30 July 2026 – WHGAA – Weekly Newsletter

Dear Member,

August is usually a more relaxed month on the allotment, filled with pleasurable hours of gathering harvest — the reward for all that early preparation work. This year, however, much more time has been taken up with watering due to the lack of rain. We are almost at the stage of knocking on neighbours’ doors to see if they would like any runner beans or courgettes! 😄

❄️ Freeze Your Veg

You can freeze almost any vegetable.

Best for freezing: broccoli, peas, carrots, sweetcorn (low‑water veg).
Blanch first: boil 1–5 minutes, then cool in ice water to preserve colour and nutrients.
Avoid freezing: lettuce, cucumber, radishes — they turn mushy.

Our freezer is full of runner beans, carrots, and broad beans well into the winter.

🧅 Onions – Drying & Stringing

Stringing onions is a great way to store them, keeping many bulbs in a small space.

Hang in a cool, dry, frost‑free place (shed, garage).
Dry thoroughly by laying them in the sun for a few days.
If it’s raining, use trays in a warm, dry place.
Choose only the best bulbs for storage.
Trim the roots — last year mine weren’t trimmed and some went rotten, likely due to moisture absorption.

🥔 Potatoes – Storing Correctly

Store potatoes in a cool (5–10°C), dark, dry place with good ventilation.

Do not wash before storing — just brush off loose soil.
Keep out of direct light to prevent greening.
Remove any soft or sprouting potatoes.
We sell paper potato sacks for just 85p.

🎃 Squash & Pumpkins

Store in a cool, dry, well‑ventilated space (10–15°C).

Keep in single layers so they don’t touch.
Store away from ripening fruit (apples, pears) to avoid ethylene‑gas spoilage.
Properly prepared, they can last 2–6 months.

🐛 Watch Out for Pests

Warm conditions encourage pests and diseases. Keep an eye out for:

🍅 Tomato blight (warm, humid weather)
🌱 Powdery mildew (squashes, courgettes)
🐜 Aphids (young shoots)
🕷️ Red spider mite (greenhouses)
🦋 Cabbage white caterpillars (brassicas)

Regular inspection helps catch problems early.

🌱 Time to Start Again

August is the month to sow Senshyu onion seeds for a crop next June.

Sprinkle a few seeds into a pot.
Pot on individually once large enough.
Look after them until February/March.
Plant out in March/April for a July harvest.

🏡 Coming Up at The Hut

🌷 Spring‑flowering bulbs arriving late August
🎁 Amaryllis & Hyacinths for Christmas
🏆 Garden & Allotment Produce Show – Saturday 5th September
🧄 Autumn onion & shallot sets, plus garlic arriving late September

🌐 WHGAA Website

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There is now much more information online, including details of the Garden and Allotment Produce Show.