Wigan Allotments: PESTS & DISEASES INTRO
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Friday 16 May 2014
Sunday 11 May 2014
Saturday 10 May 2014
How to grow a bumper crop of peas.
How to grow a bumper crop of peas - Telegraph:
"Growing peas is straightforward, but requires a little forethought and, even if you’ve not sown any yet, there’s plenty of time to do so.
Peas can be sown anytime until the end of June and picked into early autumn.
Take time when choosing varieties, as it takes no more effort to grow the most delicious peas than it does to produce a crop that tastes like the dullest of blunderbuss ammo.
I love 'Hurst Green Shaft’ and 'Ne Plus Ultra’ – they have incredible flavour and are equally reliable.
For those with a windy site, try the superb 'Kelvedon Wonder’, as it grows to only a metre or so in height.
If you have limited space, 'Alderman’ is for you: it’s a fantastic heritage variety that grows rather like me – getting up to 6ft 6in (2m) in height while taking up little space on the ground."
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"Growing peas is straightforward, but requires a little forethought and, even if you’ve not sown any yet, there’s plenty of time to do so.
Peas can be sown anytime until the end of June and picked into early autumn.
Take time when choosing varieties, as it takes no more effort to grow the most delicious peas than it does to produce a crop that tastes like the dullest of blunderbuss ammo.
I love 'Hurst Green Shaft’ and 'Ne Plus Ultra’ – they have incredible flavour and are equally reliable.
For those with a windy site, try the superb 'Kelvedon Wonder’, as it grows to only a metre or so in height.
If you have limited space, 'Alderman’ is for you: it’s a fantastic heritage variety that grows rather like me – getting up to 6ft 6in (2m) in height while taking up little space on the ground."
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How allotments lost the plot.
How allotments lost the plot | Julian Baggini | Comment is free | The Guardian:
The Allotments Act of 1832 was designed for the "welfare and happiness of the poor", with the land it provided used primarily as a source of turf and wood, cut for fuel. Over time food became a more important crop but, as living standards rose, people saw less need to toil away on hit-and-miss crops. More and more people abandoned their plots, which became largely the preserve of the ageing working class.
Allotments, now shorn of their association with poverty, provided a site where all these interests came together, providing a discrete, manageable contact with nature.
They are all about solidarity and co-operation: sharing surplus crops, water troughs, tools and piles of manure. It also turns food cultivation into a kind of social display, reflecting allotments' transformation from symbols of low status to status symbols.
Because allotments are hard work, those who are attracted to them for the wrong reasons don't last long. Growing vegetables provides not carefree communion with nature but a struggle with an unco-operative Gaia. Those who stick with it know the real rewards. The satisfaction of eating your own produce is not that it's better than other people's, just that you grew it. If you find cultivation speaks to you, you don't care about what it might say about you.
The story of allotments could be seen as the story of western society in microcosm. First, we did what we needed to survive. Second, we acquired for the sake of acquisition, mindlessly consuming. Third, we turned to non-material goods but still bought them like good customers. Finally, perhaps we will come to enjoy what is good for its own sake. That would be a victory worth digging for.
'via Blog this'
The Allotments Act of 1832 was designed for the "welfare and happiness of the poor", with the land it provided used primarily as a source of turf and wood, cut for fuel. Over time food became a more important crop but, as living standards rose, people saw less need to toil away on hit-and-miss crops. More and more people abandoned their plots, which became largely the preserve of the ageing working class.
Allotments, now shorn of their association with poverty, provided a site where all these interests came together, providing a discrete, manageable contact with nature.
They are all about solidarity and co-operation: sharing surplus crops, water troughs, tools and piles of manure. It also turns food cultivation into a kind of social display, reflecting allotments' transformation from symbols of low status to status symbols.
Because allotments are hard work, those who are attracted to them for the wrong reasons don't last long. Growing vegetables provides not carefree communion with nature but a struggle with an unco-operative Gaia. Those who stick with it know the real rewards. The satisfaction of eating your own produce is not that it's better than other people's, just that you grew it. If you find cultivation speaks to you, you don't care about what it might say about you.
The story of allotments could be seen as the story of western society in microcosm. First, we did what we needed to survive. Second, we acquired for the sake of acquisition, mindlessly consuming. Third, we turned to non-material goods but still bought them like good customers. Finally, perhaps we will come to enjoy what is good for its own sake. That would be a victory worth digging for.
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Wednesday 7 May 2014
Monday 5 May 2014
Natural Pest Control.
Natural Pest Control - Rush Green Allotments And Gardens Association: "Plants that Repel Pests "
Wormwood, Artemisia Absinthium has been used for centuries as a moth repellant, general pesticide and as a tea/spray to repel slugs and snails.
To Make Wormwood Tea:
8 ounces wormwood leaves
4 pints of water
1 teaspoon castile soap
Effective against: Aphids, caterpillars, flea beetles and moths.
Putting dried sprigs of wormwood in the garden along side carrots and onions will mask their scent, confusing insects in particular the carrot rust fly.
The dried wormwood will not have the growth inhibiting effects of the fresh herb.
1.Simmer wormwood leaves in the water for 30 minutes. Stir, strain, and leave to cool.
2.Add the castille soap to wormwood mixture and use to spray.
'via Blog this'
Wormwood, Artemisia Absinthium has been used for centuries as a moth repellant, general pesticide and as a tea/spray to repel slugs and snails.
To Make Wormwood Tea:
8 ounces wormwood leaves
4 pints of water
1 teaspoon castile soap
Effective against: Aphids, caterpillars, flea beetles and moths.
Putting dried sprigs of wormwood in the garden along side carrots and onions will mask their scent, confusing insects in particular the carrot rust fly.
The dried wormwood will not have the growth inhibiting effects of the fresh herb.
1.Simmer wormwood leaves in the water for 30 minutes. Stir, strain, and leave to cool.
2.Add the castille soap to wormwood mixture and use to spray.
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Slug Tips
Slug Tips: "Use beans, horseradish leaves, comfrey leaves, calendula, lettuce, marigolds, and zinnias as a trap crop for slugs.
"
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Sunday 4 May 2014
My Allotment-city Today!
Мой любимый Любисток - Lovage. Sorrel - Щавель кислый на заднем плане и Sage - шалфей.
Картошка и огурцы.
Chard -Мангольд и редиска.
Не рекомендуется сажать мангольд рядом с тыквенными, дынями, кукурузой или травами.
Не рекомендуется сажать мангольд рядом с тыквенными, дынями, кукурузой или травами.
Comfrey - окопник.
Это удивительное растение. Накапливает кальций, фосфор и калий.
Рекомендуется сажать вблизи большинства фруктовых деревьев.
Традиционное лекарственное растение. Хорошая ловушка для слизней.
Отличный активатор компоста, листву использовать для приготовления опрыскивания растений.
Это удивительное растение. Накапливает кальций, фосфор и калий.
Рекомендуется сажать вблизи большинства фруктовых деревьев.
Традиционное лекарственное растение. Хорошая ловушка для слизней.
Отличный активатор компоста, листву использовать для приготовления опрыскивания растений.
Лук-чеснок.
Бобовые и горох.
Смородина. Крыжовник и малина. Черника.
Смородина. Инжир, или Фига - крошка еще. Клубника и земляника.
Thursday 1 May 2014
Companion Planting.
- Cucumis sativus: Sow 2 or 3 radish seeds in with cucumbers to repel cucumber beetles.
- Rhubarb protects beans against black fly.
- A spray made from boiled rhubarb leaves, which contain the poison oxalic acid may be used to prevent blackspot on roses and as an aphicide.
- Chives and onions grown alongside carrots deter carrotfly.
Marigolds: (Calendula): Given a lot of credit as a pest deterrent. Keeps soil free of bad nematodes; supposed to discourage many insects. Plant freely throughout the garden. The marigolds you choose must be a scented variety for them to work. One down side is that marigolds do attract spider mites and slugs.
- French Marigold (T. patula) has roots that exude a substance which spreads in their immediate vicinity killing nematodes. For nematode control you want to plant dense areas of them. There have been some studies done that proved this nematode killing effect lasted for several years after the plants died back. These marigolds also help to deter whiteflies when planted around tomatoes and can be used in greenhouses for the same purpose. Whiteflies hate the smell of marigolds.
Do not plant French marigolds next to bean plants.
- Mexican marigold (T. minuta) is the most powerful of the insect repelling marigolds and may also overwhelm weed roots such as bind weed! It is said to repel the Mexican bean beetle and wild bunnies! Be careful it can have an herbicidal effect on some plants like beans and cabbage.
- Rhubarb protects beans against black fly.
- A spray made from boiled rhubarb leaves, which contain the poison oxalic acid may be used to prevent blackspot on roses and as an aphicide.
- Chives and onions grown alongside carrots deter carrotfly.
Marigolds: (Calendula): Given a lot of credit as a pest deterrent. Keeps soil free of bad nematodes; supposed to discourage many insects. Plant freely throughout the garden. The marigolds you choose must be a scented variety for them to work. One down side is that marigolds do attract spider mites and slugs.
- French Marigold (T. patula) has roots that exude a substance which spreads in their immediate vicinity killing nematodes. For nematode control you want to plant dense areas of them. There have been some studies done that proved this nematode killing effect lasted for several years after the plants died back. These marigolds also help to deter whiteflies when planted around tomatoes and can be used in greenhouses for the same purpose. Whiteflies hate the smell of marigolds.
Do not plant French marigolds next to bean plants.
- Mexican marigold (T. minuta) is the most powerful of the insect repelling marigolds and may also overwhelm weed roots such as bind weed! It is said to repel the Mexican bean beetle and wild bunnies! Be careful it can have an herbicidal effect on some plants like beans and cabbage.
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