Growing in Capel St. Mary
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Hoe weekly to stop weed seeds germinating. Cut down uncultivated areas and spray re-growth with Bio Glyphosate ready for next season. Apply path weed killer. Water plants thoroughly, do not waste time and water by indiscriminate spraying. Top-dress containers with horticultural 4mm grit. Feed weekly with Maxicrop or Phostrogen. If going on holiday arrange for a friend to water plants in containers, frames, greenhouse, outdoor tomatoes, marrows, courgettes and cucumbers. Encourage them to pick ALL sweet peas, courgettes, french and runner beans as these will stop producing if left on the plant. Stock up with ‘Restaurant Quality’ lump wood charcoal for those impromptu barbecues.
VEG PLOT: - Plant brassicas and leeks. Sow lettuce and carrots (cover with cloches in October), spring cabbage, pak choi, carrots, radish, spinach and turnips. Pinch outside shoots of non-bush tomatoes, tie plants regularly to their 4' support canes. Feed weekly. Spray potatoes every 14 days with Fruit and Veg Fungal Killer when leaves touch to protect against potato blight.
FRUIT: - Pick soft fruit and tie in new shoots. Tidy strawberry plants by removing and burning old leaves, runners and straw. Apply 2 oz. sq. yd. Growmore . Dig up three year old stock and destroy. Create a new bed on well-manured ground now for a good crop next year.
GREENHOUSE: - Ventilate, provide shade and maintain humidity. Water daily. Take cuttings of heathers, geraniums and fuchsias. Insert into sandy compost in pots. Control insects with a ready to use Insect Gun or Sprayday. Tie tomato, cucumber, pepper and aubergine plants to their support canes with PVC plant rings. Feed weekly when fruits begin to swell with tomato feed. Tomato plants tend to ‘stress’ through August, in very sunny conditions the leaves fold inwards. Water twice a week with a heaped teaspoon to a 2 gallon watering can of Epsom salts (for its magnesium). Feed cucumbers and melons with a teaspoon of dried blood weekly and water in.
FLOWERS:- Remove old heads to keep them flowering. Mulch borders with chipped bark or peat.
LAWNS: - Mow weekly. Apply lawn weed killer.
All horticultural products are available to our members from a range of quality commodities provided to meet basic gardening needs. Check the current price list on-line.
THE HUT - Is open 10 to 12 noon Saturdays only through to the end of October. Plants and surplus veg available throughout the week.
JOIN’N’SAVE - Membership is just £5 a year and is open to both plot holders and non-plot holders alike, wherever you live. A visit to ‘THE HUT’ should easily recoup this investment when you take advantage of our special bulk buy prices.
‘2022 VILLAGE SHOW’ - Show Schedules have been delivered to previous exhibitors and are available to view on our website - www.capelallotments.co.uk for the Village Show which will take place on the weekend of 3rd and 4th September in the Village Hall. Entries from non-members are welcome to what is one of the Region's best-supported Flower and Produce Shows. On-line entries may be submitted from 1st August with a closing date of Tuesday 30th August. Please contact the show secretary, Wendy Russell (show.secretary@capelallotments.co.uk) for paper entry forms.
Once again, the Show will feature over 130 classes including produce, fruit, handicraft, cookery, photography, mammoth, novelty and children's classes. All sections are open for anyone to enter except the Capel Residents classes. These are only open to those who grow flowers and produce in Capel. Why not get the children interested in the many different options with 3 different age classes? With downloadable pictures of fruit to colour, a vegetable animal and decorated flower pots plus much more to choose from. If you have not entered before, why not have a go this year? Simply take a look at the pictures of last year's Show for some inspiration. Admission is free to members of the public on both days from 11am.
PLOTS - The site is full and we have a waiting list for vacated plots. Please complete the form on our web site to add your name to the waiting list. Should a plot become available the site manager will then contact you to see if you are still interested.
CULTIVATOR HIRE - A cultivator is available for hire for on-site use only. The fee is £10 for the first two hours. Hire time runs from handover and ceases when the machine is returned to the machinery shed. Please give Martin Leech, site manager, advance notice to hire this equipment or for any matters relating to the site please contact Martin.
SHEDS - The site manager must be contacted before construction commences or alterations to an existing shed take place.
POND & WILDLIFE AREA - The water level has remained constant, this area is looking very good as more plants and shrubs come into flower attracting butterflies, hoverflies, bees and other insects. Check the information boards if you see something interesting that you can’t identify.
The BONFIRE remains closed until September.
