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News Archive 2008
International year of the Potato 2008
As many gardeners are preparing their seed potatoes for planting in the UK. It's interesting to note that the United Nations has designated 2008 as the year of the potato. This is mainly to raise awareness of the importance of potatoes in the diet of many people across the world. Click here for information about the event.
Hillingdon Allotment News Distribution
The winter issue of Hillingdon Allotment News was published in January. Copies were posted to the allotment site secretaries for distribution to plot holders. The online version is available for download from the website.
RHS Radish Trial - online gardeners required
The Royal Horticultural Society is seeking 200 gardeners to take part in an online trial of radish seeds. It will be part of a wider trail of seeds at Wisley gardens. Click here for details. You will also find information about other trails for the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Allotments: a plotholder's guide updated
The revised edition contains is a lot of photographs and interesting information. It is a useful guide for plot holders and anyone who wants to rent an allotment. The Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned the Allotment Regenerative Initiative (ARI) to update and revise the guide in 2007. It contains information about: Tenancy Agreements; rules; rents; funding; health and safety; protection and legislation; livestock; bee keeping; resources and a useful glossary. Copies are currently available from the ARI website. Click here to download.
Growing Your Own
Free taster sessions about growing fruits, vegetables and flowers will be available at Highgrove and Hayes End allotment sites on May 22nd, June 5th and 14th. They will include the following topics: sowing seed; selection of tools; types of soil; control of weeds, pests and diseases.
There will be a five week course from June 19th - July 17th (on Thursday afternoons).
Further information available from Hillingdon Adult Education. Telephone No 01895 676837.
Chelsea Flower Show Recycling - RHS and Good Gifts Company
The Royal Horticultural Society is encouraging exhibitors to recycle material from their display stands.
The Good Gifts Company will be providing opportunity for community groups, allotment societies, city farms, school gardens and similar groups to receive some of the goods, eg plants, turf, bricks, stone, paving, breeze blocks, plant pots and timber.
Groups will be required to complete an application form from the Good Gifts Company. They will have to provide their own transport. They will be informed when they can collect the goods (between Monday 26th May and Monday 2nd June).
Further information and application forms are available from Alex on 020 77949835 or email people@charitiesadvisorytrust.co.uk.
Hillingdon Allotment Competition 2008
The annual allotment competition is organised by the London Borough of Hillingdon and the Hillingdon Allotment and Horticultural Federation. Teams of judges visit all of the London Borough of Hillingdon allotment sites to select potential winners during the first round in June.
Points are allocated in the following categories: cultivation of the plot; variety of crops; quality of crops; incidence of pest and diseases; miscellaneous. Click here for the allotment plot criteria.
The best 60 – 70 plots are revisited by three expert judges in August (during National Allotment Week). The top fifty plot holders will be invited to a presentation and buffet at the HAHF AGM in November. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3.
The judges will also select the best three allotment sites during the competition. Click here for the allotment site criteria. Cups are awarded for the following type of sites:
The best small site (less than 50 plots)
The best large site (over 50 plots)
The best London Borough of Hillingdon site that is either managed by the council or is in a shared management scheme. Details about the local management schemes are on the Allotment sites page.
Flower show returns to the Great Barn
The next Ruislip Central Horticultural Society Flower show will be at the refurbished Great Barn in Bury Street on Saturday June 14th at 2pm. Details available on the local events page.
Growing food for London events
Two interesting events to promote the value of fresh foods in the city. There will be a Food for London conference on Monday June 30th. It's organised by the London Food Link in partnership with the London Parks and Green Spaces Forum. Click here for details and a booking form.
There will be a Continuous Picnic at Montague Place and Russell Square, on July 5th. Click here for details.
Contaminated manure update
A number of allotment holders and gardeners reported that some crops and ornamental plants have been affected by manure that has been contaminated with aminopyralid. They noticed abnormal growth in the following plants: peas, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, salad crops and some ornamental plants, (roses, delphiniums and phlox).
Aminopyralid is a selective hormone type herbicide used to control broad leaf weeds on grassland. The latest regulatory update from the Pesticide Safety Directorate confirms that affected crops are safe for human consumption.
The RHS Horticultural Advisory Services advised gardeners to find out whether the animal's bedding or forage have been treated with hormone-type weed killers.
RHS survey of 4 invasive pests
The Royal Horticultural Society is conducting a survey of four invasive pests in the UK, (Red lily beetle; Rosemary beetle, Berberis sawfly and Hemerocallis gall midge). They are asking gardeners to participate by completing an online form on their website. http://www.rhs.org.uk/news/pestsurveys.asp.
RHS Radish Trial update
Results of the 2008 radish trial are available on their website. Just click here.
New Gardener's World presenter - Toby Buckland
The BBC have appointed Toby Buckland as the main presenter for the popular television gardening programme. He will join Carol Klein and Joe Swift in September.
Free compost bin offer
Hillingdon Council have launched a scheme to provide one free compost bin for each household. Residents are advised to contact 01895 556000 for further information.
Rotovated plots for older residents
Hillingdon Council are going to provide pre-rotovated plots to encourage older residents to rent allotments. They are also planning to improve access and provide toilets on more sites.
Further information is available from the Allotment Officer (Nick Porter). nporter@hillingdon.gov.uk
What are the benefits of your allotment?
One of the students at Brunel University (Tony Keaveney) is researching the benefits of allotments. He wants to find out how they contribute to the health and well-being of society. (Tony has got his own allotment plot.) He is looking for volunteers to complete a short survey form on-line. The title of the form is 'Does a rod of land have value in the 21st century?' It is available at this link
http://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=b75ef203-3681-4282-a152-362f6f860c74
NSALG Seed Scheme 2008/2009
One of the benefits of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners is the members discount seed scheme. The 2008/2009 members catalogue and order form is available from http://www.nsalg.org.uk/.
Allotment Competition Results 2008
The competition results were announced on November 14th. Awards were presented to representatives from the best allotment sites and three plot holders with the highest scores by Councillor Jenkins, (Cabinet Member for the Environment).
Details of the best sites, the top fifty plots and award winners are available here.
Farewell to HAHF Chairman at AGM
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Marianne Slater has been involved with the Federation for a number of years. She was initially the secretary then the chairman for four years. Councillor Sandra Jenkins presented a farewell gift to Marianne on behalf of the Federation. |
Request for photos from the top fifty plots in Hillingdon
We would like to include more photos from the top plots in the borough.
Please send your photographs by email to info@hahf.org.uk
