🌤️ Easter on the Allotment

For me, Easter marks the real start of the growing season.

With longer days and (hopefully) warmer weather, it’s all systems go.

This week I’ll be:

• Planting all my seed potatoes
• Sowing parsnips, beetroot, carrots and more
• Watching the peas I sowed earlier begin to show
• Making space for the onion seedlings sown in December, ready to mature from July

This weekend also brings the first sweet and chilli plants for sale (details below), and as always, The Hut will be open as normal.

🪴 Compost Update

We’ve been advised that Erin Multi‑Purpose will no longer be available.

Once current stock is gone, it will be replaced with Clover MP.

This weekend:

• ❌ No Thatchers 60L bags
• ✔️ Thatchers 40L bags still available

⏰ Hut Opening Hours – Easter Weekend

Saturday 4th April: 10am – 12 noon

Sunday 5th April: 10am – 12 noon

🌶️ Plants for Sale This Weekend

Space in the greenhouse is tight this year, so to make room I’ll be bringing the following plants to The Hut.

All plants are 75p each, with 25p donated to Willen Hospice.

Available This Weekend

🫑 Sweet Peppers

• Beauty Bell (16)
• Fiesta (16)
• Mixed (16)
• Marmara (17)

🌶️ Chilli Peppers

• Fiery Tongues (14)
• Gourmet Jalapeño (21)

🍆 Aubergine

• Black Beauty (15)

🍅 Tomatoes

• A few may be available (to be confirmed)

🪲 Allium Leaf Miner – Reminder

First mentioned on 20th February, but worth repeating.

This pest affects:

• Onions
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Shallots

Signs to watch for:

• Cream‑coloured maggots inside leaves
• Small holes on foliage
• Fungal infections and later rotting

Prevention:

• Cover crops with fleece
• Practice crop rotation
• Monitor for adult flies on plants

🌞 Under Cover – Greenhouse Shading

Warmer days are coming, so consider your shading options:

• Liquid shading – £7.80 (paint onto the outside of the greenhouse)
• Shading net – £2.67 per metre

Both available from The Hut.

🥔 Seed Potatoes

• Second earlies: Plant over the next two weeks
• Main crop: End of the month
• I personally plant mine now, and it works well

🎟️ Members Prize Draw

The prize draw has now finished, but 13 vouchers remain unclaimed.

They can be claimed and used this weekend only.

Not valid after 5th April.

🏆 Competitions Update

With just two weeks until our 50th anniversary, time is running out to enter:

• 🗺️ Treasure Hunt
• 🍰 Guess the Weight of the Cake
• 🫘 Guess the Beans in the Jar

All winners announced Sunday 12th April.

All entry fees go to Willen Hospice — please join in the fun.

🎉 50th Anniversary Celebrations

We hope you’ll join us during the weekend of 11th & 12th April.

Saturday 11th April

🕙 10am – 12 noon

⭐ 5% discount on all purchases

Sunday 12th April

🕙 10am – 2pm

⭐ 10% discount on all purchases

🥨 Nibbles available

🏆 Competition results announced

🎖️ Mayor attending around midday

💙 Willen Hospice representative present to receive the donation total

Please come along and celebrate with us.

❌ No April 10% Offer

Due to the anniversary weekend, there is no monthly 10% offer for April.

Happy Gardening,

Mick Goodman

Membership Secretary