Sandgate Community Garden Team Diary Entry for 1st September: Special thanks go to Rita and Erica for their many plant contributions.
The whole week was dry and very warm which made the watering of the plot the main task; however on Saturday we were treated to a localised downpour in the early hours which seemed to do the job for us. With any luck we may get a few more such showers through the coming week as although rain is not forecast, the weather apps say there is a chance of rain all the same so we may just be fortunate. The rainfall for August was 49.9mm.
The Sea Festival last Sunday was fabulous! Yes it was windy enough to send the gazebos up into the air, and it rained a couple of times, but the rest of the day was fine and warm. In effect we were so very lucky considering. We raised an incredible £704.84 which is the most we have ever collected by far. However it was the culmination of a year of collecting plants, sowing seeds and making cuttings to gather together the hundreds of plants we had on sale. Very special thanks go to Rita and Erica for their many plant contributions, but it was a great team effort which made it the success it really was. Everyone pitched in, rolled up their sleeves and got those plants passed on to their new owners with great panache. It was a most satisfying day and a good time was had by all. Many thanks if you came by and supported us.
We have been busy sowing some of the last of the autumn seeds, radishes, yet more spring onions, winter lettuce, all year round cauliflowers and spring cabbage to hopefully overwinter. We smeared the stems of the sweetcorn with a strong smelling ‘vaporub’ designed to rub on your chest to clear your nose – we hope it will repel the badgers from going anywhere near them but time will tell.
We had just three cabbages which had ‘hearted up’ already from an earlier summer sowing and were harvested. The borage which had finished flowering was cut back, and the Siberian kale given a tidy up. We have already collected some of the tomatoes to dedicate to seed for next year, and have also foraged seed from the French marigolds around the plot too. We are starting to build on the seeds we have grown and collected from our own plants, but you do have to know your stuff as some are easier to collect than others.
What’s Next?
- Clear some of the growth around the pond which has finished flowering
- Plant winter radish and possibly spinach
- Clear the bindweed
- Check on the lemon tree and the hops
This weeks update from the Sandgate Community Garden Diary.