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Worthing and District Allotments and Gardens Association

Affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Vegetable Society

WRITE ON

Matters of general gardening concern are aired here. You too can make your mark if you wish. Just send in your comments and observations and if they're reasonably polite we'll probably publish them right here. However, the editor does reserve the right to omit or edit items should it be deemed necessary (surely not!?).
We'd be happy to hear about anything of interest you've come across. It might be an impending event, something happening you'd like to share with us, an exciting web page you think we should have a link to or a story you'd like to tell.
(Please note: any opinions expressed on this page are just those of the sender)
This is also the place to send in any tips or secrets you're willing to divulge. Maybe a recipe? Whatever it is, send it in and who knows, maybe it will be broadcast to the world.

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Free Apple Pressing

I thought members could be interested in this - Plotholders with a big apple or pear harvest that they’d like to juice up?
All they need to do is bring their apples and/or pears along this Saturday – pre-washed and with a container to take the juice home.

Saturday 10th December 11am – 3pm.

A traditional cider press with the opportunity to press your glut of apples and pears – for free This is event is at Cortis Avenue Wildlife Garden, the Worthing community garden in Broadwater, together with Transition Town Worthing

Saturday – Worthing’s new and first community orchard will be planted with Sussex apple varieties. Brighton Permaculture Trust who have grown the trees for the orchard will be on hand with a traditional cider press.

I’m organizing the event, if anyone would like anymore information.

Many thanks
Hille
West Tarring

Hille Cook
Cortis Avenue Wildlife Garden - Project Co-ordinator
‘A Community Garden for Worthing'
Tel: 07968 574 910
Also find us on:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cortis-Avenue-Wildlife-Garden-Sanctuary/201038713258018

Dec 2011

 

Brussels 2011

Early on April 15th, 10 allotmenteers set off to catch Eurostar to Brussels for a long weekend. Soon after lunch we arrived at our hotel in the Louise area and were ready to start exploring the city. We were lucky to have beautiful sunny weather for the whole time.

During the days we went our separate ways, and made use of our 3 day travel passes, to reach all corners of the city. Getting lost was all part of the experience and you never know what is around the next corner as Brussels is a mixture of the medieval and the ultra modern. In the evenings we met up for dinner and exchanged experiences, and ideas for visits. When a place of interest to others was planned, more tended to join in and the party grew in size. One of the day's challenges was to find somewhere for dinner, we set a budget of 25 euros, not easy to find in Brussels, but managed to come up with two restaurants in the Louise area where we had excellent meals.

The only place where we all went together was to the Floralia Brussels which was being held at the Chateau de Grand-Bigard. This is on the outskirts of Brussels and is in the garden of a 17th century moated castle. For the last eight years a flower festival, specialising in tulips and other bulbs has been displayed in the 14 hectares of the castle park. Over a million bulbs are planted, showcasing new and old varieties of tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils. Indoor exhibits are in the chapel, tower, and greenhouses. See the photos on the website.

We all spent an enjoyable couple of hours, wandering around the glorious beds of tulips, some plantings of soft pastel colours and others of vibrant bright yellows and reds. There was a tulip labyrinth, and a large heart shaped bed planted with red tulips. The tulips were all shapes and sizes; short, tall, double, parrot, (the parakeets were squawking near them), striped, bicoloured, in all hues. There were certainly many ideas for planting combinations, and varieties to try.

Between us during the rest of the weekend, we probably visited all the parks in Brussels, spent time window shopping and scenting chocolate in the air. Visits were made to art galleries, museums, cathedral and churches. A visit to Grand Place was a must, and wandering around the medieval streets a pleasure.

On the Monday most of the group went to visit the European Parliament building, for a free tour. We went into the main chamber (which was not sitting at the time) and were inundated with facts and figures and information about how the parliament works and our money spent. After all the dry facts we went to a nearby square for a beer and a cone of the best frites in town at Maison Antoines. Delicious!

Despite our busy schedule there was plenty of time to sit in the parks and street cafes absorbing the atmosphere of this interesting city. We returned home on Monday evening, tired and happy after a great weekend in good company.

Peggy

The way forward for Worthing allotments?

The following was received from Bill about a week or so ago but I'm afraid I was on holiday but the lateness of its publication in no way alters its relevance. (Ed)

It's over 5 weeks now since the meeting at the Town Hall and no sign of further moves by the Council. Enough time has elapsed to look back and wonder what was going on that night.

On the evening of the meeting (March 1st) it was evident that a poor attendance was expected. About 40/50 chairs were set out and as time for the meeting to start approached, more and more chairs had to be found to accommodate all the attendees. In the end, Council Officers could not find sufficient chairs and so some folks had to stand. My guess is that about 100 turned up. My first conclusion was that the Council had seriously underestimated how much interest would be aroused among tenants; they seemingly assumed that the meeting would be a simple process of achieving their preferred way forward, whatever that is! (More on that later).

From the start it was not clear what the Council expected from the meeting. There was no Chairperson and no presentation of the Council's case - very odd!. The invitation to the meeting advised that there were 2 options:
1. For the Council to take management back in-house;
2. For the Allotments to be Self-Managed to a greater or lesser degree.
(In presenting only these options I assume that the Council no longer considers management by a "for profit" company to be an acceptable arrangement. On this subject at least, I entirely agree.)

Despite being told there was 2 options we were "sold" only one at the meeting...Self Management. The two Councillors in attendance seemed quite unable to tell us anything about the "In House" option. No figures, no plan, no presentation, nothing! . Instead we had a bloke from Southampton who headed up the meeting with a talk and discussion on Self Management. It was if it was his* meeting and the Councillors were only there in support. As the meeting wore on the Self Management bloke inevitably became bogged down with questions he was not equipped to answer. With a bit of forethought this would have been very predictable. However, as things became a bit sticky, the Councillors were forced to come forward (slightly embarrassed I thought), to deal with, or rather not to deal with, detailed questions about Self Management, particularly on the financial front. I tried to get the Councillors to talk about the In-House option but on this they were completely at sea, or so it seemed. They kept repeating "the future is up to you." My impression was that they were quite unprepared for any discussion other than that of Self Management.

My second conclusion was that the Council does not really want to offer a choice**, they want us to consider only one way forward - Self Management. It got to a point when the Self Management bloke was embarrassed because he could not answer questions. The Councillors were embarrassed because they too could not answer questions and the body of the meeting was too embarrassed to press their questions as it was obvious that there had been no proper preparation for the meeting; proceedings were beginning to verge on farce. At one point I did get an inkling as to what the real agenda was. The Self Management bloke referred to an allotment site which had refused the Self Management option and on rejecting this the tenants found themselves faced with an annual rent of £400! Aha! this smacked of carrot and stick! I wanted to ask the Self Management bloke exactly where this allotment site was, as frankly, I took this tale to be apocryphal nonsense. I didn't challenge him on this because I didn't want to add to his embarrassment and secondly I had made a number of interventions and was in danger of labelling myself as Mr Awkward Pain in the Arse (which by the way I am). I also wanted to ask him if he was being paid a fee for his input*, as his brief was clearly to sell (only) the Self Management option. **To me it seemed obvious that he was there to do a job for the Council.

Towards the end of the meeting the Councillors got themselves off the hook by calling for a "Steering Committee" to be set up to look at options (the original purpose of the meeting) . I was proposed and accepted as a member of this Committee along with the Councillors and several members of the current Allotment Association Committee. As yet we have not had a meeting. This is where I need to put my cards on the table. The Allotment Committee say they have not taken a position on the way forward for the future of Allotment Management. This is broadly my own view but I need to make it clear that I am highly suspicious of the Council's motives. For me, Self Management should only be considered after a great deal of information is made available...and even then it will take a lot to persuade me as I have had experience of Self Management and, to put it bluntly, it has numerous downsides and it is not easy.

At the end of the day we have to decide what is best for tenants and the future welfare of allotments in Worthing. Then there is politics! Central & Local Government are scrambling to cut or get rid of services wherever they can. In Worthing the Theatres are the number one hot potato at the moment. I suspect that the attempt to get rid of allotment management is part and parcel of the same strategy. In other words, the Council are proposing Self Management, not for the good of plotholders, but for their own benefit. Many years ago, Margaret Thatcher had a Cabinet Minister called Nicholas Ridley whose dream was for Local Governments to become little more than commissioning bodies which did not employ any direct staff but acted as an agency handing out contracts to private companies to run local services. My feeling is that we are seeing this idea being resurrected and I am very opposed!

As far as Allotments are concerned, the Council has a legal responsibility to provide them and ensure they are properly run. At the present time, in the absence of any information about finances, I would prefer for the Council to simply employ their own staff to run the Allotments. I reckon they would need one person to work full time as a monitor of standards and behaviour plus a part time office person to deal with membership and any other paperwork, letters, etc. My guess is that this would cost about £40,000 a year. On top of this would be various costs for water rates, security matters, etc. Of course one employee could not keep an eye on all aspects of the various sites so I suggest that the current arrangement whereby the Association takes a hand in this area would continue. There is no doubt that plotholders know best about what is going on.

I have mentioned above that I have had experience of self management. I accept that if circumstances are right (eg money!) and suitable, trustworthy people are prepared to offer their time and effort, it probably works well. I am sure that at the present time there are members of the Association who are perfectly capable of running a good operation. I will not go into all the Pros and Cons here, but I will mention just one issue... Fairness & transparency. I need to be very sensitive on this as I am not suggesting there is currently a problem in this area, but things move on and personnel changes. Basically someone will always have to make the decision on who is allocated a plot when it becomes vacant. Obviously,this should be whoever is at the top of the waiting list. ***The best way to ensure this happens is for someone unconnected with day to day allotment life to send out an invitation to that person. This would be a task for the part-time office worker. Without an arrangement of this kind, the only viable way to ensure transparency, would be for the waiting list to be publicly accessible with candidates numbered according to how long they have been waiting.

Then there is the issue of multiple tenancies. I was astonished to learn that one person has 19 plots, another 10 plots, two have 7, two have 6 and one has 5. That's 60 plots between 7 people! How big are these peoples' families? It seems there is a total of 1002 plots in the town but only 688 tenants. I don't know how many plots are vacant but these figures suggest that up to 300 plots are rented by folks with more than one plot. I can understand how this might have come about when allotments were out of fashion and plots went begging. This is no longer the case and it seems to me that one plot is sufficient for most family needs. There might be a case for the odd two plot tenant, but beyond that I am unconvinced that this situation is fair, it seems to me that anyone with multiple plots should be given notice to vacate at the end of the season or once all the current produce has been harvested. I accept that this is not directly related to self management but for me, it is an issue which needs to be sorted by whoever takes over from Continental. It would be useful for the Steering Committee to have as much input as possible on future management. I urge all members to use this site to air their views.

Bill Geddes.

* In fairness the speaker, Paul Neary of the Allotments Regeneration Initiative, was invited to come along solely to explain what self-management is all about. As South-East representative of the ARI he is a volunteeer and receives no fee for his services.
** For the council the purpose of the meeting was to enable allotment tenants to hear waht self management is all about.
*** This is certainly how it works at West Worthing and it may be the same at other sites for all I know. An overseer working in conjunction with Continental Landscapes receives the list of people waiting for a plot and contacts the one at the top.

(Ed 21/04/2011)

After dinner thoughts

Below are some of the comments we have received regarding the Association dinner at Highdown Vineyard on 18th February. If you would like to send in a comment please feel free - about this or anything else.

Hi!
Excellent evening, Good food, nice wine, enjoyed by our group, Many thanks to the organisers.

Regards
Terry


To all concerned
My wife and I attended our first allotment dinner and would like to say how excellent it was. The venue perfect for the occasion, the service professional, efficient and friendly; food presented and tasted delicious accompanied with wine of course!
The organization of the whole evening was well executed. Well done to those involved with planning and arranging.
We didn`t know anyone prior to the evening but have to say we enjoyed the company and conversation ( even though we did discuss shovelling manure!) on our table very much . The "quiz " made an entertaining finale to a most enjoyable evening. A thought or suggestion? Maybe a summer evening there, with escort around the vineyard in such wonderful surroundings for those interested?
Would have offered help for the summer show but have wedding to attend that date. However, will contribute with cakes at least.
Once again thank you.

Regards
Frank


Many thanks to the Committee for arranging such a very good meal, and enjoyable evening. The photos are good too. I hope that the Vineyard will be able to improve their access road soon, and fill in the potholes!

Pauline


We thoroughly enjoyed the dinner last Friday and the food was excellent despite the long wait!1 Thank you and the committee for arranging such a successful evening... it must have been hard work. It was the first of such evenings for us and hopefully not the last.
Thank you again,

Best wishes,
Joan and Patricia .

(27/02/2011)

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Are allotments value for money?

In the last edition of the "Plotholder" it was stated that WBC is considering increasing the annual plot charge to £50 pa '...to break even on costs...". What costs? Certainly not maintenance costs. At the Tarring site for example:

  1. The toilets are disgusting;
  2. Whilst the water supply functions satisfactorily, there seems to have been no preventative maintenance carried out on the valve systems as many of the locks on the containing cabinets are rusted up.
  3. One leaf of the entrance gate has dropped so that it is almost impossible to open it.

There was also mention of how the £50 was to be applied in case of those who had more than one plot. If the waiting list is as long as I understood it to be a little while ago, why have these people still more than one plot?

Regards,
Mike

(04/11/2010)

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Allotment help at hand

Dear allotment holders,
I am one of the many, waiting impatiently on a 4-year (it seems at best) waiting list for an allotment in West Worthing. I would love to have the chance to learn the ropes, if anybody would like help on theirs, digging, weeding , planting, etc. I live in the Elm Grove area so if you are on the allotments near the park or over the tracks and would like to initiate a want-to-be allotmenteer then please please contact me.
As a mother of one with a husband who works shifts I am available to help more than just at the weekends.
I look forward to hearing from anybody who thinks I could help.
Many Thanks
Nora

If anyone would like Nora's help I can put you intouch with her if you email us here (Contact Us) and maybe you could set up a co-worker agreement if you want something formal.

(05/10/10)

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I really like 'Hapil' strawberries. They are long lived and give plenty of fruit. I also have 'Gariguette' which is less prolific but just as tasty and the fruit hang above the ground really well.
Mind you, the ones I 'inherited' on my plot are the best but I have no idea what variety they are!!
Hope that helps

Kathy

(27/07/10)

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Gardening Help Needed

Hi!
We are looking for someone who can work part-time with children growing fruit and vegetables in our day nursery garden, all year round. Do you know of anyone or where best to advertise for such a position?

Kind regards
Martin Pace

Reflections Nurseries
Westerfields House
54 Richmond Road
Worthing West Sussex
BN11 1PS WINNER - UK NURSERY OF THE YEAR 2009/10 01903 208208 www.ReflectionsNurseries.co.uk

You can email Martin direct at: Martin@reflectionsnurseries.co.uk                                                                       (03/07/10)

 

Birdies on allotments

Hello there!

I always look forward to reading my Plotholder but this time I thought I would add something myself. As we all know December/January was most horriblus weather, especially if you happen to be a bird living outside 24/7. So I made sure and fed the birds (on my plot) during this time. (I did not go on site without phoning my daughter first, and keeping in contact with her whilst I was there. Don't want any mishaps!!) I was well rewarded. I didn't imagine I would see so much variety on our allotments. I have to say I am into birds and it was a real wow for me. The following birds appeared, some waiting on posts, some in the hedges, but there they waited every day. The list was as follows:

Thrush, at least 2 pairs, and Blackbirds (again the same,) the usual sparrows, a Jenny Wren, robins, Great Tits etc. Then to my surprise - Redwings; I saw several over a few days waiting on posts for me to feed them. Then last Sunday I couldn't believe my eyes; I saw a Buzzard, right by the car park on site. I saw it twice and can only identify it as a Buzzard; that's all I could find in my books and on-line.

To top the bill, one day this week (1st week of Feb 2010) I'm just leaving the allotments, when I heard the most lovely birdsong, and realizing that I do miss a lot of species, and trying to be more alert, I looked around - there was this unassumming bird, sort of greyish, singing away in the bushes. When I got home I looked in my books, etc. trying to find this bird. Well, I felt a foolish, because I couldn't find it to start with; I thought it was a Warbler, but no IT WAS A NIGHTINGALE. What a lovely treat for me! I had never seen one before, and I haven't seen it since, but I can hear it. What a lovely bonus during such rotten weather!

Happy gardening everyone, & Birdwatching for me!! Carol, West Tarring site.

(08/02/10)

The amazing cucumber

This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.

  1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one Cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
  2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
  3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.
  4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
  5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!
  6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!
  7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explorers for quick meals to thwart off starvation.
  8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water
  9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!
  10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.
  11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the photochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.
  12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but it won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.
  13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Thank you, Dave
(03/12/09)

Shut those gates!

A message received about allotment gates being left open:

My mini plot is at West Tarring and I always try to be observant when I am over there to make sure things are as they should be. I know the gates have to be left open between 10am and noon on Saturday and Sundays, because the shop is open, but many times the gates have been left open on other occasions. Many evenings around 6.30-7 pm I have found them open on my arrival during the Summer but last Sunday they were open at 3pm when I arrived, so I locked them behind me, then when I left at 6.30 pm they were hooked back again. Another plotholder, a postman, tells me that they are often open and hooked back when he comes early in the morning. It is a wonder then that more vandalism and theft does not occur when people are too damn lazy to shut the gates after them. I think that you should know about this and steps need to be taken against those responsible.

Regards
David

(09/10/09)

Contaminated manure back on scene

A message from Black Horse Allotments Association:

It's back.

See:

http://www.dowagro.com/uk/aminopyralidsuspension.ht

Thanks if you signed the petition, we got nearly 2500 signatures.

John Shobbrook Chair, Black Horse Allotments Association, Wednesbury

(08/10/09)

Where have all the birdies gone?

I recently purchased a new bird table especially for the smaller varieties. Its enclosed table and feeders seemed ideal but there is one drawback - no small birds. Plenty of pigeons and doves who have their own bird table and of course the dreaded herring gull. Where have all the small birds gone? I know they are in decline, but this is disastrous. Something needs to be done.

Dennis

A Response:

I just wanted to reassure Dennis that he will get some birds visiting his new bird table; he just has to be patient. I had a similar experience after I received a very posh bird feeding station for my birthday in Feb. I quickly filled it with all sorts of nice things but absolutely nothing happened. Then about a month ago the birds suddenly seemed to 'find' it. I now have masses of sparrows, a black cap, starlings and black birds all feeding. Of course, I have the collared doves, pigeons and gulls too but they all seem to get on! Mind you I will have a word in their ear as I know Dennis doesn't live far from me and I don't want them to defect!

Kathy

Can anyone help Sue?

I have attached 4 photos of this “weed”? It grows so quickly and now covers the borders of our garden completely. The blades are really sharp and the roots are very strong and deep and it’s extremely difficult digging them out. You can’t pull them as they cut your hands. The leaves are shiny and sort of hard. It has hanging ‘seed things’. It has baffled a few garden centres I asked a year or so ago – hopefully you can help. Is it a weed or an invasive grass plant???????????????

Thanks Sue

Some answers:

We think it's some sort of pond plant but it can spread outside the pond. Very difficult to get rid of as the roots are very tough. Make sure you get rid of all the seedheads or it will spread even worse. You can dig it out over time.

West Tarring


It looks like some sort of wild wheat to me. I'd try a strong weedkiller. Might need a few applications.

Ian


We think it's an ornamental grass. Very tough and difficult to get rid of. You can dig the roots out but it's hard work and you need a really strong fork or it will break. You may have to resort to a saw.

Celia


I think this could be Carex pendula. It is a grass or sedge and is not classed as a weed but it spreads like mad, as you well know. Some ideas about getting rid of it are, firstly don't let the seed heads form - nip them off as soon as you see them - this will stop it spreading. Secondly, keep digging it out. I find the little 'L' shaped tool for getting weeds out of the patio really good for getting into cracks. A chemical solution would be Glyphosate which can be painted onto the leaves and goes down into the roots and kills the plant. If it's not C. pendula then ignore this!!!

Hope that helps Kathy


 

Eastern Allotments

                              

These allotments were in Aqaba which is situated on the Red Sea in Jordan and the site ran along between the town and the beach. The plots appeared to be irrigated by large pipes that were used to flood the area enclosed by little mud banks. The crops we could identify were radishes and onions. They were being cultivated mostly by men but there were women working as well. We did not discover how they were rented. The temperature in Aquaba rarely goes below 20C but in the summer can get to 35C. There is very little rain.
                                                                                                                                                                                               Peggy (30/03/09)

 

My marmalade won't set

Hi
I admit to being a non-member, but need your soonest help if you would: I'm making my second lot of seville marmalade (first lot was really yummy), but can't persuade it to set fully, and am hoping you can give me some urgent advice on where I can purchase a little pectin, please. I'm in Goring.
Many thanks.
Mike

I know Mike's not a member (yet) but come on give him a hand. (Ed)

An answer:
If a mix will not set then it has possibly been over cooked. Difficult setting fruits such as strawberry, blackberry etc will respond to the addition of 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid crystals per 1 lb of fruit in the final cook period on the boiling time. You can get this at Superdrug, but you have to ask for it and it costs under a £1 a box.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Peter

Can you help Kathy?

Just thought, as we are being encouraged to make compost bins from pallets, that I would share an idea that has worked for us. When making your bin join the 'front' pallet to one of the side pallets with a couple of tree ties. This creates a 'hinge' so that you can open up the front and makes for easier access for turning/emptying.
                                                                                  HELP
Also, I bought my garlic from the association this autumn and sadly it has not sprouted. I planted it straight into the ground as I usually do but earlier than usual, in about October. Any ideas why it has not taken - I wonder if it has rotted due to wet ground but would welcome any comments?

Many thanks               
Kathy

If you can help, please send us your advice; it may help others too.

An answer:
Patience is the answer, I'm afraid. Weather conditions have slowed them down. I unearthed one of mine to find it was still there and was just starting to make roots, so don't despair, just wait. I got mine from the Association's stores too.

K.

Squirrel digging up my bulbs!

There are lots of potholes appearing in my borders where the squirrels are helping thmselves to our bulbs (I do love squirrels and dont want to harm them at all, but dont want them munching the rest of my garden). Will putting some nuts out distract them enough? I have some mesh fabric that will let light and water through but not sure how to securely fix it down so it's not dug up! Help!

G. (01/12/08)

Answer?
On Gardeners' World they showed a good idea. Plant bulbs in one of those tubs you use for pond plants (like a pot made of plastic mesh). Dig a whole big enough for the mesh pot and then fill the pot with soil/compost and plant the bulbs within the mesh pot. Place some chicken wire over the top of the pot and then bury the whole thing in the ground. When the bulbs have died back, you can dig the whole thing up to store the bulbs ready for next season.

Increase in Allotment Rent (letters) (start here and read down)

Below is a copy of a message we sent to Worthing Borough Council complaining about the proposed increase in allotment rent to £30 per annum for a 5-rod allotment for this coming year. Also shown are 2 replies received so far from the council. We are doing our best in your behalf; please support us.

We are writing to you on behalf of the members of Worthing & District Allotments & Gardens Association, and I dare say, most allotment plot holders in the Worthing area, to bring to your attention our serious concerns regarding Worthing Borough Council's proposed 16.5% allotment rent increase for 2009.

In 2006 the Council increased rents by 5.5%, in 2007 the rise was 5.2% and in 2008 the rise was 3%. All of these increases have been well over the rate of inflation and, although our Association has never been happy about them, we have accepted them without complaint. This year however, there is no way that the Association can accept a 16.5 % rise. Every year the rent goes up and the tenants never see any increase in services offered to justify an above inflation rise; indeed this year the Council are also proposing from 1st April 2009 to withdraw the weekly rubbish bin collection service from each site. This in itself will provide the council with a considerable saving year on year.

If we look at the wider picture, and compare Worthing to our neighbouring districts. In Adur the cost of one rod in 2009 will be £4.80, the proposed cost in Worthing is £6.00 per rod. If we go past Adur to Brighton, then the cost comes down to £3.50 per rod! Nearly half the price and every plot holder receives automatic membership of their Association subsidised by the council. If we go the other way to Littlehampton, then the cost is £2.90 per rod, which is less than half the cost of Worthing! All these areas offer exactly the same services. Worthing already has the most expensive allotment rents in the area and now Worthing Borough Council want to increase the rent by 16.5%.

The Association has worked closely with the council over many years and we have made every effort to promote and encourage the use of allotments. With allotment popularity booming, Worthing Borough Council are receiving more rent from the allotment sites than they have done for over twenty years and our association has been instrumental in helping to achieve this. Worthing & District Allotments & Gardens Association do an enormous amount of work to help in the smooth running of the sites and this is all by volunteers. All of this work appears to be taken for granted, with no appreciation of how much time, and hence money, that we are saving Worthing Borough Council. The Council's response to us is to increase rents by 16.5 %.

We have tried to look for any sort of reasonable justification for this increase but there seems to be none. We would ask you to consider whether this increase is justifiable.

Reply 1:

From: Tim.Everett@worthing.gov.uk

Thank you for your email. I will discuss the matter with John Thorpe whose department includes this function through the management of the grounds maintenance contract with Continental Landscapes.

We are currently in the process of looking at proposals for next years budgets, and the final decisons on that will be made by the Council itself on recommendations from the Cabinet. I do have a role in that process, and I will ensure both John and the relevant Cabinet Member are aware of your concerns.

Unfortunately we are having to make further substantial savings for 2009/10, and Leisure and Cultural Services alone have a target of about £300k. As has been well publicised as a Council we have done particularly badly out of the Government funding for the new Concessionary Fares scheme, which has cost our Council Taxpayers more than £600k a year extra. Inevitably there will be some difficult choices.

I will keep an open mind but I would make two points at this stage - the charges are still objectively very low compared to other services that the Council is able to charge for. In addition my understanding is the function will still be heavily subsidised by Council Tax Payers, although I will check this aspect out. The general advice form the Audit Commission is that Councils should set their charges to recover their costs where they can unless there are either legal or policy reasons that justify a subsidised rate.

I will reply in more detail as soon as possible.

Tim Everett
Strategic Director - Adur and Worthing Councils
Telephone: (01903) 221302

Reply 2: Cabinet member for Clean and Green Environment, Bryan Turner, says:

Worthing Council, like every local authority is under massive financial pressure both from the Government to find efficiencies and budget savings, and from the current financial turmoil. In order to continue to provide the range of services to the community that it currently does the Council must seek to maximise income wherever possible. This is especially so where there is no absolute statutory requirement on the Council to provide particular services (such as allotments) and where there is clearly a strong demand, again as with allotments.

As the Council is limited in the total amount of money it can raise, and therefore spend, maximising income in this way prevents cuts elsewhere. In making the decisions that it does on charges we are also mindful of the total cost of the service to the user, in this case the cost to the average allotment plot-holder is £30 less than 60p per week which can hardly be considered excessive for the rent of a plot of land.

The comparisons provided are unfortunately comparing 'apples with pears' in that they show current charges in neighbouring authorities and compare them with the proposed charges in Worthing for next year. Adur will also be seeking to impose an above inflation increase in allotment rents for exactly the same reasons.

Wendy Knight
ACIPR Communications Manager
Worthing Borough Council
Town Hall
Chapel Road
Worthing
BN11 1HA
DD: 01903 221017 M: 07912 276870
Fax 01903 221152
wendy.knight@worthing.gov.uk

So what do you think? Let us and/or the council know.

Letter from Jim about rent increase:

Is it possible for the Council to detail exactly what they do to justify a rent increase of any kind? It would appear that the only cost to them is emptying the bins. If these are taken away then they don't have to even do this. I realise there is the administration costs of sending out the bills to plotholders once a year, and keeping a waiting list, apart from that it would appear they do nothing to benefit the plotholders. Can the Council also advise what people are supposed to do with diseased plants, bindweed, couch grass and hardwood pruning's once the bins have been taken away?

Jim S

Any replies or other opinions? In fairness I must point out that recently the council and the police have been working with the Association on site security and they also launched the Allotment Watch initiative. But does this warrant an increase of such magnitude? Let us know what you think.

(18/10/08)

Bill writes:

Good Morning!
I guess the increase is not a major problem for many members but for some it might add to their present problems. What makes me angry is the Council comment that other services may suffer if allotment rents do not increase! Since when was it the responsibility of our members to subsidise other Council affairs? At the end of the day the extra revenue brought in by a rent increase, will be a piddling amount of money--perhaps enough to pay one Councillor's "expenses" for a year?

Bill G

(20/10/08)

Janet writes:

I was reading with interest the letters regarding allotment rent and thought perhaps you might be interested to hear from an Adur plot holder. I have a 5 rod plot on the Lancing Manor site and my October 2008/2009 rent was £24.00. We do not have a regular rubbish removal service, but over the last couple of years we have had a "one off" removal of rubbish from the site by the Council. This has been both good and bad; good in that it gives people taking on plots the chance to get rid of all the paraphernalia they don't require, but bad because the pile of rubbish sits around for many months attracting vermin.
I would also like to point out that we have no sheds on the site, so sturdy tool boxes are used and therefore no cover when it rains. However, we can have a key to the garage on the site if we are members of the Allotment Society. A member from the society occasionally dumps bags of horse manure inside the gates which can be taken away by members for 10p a bag. So all in all a fair price, I think, for our site.

Regards Jan

(21/10/08)

Jim writes:

I was under the impression that Councils had a legal obligation to provide allotments for residents. In view of Wendy Knight's statement on behalf of Worthing Borough Council that 'there is no absolute statutory requirement on the Council to provide particular services (such as allotments)', can you please clarify? I also understand that part of West Tarring allotments, near the railway line, were in fact gifted to the Council for the express purpose of being used for allotments

Jim

(18/11/08)

An answer:

In regards to the article on the website left by Jim, it is section 23 of the 1908 allotments act.

23 Duty of certain councils to provide allotments:

  • (1)If the council of any borough, urban district, or parish are of opinion that there is a demand for allotments . . . .in the borough, urban district, or parish, . . . ...the council shall provide a sufficient number of allotments, and shall let such allotments to persons . . . ...resident in the borough, district, or parish, and desiring to take the same.
  • (2)On a representation in writing to the council of any borough, urban district, or parish, by any six registered parliamentary electors or [persons who are liable to pay an amount in respect of council tax] resident in the borough, urban district, or parish, that the circumstances of the borough, urban district, or parish are such that it is the duty of the council to take proceedings under this Part of this Act therein, the council shall take such representation into consideration.

On the subject of the cost I personally believe that the cost for next year's allotments is very reasonable at 0.82p per day. If there are those that feel the £30 per allotment is too much then let them give up some or all of the plots to some one on the waiting list that feels this is not overly priced.

(21/11/08)

Geoff writes:

Now that we are to lose the bins in April and we are not allowed bonfires at Humber Close, how are we to dispose of prunings e.g. apple, currant, raspberry, pear, etc? Also on the West side we have to trim back the hawtorn bushes beyond the fence every year. Also if we have any diseased plants, cooch grass, brassica stalks, etc are Continental Landscapes going to supply a shredder or some means of disposal? These things cannot be composted. What does Continental Landscapes do for their fees?

Regards Mr L

(15/01/09)

What a Load of Rubbish!

We recently received this message from Briony of West Tarring site.

Dear Sirs
West Tarring has a problem with waste. Bins get filled until overflowing and then they cannot be emptied. However, much fun it is to explore the bins looking for something to re-use, it is a hazard and unsightly. As a Bin Filler, I felt I needed to try and do some thing.
I took on my plot last year in November and through November to March I was continually pulling off waste from my site, be it green waste (Bindweed roots) or leftover things from the last plot holders (broken glass panels, sheets of lead, plastic bottle). I stopped when the bins started to become overfull. I will start again soon (if the bins are empty), as I still have a shed that I cannot get into due to the debris on the floor, big pile of wood, shed and remains of green house and I will start to get ride of that waste.
Allotment holders seem to have a culture of re-using and hording. What is someone’s prized plank, is another’s broken plank. Therefore can we introduce some method of Waste Management to the Site? Suggest the following:

  • Clear identification on what can and cannot go into the bins.
  • Bins for Recycling Plastic & Glass
  • A skip day every other month. Skip delivered to site for allotment holders to get ride of waste. (This idea may get abused.)
  • Advice on composting nasty stuff. e.g. Bindweed.
  • Locally there seems to be home owners who are part of the composting scheme. Issue these bags to people for green waste and organise regular pick up.
  • Right to burn wood in approved containers.
  • Sites to be cleared/checked before new ownership for removal of waste. This would help reduce the need for a monthly skip. Also with such a high demand for allotments, an increased fee could be considered to cover the cost of waste.

I understand some of these ideas will cost but lack of waste management could potently lose the bins altogether. Briony

Here is the reply Briony received from Ned:

This is personal response only as our next committee meeting is not until October and I know there is a hefty agenda already. I will, however, circulate this to the committee.
We know West Tarring has a problem with waste and discussions with the council are ongoing. The bins do state on them what should not go in them but for some reason people still insist on filling them with compostable waste and unsuitable materials (someone put a load of rocks in one which damaged one of the the new lorries and brought forth a threat to do away with waste removal altogether). The woeful situation is compounded by - would you believe it? - outsiders bringing in domestic, building and industrial waste onto the site for clearance, and being abusive to allotmenteers who speak to them.
Our secretary, Terry Edwards, has made frequent appeals through our newletter, The Plotholder, for people not to misuse the service as it risks being taken away and has had discussions at meetings with the council but of course the Plotholder only reaches Association members. He is also trying to arrange for someone to come and give a talk on composting at West Tarring site. I remember speaking myself to someone who was putting a load of green waste into the bins; she did not say anything in reply but looked at me as if I were stupid! Tangmere Recycling Site is having a free open day this month (see website under "Events").
Others have also come up with the idea of a green waste bin for those who can't be bothered to compost it. The council could compost it and actually sell it back to us to reduce costs - if they do such composting. The locals who put their bags of green waste out to be collected pay 50p per bag for the priviledge and the bags are then collected once a week from the pavement outside their houses. As regards making people clear their plots before leaving you have to remember that many do not volunteer to leave. Apart from the unfortunate illnesses and deaths others are removed for non-cultivation so that new people can take on plots and look after them. Continental Landscape are supposed to strim the plots for newcomers.
We are not allowed to have bonfires on the site at West Tarring because of the surrounding houses.
I know this is not a satisfactory answer because all it does is point out the present situation but fear not, I will pass it on.
Regards Ned

Since this exchange we have learned that the council will pobably do away with the refuse collection altogether at West Tarring in April 2009.

(19/09/08)

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Crab Apples                                   

Can you help this lady with her search?

Do you by any chance know of anywhere in Worthing or Ferring I can buy some Crab Apples ? I want to make some Crab Apple Jelly. I did have a tree myself some years ago but unfortunately it died. I then had a source from a friend - but last year her husband attacked her tree with a chain saw !! End of tree !

Kind regards
Doreen

 

Help please

Can you help with the problem below?

I have had an allotment for a month and have planted some swede and sweet peas which have grown from seed into small baby plants. I have watered them tonight and noticed some very small white insects flutering around in large numbers. Do you have any ideas as to what they are and what I should do? I would be very grateful for advice from experts.

John

An answer:

Your problem does sound like white fly. S B Invivorater should do the trick, available in the stores as a trigger spray which kills white fly, black fly red spider and caterpillars and costs £2.20 from our allotment stores.

Peter.

Another (greener?) answer:

We find that small plants like young swedes, radishes etc. can be successfully protected by covering with fleece. It is only 20p per metre in our stores.

Jack

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