The Gardeners’ first meeting of this year was socially distanced, well attended and everyone enjoyed the talk on vegetable growing.

George Alway used the theme of helping his niece Helen take a plot in Emerson’s Green, from a bramble patch with a rusty bike and other junk, to a ‘Star Prize’-winning allotment. After clearing the ironware, strimming the weeds to the ground, a generous application of weedkiller, rotivation, more weedkiller, farmyard manure from a relative for Christmas followed by blood, fish and bone – and they were on their way! The family had then to apply the most important gardening skill – ‘waiting patiently’.

George recommended using a weed control plastic fabric membrane to conserve moisture and to keep down the weeds around runner and broad beans and other crops. He makes holes with a blow torch and stores for reuse the following year. Channels dug underneath the membrane can make watering easier. This technique, which works for onions and parsnips, started in toilet rolls and once well soaked, planted in the ground without disturbing the roots.

They left a space for a shed and permanent crops like rhubarb and artichokes. Though they enjoyed the forced rhubarb, they found artichokes difficult to eat and enjoyed them more for display purposes. George recommended growing early potatoes because of their superior flavour to those that can be bought in the shops; as is the case with beans and other vegetables from the garden. Early potatoes are more likely to escape blight and it is important to dispose of any blighted plants well away from the compost heap.

Helen used her conservatory, porch and windowsills to germinate and start off seedlings. The time and pattern of planting can be important. Sweetcorn is wind pollinated and needs to be sown in groups. George grows his tomatoes in extra big grow bags under glass because there is less chance of blight. He recommended using Tomorite because of the pungency of preparing the traditional comfrey and nettle brew! Carrot fly may be outwitted by polythene environmental mesh, planting fly resistant, or late varieties to miss the breeding season.

Next meeting is 7.30 pm on Wednesday, 14th July with a talk by Marion Dale, ‘Designing your Dream Garden’, followed by the AGM at 8.30pm. Nominations for new members of the Committee are welcomed. Last year’s subscriptions have been extended to February 2022 and new members pay half price to February 2022.

Trisha Jordan