Out & About Summer 2021

Gardening W ell, what a year so far - reasonable March, drought in DAVID COLE has had an allotment in Newbury for more than 30 years.

April with cold nights and May with all the rain. I think ‘the garden needs it’ had worn out its welcome. If you managed to get your first early potatoes in around mid March and successfully protected against the frost they should have been ready – first earlys such as Rocket – for digging early June and Pentland Javelin take around nine weeks from planting to eating, although this year will have seen them a bit slower. The general planting/growing process is probably two or three weeks behind, cold ground then wet ground. I didn’t get carrots, beetroot and parsnips in until mid April, some three weeks later than usual. I always plant my onion sets and shallots in the greenhouse in cell trays (24 cells to the tray for sets and 15 cells to the tray for shallots), keep them inside until they are significantly green (normally around two weeks) then put them outside for two or three weeks before planting out. This stops the birds and worms pulling them out. Yes, worms – they catch hold of the brown whispy top and try and pull them underground. Frost doesn’t generally do them any damage. Another thing I start off in the greenhouse is all the Brassicas. Plant them from seed in a seed tray and prick out, when the seed leaves are clearly visible, into deep trays or root trainers. As soon as they are established put them outside or they will grow too fast. Plant them in the garden around mid May, a bit late for this season, but worth keeping in mind. There’s still just time to do

He’s learned what works best and how to get the tastiest vegetables through ‘trial and error’. He shares some techniques to get the best out of your garden and a tells us a little bit about One Tree Park Allotments

a second or third sowing of beetroot, carrot and chard seed for late vegetables, also turnips, which are delicious on the allotments for the tenants and their families, such as modern fencing, composting toilet and mechanical implements like mowers and cultivators. One Tree Park Allotments is, I think, the only unincorporated association with charity status in Newbury. Through this we fundraise to provide facilities

roasted in the oven as a winter vegetable. Your runner beans, marrows, courgettes and the like This all came about after it was suggested by Newbury Town Council that we have a secure building to store machinery which may otherwise disappear overnight! It’s developed into having a shed/clubhouse with covered outside area and separate machine store.

should have been planted in a protected area – greenhouse, window sill, conservatory or similar – early in May want a chat about gardening do make yourself known to me. There is a fantastic community spirit at One Tree Park, which obviously helps enormously with ‘getting things done’. I can often be seen at One Tree Park, especially weekends and later in the afternoons, please if you

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O&A SUMMER 2021