Getting Out and About
It’s that time of year when we get stuck into the community – literally!
Open gardens, village fetes, church bizarres, plant sales as well as any garden parties - we don’t care what the title is, we will join any fund-raising community-based adventures!
The plant sale at Newton Solney was an excellent example of a memorable occasion for us, with bright blue skies overhead on the Saturday morning enticing excited visitors to join the queue of likeminded gardeners out of their beds keen to grab a garden bargain.
We noted a couple of the crowd sharpening their elbows to ensure their places were not nabbed at the last hurdle, but as the doors opened and the stampede ensued, we viewed the main room of the beautiful little village hall was packed to the rafters with plants of all types; for any size of garden, allotment or balcony.
Whatever the space, there literally was plant to fill it. Ushering people through the door (keeping law and order) was Andy Archer, describing himself as the ‘Mouthpiece of the Horticultural Society.’ More of a ‘behaviouralist bouncer’ for unruly villagers we thought.
Interestingly, though, on the day there were no arrests or incidents and the sale raised an amazing £1,237, which we are informed will be recycled back into the village, the majority to local horticultural projects like ‘Village in Bloom’, for creating planters around the village, and to the development of the new, small allotments adjacent to the village hall. (Round of applause please!)
Now then… the WI! Until we embarked on our community talks, we thought all WI groups were the same, following similar formats and singing a lot.
Nope! Instead, we’ve discovered that the WI groups (nestled into each corner of the county) are all very different.
Some memberships large, some small, others very quiet and then there are those we have had to control with our whistles to get some semblance of order.
Yet all have the common theme of members being kind, thoughtful and very caring towards each community.
Our recent trip to a garden fete in Heage proved like an adventure into the land of Narnia. From the front pavement the appearance was that of an ‘ordinary’ house, but stepping through the gate revealed a massive, manicured garden designed as a full-on village fete!
This annual event began 37 years ago with Win Richmond (now 97 years old) and has continued by daughter Jean Fardoe, supported by sister Janet Bryan.
Blessed with wall-to-wall sunshine, the local brass band enhanced the quaint essentially English event raising a magnificent £5,300 for Action for Medical Research for Children.
Finally, when we were invited to Darley Dale to meet members of The Derbyshire Trefoil Guild we confess, we had to research what a ‘Trefoil’ was!
Sadly, nothing to do with trifles but instead, a smashing group of ladies who were part of the Girlguiding movement, ‘offering adult friendship, fun and activities’.
We were fortunate to have found a common theme throughout - delicious homemade cakes!
Squashes
The last seeds we sow for the season are usually winter squash and pumpkins which we set towards the end of spring in individual small pots always setting the seeds on their sides to avoid them rotting.
A reminder that pumpkins are not squashes but are often lumped together when discussing them. Fundamentally, squashes can be stored for months, whilst pumpkins will store generally for only weeks after picking.
This year, (due to the number of slugs on the plots) we have grown them inside our greenhouses to avoid them being savaged. As they’ve grown and become better established and all threats of frosts have gone, out they go into the plots.
Squashes grow very quickly, whether they are trailing, bush or semi trailing varieties, and are perfect as a ground weed suppressant.
The colours of the fruits vary from blues to oranges and, nowadays, everything in between. All varieties love fertile soil so the more muck the merrier.
For the past few years, we have grown our pumpkins actually in our muck heaps – which must be like physically living in a Sunday dinner!
Make sure the plants are set in full sun where possible and keep them very well-watered. But a word of advice; pop a stick or cane next to the actual plant as you will lose where the plant is due to the vast, rapid leaf growth which causes problems remembering where to water.
Kev (plot 2) is, (he thinks) the site’s ‘champion butternut squash grower’. In fairness, not only do each of his squash grow enormous, but each plant produces masses of fruits too.
‘How do you grow them?’ we asked. ‘Water them well. When picking them, leave a short stalk on,’ he responded.
‘Do they taste buttery or nutty Kev?’.
‘Neither, just champion! Like me’ he grinned!
Strawbra-ries
We’ve been filling out our bras for years… on the allotments!
‘Strawbra-ries’ continue to be a big hit on the plots repurposing old bras, unaccepted by many charity shops.
We were recently visited by Angela Higson, the creator of Bracrafts, and taught her how to make strawbra-ries raising money for breast cancer related charities.
The trick is to make a good cut between the layers and fill with a thick deposit of compost. Wet well and plant the strawberry.
This year we’ve planted tomatoes ‘Balcony Red’ too - guaranteed to make people smile as they pass our plots!
contact@bracrafts.com for more information.
Melons
Have you ever tried growing melons?
People are amazed how successfully they grow in the polytunnel. They are as easy to grow as cucumbers.
Set the seeds in a tray of compost around March and nurture in a warm environment. Once the seedlings are established, pot into individual cells until three pairs of leaves set.
Move into well manured ground in the greenhouse or poly tunnel against a netted support for the plant to attach to. Support the fruits by the stalks as they grow with pre-used fruit nets/bags.
They are ripe to eat when they smell of melon!
Chillies
Chillies are actually perennial plants so will grow back each year if cared for. They’re easy to grow, though the seeds do need warmth to germinate in early January.
Once germinated, we plant the seedlings individually into cell trays in multipurpose compost.
Varieties are vast, but once grown, we use them fresh and in cooking as well as freezing them to use throughout the year.
But did you know, the trick to keeping the plants happy is to treat them mean!
Only water when the leaves begin to droop, then leave the soil to dry again before repeating the watering.
