Gardening Diary

' A wet and windy May fills the barns with corn and hay '

In the borders and vegetable garden routine hoeing should be encouraged; regular hoeing kills the weeds, loosens compaction, aerates the soil and breaks up the capillary action and so reduces evaporation. The borders are left looking fresh and shipshape. A hoe vigorously plied is one of the great aids to good growth.

For those gardeners with 'Hoers' Elbow', the alternative is the mulch. The main rules are that it should be laid deep, at least four inches and away from any stems, the ground should have first had a thorough soaking (From rain, not hose), this locked-away moisture may be retained for a considerable time. Any raw or uncomposted material should be avoided. Green waste, wood shavings, straw or wood bark, when used fresh may lead to denitrification of the soil. Yes, bacteria in the soil which usually convert nitrogen into useable nitrates can become starved of oxygen and so are forced to separate the oxygen molecules from the soil-bound nitrates, which are then lost to the atmosphere, we write this not only to appear clever and well-read, it really does happen, especially on undug slightly acid soil, that being just what we have here in our corner of the county. If mulch you must, then a thorough digging-over and removal of perennial weeds followed by a dressing of nitrogen should be carried out first.

In the veg. patch it is important to thin previously sown crops, this job brooks no delay; overcrowding in the nursery can weaken and distend plants to such a degree that they may never fully recover their figures.

We may now sow seeds of French and runner beans in those deep compost filled trenches the reader prepared in March. Peas, carrots, parsnip, lettuce, radish and spinach may also be sown now.

Brussels sprouts need a long season to fully develop, so the quicker they can be transplanted to their permanent quarters the better. Brassicas always planted firmly. It is customary to pinch out the tops of Broad Beans when in flower, this should greatly reduce infestation of black fly.

Early Potatoes should be earthed up little and often.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas may have any dead flowers picked off to allow new growth to form. Any pruning here must be carried out immediately after flowering and before next year's flower buds form.

As Daffodils and other early flowering bulbs finish flowering it is as well to remove dead flowers to prevent seed formation and encourage the growth of the bulbs. Irksome and unsightly obstacles to our mowers they may be, but the dying foliage must be allowed to wither in its own time.

Any remaining pruning of Forsythia may now be completed, leaving the youngest shoots, as they will bear the best blooms next year.

And so, with the mercury rising, and the Song Thrush in full cry, we may look forward to that finest of Spring sights; the first appearance of the semi-naked, tattooed and egg-white young gentlemen strutting up Horam high Street.

Young at Heart has been as busy as ever joined by local schools, Skippers Hill Manor School, Maynards Green Primary School, Punnetts Town Primary School, Dallington Primary School, All Saints and St Richards Primary School, Parkside Primary School, Bedes School and Little Tinkers Nursery School. Due to the generosity of Age Concern we now have a minibus at our disposal which has opened up a whole new world! We have just received National Trust Links Pass which enables members to pay half price entry and carers are free - exciting times ahead! We also plan to visit Arlington for their Bluebell Walk and Pashley Manor for their splendid tulip display. We had a fascinating talk by the English Soap Company based at Waldron who left us with an amazing amount of soap and hand cream samples. Young at Heart smelled wonderful that day! Marco the Magician joined us at Parkside which was a joy to watch reactions from both generations. We have Jubilee plans afoot! Cherry Spring Studio continue to support us with craft. Rowana Mladek hosts Qi Gong as a weekly session and Angela Brooks supported by Cake and Wine Club Choir continue to lighten up our lives - just the best support team. Lots to look forward to! Nobody should be lonely. Please contact Rachel 07971032667should you have a friend or family member who you feel would benefit. Kindly sponsored by Wealden Funeral Services and Trevaskis Consulting Ltd.

Uniting generations in the glorious setting of Heathfield Park Cricket Club

A full day of lunch, crafts and activities with pupils from local schools

Book a FREE TRIAL DAY and come and join us we would love to meet you! Please call 07971 032667 or visit youngatheart.me.uk

HEATHFIELD COMMUNITY CLUB

CHRIST CHURCH FELLOWSHIP.

Tuesday 31st May at 2pm Our speaker is Tim Joy.

All welcome.

WAYS

Wednesday 4th 2022 May 10am - 12 noon at Christchurch, Horebeech Lane, Horam. Bring a neighbour, a friend, children of all ages, all will be made welcome!

Meet with friends, make new friends and enjoy good coffee/tea and homemade cake. We meet the first Wednesday of every month, everybody is welcome.

SACRED EARTH IS OFFERING FREE PLACES TO YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING LOCALLY WHO WANT TO JOIN ITS NEW WELLBEING IN NATURE (WIN) PROGRAMME.

Sessions will include mindfulness and sensory awareness activities, bushcraft, creative fun and care of the land. Participants will also get the opportunity to work with a holistic health coach and learn techniques to improve confidence, resilience, intuition and self-esteem. Sacred Earth is based at the Old Horam Brickworks (just off the Cuckoo Trail) and has 40-acres of rewilded land, including woodland, lakes and meadows. All ages are welcome but there is a particular focus on 18-30 year olds, because research shows that their mental health suffered particularly badly during the lockdowns. Over 30s pay £25 per session, under 30s go free. Sacred Earth founder, Phil Greenwood, said: “We have been doing this work for ten years now and we know how powerful it can be. Building a connection with nature and other people really improves wellbeing and resilience. It helps tackle the loneliness and isolation that so many people experienced through the pandemic.”

WIN started as a pilot project in 2020 and was so successful that it is being expanded to offer regular weekly sessions.

One previous participant said: “It was an amazing experience, really what

I needed; a caring and supportive environment. It help me reconnect to myself, with space to reflect and reconsider my priorities in life.”

Upcoming session dates are:

April 14, 21, 23, 28, May 5, 12, June 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30.

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ROYS PLUMBING SERVICES

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MARIA SMITH SPORTS & REMEDIAL MASSAGE THERAPY

- Relieves tension - Eases sore/tight muscle - Improves circulation - Improves joint mobility - Enhances wellbeing - Restore alignment and posture

Currently working as a mobile therapist until new studio is ready (2 months), so you can be massaged in the comfort of your own home. Contact: 07786 220179 or mariasmassage21@gmail.com Website: mariasmassage.co.uk ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES HVCVILLAGEDIARY@GMAIl.COM 43

Good news: Application on Horebeech Lane rejected!

Thank you to all who wrote in to object to Southside/Old Orchard House application for 38 houses opposite Rosemead. Big thanks too to the two residents Cornelie Usbourne & Tony Niblock and local parish councillor Sue Lane, who attended the Wealden Planning Committee South meeting last month, to object to this application in it's latest incarnation. Despite being recommended for approval by Wealden's Planning officers, this application was refused for approval by the Planning Committee. How refreshing to see, for a change, common sense prevail. It is important to save our green fields for the sake of the environment and to avoid over loading our already over burdened infrastructure even more. See right for the before and after of Rosemead and the impact on neighbouring houses.

Waterlogged footpath update

Last month we told you about local residents concern for the public footpath that runs from the corner of Horebeech & Laundry Lanes down towards Vines Cross. They believe that the development at Rosemead has changed where ground water is collecting, causing use of this part of this footpath to become very difficult. They asked Horam Parish Council if monies from CIL payments from developers could be used to address issues. HPC's Planning and Highways Committee considered their request to use CIL monies for the works required on this footpath and have AGREED that a quote be sought for the works. Once this quote is received it will go on the Council agenda for consideration.

WD/2021/2701/ Glen Rosa, Vines Cross Road

An application for 5 houses on an existing house plot on Vines Cross Road has residents very concerned. The application describes the demolition of the existing house and construction of 5 new dwellings. The general consensus is that, this is too many properties on a limited plot that is in ANOB and on a flood risk plain. Readers will be aware that the flooding issues of the Waldron Ghyll are a real and present issue affecting properties and the highway in this area of the village. Any additional over development will exacerbate an already difficult situation, despite the tick box precautionary measures that the applicants put in to gain the approval of planning officers. As above, it seems incidentally apparent to other local residents living in close proximity to developments, that water issues are resultant from concreting over green fields. Horam Parish Council have objected

Rosemead before.

Rosemead now.