Hi Maggie,

Really good to hear from you - thanks for 'waking up' our little gardening community into spring! 

I would like to continue with my plot as well this year, and looking forward to meeting you all and growing vegetables, again, this year.

All the best,

Julienne 

Hi Maggie,

Its good to hear from you and the allotments. Yes I would like to carry on using my plot this year too. I look forward to planting few vegetables soon.

Hope to see you all soon.

Nilufer

Good to see that you all want to continue - (though not quite so good for people on the waiting list...) 

Leo, do you want to continue?

Nilufer, does your friend/neighbour also want to continue?

I think I've heard from everyone else.

I will organise a 'garden together soon'. Two other things going on at the mo... (1) trying to get some funding to create new beds to allocate to refugees,

(2) exploring the possibility of some extra beds in a different part of the park for people on the waiting list.

Maggie

I have on the waiting list Kirsty, Sally and Tiffany. Is that everyone?

Mark, I didn't realise you were returning this year. Good news!  I have planted the front quarter of the bed I was care taking for you last year. Will now desist and sort it out when I see you!  Maggie

Maggie, how about Marianne!Not only Kirsty, Sally and Tiffany!

How much money is needed for those extra beds for refugees?

Thanks,

Marianne

Hi Marianne and welcome to the group. Yes, you are among the people waiting for a plot. Unfortunately, there will be no plots in the original area this year as they are all taken and everyone wants to continue. I am trying to get some additional space elsewhere in the park. Will report back when there's anything to report. 

Re the extra beds for refugees, it's on the agenda for the transition meeting for the evening of Thursday March 2nd at 8.00 p.m. at St. Anne's in Salusbury Road. Everyone is welcome if you would like to come along. We will be thinking about what funds to apply for and where from. Maggie

A note to the people waiting for a plot...

I have been asking around, given the lack of free plots at our project.

The William Dunbar group and the Kilburn Tube Gardeners Group both have spaces for more gardeners - see the group websites for details of when and where they meet. I wonder if any of you would like to become involved at one or the other, since there are no plots available at present in Queens Park and the prospects aren't looking too good.

You could still stay on the waiting list for Queens Park if you got involved elsewhere and it would make it possible for you to get started sooner rather than later.

Hope this is helpful. Maggie

A note to the people waiting for a plot...

I have been asking around, given the lack of free plots at our project.

The William Dunbar group and the Kilburn Tube Gardeners Group both have spaces for more gardeners - see the group websites for details of when and where they meet. I wonder if any of you would like to become involved at one or the other, since there are no plots available at present in Queens Park and the prospects aren't looking too good.

You could still stay on the waiting list for Queens Park if you got involved elsewhere and it would make it possible for you to get started sooner rather than later.

Hope this is helpful. Maggie

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to get everything set up for a morning building the new raised beds for the refugees on Monday 18th March at 10.00. Can you post whether you can be there? All available help needed! Feel free to bring your friends!  Maggie

Sorry everyone, that should of course read Saturday 18th March!  Time is right though - starting at 10.00 a.m.

Best Maggie

Good news for the four of you on the waiting list... I've negotiated for us to have use of the four raised beds in the children's playground area. Contact me via the comment board if you'd like to meet me in the Park and 'claim' one of the beds sometime this weekend. I can be there either Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, or both if necessary. We look forward to you joining us, albeit not in exactly the same location. Maggie

Good news for existing plot holders. Mick Guerin is arranging for a big bag of topsoil to be available for us to use from tomorrow (Saturday) morning onwards, so a chance for you to come up over the weekend and top up your mini-plot ready for the new season planting. I will be doing mine so may see you up there...

If you need tools from the shed and it's locked, the combination is 1999. Maggie

And just reminder that construction day for the new mini-plots for the refugee members-to-be is a week from tomorrow, Saturday 18th March from 10.00 a.m. 

Can you post whether you are able to come along and give hand?

Thanks, Maggie

Oh amazing, thanks Maggie! I can pop along on Sunday morning if that's convenient!

Hi to Sally, Kirsty and Tiffany!

Seems like you can all make it on Sunday morning, so shall we meet at the plots, or in the cafe if it's raining (as forecast!) at 11.30.

Carole, I got your post but weirdly it doesn't seem to be showing up below. No idea why! Anyway, I have a meeting with Sarah from Salusbury World at 10.00 a.m. on Tuesday and I could meet you a bit before that - say 9.40 at the cafe - if that would work for you.  Maggie

Marianne, I have allocated the four new beds to the four people who got back to me soonest. Do you still want me to look out for a possibility for you or have you decided to join one of the other gardening groups? Let me know...

Maggie

Hi again Carole, I can see what's happened now. For future reference, can you contact me/us via the comment board, rather than the message group button, just so that everything's visible in the same place? Thanks, Maggie

RE: construction day for the new mini-plots, Saturday 18th March from 10.00 a.m

Yes, I will be there, see everyone then :)

Hi Maggie,

This is all great news - I'm afrain I can't join you on the 18th as I have a prior engagement. I will be there on sunday to put some topsoil on however. Thanks!

Hi Tiffany, Kirsty, Sally...

Can we meet by the cafe plots please (or in the cafe if raining) and walk over to your plots-to-be together. A couple of things in the cafe area I want to show you...  Maggie

Good to see some of you up there today! Topsoil is all gone for now, Kate, but there will be more next weekend and more again on Big Dig day mid-April, so you there will be more chances for you to claim some - hopefully plenty for everyone. 

I'm trying to get an idea of numbers for refugee plot construction day next Saturday, 18th, from 10.00 a.m. If you haven't let me know already, would you be kind enough to post and say whether you can be there? Thanks, Maggie

Hi Abbie and welcome to the group! 

I'm afraid the plots are all taken for this year but I have put you on the waiting list - you are next after Marianne who is also waiting for a plot - and meanwhile you might like to come and meet us and join in some shared activities. We are building 6 new beds designated for refugees this coming Saturday, starting at 10.00 a.m. Will you be around? Best wishes, Maggie

REMINDER OF WATERING

WATERING

We finally have a new tap and we can use the hose when we need to. Here's how...

1. Get tap top from shed - it's hanging on a nail on the right-hand side - and fit it on the tap (outside the toilets, if you don't know it.)

2. Pull the hose out from under the door next to the tap and push it on to the tap fitting.

3. Unwind the other end of the hose. It is curled up outside the gates that lead to the yard outside the cafe kitchen. Make sure there are no kinks.

4. Go back to the tap and turn the water on.

5. When you have finished, put the tap top back on the nail in the shed. (Very important, otherwise the whole thing will fall apart again!)

This being a community garden, it is really nice if people hose  vegetables on other plots as well as their own when the have the hose out. And don't forget the runner beans on the tennis court fence. I planted them out yesterday and hopefully we will all get some beans later in the summer.   Copied from Maggie

Thanks for re-posting this, Nilufer. Not sure if the tap is in the same place - I haven't checked this year but I will check tomorrow and confirm. All the other instructions still work. Re your friend, Frances, it would be great if she wants to continue with the flowers but could you possibly help her to join the group on-line so that she gets the emails about when we are going to meet etc. and can be properly part of the group? Maggie

Great day's work today - and thanks so much to everyone who came along to help build the beds! 

Thinking about another garden together before the Big Dig, which is on April 22nd this year. 

I can make either day of the weekend 8th and 9th April - three weeks time. 

Can you post which would suit you better, Saturday morning or Sunday morning, then I'll choose the one when most people can come.

Meanwhile, if you haven't dug your plot over, can you do it soon as poss so that the whole area looks a bit more loved!

Cheers, Maggie

Hi Maggie, 

9th April Sunday is best for me. thnks nilufer

Would any of you gardeners with great veggie- growing knowledge - I'm thinking probably Fausto, Mark, Helen, Sally, Kirsty - be willing to become a 'garden buddy' for a refugee family joining the scheme? No general mentoring for support is involved - they get that via Salusbury Words. It would just be advice - maybe by text - on what seeds can be planted when, what plants have to be started indoors, how soon which seedings can be planted out, and so on. I know you are all busy but please do help if you can. It would be such a nice welcome for each newcomer to be able to consult with one particular person. Can you reply yes or no in the usual way by posting? Cheers, Maggie

New allotment beds - well done to all!

Hi Maggie - the new beds look amazing, I popped down to see them yesterday :) I love the idea of a buddy system - I'm still pretty new to gardening (asking friends and family for advice at the moment!) so not sure I would be the best person? If there's any other way I can help, please let mw know. Kirsty

Marianne, there is a raised bed available now in the children's playground area. It can be yours if you would like it. Can you get back to me as soon as possible to let me know if you are still interested? Maggie

Thanks for your replies, Helen, Sally and Kirsty. Helen and Sally, you are now 'garden buddies', as is Helene, who does the Transition blog and whom I met with this morning. What a girlie group!

Are any of you guys - Fausto, Mark, Miko - up for buddy hood?

Miko, the park keepers are all commenting on the quality of the build - entirely down to you and thank you again. Maggie

Please let me know if there's another way I could help out - would love to :)

Another development ...

The two slightly raised beds close to the pitch are now going to be communal beds (following discussions with the Park Management). The risk of new people taking them on and their produce being trampled on or stolen was felt to be too high in that particular location. We can plant them with herbs and flowers, some of which we can bring over from the beds in the children's playground area, and anything else you think would be good. Everything that grows will be for everyone to share. 

The other seven beds are for the refugees, as planned. I'm waiting to hear from Sarah at Salusbury World when the first of the refugees will be coming along to be introduced. Maggie

Another development ...

The two slightly raised beds close to the pitch are now going to be communal beds (following discussions with the Park Management). The risk of new people taking them on and their produce being trampled on or stolen was felt to be too high in that particular location. We can plant them with herbs and flowers, some of which we can bring over from the beds in the children's playground area, and anything else you think would be good. Everything that grows will be for everyone to share. 

The other seven beds are for the refugees, as planned. I'm waiting to hear from Sarah at Salusbury World when the first of the refugees will be coming along to be introduced. Maggie

Another development ...

The two slightly raised beds close to the pitch are now going to be communal beds (following discussions with the Park Management). The risk of new people taking them on and their produce being trampled on or stolen was felt to be too high in that particular location. We can plant them with herbs and flowers, some of which we can bring over from the beds in the children's playground area, and anything else you think would be good. Everything that grows will be for everyone to share. 

The other seven beds are for the refugees, as planned. I'm waiting to hear from Sarah at Salusbury World when the first of the refugees will be coming along to be introduced. Maggie

Hi Maggie,

I'd be happy to help as a garden buddy.

I'll also try to measure up this coming Sunday (weather permitting) so that i can start drawing up a plan of all of the beds.

Mark

Thanks to all who have volunteered be a garden buddy to a refugee allotment holder. You are collectively: Mark, Helen and Sally among our plot-holders; Helene who writes the Transition blog; and two other 'plotless friends' - Sarah and Elisabeth - who have been inspired by the project to offer to be buddies and also know enough about growing veggies to fit the bill. I

t would be great if the six of you could text your mobile numbers to me on 07986 599848. I will then pass on one number to each new potholder and also text you to tell you whom I am putting you in touch with. Thanks! Maggie

Hi Maggie. I have put some mint I dug up from my raised bed by the wooden fence at the back of the allotment in case you want it for the new bed outside the cafe. Thanks!

Hi!

I so enjoyed helping to make the new raised beds and look forward to being a garden buddy in the near future.

Blog post about the allotment extension for refugee plot holders coming soon!