2021

March 2021

Follow The Plot

editor Graham Smith

Follow the Plot, March 2021

Welcome to the March Issue of Follow the Plot, the online newsletter of Alwoodley Allotment Society.

Despite all the trials of the past 12 months, there does seem to be a genuine feeling of optimism and that things are getting better.

With the signs of Spring all around us, we can at last look forward to happier times on the allotment and anticipate a return to something like normality.

Here’s hoping for a bountiful year as the days lengthen and the soil warms up.

Happy growing
Ed.

March’s Musings

Tis the season to be planting and growing again, it’s good to be back.

Hopefully, by now we are now standing on the threshold of Spring and the new gardening season. The days are beginning to lengthen and although it may not feel like it at times the temperatures are slowly increasing day by day.

More importantly, the longer days are the real trigger to new growth and you will find that with the help of a little protection you can really go for those early sowings.
Read more>>

Spring Essentials moves to May 2021

For this year only, the RHS is replacing its traditional spring show with a new Covid-safe event called Spring Essentials, which is taking place at the Great Yorkshire Showground on 20 – 23 May 2021.

This special, one-off, outdoor event will offer favourite features like show gardens, plant nurseries and live theatres, plus all the essentials you need for the new growing season.
Find out more »

Grow your own
The RHS Grow Your Own app is full of down-to-earth advice to help everyone grow fresh, healthy fruit, vegetables and herbs .
Read more >>

Jobs for March

Hopefully by now we are now standing on the threshold of spring and the new gardening season. The days are beginning to lengthen and although it may not feel like it at times the temperatures are slowly increasing day by day. More importantly the longer days are the real trigger to new growth and you will find that with the help of a little protection you can really go for those early sowings.
Read more >>

Latest Covid 19 advice

Can I visit the allotment with my family and friends?

You can use your plot to exercise once a day but you cannot meet with someone outside your household or support bubble there unless another exemption applies.

The National Allotment Society offers some excellent advice on its website and the government has published the ‘COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021’ setting out the roadmap out of the current lockdown for England. This explains how the restrictions included in this guidance will be lifted over time.
Read more>>

Using the gate lock

Whether entering or leaving, when you close the gate please ensure that the lock is face up as shown with the name Master showing and the numbers set to 0000.
Read more >

Is your number up?

Just a gentle reminder that it is the responsibility of all plotholders to display their plot number prominently.

It makes life so much easier when the Committee make their periodic site inspections.
Read more >>

Membership Cards now available
If you haven’t got yours already, then The Leeds Allotments Federation 2021 cards are now available and can be obtained from members of the Committee. The card has discount offers of 10% at Woodend Nurseries; Palmer’s Plant Nursery; Mone Bros; The Arium; Riverside Plants; Lumby Garden Centre and Easynets, which over a season can provide a significant saving.
Find out more >>>

Please form an orderly queue

Our current plot holders really are the fortunate ones.

After five years we are now in a position where all usable plots have now been let and we now have a substantial waiting list. In fact it is so long that we have had to close it for now.

The situation is that if you’re at the back of it, you could be waiting up to five years to be offered a plot.
Find out more >>

Ban on slug pellets

From the 31 March 2021 the use of metaldehyde will be phased out over 18 months to give growers time to adjust to other methods of slug control.

It will only be legal for manufacturers to supply metaldehyde products until that date. Onward sale by distributors and use of the products will then still be allowed for a further 12 months until 31 March 2022.

Read the statement from DEFRA here >>

Gardening without plastic

Plastic permeates every aspect of our lives, including the garden. But as the world wakes up to its addiction, just how easy it is to ditch plastic while growing and storing more of our own food?
Read more >

New Catalogues
The planting season is upon us and if you haven’t already done so, now’s the time for ordering your seeds and plants for 2021. Here we take a look at some of the more comprehensive catalogues on offer.

This selection is by no means complete and is not a recommendation from us but does include some of the more popular brands that you are likely to come across in garden centres and other retail outlets.
Read more >>