Happy New Year!

Did everyone have a good festive season? I did! And there were even some gardening- and foraging- related pressies:

A heated propagator....

Some great books...

And a beautiful bay tree!

Not to mention a brewing kit and some nice foodie gifts too - more on them another day!

Now I'm not really one to take new year's resolutions too seriously (does anyone?) - I mean, I want to lose a few pounds most of the time anyway, and if there's a change that needs making in my life it probably needs making right away, so why wait around til new year to do it? But the rhythm of the growing season leaves us a natural pause in which to look back at the year that's passed and think about what we might do differently, so, as well as, you know, weeding more and visiting the plot more and stuff like that which goes without saying, I've got a few specific gardening resolutions for the coming year too...

1) Use more fabric on the plot. You know; weed-proof fabric, fleece - that sort of thing. I've never wanted to spend the money before but I've come to realise it'd be a pretty decent investment to protect crops better from frost and to get our paths and a few other areas grass-free once and for all.

2) Make more of an effort to enter the allotment association's summer show. Not that I'm competitive, but having finally gotten more involved in the association this year, I don't think I'd be doing my bit if I didn't support the event better, and, well, I don't want to embarrass myself, do I?

3) Start sowing earlier - and sow for winter at the correct time! Yes, the eagle-eyed among you will have spotted that I've already sown some seeds in my propagator - I did it today. My peppers took soooooo long to come to maturity and start producing last year, it can't possibly hurt to try some super-early ones this time round, and the propagator will help them along too. I've also sown my leek seeds, since I can never seem to get them to a decent size before planting out.

What do you plan to do differently in the garden this year?

Flooding

Our allotment site is rather prone to flooding - it's on very low ground, in a dip, so whenever the water table gets very high (especially at the end of winter) we're the first to know - and it's on the old course of the local river, the Ver, which occasionally bursts its banks and tries to revert to its old ways. This winter, however, it isn't the water table or the river that's causing a problem. It's a 15" water main three metres below the site, which has burst. Oh dear.

This is just two plots away from ours, but luckily for us our plot is much higher, and not affected.

I have to say I've been most impressed by the rest of the committee and how quickly and effectively they investigated the situation and had the problem traced. Ten heads are certainly better than one - I first thought there would be nothing we could do but warn plot-holders to take precautions against flood damage. It took someone else to point out that the water table can't possibly be this high, another to report that the watercress beds nearby had been positively droughted until a few days ago but the water level had suddenly shot up, another to spot a letter in the local paper wondering why the level of the river had also risen suddenly, another to call in the council, and another to be available to meet with Environment Agency and water board officals... A real team effort! How long it will now take for the water company to fix it (and how much damage is done in the process) remains to be seen...

Meanwhile, there's not a lot else we can do but feel sorry for those affected. But, as newsletter editor, and since this certainly won't be the last time we're affected by flooding, I've been trying to put together a list of pointers to help plot-holders and gardeners deal with flooding, minimise flood damage, and recover from it, in future. Here goes:

All year round:

• Build up your soil's organic-matter content to promote aeration and drainage.
• Promote healthy microbiological activity in your soil with plenty of good compost, and consider using a seaweed extract to strengthen your plants and your soil. A healthy soil will stand up better to any problems.
• Keep your site tidy, keep chemicals sealed and to a minimum, and always remove diseased plant matter.
• Make the sure the bottoms of sheds, in particular, are waterproofed and protected against rot.
• Plant trees and shrubs on raised ground where possible.

When flooding threatens:

• Remove tools and equipment from sheds and greenhouses - or at the very least, raise them off the floor. 
• It may be possible to protect your shed or greenhouse with sandbags.
• Ensure all chemicals and treatments are out of reach of floodwaters, to prevent contamination of the water.
• Remove rubbish and loose items from the site, or secure them so they can't float away.
• Raise pots and tubs up on bricks, or remove them from the site.
• Harvest everything you can and store it at home.
• If you know you're going to lose certain crops but it's not too late to resow, do it right away, so you'll be ready to plant out again as soon as your plot has recovered.
• Remember that floodwater can sometimes carry dangerous contaminants. Avoid contact with it where possible - wear waterproof gloves and footwear if needed, and shower and wash your clothes after contact. Protect cuts and grazes. If you fall ill after coming into contact with floodwater, see a doctor.

When the water goes down:

• Carefully check sheds, greenhouses and other structures for any structural damage before using.
• Try to avoid walking on waterlogged soil until it has dried out. If you need to get across it, lay planks down to spread your weight on the ground.
• Don't sow/plant in waterlogged soil - wait for it to dry out.
• Speed drying by aerating the soil with a fork or similar.
• Remove debris and dead or decayed plant matter as soon as possible. Empty any containers that have collected floodwater.
• Most plants will recover if they have been flooded for less than a week, but consider taking cuttings of valued perennials, so that you have back-ups in case they don't.
• Check for any exposed roots, and cover them with soil. Check for plants that may need staking for extra support while they recover.
• Clean any silt or mud off recovering pants, and feed them. Seaweed extract may help to build disease resistance and promote new root growth.
• Prune struggling plants right back, to give them an easier time while they recover.
• Waterlogging can affect the pH of your soil and drain it of nutrients - consider checking the pH and dressing with manure or fertiliser before replanting.
• Consider growing a green manure before you plant crops, to help to rebuild soil structure and add nutrients. This may also help by indicating if you have any more serious soil problems such as contamination or an unhealthy pH.
• Once it's dry, check your soil for signs of life, forking through it gently. Worms are very sensitive to contaminants and are a great indicator of the health of your soil.
• Whether or not it's safe to eat vegetables which have been in floodwater is a controversial matter; health guidelines say don't do it, but if the source of the water is known and localised, if it looks and smells clean, if there is no industrial activity near your site and no chance of the water having come into contact with sewage, and if plotholders have taken steps to avoid local contamination of the water, you may prefer to make up your own mind. Wash all vegetables carefully and cook before eating. But if in doubt, throw it out.
• Don't be discouraged! Get growing again as soon as you can, even if it means growing in pots or growbags temporarily. Sow some fast-maturing crops such as salads for quick results. Ask for help if you need it.

And if you're unaffected, consider how you might be able to help your fellow gardeners:

• Keep your plot tidy and free of debris and contaminants too.
• Lend tools where they are needed - perhaps you even have surplus you could give away.
• Propogate plants for others to help them get going again.
• Share surplus crops and compost from your plot.

Community Orchard

On our allotment trip the other day we brought home a bag of lovely apples, not from our tree (they're all long gone now) but from the community orchard.

What fab colours! I'd love to know what the purple variety are...

I'm not exactly sure of the history of the place, but a couple of years ago the allotment association took over this plot at the back of our site, which already had several exisiting fruit trees, and turned it into a communal area cared for by volunteers and with fruit available for all association members. Although there are only apples remaining at this time of year, the orchard now contains pears, plums, and a few things I don't recognise too. This is the first time we've really made use of it, and we're glad we have - they're delicious! I'm glad Eddie's so tall, too - he managed to pick a lot of the fruit no-one else could reach at the top!

Summer Show 2011

Sunday was our allotment association's summer produce show. I haven't been to one before, but now I'm on the committee I felt it was time to get involved. I even entered some raspberries and potatoes, albeit a bit half-heartedly considering the scab on the potatoes and the varying colours of the raspberries!

It's hardly Chelsea, but it's a good bit of fun and events like this really increase the community spirit on the plots. And I got dozens of lovely comments about my first association newlsetter, which went to print a couple of weeks ago! It's nice to know it's appreciated :-)

The event started at 10am in the 'Sub Aqua Club' house next to the allotment site. People turned up with baskets and barrowloads of produce, registered their entries and laid them out on the tables, category by category.

As well as single veg categories, there were some for displays of veg or flowers...

...and some for the kids!

The entries were examined and scored by an accredited RHS judge. I was given the task of walking round with him to write down the scores, so I got a little extra insight on what he looks for! Then we enjoyed a barbecue and bring-a-dish lunch, a few pints at the bar, a raffle and of course the prize-giving. No, I didn't score a single point, but I'm really glad I went (and glad Eddie enjoyed himself too!), and maybe next year, diminutive onions and curly runner beans notwithstanding, I'll try to show a few more entries...

Do you have a show at your allotment site or town? Do you enter?

Our Allotment Association

I've never been one to involve myself in our allotment association. Sure, I pay my £5 a year for a quarterly newsletter, public liability insurance for the plot and good discounts on seeds and manure and stuff. They look after us well, with a community orchard where members can pick their own fruit, picnic areas on each site, and regular deliveries of woodchips, skips, compost and more. But the social events are usually at awkward times for me, and when they're not I always find some other excuse to avoid going and meeting new people, and anyway, I'm still not quite past the point where I'm a little bit embarrassed about the state of my plot... We lead such busy lives these days that it's hard, sometimes, to add a new thing to the mix. I always say we should get more involved, but it never actually happens.

You'll understand, then, that I was pretty surprised when our 'plot officer' and my allotment neighbour, Terry, asked me to take over the newsletter! Apparently somebody got wind of my being a copy editor and it went from there... I agreed - they obviously really needed someone and it seems the perfect opportunity to get more involved in the allotment community.

So I made an extra special effort this morning and went to the association's AGM, a very friendly and informal do held in the 'sub aqua' clubhouse next door to our site. I was surprised to see a couple of familiar faces there from other walks of my life, and quickly started chatting to a few people as we waited for proceedings to start. The big issue discussed was money; outgoings for the association are going up and up - just like everyone else's - and subscriptions aren't enough to cover it any more. Then we elected new committee members (yours truly included) and the meeting was hurriedly closed to move on to more social pursuits! One of the members provided a barbecue - with lots of lovely homemade stuff including freshly baked bread, spicy burgers, coleslaw and potato salad and some lovely parsnip and lemon muffins - and there was an informal plant and seed swap, for allotmenteers to offload some of their spares or pick up plants they didn't have. Most importantly, I managed to put lots of faces to names I'd read in emails and newsletters, and had a good chat to the chap who did the newsletter previously, and to the new chair of the committee.

No excuses now! I'm going to have to stay in the loop and try to get to more events! It'll be nice to get to know some of the people we share the site with a bit better (although a lot of them are from the site over the road and I won't bump into them as often) and to feel we're making a contribution too.

Maybe I'll even get round to entering some veg in the show this summer!