Long awaited Spring Bits and Bobs…

[Primrose]

John, Thanks for your feedback. It's reassuring to know we're not the only sufferers. Yes they can be sensitive - next door's cat has been known to set ours off regularly while on his nocturnal wanderings.

I was partly concerned about the electricity cost mounting up, even with an LED light as it's been happening so frequently in these recent high winds but I think we'll switch it on again now things have quietened down.

[Westi]

I was good! Front flower beds weeded, edged & the perennials are in. That was it, way too much chatter as these beds are outside the fence & every passing car stopped for a natter!

[Primrose]

Interested to see our council has just released the following info on compost from their green waste recycling service.
.

Anyone visiting the High Wycombe or Aston Clinton HRC can now also stock up on Buckinghamshire Community Compost.

This peat-free, organic compost has been made locally from recycled organic matter including garden waste from Buckinghamshire. The compost is PAS 100 certified and only £5.50 per 40-litre bag or £15.50 for three bags. Purchases can be made by card payment only. Proceeds from the sale of this compost will go to local good causes.

The council plans to expand the availability of this compost to all 10 hiusehold Recycling Centres in the future.

[oldherbaceous]

Went to work this morning and it started to rain heavily within 10 mins of getting there….so I decided to clear all the gutters and valleys out, as they were full to the top with moss and rotted leaves….I normally were rubber gloves when i’m clearing gutters, but hadn’t got any with me….so I was wondering if I have left myself open to catching Avian Bird Flu, as there was an awful amount of bird muck in the gutters too…..

[robo]

Our council have decided to raise allotment rents by 50% on top of that they are cancelling all concessions some of us being O.A.P get 50% reduction on allotment rents that’s going to raise rents by one hell of a bump so much so their are all types of meeting’s being held tomorrow evening is the largest planned to date we’re all allotments are asked to send 2 representatives to it , watch this space

[tigerburnie]

Worrying times for allotment holders

[Primrose]

OH. I think some concentrated washing in antiseptics is called for. The stink of TCP would ward off the devil , let alone Avian Flu althiugh I imagine the risk is probably only higher if your skin has any grazes or cuts.

Robo. I suspect this is inevitable given that all local councils are sadly scrutinising every single aspect of their revenue raising options but it,s certainly going to eliminate the economies of growing your own. Perhaps some people will revert to vegetable growing in their gardens again instead but unfortunately not everybody is fortunate enough to have sufficient space. Allotment sharing may have to become more common again but the reality is sadly that some allotments may just be deserted and left to run wild, to the frustration of the remainers who then face a losing battle of weed control. Then the site eventually ends up with the council eventually reclaiming it and using it to build social housing or other buildings , so yet another precious plot of growing space is lost for ever.

My advice would be, pay up grudgingly if you can afford to, to keep these spaces safe for the future. Once they,re reclaimed by a Council for building on there will be no opportunities for future generations to enjoy this pleasure and skill.

[oldherbaceous]

I gave the a good scrub with my much trusted Swafega, Primrose!

There is a write up it the April issue of the KG Magazine, about the scandalous price increase of allotment rents! Luckily ours here, are staying the same again this year….

[Primrose]

John, Thanks for your feedback. It's reassuring to know we're not the only sufferers. Yes they can be sensitive - next door's cat has been known to set ours off regularly while on his nocturnal wanderings.

I was partly concerned about the electricity cost mounting up, even with an LED light as it's been happening so frequently in these recent high winds but I think we'll switch it on again now things have quietened down.

[Westi]

Hi Robo! I think there is a hidden agenda there as just raising the allotment rents 50% is not really going to impact on their ginormous budgets very much to contribute to other things they need to pay for. Even before attending I would contact the National Allotment Society; even if not a member they will help. What you want at this stage is tricky questions to ask at the meeting which they can provide around the legal aspects of notice & I'd also make a call to your local paper to alert them as they might send someone to the meeting & stir it up as well. 50% is not justified - what do they do to support the allotments like facilities?

We're committee managed but the council does attend inspections & are happy to be asked questions & get involved in our summer show. Committees can work but a lot need to upgrade their constitutions to the modern times. I was on the committee but it drove me insane with just the 'I second that' to pass something new so hardly open & transparent without full round table votes. Good Luck!

[robo]

Westi ,it’s already been done but thank you for your suggestions

[oldherbaceous]

How are things going with your knee, Robo?

[Westi]

Fingers crossed for some stand down on the rent increase Robo. Keep us up to date. I am happy to be directed to any site to vote for you all!

It was balmy today so I was down & dirty as next couple of days are gales & heavy rain with a yellow warming. Made good progress as well!

On the subject of plots I was stopped by one of the committee going around. The new council that runs the allotments now is going to renumber all out plots with proper metal oval signs & a permanent number. They were frustrated with the personal little numbers we have & the confusion with the numbers as they don't actually follow any sequence & numbers just drop out so it goes from 23 to 27 for example. They want it accurate so the reporting is accurate to the number of plots. I was chatting to him about whether housing risk could pop up again & he said absolutely no! The new council is half in the next county (Christchurch was also Hants but moved to Dorset for electoral numbers alignment). Even though technically they are not all Dorset they only have one really small allotment site (18 small plots) & part of the deal is the residents in the overlap can put their name on our waiting list & this in turn protects our site as all signed off agreed by our council who didn't want to run the allotment.

[Primrose]

Well, they won,t be crying out today in the rain!
"Are you listening, Mother? ,

News:
Plants cry out when distressed or need watering even though humans cannot hear the high pitched calls scientists have found. Recordings of tomato tobacco wheat corn and cactus show that the plants make occasional ultrasonic popping noises similar to bubble wrap which increase when they are under stress., The sounds are too high for humans to detect but it is possible they can be heard by insects other mammals and possibly other plants.

[oldherbaceous]

Now what are Vegan’s going to eat without being cruel!