Cycle stands!

Four new cycle stands have been installed by volunteers on the Scarcroft allotment site... and they look great! 

There has long been a desperate need for this provision, with cycles being locked to bits of fencing, drain pipes, gates etc. Happily cyclists can now confidently secure their bikes whilst visiting their plots or the allotment shop. The stands are spaced to accommodate panniers and trailers and it is hoped that they will encourage even more people to cycle to Scarcroft.

On the occasions when you do need to bring a vehicle to the site then there are still 6 generous parking spaces for cars and vans.

York Get Growing Courses

York Get Growing Project is once again offering some great courses, the following are all free and run during the spring season.

Edible Forest Gardens - Film and Discussion 

An opportunity to find out more about forest gardens and permaculture techniques. Wed. 24th April 7.30pm - 9.30pm.

Introduction to Growing Your Own Food 

An opportunity to learn how to grow your own food in a garden or allotment, suitable for both the beginner of those with some food growing experience who would like to know more. A five week course running every Mon. from 15th April to 20th May (excl. bank Hol. Mon.) 7.00pm - 9.00pm.

Sowing and Planting Techniques 

Find out more about what you need to do to get vegetable seeds to germinate and plant out crops so that they grow away strongly. Includes some practical sowing and planting. A half day course Sat. 20th April 10.00am - 12.30pm.

Greenhouse Food crops in Spring and Summer 

If you have a greenhouse or polytunnel this is the course that will tell you how to make the most of it for growing veg. in the spring and summer months. Covers both growing plants to plant outside and using the greenhouse to grow crops like tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers and melons. A half day course Sat. 18th May 10.00am - 12.30pm.

Further courses are planned for later in the summer including: Grow, Eat, and Cook Soft Fruit; Growing Vegetables All Year Round; Harvesting and Storing Your Produce.

To book a place or for further information either phone 644300 or email yorkgetgrowing@tcv.org.uk

AGM Tulip Talk

We were treated to a wonderful talk by Teresa Clements of the Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society at our AGM yesterday evening. She covered so much ground from the heritage of English tulips and the history of the Society, to tulip cultivation and their presentation at shows - in empty beer bottles! It was an informative delight and was well received by all present, who can now happily distinguish between a feather and a flame, or between an English and a Dutch variety.

Group of English florist's tulips
Image from the website of Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society

The Society is holding its 178th Annual Tulip Show, on Saturday 11th May. At Primrose Hall, Horbury, Wakefield, WF4 6EG, from 2.30pm until 4.00pm. Sure to be a worthwhile visit.

If you would like to know more about the Society you can visit their website at http://www.tulipsociety.co.uk/

Autumn Social

We hope you can come and join us at our annual end of season social event at The Golden Ball, Friday 23rd November, 7.30pm onwards. Look forward to seeing you there!

Association Member Benefits - RHS Membership Offer

Scarcroft & District Allotment Association members can enjoy reduced membership fees for the Royal Horticultural Society.

Join the RHS as an individual member for just £35.70, a saving of 30%.

Further details and application forms for anyone interested are available in the Allotment Association's shop on Scarcroft.

Follow the link for details of the Association Shop and opening times:

http://scarcroftanddistrictallotments.blogspot.co.uk/p/allotment-shop.html 

And you can find out more about the RHS here: http://www.rhs.org.uk/

2012 Seed Orders

Dear All

Yes, that time of year is nearly upon us and it's time to start curling up with the seed catalogue for next year.

As in previous years, we can offer members a 35% discount on many seeds from the Mr Fothergills seed catalogue.

Catalogues are available to borrow from the allotment shop (open Sunday 10am - 12noon on Dec 18th, then from 8th Jan 2012) or can be found online at:

http://www.mr-fothergills.co.uk/

The list of seeds which attract the 35% discount and the allotment association seed order form are available on request from the association (scarcroftallotments@live.co.uk) or at the Allotment Shop on Scarcroft.

Please use the association form to place your seed order; either drop it off at the shop or email a copy of it back to scarcroftallotments@live.co.uk.

Don't send any money in yet; we'll let you know the total when the seeds have arrived.

Any questions just drop us a line to the above address, otherwise happy browsing, planning and ordering!

2010 member benefits

Annual membership of Scarcroft and District Allotment Association is £2.50. This year we have added a whole range of new benefits to being a member but have not put the price up.  Benefits of being a member include:

• being able to use the allotment shop which sells seed potatoes, onion and shallot sets, peas and beans, packeted seeds, vegetable plants, composts, netting, ground cover, fleece, fertilisers, soil improvers, manure, chippings, bird seed and much more
• discounts on a very wide selection of pre-ordered packeted Mr Fothergills seeds (up to 35% on their specific list, with all other veg seeds from their catalogue at 10% discount)
• a copy of the association newsletter Dig This
• access to allotment advice, help or support through the shop
• free fruit and veg glut share
• invitation to association social events
• invitation to the AGM and associated talk
• invitation to community events like Dawn Chorus Walk and Site Care Days
• invitation to fruit and veg growing skills demonstrations
• access to the tool library in the allotment shop
• ability to put your photos, comments, news, drawings, articles, recipes or general musings on this blog
• a strong voice to the council and local police representing your allotment needs and opinions
• 10% discount at Pextons and Deans Garden Centre on production of your membership card (see 15th Jan post for more detailsabout Pexton's discount and 10th Jan post for Dean's discount)
• affiliated membership of the Royal Horticultural Society (see 9th Jan post for more details)

Laura’s pruning demo – ‘Blimmin’ great!’

Around 15 people braved the low temperatures and the threat of frozen toes to attend Laura Potts’ pruning demonstration last Sunday. The folks who attended described the talk as ‘excellent’ and Laura as ‘very knowledgeable’. Laura, fresh from 6 hours pruning at Beningbrough Hall, gave a highly informative and interesting demonstration on pruning. She started on her own plot showing the bushes she had cut back last November and describing the shapes and goals a pruner should be trying to achieve. She then moved on to David’s plot where the majority of the demo took place and the pruning students were let loose.

Here Laura demonstrated her pearls of wisdom – pruning gooseberries into a goblet shape to try to prevent downy mildew by letting light and air in. She explained the principles of removing dead, diseased, damaged or crossing branches.  She showed the crowd how blackcurrants fruit mainly on the previous year's growth and the aim when pruning them is to remove about a quarter of the old branches right down to the ground, each year, to maintain vigour and productivity.   She also explained how redcurrants need different treatment as they, like gooseberries, fruit on the current season's growth, so each lateral can be cut back between a third and a quarter and weaker stems can be cut back even harder.

All those who had come armed with secateurs (well, at least those brave enough not to hide theirs in their pockets and pretend they had left them at home) were encouraged to give it a go and chopping began with abandon. (Sorry David, but if you will go away for the weekend.....).

Laura also covered the importance of a decent pair of long handled loppers and how to keep your tools sharp using a whetstone. The assembled throng then bombarbed her with lots of additional questions about all manner of other soft fruit and their needs, which she answered with ease.

One attendee, Iris Wells, afterwards commented 'I very much appreciated Laura's clear instructions. Looking at my gardening books, on returning home, it all made sense at last! It was so beneficial to have practical instruction.'

Overall, a thoroughly rewarding and educational event. Thank you Laura Potts.
(photos by Heather Dawe and Caroline Bush)

Dean's Discount Details

As a member of the Scarcroft and District Allotment Association you are entitled to a discount of 10% of purchases at Dean's Garden Centre.  To get the discount you need to show you up to date membership card.

The discount includes the following:

• houseplants
• shrubs
• trees
• perennials
• bedding
• roses
• climbers
• conifers
• fruit
• herbs
• vegetable plants
• aquatics
• vegetable seeds
• flower seeds
• bulbs
• stoneware
• fish and aquatic plants
• fertilisers
• chemicals
• tools
• hoses/sprayers
• hanging baskets
• garden sundries
• planters/covers
• floral art
• pond & water features
• cut flowers
• basket plants (seedlings)
• Christmas trees - fresh
• propagating trays
• outdoor pots - terracotta/glazed
• composts & peat

Discount is NOT given on the following:

• barbeques & accessories
• Christmas goods
• Gift tokens
• Greenhouses/Sheds/Summerhouses
• Beekeeping
• Outdoor Gifts
• Furniture (including wooden)
• Charcoal & Fuels
• Turf
• Delivery Charges
• Books (incl. newspapers & gardening magazines)
• Gifts & Cards
• Food & Drinks (inc. sweets, jams, drinks, ice creams, biscuits, hampers, eggs and fruit & vegetables)

http://www.deansgardencentre.co.uk/

York Garden Centre

Stockton Lane
Stockton-on-the-Forest

York, YO32 9UE

Tel: 01904 400141

Fax: 01904 400157

Monday - Saturday 9.00am - 5.30pm

Sunday 10.30am - 4:30pm

RHS Affiliate Member Benefits

Did you know the Scarcroft and District Allotment Association is an affiliate member of the Royal Horticultural Society?


The benefits to our members are as follows:

• Access to RHS advisors for free advice, either by telephoning 0845 260 8000 (Mon – Fri 10am – 4pm) or by e-mailing gardeningadvice@rhs.org.uk (To access this service association members will need to quote our affiliate member number which is available in the shop or by e-mailing the association - scarcroftallotments@live.co.uk )
• A Garden Reduced Price Entry Card which gives 30% discount for up to 2 people at a time to visit Harlow Carr (or any of the 3 other RHS gardens) (Ask in the shop or email us to arrange to borrow the card)
• Monthly copy of The Garden magazine available in the shop for members to borrow
• Free annual visit to an RHS garden for up to 55 members
• Quarterly newsletters and e-communications
• More details are available on RHS website http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Community-gardening/RHS-affiliated-societies