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Monday 14 June 2010

Guest books

I've added guestbooks to both my website and blog so please spare a minute to pop by and leave a message - it's good to know who my visitors are.

Click here to go to the guestbook on my website. I have been making some alterations to my website which I hope makes things easier to find. Any suggestions for additions to the website or any improvements are always welcome even if they are not always carried out.

If you prefer I have also created a visitors comments area on the sidebar of this blog. I'm still patiently waiting for some reports of school vegetable patches to include on the examples page of my website so please try to send something that I can include here. With vegetable patches beginning to fill up with plants it's a great time to take a few photos!

Sunday 13 June 2010

Request for help at Horbury Fayre

The Home Grown Horbury stall for Horbury Fayre is in the process of being finalised and the Home Grown Horbury group are running a "Spot the growing plot" competition to get people thinking about the plots of unused land around Horbury and Ossett that could be used to grow fruit and vegetables.

Competition entrants can win one of two beginner’s growing kits that have been put together by the group. They have also have various leaflets & bookmarks etc to give away.

The Fayre takes place next weekend - Saturday 19th from 9am ‘til 5pm and Sunday 20th June from 10am to 5pm.

The group could do with some help in running the stall and giving out leaflets etc. If anyone can spare an hour or two to help, please email Andy or ring 07971 098510.

Tuesday 8 June 2010

July's calendar is now available

In theory July is one of the hottest months of the year with low rainfall. Although brief showers can be heavy and the rain that falls may run off dry soil or quickly evaporate. Hot days can also mean thunderstorms.

There may also be spells of windy weather which can flatten plants as well as speed water evaporation.

Although the days are beginning to shorten light levels are still good.

July is an important month for school gardening projects. With the fast approaching summer break it is important that preparations are made to try and ensure that your school patch survives until school reopens.

Watering will be an essential task – you should either invest in an irrigation system or gather together a willing band of garden watchers who can water your plants for you and maybe do a bit of weeding. Make sure that your helpers understand the need for consistent watering and the need not to overwater should the conditions be wet. Watering is best carried out in early morning or late afternoon especially in a greenhouse.

Mulching around plants especially fruit trees and bushes will help conserve moisture and also keep weeds down. Water well before mulching.

Greenhouses will also need to be adequately ventilated. Doors are often left open during the summer months but this can be a problem if it becomes suddenly windy. Also an open door is an invitation to cats and birds so if you do wish to leave it open then place some type of netting over the opening to keep out unwanted guests.

You could reward garden helpers by letting them pick any crops such as courgettes and beans that won’t hang on until you are back at school. This will also help in that crops such as courgettes and beans will keep producing if mature 'fruits' are regularly removed.
The complete July calendar is here

If you can think of anything I have missed then please add to the comments on this blog posting