Page 51 - Simply Veg 4 2022

Northern Branch
MEMBERS 20000 TO 29999
Chairman’s report
Summer is here and the allotments are full of produce growing away along with the weeds, slugs, and snails. I have given up my allotment this year owing to the fact that I find it difficult to dedicate enough time to keep it maintained
also I have a decent sized back garden that will produce all I need. With work keeping my interests in horticulture satisfied I feel I need some time to enjoy other things. I will be attending the shows judging throughout the season and judging some allotments.
The Northern branch is busy with DAs holding meetings and arranging shows. Unfortunately, we are not attending the great Yorkshire show this year due to the fact we were asked to stage outside and produce a small stand which would need manning over four days of the event. With the cost of fuel, traveling and the length of days at the venue It is not possible to get enough people to attend the display this year.
The Northern branch will be holding the branch championships at Newby Hall at the Harrogate Autumn flower show as last year. We hope to see many exhibitors attend and also members of the society as this is a great venue and much to see including the giant vegetables.
My workplace is getting prepared for the winter months now with trial cuttings of poinsettia arriving last week. we also get the potted cuttings next week which need putting into one litre pots. I will be filling
the 7500 pots early next week. We are
also sowing the primroses and polyanthus. Cyclamen have been sown and will be potted up soon. Pansies and violas are continuing to be sown along with Bellis, wallflowers and even kale for the flower gardens. We have finished sticking the thousands of chrysanthemum cuttings that are used for pot plants. They have rooted very well this year to say they have travelled all the way from Kenya as pinched cuttings. The poinsettia come all the way from Gaza. Each batch must be inspected on delivery by the ministry before we can use them.
This is our quiet time of year, so they say although I never seem to be looking for work with a 12.5-acre site to maintain.
Happy growing and hope to see some of you at the events this year.
Adrian Read FNVS Chairman Northern Branch
NEDDA Report
Since the last edition of the Simply Vegetables Magazine the D.A. welcomed our guest speaker Geoff Hodges to our July meeting. Geoff’s presentation on ‘The Effects of Global Warming’ & ‘Climate Change’ and
the future impact it will bring upon us all was very well received by all the attendees.
During August, the D.A. will be visiting the house-hold name of Joe Atherton the synonymous Giant Veg grower. Joe holds numerous world records for his giant veg and no doubt we will be in for a very informative & amazing experience during the visit. Photos from the visit will be in our future D.A. reports.
Our 43rd Annual D.A. Show will have been and gone, again there will be a full report in the next edition of the S.V. Magazine.
Recently we had the 2-3 days of
very hot weather (coincidently the very hot weather coincided with the visit of Geoff Hodges and his Climate Change presentation) and fingers crossed my celery seems to have got through it unscathed with no sign of the dreaded heart-rot (see pic). My small fruited tomatoes (Apero) also seem to have not been bothered too much with the hot weather, there’s plenty now ripening for the table, and plenty left to mature for the late August/early September shows. My medium tomatoes (Ailsa Craig) I grow for the table have suffered at the hands of the very hot weather with the onset of Blossom End Rot showing only on one fruit at the moment.
Our monthly meetings continue to be held on the third Wednesday of the month unless otherwise stated at Pleasley Miners Welfare NG19 7PD.
• October–KeithAbel-Growingfor Showing in a Small Garden
• November–PeterFarrow- Gardening Through the Year
• December–NoMeeting
Simply Vegetables 51