General News - General News

Those of you following the activity of project 63 will know we have grown various experimental vegetables over the last couple of years, some with success, some a little indifferent. However, one of the successes proved to be New Zealand Yams (Oca). If anyone is interested there are some really small tubers which have chitted available at the trading hut. Information in terms of how to grow available on the web site (look through the project 63 blog), or contact Ray or Karen Lawrence. Please feel free to pop into the trading hut and help yourself - first come, first serve.......

As the warmer months of the year beckon (although the cold wind and hail today would suggest this post may be a little premature) there has been plenty of activity on site. The Community Orchard having been pruned earlier in the year, was given a general spruce up, and a big vote of thanks to Kevin Baskill who has completely re trimmed the orchard area as we aim to keep the surrounding growth under control.

We owe a great deal of thanks to Brian and his team from the community scheme for a host of activity they have completed for us on site, from work and projects on various plots, to general tidying up, refurbishment, and some weeding of the community Orchard. We are extremely grateful for their continued effort.



The web page for the trading hut has been slightly modified and updated, with details of some of the newer products in stock added, and those items we no longer stock and sell removed. Do take the opportunity to support the Trading Hut which is established for plot holders and associate members

This notice just serves as a polite reminder in relation to the Allotment Competition at Melbourne Park. Judging of the plots is due to take place on 11th July with Steve Withers accompanying the judge around the site. This year the plots will be judged by Clive Emberson, a Royal Horticulatural Society judge.

There are only a couple of things necessary to qualify. Firstly, your plot must be clearly identified with your plot number, and secondly you must be a member of the Allotment Association.

The image supporting this article depicts some of the winners from last years competition, with the awards being made at the Annual General Meeting.

Wishing everyone a positive growing season,

Please be guided we are about to make a timber order on behalf of various members. If anyone requires timber, or wishes to order could you urgently make contact with Tony Holbrook or Karen Lawrence at the trading hut. We are looking to make the order within the next couple of weeks.

During the course of the week we received two deliveries of compost from the City Council. The deliveries have been made at the top and base of the site. One trailer load rests just beyond the trading hut and the other to the left of the plots at the bottom of the site furthest from Highfield Road, as last year.

There has been considerable 'interest' and activity to use the materials, and whilst this message is a little late to broadcast there is still compost available.

Firstly a happy new allotment year to everyone. Despite the short and rather chilly days, there are plenty of things to do before the growing season gets into full swing. We are fortunate enough to receive donations of manure and chipping to the site and the cement paving at the base of the site has received a very early 'spring tidy up' and refurbishment courtesy of Brian and the Community Payback Team. Over the last few weekends the area has been tidied, manure and chipping separated, and a surrounding barrier built from pallets kindly donated by the Hanging Garden Nursery to keep the manure and chipping apart. The image above demonstrates the improvement, which is greatly welcomed.

A big thank you to Brian and his team for all the effort and energy to complete this task.

Please be guided the establishment management have decided to take a well earned break over the Christmas Period. The Trading Hut will be open usual times 22nd and 23rd December, and then closed on 29th and 30th December. The Hut will re open for business first weekend in January, 5th and 6th at the usual times.

Thanking everyone for their support, and wishing all a very merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy allotment filled 2019.

The Annual bash of the year, the Melbourne Park Allotment Association Mulled wine event appeared to be a great hit this morning. Despite the miserable weather outside, the annual festive event was well attended. With food and drink, including the now legendary mulled wine prepared by Tony Holbrook (consumed with gusto) proving a hit.



A big thanks to our very own Steve Withers who was again on hand with the raffle tickets, and it seems trying to ensure his tickets were drawn out of the hat.



Any event such as this takes considerable effort and organisation and a big thanks to everyone who shifted and moved on the friday, prepared and donated food and raffle prizes and assisted the clear up after. It is truly appreciated.



Finally a big thanks to everyone who braved the weather and helped make the morning. Seasons greetings to one and all.

Peter advised the deliveries for this years manure order will be taking place Monday and Tuesday 10th and 11th December. We are unsure how many on each day or which plot holders at the moment.

For those members whose plots are unaccessible and deliveries are made on roadways or pathways could we respectfully remind the need to ensure these are moved to your plot within 7 days.

Thank you for understanding, and a big Thank you to Peter Hunnable for organising again this year.

A gentle reminder of the Melbourne Park Allotment Assocition Mulled Wine and Coffee Morning, on December 1st at the trading hut commencing at 10.30 AM.

Tony Holbook's legendary 'brew' will be awaiting you, as will other refreshments and most importantly of all the event is completely free of charge.

Forget the looming pressures of christmas shopping and all that goes with it, and head down to the trading hut for a relaxing catch up with your fellow plot holders.

We look forward to seeing you all on the morning.

The 14th Annual General Meeting of the Melbourne Park Allotment Association was held this morning at the trading hut. After all the business highlights of the AGM had been accommodated, the presentation of trophies and certificates for this year's Plot competition were awarded.

This year the judge was a plot holder from the Chignal Road site, Bob Barden, and our thanks to Bob and also to Steve who trundles round the site whilst our guests ruminate about the outcome.

There are two categories, one for newcomers, under 18 months on site, and the other for the more experienced plot holders. Without further ado, our congratulations as follows:

Newcomer

1st Place - Ian Gill
2nd Place - Matt and Michelle
3rd place - Kevin Gaskell

for the more experienced plot owners

1st Place - Peter Caffery
2nd Place - project 63
3rd Place - Pat Tilley

Our winners celebrate at the trading hut post the AGM. Alas no champagne, but tea and coffee a plenty.

The long awaited day arrived where those toughened competitors produced their Marrows to find out who would be victorious in the Melbourne Park Allotment Association competition.

A big thank you to everyone who took part. In a nerve racking weigh in Pat Tilly's specimen Marrowly beat Derek to win the competition and walked away with an Association gift voucher for his efforts.



The weight of the winning specimen 13lb and 14oz.

Last Autumn, Peter Hunnable presented a rather attractive looking beastie to me, which now turns out to be a bit of a pest. The Rosemary Leaf Beetle has been spied chomping away on the Lavender Bushes outside the trading hut, and its staple food source is Rosemary,Sage, Thyme and Lavender.



Please find under excerpts from a BBC gardening article on their website in relation to this colourful fiend.

If the shoots tips of rosemary and lavender are turning brown and dying back it could be the sign of an infestation of rosemary leaf beetle. These small beetles feed on the new shoot tips causing them to die back. They're easy to spot because they have metallic green and purple stripes across their backs. Their larvae, which are slug-like and pale grey in colour with a dark stripe down the side, also cause damage by feeding on the shoots as they grow.



These attractive leaf beetles are an invasive species that first appeared in the UK in 1994. Since their introduction, they've been spreading steadily throughout the southern counties of England.
The adult beetles are around 1cm long with metallic green and purple stripes down their wing cases. They're usually found in groups on stems, or feeding on the new growth of plants. The larvae are small slug-like grubs which are usually found on the underside of leaves. They are light grey with horizontal dark stripes along their body.



Adult beetles are usually first seen in late spring, although they remain largely stationary on plants until later in the year. In late summer they'll begin to mate and lay eggs. Eggs are usually laid on the underside of leaves and are around 2mm in length. Larvae will hatch in about ten day's time and feed for a few weeks before dropping down to pupate below the soil surface. Adults may continue to mate during warmer winter periods, although this is rare.

If you are not interested in polluting your plot or plants with chemicals, the most effective treatment method is by hand.

Regular observation in late spring each year is essential to prevent infestations establishing. Removing adults and larvae by hand will help to reduce numbers. Shaking infested bushes over an old towel or sheet will enable large infestations to be collected and removed. Netting and fleeces can be used to stop adults moving between plants. There are currently no natural enemies commercially available to control rosemary leaf beetle.

Check plants on a weekly basis for signs of infestation and deal with them as soon as they appear.

www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/advice/pests

The allotments are an interesting place. However, I am not sure you would see this too often, on an allotment or elsewhere for that matter. This photograph may even make for an interesting caption competition!!

Thanks to Derek for being a sport.

We have previously made reference to the wealth of different wildlife, bugs, beasties, friends and foe which exist on the allotment. It has been a little while since any photographs have been posted and a new gallery with a selection of images from 2017 and 2018 has now been added. We will try and add to this during the course of the year.

Last weekend, a couple of new beasties were captured, the first in quite unusual style. Derek approached yours truly on Saturday with a specimen on his van, and with a little direction he parked the vehicle which allowed one or two snaps to be taken (see image under).

Very small, extremely colourful, this spider is probably one of very few who have had the luxury of being chauffeur driven to a photo shoot and he duly posed.



The other new capture was this small blue butterfly which seemed to enjoy the solitude of my raised bed or rhubarb leaves. He / she is a Holly Blue.



The new gallery contains, bees, hover flies, ladybirds, spiders, a damsel fly, and various other beasties all of which have been taken on the plot, or it's surrounding borders.