Sandgate Community Garden Team Diary Entry for 13th May: Longer, warmer daylight hours are contributing to a faster rate of growth.
There is not much to be said about the weather this week. We lurch from one warm sunny day to rain and wind the next; however it seems that our little corner of the world has missed out on torrential downpours just a little further inland.
The longer, warmer daylight hours are certainly contributing to a fast rate of growth, with many more of the trees out in full leaf and lots of blossom still in evidence.
The planters in Sandgate High Street and along the seafront got a generous topping of compost and a few new plants this week. Long overdue, but the weather and temperatures were never quite right before now to subject new vulnerable plants to the seafront.
A few more squash seeds were sown this week as unfortunately pigeons decided to make short work of some of the previously sown squashes when the mistake was made of putting them outside on a balcony to get some direct sunshine. The frustrating thing is they are not eaten, just pulled up by the roots, however yet another lesson has been learnt. The purple sprouting broccoli is growing smaller with every new flush of growth which means it will soon be coming to an end and we shall have room to accommodate the squashes and courgettes.
The zinnia seedlings all got separated out into new modules to grow on and the many tomato plants got sorted. It does not feel ideal to be putting the tomatoes outside in their beds right now, but they are starting to climb out of the pots and so we took a chance.
The broad beans are looking particularly good at the moment with plenty of lush growth and flowers and having now removed their growing tips they can concentrate on attracting the pollinators and growing some beans. Another new line of string was run around the outside of the beans and their posts to help them stand tall and not get blown or flop over. The hops have all had new strings attached to the growing posts, and only a few shoots are allowed to grow whilst the rest are removed.
What’s next?
- Sow a few more courgettes
- Sort out the spare tomato plants for passing on
- Weed around the bowser end of the plot at Enbrook
- Repot the basil seedlings
This weeks update from the Sandgate Community Garden Diary.