Growing in Capel St. Mary
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If going on holiday arrange for a friend to water plants in containers, frames, greenhouse, outdoor tomatoes, marrows, courgettes, all types of beans 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, 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 suitable solution 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. 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.
BLIGHT ON SITE - We have seen a number of plots where there is evidence of blight. Please check your plot. If you discover blight then cut the tops off your potatoes and dispose of the foliage. There are three incinerators available in the wood store for plot holders to borrow, or remove the tops and place them in your brown bin.
GATES - Please remember to close and latch all gates once you have entered or left the site. Closing the gates helps prevent unwanted wildlife from entering the site. This is especially important late evening as we have had a number of incidents of a gate being found open in the morning. Thank you for your co-operation.
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.
‘2024 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 7th and 8th 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 the beginning of August with a closing date of Tuesday 3rd September. Please contact the show secretary, Wendy Russell (show.secretary@capelallotments.co.uk) for paper entry forms.
Once again, the Show will feature around 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? 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.
SITE VISITS - On our Allotment site we have a self-contained wildlife area which incorporates a pond and a range of wildlife flowers. As a community organisation we are happy to arrange visits to both the site and our wildlife area. If you are interested in organising a visit please contact our visit co-ordinator via: wildlife@capelallotments.co.uk
WILDLIFE AREA - The water level in the pond 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.
PLOTS - The site is full and we have a small 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.
SHEDS - Martin Leech, site manager must be contacted before construction commences or alterations to an existing shed take place.
