End of vehicle ban
The paths have now dried out, and are open for vehicle use again. Please only drive on them to deliver or collect items to or from your plot, and use your discretion re the weather. If the paths become very wet again the vehicle ban may be reinstated.
Fruit tree/bush sale and pruning talk, Saturday 11th March
Bonfires
It’s great to see so many people out and getting started on their plots this spring. Please remember thought that bonfires should only be burnt after six pm (or dusk, whichever is the earlier), and not at all on Sundays. Also please don’t burn stuff that is still green and will generate clouds of black smoke – compost it or dry it before burning. These rules are for the benefit of all plotholders and residents of adjoining houses.
Shop opening hours extended
The allotment shop will be open from 10am to 12am every Sunday until the end of April
The seed potatoes have been delivered
Varieties for sale:
First Earlies: Red Duke of York, Swift, Winston
Second Earlies: Nadine, Vivaldi*
Salads: Charlotte, International Kidney
Main: Cara, Desiree, Kerrs Pink, Rooster*, Stemster
Pick ‘n Mix – £1.30/kg. Please bring your own bag(s)
except forAlbert Bartlett 2kg bags (marked with *) – £3.75
Fruit tree courses and upcoming sale
Andy Howard of the Heritage fruit tree company will be coming to the EWAA site on 11th March with fruit trees and bushes for sale, plus relevant paraphernalia. More details will be available for pre-ordering soon.
Meantime he is running two courses: 25th Feb on pruning, and 4th March on grafting. Details below.
Our Winter Pruning Course in January sold out quickly, so here’s our second edition for 2017.
Join expert Orchard Arborist Andy Howard for a day’s training course, to learn the theory and practice of Winter Pruning.
Learn the theory, skills and practice of winter pruning for fruit trees such as apple and pear. Discover the different methods and techniques used to shape fruit trees, control their size and influence their productivity. Find out when and how to apply these to suit different circumstances and different types of top fruit.
Practice the theory on real fruit trees, to gain these skills yourself and help get the confidence to apply them in your own orchard, garden or community orchard. Or, why not help a neighbour get their fruit trees into shape?
Join expert Nursery man and Grafter Andy Howard for a day’s training course, to learn the theory and practice of grafting.
Learn the theory, skills and practice of grafting fruit trees. Find out about the different methods and techniques used to join up scionwood (the one to two year-old wood of the variety you want to grow for its fruit) with the rootstock (a standardised variety with known characteristics for vigour, ultimate tree size and resistance to disease) to create a new fruit tree.
Practice the theory with hands-on work, to create two new fruit trees that you can take home to grow on and plant out, in your garden or orchard. Scionwood from a choice of heritage varieties will be provided by Andy, along with different types of rootstock, so you can create customised fruit trees to suit your own requirements.
Both courses will be held at 27 Walton Avenue, Twyford, Adderbury, OX17 3JY. Free on-street parking is available.
The price for each course per person is £40 for members of the Mid Shires Orchard Group (MSOG) and £50 for non-members. Non-members will receive a year’s membership to MSOG. A free light lunch and refreshments will be provided on the day.
Please email Andy at: johoward@metronet.co.uk, tel 0795000 6813 to find out more about the course, make payment and book your place
Time to get down to the shop – Onion sets, Garlic Cloves, Broad Beans, Seed Packets and more Manure for sale
We have now taken delivery of onion sets, garlic cloves and packets of seeds:
Broad Bean – Sutton Dwarf
Garlic – Picardy Wight, Vallelado
Onions – Sturon Globe, Red Karmen
Shallots – Red Sun
We also had another manure delivery – this time it’s next to plot 1 on the far road. We’ve had to review the price, so now it’s £2 per barrowload, but that’s still great value. Maximum 4 barrowloads per plot.
Manure for sale
We have taken delivery of a large pile of manure, which is now available for £1 a barrow-load, with a maximum of 3 barrow-loads per plot. Please pay in the shop – if it’s not open, could you please put the money in the post box on the gate.
Seed Potato Delivery 2017
We will be getting the following seed potato varieties in the shop on 26th February:
First Earlies: Red Duke of York, Swift, Winston
Second Earlies: Nadine, Vivaldi
Salads: Charlotte, International Kidney
Main: Cara, Desiree, King Edward, Rooster, Stemster