Weston Town Council will take over the site next to the current Bournville allotments in a deal with North Somerset Council that could see up to 20 new plots created.

Good news for people on waiting lists!

If you have a wood burning stove you’ll find yourself with plenty of ash!
wood ash is a potash – a potassium rich fertiliser.

What to do with it?
This site reckons put wood ash on the fruit!

RHS sources state that Ash has a slight liming action and can be used to raise soil pH. Where ash contains larger particles, its incorporation also helps to improve soil structure. Ash produced from young sappy prunings contains a useful proportion of potassium and traces of other nutrients while older wood tends to contain lower concentrations of nutrients.

If you’re composting it then it counts as brown not green if you follow layering of compost rules.

Bridgend Allotment has an allotment for health project

The project is seeking to promote an holistic approach to health – encouraging people into physical activity, healthy eating, being outdoors and mixing with others through the practical and companiable work involved in creating a garden. Older people escape the loneliness of social isolation and young people and children find role models and surrogate grandparents, whilst those lacking confidence through illness perhaps regain their esteem and a sense of well-being.

They’re in Edinburgh if you want to get involved!

More indepth info here

Another document here
by Juliet Josse Johnson
How does taking part in a community allotment group affect the everyday lives, self-perception and social inclusion of participants?
Submitted in partial fulfilment for the BSc (Hons) degree in Occupational Therapy

Allotments can keep you healthier longer – this report says that allotment gardens may play a vital role in developing active and healthy livingpolicies and programs

I think allotments are good for health! They’re an easy way of exercising, getting people out in to the fresh air and moving about. They are usually local to where people live, closer than a gym or swimming pool in many cases. They cost less than a gym membership too. They also provide vegetables and fruit. Allotments also have a social side too – and staving away loneliness contributes to good mental health as you get older.

An allotment can be a focal point for a community and with the right help they can welcome in local people to sit and enjoy the tranquil surroundings. Those with allotment stores allow neighbours to benefit from the healthy vegetables too.

Allotments for all – perhaps even on prescription!

How to Store Your Home Grown Produce looks like the book all allotmenters need after a busy season and when you’ve got gluts of fruit and vegetables to deal with.



It’s wonderful to grow your own fruit and vegetables but what do you do when it all ripens at once? How do you cope with the glut which threatens to overwhelm you? Will help all those who grow their own fruit and vegetables to store their produce properly so that it will last for months and feed the family when the garden’s bare. This title offers easy and practical advice on how to bottle, dry, freeze and even salt home grown fruit and vegetables. Discover the taste of your delicious home-made jams, chutneys and ketchups. John and Val Harrison reveal just what you can do with that bountiful harvest and share their 30 years’ experience of growing fruit and vegetables and you’ll never waste another tomato or courgette again. Praise for John Harrison: ‘Britain’s greatest allotment authority’ – “Independent on Sunday”.

How to Store Your Home Grown Produce

Another soon to be classic book from John Harrison that will help you preserve more of your crop that ever before. A book that should be on the Christmas wish list of every good gardener!

Why clear moss? It catches dirt and debris and this builds up to allow weeds to take root properly. It’s also slippy in the wet weather and dangerous.

You can buy Moss killer online at Amazon and it’s worth looking at a chenical option if you don’t fancy brushing it off with a stiff broom!

This Yeoman 11″ Stiff Broom is one you might want to get to sweep your paths and driveways clear or not only moss but leaves and other rubbish.


Yeoman 11″ Stiff Broom

Stiff bristles to pick up and move all size of debris
Wooden handle
Yellow & green design
Ideal for general yard and patio maintenance
133 cm in length
Sweeping is good exercise! You’ll find it satisfying using a stiff brush on patches of moss.

Empty out your hosepipes and roll them up for the winter. Probably later than usual this year but time to do it! Also look at getting a cover for your outdoor tap if you have one so it doesn’t freeze up and burst! (Or turn it off inside if you have a stop tap on it and drain it out – better safe than an expensive plumbing bill – and don’t forget if your pipes burst other people’s will have done too so it’s harder to get a plumber.)

A little planning now can save you money!

Garden Tap Cover

Keen to save a few quid whilst getting great gardening tools and equipment? You should try amazon – yes Amazon don’t just sell books. They do have a brilliant range of gardening books too though as well as heaps of gardening tools, and essentials. Plus some fab prices and offers

Garden and outdoors items at Amazon UK

The brilliant new Contech ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Deterrent will help keep away unwanted pets and wildlife from a precious lawn or veggie patch.

Get your garden neat and tidy with super savings on tools from Bosch and Black & Decker, including hedge trimmers, shredders and blower vacs.

20% off garden hand tools–including Fiskars, Spear & Jackson and Yeoman.

Best prices on tons of items

New offers every week – Home and Garden deals of the week

Look out for best sellers like

Defenders Mega-Sonic Cat Repeller
Universal Ice Traction Slip-on Stretch Fit crampons Size 5-6 – stop you falling over when it snows!
Car Windscreen Frost Cover – not gardening but an essential if you have a car!
Meripac Window Feeder with Fat Ball Holders
PestBye Battery Operated Cat Repeller
10 PACK MIXED COLOUR WIRE-FREE TRADITIONAL ECO SKY LANTERNS – for enjoying any outdoor celebrations !

It’s sad to hear about allotment thefts – this story in Spalding involves the theft of onions!
The onions, worth around £40, were taken from Spalding Youth Centre’s allotment at Low Fulney.

Now youth support worker Tracy Cuthbert is inviting the thieves to go back to the allotments – either to return the onions or to get involved with next year’s crop.

She said: “The project has seen young people, including disabled youngsters, those in care and those permanently excluded from school, learning to grow fruit and vegetables which are harvested and used for cooking activities at the youth centre.

Another story about crime on allotments – POLICE have reassured residents in London Colney that there will be increased patrols in the area following a recent spate of vandalism in which a car was rolled on to its side and allotment sheds were trashed.

So how can allotment sites prevent theft?
Take crops home with you as soon as possible.
Lock up tools
Have more people on site so the site is busy
Have secure lockable storage rather than separate sheds
Get CCTV – although difficult if you don’t have electricity on site.
Get to know the site neighbours. Give them a phone number to contact if they see anything dodgy – and encourage them to ring the police too

Speak to the local police who will be able to advise on how to make the site more secure and stay within the law.

A composting toilet has been installed at the Wenvoe Close allotments in Cherry Hinton!

Fab stuff! Helps make the allotments more sustainable and allows people to work longer on their site
link on Cambridge News