NEWSLETTER January 2012
GARNOCK VALLEY ALLOTMENTS ASSOCIATION
Now that Christmas and New Year celebrations seem like a distant memory and we struggle to get back into a routine of sorts, we could be forgiven for thinking that the days are starting to get just a little bit longer. On a decent day you can see daylight after 4.30pm, although we’ve not had many light, bright days so far this year.
Although gardening may be still furthest down our to-do lists we are already hankering to get going again. If you have a green house and you can provide it with some heating you can start to sow broad beans, sprouts, early cabbage, calabrese, leeks, onions, shallots, peas, radishes, spinach and turnips. Indoor growing in a glasshouse or on a windowsill is a possibility but it may still be too dark and seedlings can suffer if kept in these conditions for prolonged periods.
On the allotment, clear out any old crop growth and vegetation to the compost bin if no disease is evident, otherwise destroy it. Plant debris can become a home for pests and diseases if left lying around. Dig a trench where you plan to grow this year’s peas, beans, leeks and celery and fill it with kitchen vegetable waste, torn up newspaper, cardboard or similar. This will help hold moisture in the summer and produce those bumper crops.
2011 potato crops varied from bumper to mediocre depending on location, climate and soil conditions. On our plots there were differences according to variety and positioning on the site but generally good results were seen. We managed to sell lots of our crops at the Lochwinnoch Food Festival last summer and remain self sufficient well into the autumn.
It’s time to consider what varieties to choose this year for 1st and 2nd earlies, and maincrop. This really depends on your own taste in potatoes and how you want to cook them. Nothing beats fresh potatoes, simply boiled and served with a touch of butter and parsley or mint. Once you have decided which to buy and set aside the question is whether ti chit or not. There can be a devotion attached to this like so many gardening practices, as if it really matters. Some say it doesn’t matter at all. Stick any old potato in the ground and it will grow. With heat and water it should produce a basket full of tubers. No mystery, no magic- it’s just what they do. On the other hand chitting encourages production of shoots- a bag of seed potatoes in a dark place will guarantee long translucent shots snaking off from every tuber using a lot of growing energy. The idea is to place each seed in a container so each one is exposed to light and protected from frost to encourage knobbly dark green or blue shoots. Put these into warm, moist soil and they then explode into action. At least that’s the idea! In Monty Don’s words “Growing any potato anyhow, anywhere, is as sure a route to health and happiness that I know”.
Here’s to a great growing season in 2012 !!
STOP PRESS:
We would like to acknowledge and thank the
Co-operative Community Fund for their generous award of £2000 to enable us to construct 4 raised beds on our site. This will facilitate access on our site for disabled gardeners and allow them to enjoy growing their own produce and experience the fragrances and beauty of a sensory garden.
Interested in allotment membership? Contact Joyce on 01505 682911 or Priscilla on 01505 503410.
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