Announcements – Hollin Lane Allotments

LAF at Harlow Carr Festival of Flavours 2023

Exploring the history of our allotment crops

Leeds Allotments Federation is taking part in the 2023 RHS Festival of Flavours at Harlow Carr. This year we explore the amazing heritage passed down to us in the food crops we grow.

Autumn Show 2023

Our annual show of allotment produce.

Our annual autumn show of allotment produce will be on Sunday 10th September this year, with entries accepted from 11:30. Judging will be by Eric Wells and Roger Storr, starting at 14:00.

There will be delicious home-made refreshments available on a “pay as you feel” basis.

We will be have an exhibit of beautiful photos of our plots, so please let us have your best ones.

Here is the schedule of classes for the show.

Summer Prune Apples and Pears

When and how to do it.

Here is a helpful article from the RHS about summer pruning apples and pears:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/features/summer-pruning-fruit-trees

More info on the Hollin Lane web site:

Summer Pruning: Apples and Pears

Potato Blight

July 2023 – blight is already here.

The rainy weather in July has resulted in an early appearance of potato and tomato blight this year (2023). There is more information and advice on the Hollin Lane Allotments web site.

At this time of year parsnips are putting up flowering stems and lots of greens. Care is needed when handling these, especially on sunny days. The greens contain a chemical which can cause nasty blisters on the skin if exposed to sunlight (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsnip#Toxicity). Wear gloves, and keep your sleeves rolled down. Whatever you do, don’t attack parsnips with a strimmer!

Peter Blakey

42 years at Hollin Lane Allotments

I am very sorry to have to tell you that Peter Blakey died on Wednesday, 8th May, after a short bout of pneumonia.

Peter joined Hollin Lane Allotments in 1981 and became an important member or our community from early on. He served as Secretary and managed plot lettings for many years before passing that job on to Rosie. He finally retired from the Committee in 2014. Throughout this time, and until his death at 89 years old he quietly looked after cutting the grass on our footpaths, even when he was in considerable pain from his knees.

Peter was an excellent gardener. He won our Best Allotment competition many times, and was a formidable exhibitor of vegetables, often winning prizes at our little show, and at others around the city. I happened to raise the subject the other day and he told me that his exhibits had won 31 first prizes last year. He also contributed to the Leeds Allotments Federation’s winning exhibits at some of the Harrogate and Great Yorkshire shows. He was keen for us to improve our own exhibits and showmanship, and composed a handy guide to showing some of the main classes.

In recent weeks Peter did a huge amount of work turning over his whole plot and ridging it in readiness for the new planting season. His latest project was a massive hot bed – a pit filled with hot strawy manure with a cold frame over it to provide summery heat for growing in cold weather. Not being able to see the conclusion of this experiment will be just one of many reasons I mourn his passing.

Peter was always looking for new ways to improve things – not just his own gardening, but the state of Hollin Lane Allotments as a whole. He loved being here, and did much to make it the happy place it is. We will miss him hugely.

I am sure you will all join me in extending our sympathy to Peter’s wife Kathryn and their family.