The Chagford Allotments are an extremely efficient and beautiful means of producing food. They are situated beyond the tennis courts and are accessed through the lane beside the Rectory. Here Chagfordians of all ages, men and women, from a completely diverse mix, grow food, get healthy, meet others and swap ideas. The Beautiful Chagford Allotments are so popular there is a constant queue of people waiting to acquire one. If you would like to put your name down,or for any other information, please send an Email to chagfordallotments@gmail.com or visit their new Blog at http://chagfordallotments.blogspot.com/
Spring is springing!
This is the time of the year when heaven is about having an allotment.
Composting is growing in popularity once more as people rediscover its importance.If you wish to learn about how to compost enrich your soil and improve the yield from your vegetables, take a look at the Devon Community Composting site
Garlic, onions, lettuce, cabbage, courgette, squash, artichoke, broad beans, runner beans, French beans, raspberries, strawberries and much more.With virtually no transport costs and therefore carbon neutral, the food produced here is simply the best. The Allotments are seriously productive and at the heart of Chagford's community.
Some great websites for growing info:
www.nsalg.org.uk The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners
www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com
For a recipe for Compost tea go to www.finegardening.com
For wormery experts www.originalorganics.co.uk
www.ridan.co.uk for a super fast composter built on Exmoor.
Winter Action I always think, that far from the time of year to put your allotment to sleep for the winter, that this is the time to start things growing. Garlic, autumn onions and Broad beans are all good as are a whole range of seeds, oriental salad crops such as mizuna, mibuna, komatsuma some lettuce, even rocket can be sown. Alternatively it is a great time to clear up any uncultivated ground by putting down a barrier mulch. Cut down any growth and cover with cardboard, or whole newspapers etc then cover that with any organic matter you might have to hand. you can then broadcast a green manure seed into this, mustard is good. Then your ground will quietly get itself sorted out by springtime and you will be able to make a flying start.
NS
