Page 5 - ALG 1.21

Chairman’s
comments
“When icicles hang by the wall, and Dick the shepherd blows his nails...”
I am writing this in a wet and locked- down area of east Manchester on
a bleak day in late November and wondering what sort of winter we will be having. Will it be a traditional scene where the allotments are covered, all the cabbages, compost and clutter beautifully blanketed under a layer
of snow? Or will it continue with the newer scene of unseasonal growth, of early daffodils and snowdrops in a sea of fresh grass and weeds, insect pests and blown litter, half-eaten sprouts and whitefly.
Unfortunately, I think the latter scene is more likely. But what can we do about reversing global warming? As a single plotholder – probably very little, but as plotholders all over the country there is alotwecando.
There is movement afoot to plant a single tree for each child beginning school in 2021. This, to me, is a good idea, but it has drawbacks. Yes, plant
a tree, but huge trees on allotments are not a good idea; dwarf stock fruit trees and step-over fruit trees are a better idea. Allotments need to have boundaries, fences are good, and well-
maintained hedges are better; but in my opinion mixed ‘English hedgerows’ with plenty of blackthorn and crab- apple mixed in with damsons, are the best idea. A pre-Christmas harvest of sloes and damsons should always be welcome in any household.
What else can we, as allotment holders,
do to work against global warming?
There is an argument for ‘no dig’
cultivation. We are told that digging can
damage soil structure, release carbon
dioxides held in the soil, and lead to soil
erosion. If my allotment was at the top
of a hill, the rain we have had recently
would, I am sure, have washed it all
away. But, like most allotment holders,
over the years a huge amount of humus
has been dug into and scattered on top
of my allotment. Now I do very little
digging, due in part to my age and due
also to my army of mini gardeners –
the hundreds of worms that share my
allotment. materials
and chemical breakdown of plant materials generates its own heat. This should be sufficient to kill off most weed seeds and plant diseases: and if, when you open your compost, something has not rotted properly, throw it into the next bin and give it another month or two. Remember: if you chop it small, you’ll rot it quick.
Finally, I am happy to say that the Annual General Meeting – the National AGM, went well. We had many delegates from all over the country, and apart from some initial login problems the whole system worked smoothly. Regional AGMs followed on from the National, and have also been a great success. This use of technology seems to be a way forward. We do not know what is going to happen with the AGM and Covid-19 in 2021. The venue has been chosen and it may or may not go ahead.
But an AGM 2021 will happen, and probably at the right time, whether it will be virtual or physical or both, has not yet been finally decided.
ButforallofyouIhopeyouhadagood and safe Christmas, Hannukah, Diwali, and Eid, and you are looking forward with renewed vigour to spring and summer 2021.
John Irwin
There is still an idea that much garden waste should be burned. Many local authorities have banned burning, some have banned all burning, and some local authorities have banned burning in the summer. Some diseases of plants require burning as these diseases are virulent, but many allotment fires are unnecessary. I am a great believer in making compost, with either the hot or cold method. This is really the only ‘fire’ you need on an allotment; the physical
generates its own heat
This is really the only ‘fire’ you need on an allotment; the physical and chemical breakdown of plant
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Allotment and Leisure Gardener 5