East Ward Allotment Association

A few people have asked whether we should be removing all ragwort from the EWAA site as it’s supposedly a “notifiable weed”. The reason for the concern is that it can be poisonous to horses and other grazing animals, particularly when dry and included in hay bales. With no grazing animals on site other than the muntjac deer, there’s no direct risk. And as the EWAA site is well over 100m from the nearest field where horses are kept, we are in the clear regarding concerns over seed spreading to pasture land. So, there is no need to eliminate it from the allotments unless you want it off your plot. Otherwise, feel free to enjoy the stripy caterpillars.

Allium leaf miners have been out and about, and their burrowing larvae are distorting the growth of allium leaves (especially onions, but shallots, garlic, chives and leeks are also vulnerable) on many EWAA plots. Once they’re in, there’s unfortunately not much that can be done. Any crops uninfected so far should be OK until autumn when the next generation gets going, but from then on, it’s worth covering your alliums with fleece or fine mesh to keep them out – the moths are tiny so a tight weave is needed, netting won’t stop them. It’s also worth covering your leeks against leek moth, which does the same thing. Fleece and mesh available in the shop when you need them.

2.1m wide Enviromesh fine mesh netting – £2.20/metre
8ft Bamboo canes – £0.40 each
7ft Bamboo canes – £0.30 each
4ft Bamboo canes – £0.20 each
700g Organic Garden Slug Killer – £5.70 each
1 litre Tomato Feed – £2.25 each
Vegetable Fertilizer – £1.30/kg
Garden Lime – £0.20/kg
10 litre Seed & Cutting Compost – £3.10 each
65 litre Tomato Growbag – £4.50 each

Thanks to everyone who came along on Sunday with plants to swap! People brought some fantastic plants and everything found a home apart from a few potatoes. Extra thanks go to Bridget and Meryl for organising and cake. Donations came to an amazing £48, which we will pass on to Garden Organic .

Please be careful when taking woodchips from the pile outside the gate, and supervise your children around it. We have had reports of nasty/sharp and dangerous rubbish in and around that area. We are working with the council and local police to try and reduce anti-social behaviour in the gateways and car parks, but in the meantime please be cautious and also keep those gates locked.

If has anyone found a transparent, slightly milky plastic panel (roughly 60×120 cm) that looks like it could have come off the roof of a greenhouse (blown off by the wind), could you please either put it in the greenhouse on plot 204, or let the committee know, via email or the shop. Thank you.

Dear All, please lock the gates whenever you come in and out! We are finding them open or unlocked quite often at the moment, and as there has been a bit of an issue with anti-social behaviour around the Cricket Road gates lately (not by plotholders!) we would like to keep the site as secure as we can. Please do get in touch with us at the hotmail address if you have any particular concerns.

Many thanks,

The EWAA committee

The communal wheelbarrow from outside the EWAA shop has not been seen for a while – if you have borrowed it please do bring it back so everyone can use it as needed.

Thank you,

EWAA committee

It’s not too late to put some potatoes in! Available in the shop on Sundays 11-12, now only 70p per kilo.

Come and get’em!

We are having another plant swap after last year’s success. In the shop on Sunday 4th of June from 11, bring along your excess seedlings, take home some you need. Donations to Garden Organic if you have nothing to swap but want to join in. Bring cakes if the fancy takes you.