Planted the runner beans this morning. I gave them loads of water but they still look sick. If you could give them a little bit more, would be great ...

I left a bucket with Sam in the cafe for the staff to collect coffee grounds in. Can one of you pick it up this afternoon? If you don't want the grounds on the plants, they are a great compost activator.

Have a lovely afternoon gardening. I know there's loads to do but would be good to dig out the horseradish growing back along the edge of the triangle bed. It can be done with a small fork or trowel at this point but in a couple more weeks it will start to get huge and be a bit of a nightmare. Cheers, Maggie

Sorry Nilufa, Went very early to water beans before it got hot and only got your email later. Hope to see you soon. Maggie

Went Saturday and was lovely and hot. Few little ones passed by and had impromptu gardening lessons as dis their parents. Gave out some seeds and planted some bits and pieces. Did lots of watering!

Well done everyone for watering, please keep up the good work!

I also passed by Sunday and did a little watering, it would be great if we could do a little every day with this heat?

V sorry bit late but I won't be going down today anyone welcome just ask park keeper to let u in to she'd have lovely weekend x

Maggie could you make it this Saturday, I'm supposed to be doing a garage sale!

Bit of gardening / ice cream eating at the park? We're heading down soon, maybe see you there?

Lovely day today in park, looking great lots growing. We did loads of weeding and planted a bit.

Next sunday is Queens Park Residents Association Open Gardens day
http://www.qpark.org.uk/open-gardens/

The allotment is part of this this year so I will be there from 1130-6pm.
Any volunteers to give me relief for an hour or so at any times during the day please?

Would just involve showing people the plot and telling them what we do.

Also need some leaflets, I have a few.
Also any unwanted seedlings / seeds we could give away.

How does tomorrow at 3pm sound for people? Steve are you still going to Jester Festival and get some seedlings for tomorrow? Might make it myself today to Jester Festival with kids...

This Saturday At 2pm? Weather looks OK

Need to get planting and fill up those empty spaces!

Anyone have seedlings to put in?

No seedlings, unfortunately. I planted some seeds last Sunday but there isn't any seedling yet.

By the way, I've noted that there is no mention about the allotment on the page dedicated to Queen's park on the City of London website. Wouldn't it be good to sk them whether they can mention our allotment? What other members think about this?

Miko probably can't make tomorrow (Sat 4th Aug) but I will be there in his place. If you have any seedlings looking for a home, bring them along ...

Hope to see you between 2.00 and 3.00.

Maggie

Lovely day on Sunday, got lots done with little helpers helping and big planters planting.  Very nice picnic and all round good fun!

Queens Park day this weekend...

Weather looking good this Saturday, shall we meet at 1130 for some general tidying up? I also want to harvest some Kale to make Kale chips, yum!

Meet this sunday at 10am if weather permits?

good news!

"A message from Leo Johnson to all members of Queens Park Allotment on Transition Kensal to Kilburn!

Hello all, was involved with my kids in digging and laying the brick spiral for the allotment, would love to do more. Please do let me know when there is next a chance, all best, Leo"

brilliant - hopefully see you Sunday 16th - I'll be there from 10-12, maybe later. more work on getting produce for the cafe and also the new community vegbox www.fieldtoforkorganics.coop and just general planting and flower gazing :)

Hiya,

short notice but... anyone able to go to allotment Tuesday morning to talk to Richard Gentry (queens park manager) and the Green Flag Award judges?

Hi richard, I have been involved and met you once in the allotment, I am still interested and would like to come and help if you meet before xmas...

nilufer

I can come to a maintenance session too! Michael

Richard,

I too can can help, will you be in the park next Wednesday or Thursday afternoon, I could pop in and talk to you re the allotment. 

Ian Kriss.

I can come to a QP allotment tidy up weekends of 7th and 14th at present though that will change nearer the time. Mornings usually better than afternoons.

Michael

Hi there, I can come and help on the 7th Saturday morning if few people can come after 10am, as it needs a lot of tidying up...nilufer

Hi Nilufer - can you do Sunday 8th in the morning?  Quite a few can't do Saturday 7th because its the Salusbury Primary School fair... So we are looking at either Sunday 8th or Saturday 14th?  I'd prefer to do this Sunday if people can make it as its sooner! George

Ok, I think sunday is good too...just let me know what time pls...

Great - lets go for 1030am meet up at the Queens Park Allotment site this coming Sunday 8th December.  All welcome to come along and help dig over/tidy up the site ahead of winter, and chat about how we should run this site for everyone next year.  Look forward to seeing you. George

see you all tomorrow morning ....nilufer

Really sorry, folks, but I've come down with a very unpleasant cold and cough. Have left it to the last minute, hoping to feel better, but I'm not going to be well enough to come tomorrow morning. I guess someone will post the future plans here once you've had a discussion. I remain willing to take responsibility for one of the raised beds if it's helpful (and also to clear it for winter once I'm well again.) Hope you have a good session in the morning. At least the weather forecast is OK. Maggie

Good to see everyone at the QP Allotment on Sunday. Thanks to all the helpers of all ages I think we managed to make quite an impression on the space in a short period of time.  And I went home with some potatoes, carrots and beetroot!  Ian may well have another go later this week, and we talked about getting some more bark to cover the paths.  And I liked the idea of planting out some garlic over the winter to cleanse the soil.

Hi to all and good to see you on Saturday.

I've been up to the allotment today and numbered the beds as I said I would try to do. I have also begun to cover one of the beds with cardboard. If anyone wants to plant it before the spring, please feel free to move the cardboard. If not, then it's good to leave it there until planting time so that no weeds can grow.

My suggestion was that everyone who plants something should post on the comment wall what they have planted and - very important - which number bed they have planted it in and in which part of the bed if it's not easily clear. It seems we can't all necessarily get to the allotment at the same time and it would be such a shame if one of us inadvertently disturbed something another of us has planted. Are we all agreed that we will check the website before we plant anything and post on the website immediately we have planted anything new?  All best, Maggie

That sounds like a good idea Maggie - probably worth marking what has been planted too as far as possible in case it isn't obvious from the discussion.  I think we packed some wooden stakes with the equipment last saturday, and we could easily get or make some more?  One idea that might make it easier to track is to have a separate discussion forum for each of the beds in the forums page on this group  section?

hi, I have planted some garlic on number 1 bed which I labeled with a stick on the side last week, will do some more next week if the weather permits..Nilufer

Hi everyone,

I have just been given 5 bales of straw and can drop a couple over to the Queens Park Allotment this week.

Ian.

Hi Caroline James! Would you like to look at the numbered beds and allocate one to yourself? (See also my previous comment, which you can find by scrolling down.) By doing so you will take responsibility for planting that small patch and weeding and watering it throughout the growing season, or arranging for someone else to do it.  I'm available to give support and advice if needed. We're also hoping to have a monthly session when we all try to get together at the allotment. At the moment, there's no-one available to 'lead' or organise a weekly session, so this looser arrangement seems like the way forward.  The rectangular beds are spoken for - Nilufer and I have started planting - but all the triangular segments in the bed next to the cafe outdoor seating area are free, so the thing to do is to take you pick and note your intentions (and later what you plant) on the website.  Great that you want to be involved! 

Anyone else?

Cheers, Maggie

Hi Ian, 

Straw for mulching rows of veg and maybe strawberries if anyone feels like planting them would be great. Can you leave it next to the compost bins? Might you also take on a bed yourself?  Maggie

I have done some more covering with cardboard at the allotment, to keep down the weeds until it's time to plant out some later crops in April and May. I've also planted spring onions in bed 3. It may be a bit too early but we shall see...   The rectangular beds are now planned and spoken for but all the beds that make up the triangle bed are free and most of them are cleared and ready to go. Any more takers?  Maggie

Hi Jenna,

Yes, there is space. Would you like to meet in Queens Park on Sunday to have a chat and allocate a space? I have suggested either 11.30 or 3.30 to someone else - Caroline James - and am waiting to hear back from her. Would either or both of those times work for you? Maggie

Hi Jenna,

Caroline is coming at 10.30 tomorrow, Sunday. Can you make that too? it would be good if we could all chat together.

Also anyone else in the group ... maybe you don't want to take on a mini-plot but you'd like to be involved from time to time in the monthly 'working together' mornings? If so, why not come tomorrow morning and meet the newcomers? It's going to be a nice sunny day! Nilufer, it would be good to see you as well and hear your plans for your miniplot.

Maggie

Hi Kate,

Would you like to have a mini-plot set aside, if there is one available (I think there'll will be) or would you rather just help at the monthly 'gardening together' events. I think these will be on the last Saturday of the month, with the option of the last Sunday instead if the weather forecast is bad. Cheers, Maggie

Meeting at QP allotment, next to the cafe, at 10.30 tomorrow. I will be there as will new members Caroline and Jenna. Whether you would like a mini-plot, want to join in the monthly 'gardening together' gatherings or just want to find out what's going on, please come along and meet us there.  Cheers, Maggie

hi maggie,

i would love a miniplot please?

Hi everyone,

I went to the park this morning around 11.15 with the straw bales and put one on bed 9 which I am happy to plant if no one else needs it.

Also, what are we doing with the long bed by the cafe wall and does anyone know if there is still a Horseradish root problem and if so where?

Thanks,

Ian

Hi Ian, 

What a shame you weren't at the park a bit earlier this morning. It would have been great to meet you. A whole group of us were there from 10.30 to 11.30. You must have just missed us... We were me (Maggie), Nilufer and four newcomers, all of whom have taken a miniplot. Somebody called Kate also posted to say she couldn't come today but would really like a plot and we have allocated plot 9 to her, so I'm afraid it's no longer available. (I'll post a full list of who is gardening where tomorrow.) Would you like to take on the long bed by the cafe wall? I don't think there's a horseradish problem anymore. I will ask Richard Gentry if he can organise to get the retaining wall repaired, as I don't think that's a job we can do. More tomorrow...  Maggie

Maggie,  

I have asked the Park Supervisor to carry out a repair to the retaining wall this week.

I am back in the Park on Wednesday, I will report back then.

Regards,

Richard

Thank you to Richard for his rapid response re the retaining wall problem. We also noticed that the big tools that were in the tennis shed - garden forks, garden spades - have disappeared. Perhaps they have been taken back to the yard, on the basis that they were not being used? Would it be possible to have them back again, especially the two forks, as people will want to dig over their plots as soon as the ground has dried out a little?

There is a good energy around the community allotment this year, with some new people bringing new ideas and enthusiasm.  

The structure is now a leaderless, 'cluster' structure. Each of us is responsible for our own mini-plot - planting, weeding, watering - and for organising for someone else to take care of the plot when we are on holiday or not able to tend it ourselves for any reason.

As well as taking care of our own plots in our own time, we will try to get together on the last Sunday morning of each month, to share seeds, information and experience and work together on the unallocated communal areas.

These are the plot allocations made yesterday.

1 and 2 - Nilufer and Irem

3 and 4 - Maggie with help from Martin and Fiona

7 - Julienne

8 - Caroline

9 - Kate

10 and 11 (small, hence two) - Jenna

14 - Fausto and Claire

Ian (Kriss) may take on the long bed next door to the cafe outdoor eating area. (Have you decided about this, Ian?)

The remaining miniplots seem to have herbs and flowers in them but could be cleared if the demand is there. We will see in the summer what is actually growing in them and whether it is worth keeping ... 

Since we will not meet often as a group, the real group identity resides in the website, so please start posting your own comments! For example, what was it like to come up to the allotment yesterday? What are your hopes for the growing season? How do you feel about being involved?

Here's to a good growing season!  Maggie

Maggie,

I have asked the question about the tools.