Clifton Gardens Society July 2022

Clifton Gardens Society —-———————————————————————————————————–——————————-—————————

July 2022 Issue Number 4

NEWSLETTER Welcome to Issue number 4

I can’t believe how many people say—this is my ‘happy place’ and I totally get it... it‘s mine too!

I am never happier than when I have my hands in soil or sorting challenging paperwork, the squabbles we could all do without! Thankfully we are back to normal and are holding meetings and social events again. Please do come and join in and look out for the AGM date to be advertised soon.

The disability garden is up and running and you will soon be seeing new faces when the schools break up. I know you will make them welcome and share your plants and tips….it’s just what we do. ...we can’t help ourselves!

Thank you to all who have helped build it and who are caring for it with watering and weeding, here’s to keep it happy and healthy garden.

I hope we can soon begin to sort out the top field wildlife area—the next big challenge.

Please join the ‘Clifton Garden Society 2020’ Facebook page and keep an eye out for new notices on the board, so you don’t miss out. If you are not getting the information please let me know so we can find a way to communicate.

Finally, we have quite a few new gardeners around, particularly on the top field. A big welcome to you, please do ask questions and have a wander around for ideas and to meet other like minded gardeners.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

SHOP OPENING TIMES

Our show…………….…...….2

Ten till Noon Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Jobs for July…………….….2 Rules/Abuse………….…..…3 Litter…..……………....….…..3

We stock Compost, Grow bags, Miracle Grow, Weed Killer, Tomato Feed, Jeyes Fluid, Compost Activator, Chicken Feeds, Bug Killers, Lime and much more……

John also holds a football card where you can win £20 with some going to our Society and with that and shop profits we are keeping our rents lower, so please do use our shop.

Water Issue……………..…...3 Rat Issue...………………...….3 The Year At CGS………..….4

Interesting Info………..…...4 Crop Rotation…………..…...4 Your Committee…………....4 RAA Newsletter ……….…....4

Please try to stick to our opening hours so we have time to do our plots too.

A big thank you to John for all his hard work.

“I like gardening ~ it’s a place where I find myself when I need to lose myself”

Our Show It’s the taking part that’s important, last year we had a go and enjoyed our little show.

No stress, no worry, just put a few of your best bits together and bring them along for a bit of fun.

If you’ve make Jam with your fruit, chutney with your veg or enjoy baking Victoria Sponge ….bring them along.

Get your children to put a ‘creative’ display or an edible monster together and lets all enjoy the fun of having an allotment.

Set-up – 9-12am Displays to the Show Garden by 11.45am latest.

Judging at 2pm. Prize giving just after.

Unfortunately, we won’t be putting on a display at the Rotherham Show this year.

You can however, enter a display of your own in the Made In Rotherham event.

Please ensure your garden is cultivated and weed free… if not your tenancy may not be renewed in 2023

Jobs for July ~ Another busy month for gardeners……..

Keep your succession planting going. Crop your early potatoes. Plant out your Autumn brassicas. Thin Apple and Pear trees and prune Cherry and Plum trees. Propagate Strawberry runners. Bend those Cauliflower leaves to stop the sun turning your curds yellow. Pinch out the side shoots of Tomatoes. Feed Peppers and Tomatoes as soon as fruit appear. Look out for pests and disease. Keep on top of those incessant weeds and water, water, water!

For a full list of things to do have a look at notjustgreenfingers.wordpress.com/tag/jobs-to-do-at-the-allotment-injuly/

‘There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments’

RULES & ABUSE ABUSE – OF ANY KIND Your committee will not accept any discrimination or abuse of any kind.

Please remember to speak with others in a polite and considerate way.

We will not tolerate shouting, swearing or fighting.

Please always speak and act in a civilised manner Please remember you are not allowed to bring weapons or drugs onto the site.

If you have a complaint please put it in writing to the Secretary.

Your tenancy may be terminated if you do not comply.

Our rules are quite clear, and not there to be broken!

Some of the rules regularly broken are: Gates left open or unlocked.

Bonfires during the day and leaving them unattended whilst still burning.

Bringing rubbish onto the gardens to be burnt.

Trespassing onto other gardens.

Dumping rubbish on empty plots.

Cultivate your garden—1/3 sheds, 2/3 cultivated earth.

Please don’t be a rule breaker, close and lock the gates to keep trespassers and thieves out, have your bonfires after 6pm (April—October) so you don’t annoy our neighbours, don’t bring any rubbish onto the gardens, in fact take it home with you and don’t trespass onto other plots.

NO EXCEPTIONS ~ these are just pure common sense and decency and if you won’t follow our rules you won’t remain a tenant.

WATER ISSUE: Apologies for the lack of water during the first week of July. Following a mains water repair our water supply was disrupted. We are now in possession of a new meter and new stop cock. Whilst working the engineers also removed the lead pipe and replaced it with plastic. Hopefully we will now have a consistent supply of water.

Please do try to get your own water butts in place and use rain water from your sheds where you can—the plants much prefer it.

Also do keep your eye on the water tanks, if you think something has changed or see a leak, quickly, get in touch with Richard or Julie to save us all having a massive water bill to pay (after all, it comes out of our rent).

Litter, Litter everywhere…….. don’t be a tosser...

….take your litter home and bin it!

A Rat is neither good nor evil, it does what a Rat has to do!

Naturally we have Rats around the allotment—if there is food, water and nesting material what better place for them to live than a quiet allotment. But we don’t want to be over-run with them as we have been this past year, seeing them in broad day light means we have too many and that they are probably feeding their family.

Julie is now certificated to deal with our Rat population and has boxes and full strength poison to put down to help manage the population. If you find a rat run, please do not disturb it, just speak with Julie.

However we do have to help ourselves too. Please have a look around your plot and make a few changes to keep them down. Things like; filling holes in buildings with wire mesh. Keep sheds secure. Chicken food should be stored in Rat Proof containers. Only put down enough food for your hens, stay with them while they eat to make sure you are not feeding the rats too.

Rats don’t like change, k eep changing you r equ ipm ent ar oun d, dig over your compost regularly, so they can’t nest in it and don’t leave wooden planks lying around for them to run and hide under.

Rats can be deterred by the smell of mothballs, peppermint, Cayenne Pepper, Citronella and ammonia—have a go at spraying these scents and let us know if works.

Do NOT under any circumstance drown Rats in the water butts — they will release urine as they die which could very easily spread leptospirosis to humans when feeding that water to their crops. If you want to trap them only use snap-traps.

Your Gardens and Committee

CLIFTON GARDEN SOCIETY What happens during the year at Clifton:January the rents are due, to be paid no later than 1st March.

February—March, we receive our Onions & Shallots from the Shop and our Seeds from Kings Seeds are delivered via Julie.

September, we hold our own garden show.

October, The shop takes orders for Onions, Shallots and Potatoes. Kings Seed Catalogue available from Julie.

November, we hold a small bonfire party.

December, Christmas Eve morning we have a little get together in the canteen.

Crop Rotation is so important to keep your soil healthy and free from disease.

You can follow a three or four year rotation.

Here is a simple 4 year guide or you can look one up yourself.

Some plants, like Asparagus and herbs stay in the same place for years.

INTERESTING INFO:

Do plant to encourage butterflies and bees

Our Canteen is for everyone to use, please keep it clean and tidy. Tea and coffee provided, bring your own milk.

Do have a small water feature for frogs, newts and toads

Shop opening hours 10-12noon Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday 4

Your committee — PLEASE do come along to the next AGM to vote in your committee—date to be confirmed.

Julie Watson (Secretary)

07964 340062

Kirsty Wright (Chair)

John Fisher (Shop)

07964 340062

Gavin Sykes

07929 117736

Lynn Nicholson

07713 648168

Jackie Rollett

07784 963597

Sue Phipps

07493 668608

Richard Watson (Treasurer) 07890 897043

ROTHERHAM ALLOTMENT ALLIANCE (RAA) NEWSLETTER Now available for all to read—you can find a copy in the canteen and on the notice boards. A copy has been sent to all email addresses and posted on Facebook for all to see. Ask Julie if you would like a copy. For all newcomers, RAA are our landlords and we are obliged to follow their rules.

Free wood chippings from: Andy on 07963 868949 Purchase manure and top soil from John Mallen on 07594 013022 Queries: Call Julie 0796 434 0062

Please keep children with you at all times.

Please keep your dogs on leads