Category: obsolete

West Yorkshire Organic Group on Saturday, 11 February

… and …

Hollybush Conservation Centre on Sunday, 19 February

RSPB’s annual bird count. Everyone can take part.

Several people have pointed out that the itv article was incorrect (thanks!), and we are allowed to water our food crops with a hosepipe:

A hosepipe can be used for watering food crops but not for general flowers and plants. Where you can, we’d encourage you to use a watering can to save on the volume of water which is used through traditional hosepipes. It’s best to water in the morning or evening, as that means the water won’t evaporate quickly in the sunshine.

Yorkshire Water web site.

Watering dry, bare soil requires patience. It can take a long time for the water to soak in, as shown in this clever little video.

A layer of mulch helps prevent evaporation from the soil, and it also helps the soil soak up water more quickly. I’ve seen a great little video showing this, but I can’t find it just now…

A researcher in America has found a highly effective, non-toxic and cheap slug bait. Is bread dough what we have been looking for all these years? Why not try it and see? But don’t let the rats reach it!

Sunday, 12 September 2021.

Refreshments from 11:30, “pay as you feel”. Donations of cakes and savouries welcome.

Snail racing from 11:30. Bring your own competitor, or choose one from our racing stable.

Members only this year, because of the pandemic. All entries from plotholders are welcome. This is intended to be fun, not a ‘professional’ show or one for ‘expert’ gardeners.

Entries

Entries accepted between 12.00 and 1.30pm. Cost is 20p per entry for the first ten entries. Additional entries are FREE.

All produce must be grown by the plotholder.

Maximum of 3 entries per class for each exhibitor.

All exhibits shown as multiples should match. Please be ready to state variety if known, as this is helpful for others.

Schedule

1. 3 white potatoes
2. 3 coloured potatoes
3. 3 runner Beans
4. 4 French Beans
5. 4 pods of peas
6. 3 onions, white or red (3 of the same colour)
7. 3 shallots
8. 1 cabbage
9. 3 beetroot
10. 2 leeks
11. 2 sweetcorn
12. 1 marrow
13. 3 courgettes
14. 3 carrots
15. 1 squash (any variety)
16. 3 different salad vegetables
17. 3 medium tomatoes
18. 3 apples
19. 1 dish of soft or stone fruit
20. 1 display of mixed produce in a container not larger than 12 inches x 12 inches
21. 1 vegetable monster
22. 1 exhibit of fruit or vegetables not elsewhere in the schedule
23. Novice class, for the Gillian North Award: if you have never entered before, please select 3 things which you have grown on your allotment and present them beautifully.
24. 1 jar of jam (this will be tasted by our team of volunteers)
25. Joe Maiden Cup: 5 sweet peas + 1 potato + 1 other vegetable of your choice.
26. Best in Show

Prizes to the value of £10 for overall points winner, and for the best exhibit in the Show, will be awarded at the Annual General meeting.

Tips for showing

Peter Blakey has kindly put together some tips for those who are new to exhibiting vegetables. The judging is done according to the guidance given by the RHS in The Horticultural Show Handbook.

• French Beans: Straight. Fresh. Pods with talks. Even length. Good colour. No outward sign of seeds.
• Runner Beans: Long. Uniform. Straight. Good colour. With stalks. No outward sign of seeds.
• Globe Beetroot: 60-75 mm in diameter. Taproot in place. Foliage trimmed to about 75mm.
• Cabbage: Fresh. Solid heads. 50mm of stalk.
• Carrots: Fresh. No sign of side roots. Foliage trimmed to about 75mm.
• Cauliflower: Heads  fresh and solid. 50mm of stalk.
• Courgettes: About 150mm, long 35mm diameter.
• Leeks: Clean, Firm, Long barrel.
• Marrows: Fresh. Less than 350mm long. Tender.
• Onions (large exhibition): Over 250gm. Large. Well ripened. Thin necks. Intact root plates
• Onions under 250 gm:  Firm. Thin necked. Blemish free bulb.
• Peas: Pods long, with stalks. Well filled with tender peas.
• potatoes: About 175-225g. Few eyes. Clear-skinned.
• Squash: Young. Tender. Well matched.
• Sweet corn: Fresh. Well set, including the tips. Straight Rows
• Tomatoes (medium): Approx 60mm diameter. Ripe but firm. Calyces attached.
• Tomatoes (small): Less than 35mm diameter. Calyces attached.

Here is a list of local garden centres who deliver around Leeds – useful during lockdown.

The National Allotments Society recommendations on Covid19 were updated on 4 November 2020. They apply during the current lockdown.

Here is an excellent little video that explains how washing with soap and water kill viruses, including the COVID19 virus. It even explains the 20 second rule with a clever experiment – all in less than four minutes.

Here is some advice from Leeds Allotments Federation about coping with the corona virus emergency on your plots.

Follow Government Advice at all times, and remain at a distance of at least 2 metres from other allotment holders. Don’t gather in sheds. Use hand sanitiser or soap & water as you enter and leave site. (We can’t supply this at the moment due to the panic buying). Be mindful of other allotment holders who may need help if they can’t get to the site regularly. If you are displaying any of the symptoms associated with Coronavirus stay away from the site until you are clear & if you decide to self-isolate for 12 weeks let your committee know via email/text so they know you won’t be around for a while and won’t hassle you over your plot not being cultivated.

Please be respectful if people don’t want to engage in conversation and don’t go onto anyone else’s plot unless they invite you. This is a situation which is changing daily and we need to ensure our own and other people’s safety.

The National Allotment Society also has a page about Covid 19 Emergency Measures which has a list of important precautionary measures.

Keep well!