GARDENING NOTES

 

Have you looked? Currently there are 59 gardening websites listed on the gardening web links page.

 

What Happened?  NEWish Members Meeting (Monday 12th October 2009)

Present:  Helen G, Helen H, John R, Rosemary and Peter R, Janet S, Jan D, 
                 Richard E.

New Member (in waiting!)   Rosemary Trapp

Summary:

Richard kindly hosted our meeting on his balcony with the lovely mermaid (by Edmund Ashby) in attendance.   Rosemary R. spoiled us with a plum cheese to spread on homemade biscuits as proof of garden successes.   Cheers to the rest of us with chocolate/other biscuits by the barrowload.   Following this exceptionally warm and dry summer there was much to discuss in terms of garden good outcomes and challenges that were faced.    Janet S has had a really satisfying garden season with the development of her small scale garden.  She brought “before and after” pictures to help us see the development in progress.   Each of us had an opportunity to talk about positive aspects of our gardens in progress.    This naturally led to what had been difficult too.  Many questions were raised, some of which we were able to answer within the group. Others of which Richard helped us out by going online….. see some of the points of interest below. 
In general, members of the NEWish Members group are enjoying the opportunity to talk gardening in a small group, particularly as we all are on a learning curve.

New Members:   Now that the membership has been re-opened we agreed on a way forward to welcome new members. 

  • Identify new members at the next meeting ie 10th Dec ’09 and between us ensure that thy are spoken to and introduced to other members

  • When there are a group sized number of new members, organize a get together to welcome them.  Potentially start another New Members group if that is what they would like.

Next Meeting/s:   Agreed to have 3 meetings next year.

  1. February Tuesday 16th 2010 – 10.00am at John Roger’s house (details later)   Topic for discussion  “Garden plans for 2010”

  2. June 2010 – maybe at Janet S house/garden

  3. October – to be decided.

Points of Interest:

    • Get your pumpkins in…frost this week

    • Helen G will let us know the spec of her electric pump which can draw water from her well at depths of 20 to 25 metres

    • Oak wood shavings as mulch – no, becomes toxic

    • What to do with woodash – seems although it can add potassium and phosphorus to the earth it also increases alkalinity and too much may be toxic too (sorry my notes were not good)  BUT apparently DAFFODILS and soft fruit benefit from its use in moderation???

    • Between us people in the Charente, need to find out when the day for buying CHEAPLY, compost made by the dechetterie’s.   Poulignac is probably the place to go…

    • Members found that “White Gaura aka Whirling Butterfly” has been fantastic at coping with the drought with a long flowering season too.   Also Lavetera.

    • Janet recommends Beth Chatto’s “Dry Garden”

    • John recommends winter lettuce “Batavia Sierra”

    • Helen's suggestion for a good buy is: 
      A diary       "L'agenda du jardinier" (et son calendrier lumiere)
      published by Terre Vivante
      possibly obtainable on fr. amazon
       

Jan D