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NEWSLETTER SPRING 2011

Spring has finally arrived and hopefully good weather so we can get out and start preparing for the new growing season!

I feel we should give nature a hand. We all know about the problems that bees have had lately, with colonies dying, so spare a thought or them when thinking about planting. Plant a few flowers amongst the fruit and vegetables, to encourage pollination. There are many flowers that bees love to visit including:

 

Aquilegia

Aster

Chicory
Chives

Coreopsis

Cornflower

Echinacea

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Foxglove

Hollyhock
Lavender

Lemon Balm
 Lupine

Marjoram
Marsh Marigold
Apple Mint

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Poached Poppy
Rosemary

Sweet William
Thyme

Rudbeckia

Penstemon Rhododendron

Salvia Egg

I don’t suggest you plant lots of Rhododendrons everywhere but you get my drift!

For those of you who came to our winter talks you would have found out a lot about seaweed and compost. Seaweed is one of nature’s natural fertilizers, its packed full of nutrients that your plants need. You can get it in dried form or if you are lucky and allowed, pick it up from the beach and put it in your compost bin.

If you are lucky enough to get manure for your garden or allotment make sure that it’s well rotted before you put in on the land. Also for the health and safety conscious amongst us, be aware that animal manure can carry tetanus so ensure that your jabs are up together.

 

 

Grand Opening Morning on 3 April 2011 at the Little Stoke Allotment site (behind Bush Avenue)

 

The Committee have been working hard to ensure the allotment shop is replaced and that we could open in February. Unfortunately due to the bad weather and the building arriving late our plans were slightly delayed.

We are not sure who is going to cut the ribbon yet, but we would like to invite you, your family and friends to this great event.

There will be cakes for sale, raffle/tombola, teas and coffees and anything else we can prepare at short notice!

A lot of time and money has enabled the shop to be replaced, so I would like to thank all involved, Grassroots Quartet for the grant of £5000 and South Glos Council for a grant of £1500 to enable this to happen. I would also like to thank all members of the Society for being patient whilst all the disruption has been going on!

If there is anything you think we should stock in the shop please let us know, we know we are in competition with the ‘big boys’ but we are able to sell in smaller quantities and want the shop to be suitable for all. If there are any volunteers to help out in the shop for 2 hours on a Sunday morning please, again, let us know.

Events that are coming up are:

Malvern Spring Show Malvern 12- 15 May

RHS Show Cardiff Bute Park 8-10 April 2011

Bath Spring Flower Show Royal Victoria Park 30 April – 2 May

BBC Gardeners World NEC Birmingham 15-19 June 2011

 

Have a great gardening season.

Jan Szczelkun

Secretary

 

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Updated 08/04/2011