Yule be welcome

Yule be sure to find a warm welcome at the Hut this Sunday, December 18th, between 9.30am and 12.30pm, when Eric will be throwing another log onto the fire, Pete will be roasting his chestnuts, and - if you're quick - festive pies, cakes and cuppas will be being passed around!

We will also have our usual range of gardening items to tempt you with, and some lovely potted hyacinths for those hard-to-buy-for maiden aunts. This year's number one item on Santa's list? (Hatchimals, apparently.) No, we don't have any of those, but you're not likely to disappoint your loved ones if you gift wrap a bag of pelleted chicken manure. A perfect investment for next year's Christmas sprouts.

Please join us if you can, for our last get together of 2016 - all are welcome. Failing that, near or far, we would all like to wish you a very Happy Christmas, and hope that the sun will shine warmly on all of your growing efforts in 2017.

Potato & Onion orders

It is still not too late to place orders and we currently have near 100% availability.

2017 Seed Potato & Onion Order Form

Autumn planted crops available this weekend

Autumn Planted Crops

We are now taking orders for the following quality Autumn planted crops, and bulbs, at 2013 prices!:-

"Senshyu" Japanese Onion Sets 500g (80-100 bulbs)£1.40
The original "Japanese overwintering onion". Semi-flat and yellow with brown skin which mature late June. Feed with "Nitro Chalk Onion" fertiliser.
"Blood Red" Japanese Onion sets 500g (80-100 bulbs)£1.80
A northern European variety produced to withstand harsh climates. Oval in shape, light red in colour, it has an excellent flavour and is a heavy cropper less prone to bolting.
"Thermidrome" Autumn planting Garlic 125g (3 Lge bulbs) £1.60
Commercially grown variety with soft neck producing large bulbs of good flavour.
"Douce Provence" peas 250g £1.50
A cross between Meteor and Kelevdon Wonder. Very early, round seeded excellent cropper. For sowing November - February
"Aquadulce" Broad Bean 250g £1.50
The standard overwintering variety. Good cold tolerance producing compact plants with high yields.
"White Tilney" Mustard (Green Manure) 250g £2.00
A quality quick growing Mustard variety which develops a high level of green matter. Sow Aug-Sept at 5g/sq metre.
"Forage" Rye (Green Manure) 250g £1.20
For sowing Aug-Nov at 9g/square metre for turning in Apr-May. Suited to most soil types particularly heavier soils.

Hagg Lane Allotment Site Plot Map

Tenants are kindly requested to ensure that their plot is numbered correctly.

Insect Netting (Enviromesh style) now in stock

Tapping the barometer...

.....but it looks like it is going to be a case of brollies and sou'westers.

Firstly, a massive thank you to all of the volunteers who contributed to our first plant sale weekend, just over a week ago.

Which brings us to this coming weekend!
Yes. The weather forecast is far from promising, but the plan is that it all happens all over again on Saturday and Sunday, May 21st and 22nd. The sales open at 9.30 am and finish at 2.30pm (unless we've been washed away!)

Thank you - further veg & bedding plants available this weekend

A big thank you to all of you that supported us at our recent large plant sale.

We have further bedding plants, dwarf french & climbing french beans, peas, runner beans, sweetcorn & courgettes available this weekend.

Stand by your seed trays - This weekend - Plant Sales

The weather is set fair(at the moment) and we are looking forward to the first of our annual plant sales this weekend, May 7th and 8th between 9.30am and 2.30pm. Many seedlings have been sown, pricked out and potted on and we will be selling a very large range of vegetable plants, fruit, herbs and flowers.

Insect netting (very similar to Enviromesh except in name!) £2.20 linear metre

Now in stock 2nd June 2016. 1.83m wide......

Free afternoon of music, arts and crafts

Plot44 in partnership with Drink Wise, Age Well invite you, your family, friends and your local communities to join us in a free afternoon of music, arts and crafts.
The event will take place on and around Plot44 on the Roscoe Plantation Allotment, off the Rivelin Valley Road. If you know where the iron chair is in the River Rivelin you will not be far from the activities.



https://www.facebook.com/events/1734961210118145/

Chrysanthemums

With the help of a local grower, we have obtained some superb specimens for growing on. These are available now, and we are selling these for only £1.50 or (4 for £5). There are many different varieties and colours to choose from.

Magnificent Seven Cycle Race

Congratulations to all the cyclists who made it up Back Lane last weekend, it's a steep one!!!!!!!

Feeling fruity?, spoke in the wheel......

Good news! We have a number of different fruit bushes which you can purchase from this weekend, March 12 -13.

Blackcurrants
Redcurrants
Blueberry (Early fruiting)
Blueberry (Late fruiting)
White currants
Blackberry (Thorned)
Gooseberry (Yellow)
Gooseberry (Green)
Raspberry (Autumn Fruiting)
Raspberry (Summer Fruiting)

Plus:-
Strawberries
Rhubarb

Speaking of which...
We have learnt that Sheffield's own Tour de France will be tackling seven hills on Sunday morning, and understand that Stephen Hill (between Rivelin Valley Road and Manchester Road) is likely to be closed between 9.50am and 10.15am so that the sweaty cyclists can make the ascent. We will be open for business as usual and are looking forward to cheering on the brave pedallers. If you fancy joining us at the roadside, make sure that you plan your arrival appropriately! The kettle will be on from 9.30!

Free Skip

We have organised a free skip which will be available to all members with plots on site from 10.00am on Saturday 19th March 2016. Given the size of skip it will once again be located next to the hut.

STRICTLY NO:-
Asbestos
Scrap metal (please leave outside the hut)
Gas bottles(return to shop)
Items from offsite
Wood or plant material (please burn)
Car batteries
Tyres

Thanks

Now open both Saturday and Sunday!

We are now open both Saturday and Sunday 9.30am to 12.30pm and still have a large availability of seed potatoes, onions, shallots & garlic on general sale.

Seed Potato Arrival

Our seed potatoes, onions, shallots & garlic have arrived safely and have all been weighed out. A big thank you to the 20 volunteers whose hard work made this possible. Tomorrow we hope to make up all orders ready for collection.

Weigh to go

The arrival of the icy blast inevitably coincides with the start of our new season, and the arrival of the seed potatoes this Friday - January 22nd. That's the plan, anyway. So, once again, this is a call to all members.

We expect to be unloading potatoes, onions and shallots from the lorry at about 9am, although we hope that, this year, this will be a simple pallet-shift, rather than the manhandling of individual sacks that many have enjoyed in the past. Then, weighing out will commence as soon as they hit the ground. Labels, bags and trays are ready, and we would like to invite you to come and join us:

•muscular types at about 9.00am ... just in case...
•anyone, at any time from 9.15am until 4.00pm - for as long a time (or as short) as you can manage.

Collection of potato orders
Orders will be ready on Sunday January 24th, between 9.30am and 1.30pm. If you are unable to collect yours next weekend, we will obviously look after it for you as best we can, but potatoes need to be chitted in cool, light conditions, and will fare much better under your own tender care, rather than being left to languish in the hut! Besides, we will also be restocked with tea, coffee and cake, and invite you to enjoy some refreshments with us if you can. If you have not placed an order, we would encourage you to visit on Sunday to buy as soon as possible. We still have plenty of potatoes left, but popular varieties like Charlotte and Desiree will sell out quickly.