Community Garden Update September 2022
Since last writing, there has been wonderful, life-giving rain! Browns have become green, new shoots have appeared, and the rural landscape has been visibly refreshed. The Community Garden has been completely rejuvenated – both physically, and mentally for all those working there. Late August and early September is a fantastic time to be a gardener – cooler conditions make physical working a pleasure, some moisture in the soil makes cultivation inviting, and yet things are still growing and are yet to take on the ragged, haggard appearance that comes with the end of the growing season.
We have had lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, raspberries, blackberries, beetroots, courgettes, beans and cut flowers – if you want to eat the rainbow from your backyard, now is the moment! I have particularly noticed the difference in flavour between our tomatoes and cues, and those bought in a supermarket – they really are superior, and significantly fresher.
On 11 Sept, we held an Apple Festival, very kindly hosted by the Boda family, in their orchard. It was terrific fun, and really well attended. Music from ‘Blue in Green’ really made for a convivial atmosphere, and the stalls couldn’t have been better; Sue and Sarah from the local Beekeeping association, Anne and Roger Dudley offering a huge range of apple tasting , Cass from Mission EmployAble , Helena from Herts Waste Aware, Annie on a food and produce stall, Mel and family on childrens’ craft and treasure hunt, Sarah and Rachel on the Teas, and Rob Garvey manning the apple presses.
Enormous thanks to all who contributed to a fantastic afternoon. By the way, if you enjoyed the music, ‘Blue in Green’ are playing in a church in Bradenham on 1st Oct at 7.30 – I’ll be going and have 2 spaces for passengers if anyone else would like to join us.. (ticket price is a donation).
The season for making leaf mould is here – please do get in touch if you have spare deciduous leaves that we could use – collection is possible over the next few months. The garden is able to be so incredibly productive on an organic system, only with the input of masses of organic matter (mainly leaf mould and compost) – every leaf counts!
The garden will stop producing at the end of September – we could limp on for a little longer, but everyone is tired (we’ve picked for 6 days out of 7 every week since 1st April), and its best to go out on a high! We’ll keep on cultivating through the autumn – it’s a great time to plant new perennials and hardy annuals so they can establish a good strong root system while there is little to no top growth, and it’s a time when we can get the awkward structural jobs done, not to mention hacking back the inevitable brambles (yes, we’ve still got plenty!). We were lucky enough to receive a grant from the Sustainable Hertfordshire fund, plus some crowdfunding for a new shed, so that is the next big project, along with an additional rainwater tank – gulp – it will be great once it’s done!
As ever, please get in touch if you’d like to know more, or to get involved. Floragarveygardening@icloud.com, Alanmilsom456@btinternet.com or Sarratt community garden on Facebook or instagram.
Also on Dec 3rd we will be at the Friends of Holy Cross Christmas Fair at Micklefield Hall – hope to see you there!