Update from Alan....

By the end of last week, the total amount of produce weighed and the total taken to the Knights Table had equaled the best we had ever managed. In 2006 we had 1700 pounds total and 1350 pounds to the Knights. Last Friday we had 1760 pounds and 1360 pounds respectively. I took the last of the onions and a couple of pumpkins yesterday and, with what is left to go, I think we might just be able to gross a ton - albeit a short one. We’ll should certainly get three quarters of a ton to the Knights though, and that will be easily the best ever. The un-weighed produce - peas, chard, carrots, tomatoes that missed the blight, leeks, etc. that went to volunteers - is all in addition.

Since the last update most of the dahlias have been lifted from the display beds and the cannas are mostly gone from the corner bed. The pelargoniums have been lifted and are in bags waiting to be potted up.

The main planting of garlic has been completed in the nursery area and I’m hoping today to plant some named varieties which Margaret has obtained. The number of garlic cloves increases by about eight times each season, so it will take about three years to build up enough stock to start full scale deliveries. We also have Hyacinth bulbs, dug from the nursery, and Tulip and Narcissus bulbs donated by Gardenimport, which need to be planted in the shrub borders of the nursery garden.


Between now and when the ground freezes, we have to: Prepare the empty nursery beds for spring planting, spread straw to keep early weeds down, clear the annuals from the display beds and cut down the Helianthus in front of the office area, drain all the plumbing and coil up the hoses, string trim the long grass, move straw into the nursery area, rip out all the tomato debris and dismantle the support structures...... If we can get some good volunteer turnouts through November, next year’s students just might not have to repeat this year’s battle with weeds and wet. With the beds pre-prepared, early seeding will be able to start as soon as the frost is out of the soil.

The 2010 classes start 12 Saturdays from now, and already the first two applications have arrived. This is the first time enquiries have come in before the main newspaper-column pitch had been made. Word of mouth might just be starting to show results.

Weather permitting, I shall be at the garden Saturday and Sunday afternoons as usual. If anyone can help on week-days it will be really appreciated.

High Temperature:
Actual: 5°C partly cloudy Wind E9km/h P.O.P.0%
Average: 11°C
Record: 22°C in 1946

Low Temperature:
Actual: 3°C mostly cloudy Wind E12km/h P.O.P.0%
Average: 2°C
Record: -7°C in 1965