Author: joan

With autumn here and the odd storm why not visit the beach and boost the fertility of the soil on your plot. How so? Autumn and winter is a great time to collect some seaweed from the beach. Scottish farmers have been using seaweed for centuries as a free fertilizer. It is full of the nutrients and trace elements that are so important for strong plant growth.
Of course its not really possible to collect enough to make a huge contribution to your manuring regime, but small amounts used wisely can hit the spot so to speak. A mulch on the asparagus bed will really help those spears come spring time. Also seaweed is a fantastic activator in the compost heap helping that whole mystical process speed right up.
So with Porty Beach being so near pay it a visit some fine winters day and get yourself some fine fertilizer.
John McKinlay
PS Make sure you only take the dead seaweed left after a storm, and check the rules of different beaches before you take anything

I love mashed potatoes, but hate cleaning the pot afterwards, so I make a huge pot and then freeze it. Mix the mash with bacon, cheese, cabbage or kale. I freeze them in blocks wrapped in tin foil so I can just pop them in the oven to cook, and have no washing up………….!

I love looking at some of the home made crafts I see on other plots, I’m sure other people do too, so please send pictures of your crafty projects to joanpisanek@hotmail.com and I’ll publish them. To get started I thought I’d show you how I’ve used my old cut off jeans

I love October, it’s light and cool enough to work, and provided it’s not too wet it’s a great time to improve the soil and finish off all those DIY jobs. I love it when the beds have been cleared and I can start planning the next years planting. Make sure you cover any unused beds, either with some green manure or black fabric/plastic.
Remember that the water will be shut off during the winter, and well into spring. If you can’t get a water butt set up, use a large pot covered with some fine mesh to keep it clean, so you’ll have some water for tender spring plants in the greenhouse.
Rhubarb doesn’t need much attention, but a little TLC now is well rewarded. Divide any congested clumps, clear all the dead leaves and mulch the crowns. Don’t use nutrient rich compost, as you’ll encourage flowering, but some bark will keep in warm and tidy.
Plant Garlic and overwintering onion sets
Remove the bottom leaves from your brassicas and make sure your Brussels sprouts are staked.

Attendees:
Tom (chair), Rod, John Mc, Michelle 1, Michelle 2, Steve, George (Minutes)

1. Chair. Agreed Tom would chair the meeting.
2. Matters arising from the last minutes.
A) Toilet Block Sign. Done – thanks to John M.
B) Communal Shed Roof. Ian Woolard has ordered roofing materials.
C) Scaffolding Planks. £19 collected so far.
D) Gift for Joan P. John Mc has arranged this.
E) Resurfacing of Main Path. Ian Woolard has this in hand.
3. Thefts. A number of thefts from plots have taken place. Please be aware of this and report anything suspicious to any of the attendees above.
4. Website Craigentinny Allotment website is up & running again. Please email any items for inclusion to John Mc.
5. FEDAGA 60th Flower & Veg Show. This will take place on the 16th Spetember. See notice board for details.
6. FEDAGA AGM. This will take place on the 16th October. See notice board for details.
7. Site Rep. John Mc has indicated his intention to resign. Anyone interested in taking over this role should please give their name to John Mc.
8. Roll of Felt This is available. Please ask Michelle.
9. A.O.B
A) The shop at Inverleith Allotments. This will be open during March & April.
B) King’s catalogue. John Mc has placed this plant & seed catalogue in the communal hut. FEDEGA has arranged a discount, which is also available online.
10. Date of next meeting – Sat 13th October at 11am.

1. Apologies
2. Matters Arising
A) Toilet block sign

B) Generator

C) Communal Shed roof

D) Payment for scaffolding planks

E) Gift for Joan

F) Main driveway – to be resurfaced (John M.)

3. Thefts from allotments – (George, John M, John Mc, Joan P, Jo)

4. Reopening of our website. (John Mc)

5. FEDAGA 60th Flower and Veg show (16 Sept) (John Mc)

6. FEDAGA AGM (John Mc)

7. Site Rep (John Mc)

5. Roll of felt – (Michelle)

6. A.O.B.

7. Date of next Meeting -13th October at 11.00

Minutes from the last meeting below:

JULY
Craigentinny Plot-holders’ Meeting
Saturday 14th July 2012

Attendees:
Tom (chair), John M, Norma, Monica, John Mc., Ernie, Joan, Rod, George (Minutes)

1. Chair. Agreed Tom would chair the meeting.
2. Matters arising from the last minutes.
A) Path spraying. Had not been done because of the weather.
B) Toilet Roof. Toilet still very damp inside. Tom had sealed around the ventilator and John M. will seal around the concrete at the bottom.
C) Main path. Needs resurfacing. This was identified as one of our priorities. George will emphasise this when he sends Ian W. the minutes.
D) Strimmer. Petrol now supplied and new line purchased. Thanks to Alec and John M.
3. Scaffolding Planks. John Mc. has collected £13 so far. Plot-holders who have taken planks and not yet paid are reminded to pay 50p. per plank.
4. BBQ. Agreed this would take place on 4 August. Monica will put up a notice.
5. A.O.B
A) The lawn mower. On occasions it is not being cleaned after use. Norma will put a reminder on the machine.
B) The weather. We had a general moan about the weather and expressed concern about plots that were flooded.
C) Leaky tap. Norma reported that a tap on the stand-pipe near her plot was leaking. Rod offered to try and fix it.
6. Date of next meeting – Sat 11th August. George gave his apologies. Monica agreed to take the minutes.

NOTICE TO ALL PLOT-HOLDERS
If you haven’t been sent a copy of these minutes & would like a regular copy in future, then please email me at rubiensk@waitrose.com

Seasonal Tips.

Now that the season is drawing to a close you will probably find that you have uncultivated areas on your plot. Why not sow some green manure?
Green manure is a crop that increases the fertility of your soil, while at the same time, as it grows so quickly it smothers weeds. Double benefit.
There are different types of green manure for different times of the year but they all do the same basic job. One’s that I have tried are Tares, Mustard, Hungarian rye grass and Phacelia. The latter has the added benefit that if you save a little of the seed and sow it in the spring and let it flower (you don’t usually let the plants flower otherwise you get them everywhere!) you will get an attractive blue flower that the bees adore.

So have a go and let me know how you get on.
John McKinlay

Welcome Weed

Some of you may know I have a mild affection for the dreaded Horsetail. When I first got an allotment I was very excited to find I had a great crop of asparagus, only to find it was an invasive weed, which had been around since the dinosaurs. You have to respect something that old and if the dinosaurs couldn’t eradicate it, I decided I’d better try to live with it. You’re unlikely to get rid of it, but provided you pull it out when it appears and improve your soil it will reduce over time, and it really doesn’t interfere too much with your crops. Horsetail has an amazing range of medicinal uses, notably for rebuilding connective tissues, skin, hair and nails. The stalks used to be used to make whistles to ward off spirits, perhaps we could try it to scare off our allotment thieves
Joan Pisanek

Eat the Glut

Courgette Muffins
225g (8 oz) wholemeal flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 175ml (6 fl oz) skimmed milk 2 egg whites 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 tablespoons honey 4 oz grated courgette
Preheat oven to 190 C / Gas mark 5. Grease muffin tin or line with paper cases.
Combine wholemeal flour, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon, mix thoroughly.
Mix the milk, slightly beaten egg whites, oil, honey and grated courgette together. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just barely moistened. Batter should be thick and lumpy. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full with batter.
Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Looking for a distraction from those allotment weeds. Why not go along to Duddingston Kirk’s Flower Show? Held in the Kirk Hall Sat and Sun 1/2 Sept 2 till 5 Saturday, 4 Sunday. On display you will find plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables as well as jams and handicrafts. Afterwards enjoy a cup of tea with some scrumptious home baking.

www.duddingstonkirk.co.uk/

Contributed by John McKinlay