Thetford Garden and Allotment Club’s Maggie Baldwin has all the latest from the club, plus some timely garden and a look ahead to next month’s Autumn Show.
At the time of writing, the weather has been very hot and gardens and plots are looking a little tired and in need of a good soaking! The Club’s Summer show saw less entries than usual due to the heat sending some roses over early. The flower entries were lovely especially the hanging baskets (pictured) and the vegetables were of a good quality.
National Allotments week is this month, from the 11th – 17th August. The final judging of the allotment competition has taken place and the prizes will be awarded at the Club’s Autumn show.
Lettuce can be inclined to ‘bolt’ in hot, dry weather so keep your plants well watered. Chilli peppers should be ripe and to encourage more fruits to form, pick them regularly. Feeding with a high potassium liquid feed weekly will also keep them cropping. Harvest onions once the foliage starts to die down. Leave them to dry in a dry, sunny place (on top of the soil if the weather stays dry) or in your greenhouse. Store the onions in a cool, dry and well ventilated place. Keep cutting dahlias to encourage more flowers, they make lovely cut flowers for the house. Hollyhocks are the easiest of the mallows to grow, originally from South West China they have featured in British gardens since the 16th century. It was known to be a healing herb and was widely grown in Palestine. Returning Crusaders came back with the seeds they knew as Holy Hoc and the name stuck! Once you have them in the garden they self seed liberally and you won’t be without them again.
The floral displays around the town for Anglia in Bloom look beautiful, cheer up the streets and the new train planter is a credit to the pupils of Thetford Academy and businesses involved. See page 26 to read more about this year’s campaign.
6th September sees the Club hold it’s Open Autumn Show at the Methodist Church in Tanner Street. Entries can be set up between 8.30am and 10.30am and after judging the hall will be open to view entries before prize giving at 1pm. There are numerous classes, vegetables, flowers, fruit, culinary and crafts so something for everyone. Schedules are available from Yvonne Rout at yvonnerout@gmail.com. Do have a go!
Happy gardening!
Maggie Baldwin
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