Sandgate Community Garden Team Diary Entry for 5th February: From repotting strawberries to space planning in Singapore.
So now we are into February. The rainfall for January was a mere 63.9mm, something nearer to what we are used to, and the ground is starting to dry out. No frosts this week, and even a day when the temperature was in double figures, however it looks to change to being much colder but brighter next week.
On Monday a small group of volunteers came out from the Napier Barracks to help move compost from the lower wall, up the hill to the community garden. We then all bagged up a few bags of compost to take to the Incredible Edible group at All Soul’s Church in Cheriton to help top up the planters along the High Street where the levels have dropped over the year.
It is that time of year when all manner of ailments seem to be rumbling around amongst our gardeners and garden friends. Luckily not Covid, but everything else that has not made an appearance for some time, has suddenly decided to pop up and remind us they are still around. Somehow a few hours spent outside gardening on a freezing cold dull windy day, when you are feeling under the weather, is not as appealing as it might be on a warm sunny day. That is surely the time to give in and keep warmer indoors.
This week has been all about getting the last of those strawberry plants up out of the ground and potted up ready to be replanted in other areas – that certainly took some time. The soft fruit bushes also got a thinning and pruning, and all the plants under the netting got looked at to make sure all was well there. We had four rhubarb roots that needed potting up and protecting until the spring, and we were kindly given three hazel whips which we can use in another one of the gardens.
We have a couple of garden friends (Rita and Eddie) who have been visiting Singapore and sent back some really interesting pictures and information about parks, community gardens and even rooftops filled with trees and herb gardens. It is quite inspirational that Singapore has only 400sq miles with a population of about six million yet from the 1970’s the ‘ministries of environment and development’ have worked hand in hand to create a city garden habitat which has brought nature into residential urban spaces where birds and insects share the same places. All it takes is a little imagination and education.
What’s next?
- We need to remove some of the raspberry canes
- Cut back some of the shrubs
- Little more mulch required around the soft fruit bushes and over the artichokes
- Move a plant near the smoke bush
This weeks update from the Sandgate Community Garden Diary.