone leaving the allotment is included, if they wish, as a Friend. By being on our Friends mailing list they will:
Be the first to hear about our SOCIAL EVENTS Receive our NEWSLETTER every 4 months Be a part of our thriving ALLOTMENT COMMUNITY Be able to join us for a CUPPA AND CAKE on the first Sunday each month from 11am-12
noon (Spring and Summer)No subscription is expected, just their interest and involvement. If you know anybody who would like to join as a “Friend” please let Barbara know on [email protected].
And finally - the monthly RHS Magazine, The Garden is on the table in the Hut for all Members to share. Why not have a break from sowing, weeding and muck spreading, enjoy a tea or coffee and read The Garden or the hard copy of our Newsletters? The Hut is there for all to use. Please just close the door when you leave.
Your next Newsletter will be out in Spring 2019. Any contributions to Jan
Castle or Kati Gastrow by mid February please.
YOUR COMMITTEEIn the event of site related problems please speak to Pat, Site Liaison Officer, in the first instance.
