🍂 October on the Allotment

Dear Member,

October is a vital transition month on the allotment, focused on harvesting final summer crops, clearing spent plants, and preparing your soil for winter. 🥕🍅

Gather any remaining runner beans, squashes and pumpkins before hard frosts arrive. ❄️ “Cure” pumpkins and squashes by leaving them in the sun or a dry, airy spot to harden their skins for storage. 🎃

🌱 Improve Your Soil

Spread a 5cm layer of well-rotted manure over empty beds, allowing worms to naturally work it into the ground over winter. Alternatively, sow a green manure crop on bare patches. 🌿

♻️ Tidy the Compost Heap

Add healthy green waste and fallen autumn leaves to your compost area. 🍁

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🥬 Jobs for October: Vegetables

✅ Keep checking any tomatoes you have put aside to ripen on a windowsill or in the greenhouse. 🍅

✅ Most leeks will stand into winter, but any early sowings can be harvested now. 🧄

✅ Dig up your maincrop potatoes if you have not already done so. 🥔

✅ Pick and clear any remaining peas and runner beans. Continue harvesting:

• Chard 🌿
• Spinach 🥬
• Carrots 🥕
• Celeriac 🌰
• Lettuce 🥗
• Oriental vegetables 🥬

✅ I planted Florence fennel in July as an experiment. If you sowed yours earlier, lift and store any bulbs before they are damaged by frost. ❄️

✅ Towards the end of the month, sow winter lettuce and a couple of short rows of hardy peas and broad beans for an early crop next spring. 🌱

✅ Plant out spring cabbage and overwintering onions and garlic. It is also an excellent time to plant rhubarb crowns. 🧄🧅

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🏡 Jobs for October: In the Greenhouse

✅ I have just cleared my greenhouse of all plants and given it a thorough clean. 🧽

✅ I will be insulating it with bubble wrap to protect tender plants stored over winter. If you prefer not to do this, several layers of newspaper provide an effective alternative when frost is forecast. 📰❄️

✅ Wrapping plant pots in bubble wrap also helps insulate their roots. 🪴

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🌸 Jobs for October: Flowers

✅ Remove pot saucers and raise pots onto feet to prevent waterlogging over winter. 🌧️

✅ Empty spent summer pots and hanging baskets and add the contents to your compost heap. ♻️

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🧅 Check Your Onion & Shallot Sets

If you have recently bought onion or shallot sets and do not intend to plant them yet, remove them from the mesh bags immediately.

⚠️ Never leave them bundled together as they can trap moisture and rot.

✅ Store them in a cool, dry and well-ventilated area until needed.

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🧄 Garlic Cloves

For anyone new to allotments, a garlic bulb consists of around 8 to 12 individual cloves.

👉 Each clove should be planted separately.

I know this sounds obvious, but I once knew a chap who planted the whole bulb! 😄 We had to dig it up and replant all the cloves individually.

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🎉 WHGAA AGM

🏆 The Association’s 50th Annual General Meeting will take place at:

📍 River Valley Centre
White Horse Drive
Emerson Valley
MK4 2AS

📅 Friday 2 October

🚪 Doors open: 7:15pm
⏰ Meeting starts: 7:30pm

☕ Refreshments will be available, and we hope to see you there.

💙 We will also be presenting the final cheque to Willen Hospice, who will give a short presentation about their valuable work after the meeting.

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🌐 Check Our Website

Our website is constantly being updated, and a recent addition is the photographs from the Produce & Allotment Show. 📸

Whilst we had more entries this year, we would still love to see even more members entering their produce in 2027. 🏆

We often hear members say that their produce was better than what was on display… but they still do not enter! 😊

👉 Remember, the show is organised exclusively for fully paid-up members and is not open to non-members.

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🐦 Special Offer: October to December

🎁 10% Off

All bird feeders and bird food.

🐦🌻 Take advantage of the offer while stocks last!

🌻 Happy Gardening!

Mick Goodman
Membership Secretary

Dear Member,

🌱 The growing season picks up this month

You can plant your onion and shallot sets, as well as any garlic you may have recently purchased. If you have not bought them yet, we still have a range available from The Hut. If you are not prepared for planting yet, you can still do so until the middle of November.

💡 A quick note about gardening advice

I keep being asked various questions testing my knowledge of growing techniques, which I assume is because of my weekly email to members. I must point out that whilst I have been growing vegetables for a very long time, I am not an expert. I do my best to pass on correct information from articles I see in books, on the internet, and in magazines. We all have different ideas about what to do on our plots and in the garden, and my suggestions should only be used as a guide.

🫘 Broad Beans

You can sow your broad beans between October and November for an early crop around February. I tend to grow them in pots to ensure they germinate, but you can also sow directly into the ground.

☀️ Choose a warm, sunny, sheltered growing site with well-drained soil. Weed the area thoroughly, then fork in plenty of well-rotted manure. Sow the seeds, with the scar facing downwards, 2-3 inches deep and in rows 6-9 inches apart.

📅 Alternatively, you can wait until February to sow them for a harvest around the end of June.

🌸 Sweet Peas

Sow in September or October and overwinter plants in a frost-free, cool place for very early flowers. When seedlings reach 10-15cm tall, pinch out the growing tip just above a leaf joint to encourage a bushier plant with more flowers.

🌼 You can also sow between January and April for blooms in the same year.

🟢 Peas

Some members like to grow peas over the winter.

✅ Meteor: A very frost-hardy, short dwarf variety (growing up to 45cm) that resists winter weather and spring storms.

✅ Douce Provence: A dwarf variety growing to about 75cm with sweet, succulent pods.

🛒 Special Orders

If you ever want 230L water butts (or other sizes), garden forks, spades, wheelbarrows, or any other gardening-related item, please contact Martyn at:

📧 mrobinson654@btinternet.com

He will provide details of what is available and the current prices. This is a new service we are offering and is strictly on a payment-in-advance basis.

💧 Drought-Tolerant Flowers and Vegetables

With the likelihood of another dry summer in 2027, I have been investigating which flowers and vegetables are drought tolerant.

⚠️ However, drought tolerant does not mean no water. Seeds and young plants need consistent moisture whilst establishing. Mature plants generally cope much better with short dry spells.

🌻 I will be suggesting various options during the coming weeks.

🏆 WHGAA AGM

The Association’s 50th Annual General Meeting will take place at the River Valley Centre, White Horse Drive, Emerson Valley, MK4 2AS on Friday 2nd October.

📅  Friday 2nd October – put a note in your diary!

🚪 Doors open at 7:15pm and the meeting starts at 7:30pm.

💙 We will be presenting the final cheque to Willen Hospice, who will also give a short presentation after the meeting about their work.

❤️ Chosen Charity 2027

First, a big thank you to everyone who has donated to Willen Hospice during the last year.

🎉 Around £1,300 has been raised, mainly from the raised beds available in January and from the sale of vegetable plants in April. We also added to the fund during our 50th Anniversary Celebrations, and through many members who rounded up their purchases at The Hut.

🎗️ From 1st October 2026, we have decided to support a new charity: Prostate Cancer UK

🙏 We hope you will continue to make small donations by rounding up your purchases whenever you visit The Hut.

🎁 10% Offer for September

Save 10% on selected Westland’s Bonsai, Rose, Citrus and Houseplant Composts.

🌿 Happy Gardening

Mick Goodman
Membership Secretary

Dear Member,

🍂 Autumn Planting Arrivals

This weekend sees the arrival of the Autumn planting onions, shallot sets, and garlic 🧅🧄 — and as always, we expect a rush. It’s difficult to judge quantities when ordering, so if you want a particular variety, it’s best to get to The Hut sooner rather than later.

🕤 Open 9:30am on Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th September.

🌱 On Sale This Weekend

Onion Sets: Senshyu, Yellow Winter, Autumn Champion, Snowball, Red Winter

Shallot Sets: Golden Gourmet, Yellow Moon, Red Sun

Garlic: Germidor, Vigor

🐘 Elephant garlic will arrive in early October.

🧺 Harvesting & Sharing Surplus

With Autumn approaching, ensure any crops still growing are harvested and stored. News reports suggest farmers are struggling with many crops, leading to higher costs or shortages. If you can’t use all your produce, don’t compost it — a neighbour may appreciate any surplus 🌽🥕.

🎃 Squashes & Pumpkins

Squashes and pumpkins are usually harvested in late September or October before any hard frost ❄️. They can be left a little longer unless they’ve reached the size you want.

🪣 Preparing Pots for Next Year

If you’re storing pots for next year, clean them thoroughly first:

• 🧹 Remove debris: Shake out old compost and brush away loose dirt.
• 🫧 Scrub: Wash in warm, soapy water to remove residue.
• 💧 Rinse: Ensure they’re fully clean and ready for use next season.

🌞 Drought Planning

With the lack of rain and hot sunny days, you may be considering ways to reduce watering next year. If digging heavy clay soil is becoming difficult, a no‑dig area might be worth exploring.

🐛 Leek Moth Alert

The second generation of leek moth larvae hatch between August and October. Creamy caterpillars with brown heads feed on foliage and bore into stems. They pupate in silky cocoons.

🕸️ Best protection: Grow leeks under fine netting.

🥔 Potatoes

If you haven’t already, dig up main crop potatoes. Leaving them too long after die‑back risks rot and pest damage.

🍅 In the Greenhouse

Tomatoes are still growing, and perhaps melons too. With shorter days:

• 🌤️ Reduce shading to increase light.
• 🍃 Remove foliage resting on soil or yellowing at the base.
• 🔆 Thin dense leaves blocking light from fruit trusses.
• ⚠️ Don’t remove more than 20–30% of foliage at once.

🌸 Kings Seeds Update

The Kings Seeds display has been low recently, but new 2027 stock has now arrived. We now have 25 varieties of sweet peas — perfect for Autumn sowing — plus a few new vegetable additions 🌱.

🌼 Spring Flowering Bulbs

Demand for Amaryllis seems low this year. These lovely Christmas‑flowering bulbs take 6–8 weeks to grow. Although the range has expanded, they remain slow sellers and difficult to stock at cost. It may be time to reduce or stop stocking them.

📅 WHGAA – AGM

📍 River Valley Centre, White Horse Drive, Emerson Valley MK4 2AS

🗓️ Friday 2nd October

A representative from Willen Hospice will give a short talk, and we will present a cheque for donations made since April. Any donations made by the end of September will be included 💙.

From 3rd October, donations will support Prostate Cancer UK.

🛍️ September Offers

🎉 10% off Westlands bonsai, rose, citrus and houseplant composts.

🌱 Bulb fibre also available.

Happy Gardening 🌿

Mick Goodman

Membership Secretary

Dear Member,

🥕 Harvest Time

As we move towards autumn, many crops will need harvesting.

• Parsnips, Swede & Leeks — Can stay in the ground into winter.
• Carrots — Fine until Christmas; or store in moist sand in a dark, frost‑free place.
• Potatoes — Store in potato sacks in a dark, frost‑free area.
• ❄️ Freezing — If you have space, many crops freeze well for long‑term storage.

🧅 Can I Replant Small Onions?

A member asked whether small onions grown this year can be replanted.

Replanting is possible, but they will likely bolt and produce flowers rather than forming large bulbs.

Use small onions as green onions, or add them to soups and stews.

🌱 Sow Now – Last Chance for Winter Salads

Grow plants large enough to withstand cold weather.

Available from The Hut:

• 🥬 Lettuce All Year Round
• 🥬 Lettuce Arctic King

❌ Winter Density is unavailable this year due to seed failure.

🫘 Save Runner Bean Seeds for Next Year

• Leave a few pods on the plant until dry and brittle.
• Dry seeds further indoors on trays, warm and out of direct sunlight.
• Press each bean with your thumb — if it leaves an impression, they need more drying.
• Store in paper bags for next year.

🌼 Get Ready for Autumn Planting

With onion and shallot sets (and garlic) going on sale around 18 September, start clearing space now.

You may also want to:

• Start broad beans or peas
• Sow sweet peas — a good variety is available at The Hut

🍈 Are the Melons Ready Yet?

Many members have asked!

Mick grew Ogen this year — ripe when the skin turns green → orange.

If you bought Emir or Malaga plants from The Hut, check below:

🍈 Emir

• Sweet aroma
• Melon detaches easily with a gentle pull
• Skin colour changing
• Tiny cracks around stem

🍈 Malaga

• Sweet aroma
• Rind changing from dark green to slight yellow/cream
• Tiny stem cracks
• Tendrils nearest the fruit turning brown and dried

If so, they may be ready!

🌽 Sweetcorn

Ready to harvest this month – that’s if the squirrels haven’t beaten you to them!!

Pinch a kernel — if pale milky sap appears, it’s time to pick.

🍓 Future Planning – Strawberry Runners

Strawberry runners are long stems that produce small plantlets.

Pin the nodes into soil or pots to grow free new plants.

🌞 Greenhouse Shading

Unless we get more hot sunny days (who knows!), it may be time to remove shading to allow more light into the greenhouse.

🌷 Spring Flowering Bulbs

Time to get:

• Amaryllis
• Hyacinths
• Daffodils
• Narcissus
• Tulips

…and a few others.

All available now from The Hut.

🌐 WHGAA Website

Our website (www,whgaa.org) is constantly updated — well worth a look.

The newest addition is the Plot to Plate recipe page.

Members are invited to share their favourite recipes — only a couple have been received so far.

📧 You must have a recipe you want to share! Send them to me and I will get them included on the web site.

📣 WHGAA AGM – 50th Anniversary

📍 River Valley Centre, White Horse Drive, Emerson Valley MK4 2AS

📅 Friday 2nd October

Please add it to your diary.

🛍️ September Offer

• 10% off Westlands bonsai, rose, citrus, and houseplant composts.

🌼 Happy Gardening

Mick Goodman

Membership Secretary

Dear Member,

🌞 Late‑Season Growing

Normally in September we begin clearing plots, but with the warm weather things are different this year. It’s worth leaving produce growing a little longer to squeeze out a few more vegetables for the table (or freezer).

🥔 Potatoes should not be left in the ground much longer — they will get eaten and won’t store well over winter.

🧅 Prepare for Autumn Planting

Your soil may be very hard, making digging difficult, but do try to prepare an area for your onion sets, shallots, and garlic.

These are generally planted in October / November so they can establish before winter.

🏆 WHGAA Garden & Allotment Produce Show

It’s time to get your produce ready — onions, brassicas, flowers… take a look around and decide what you’ll be entering.

📍 Caroline Haslett Primary School, Faraday Drive, Shenley Lodge, MK5 7DF

📅 This Saturday, 5th September

🕤 Entries accepted: 9:30–12 noon (doors close for judging)

🕑 Viewing: From 2pm — members, entrants, and friends welcome

🏅 Prizegiving: 2:30pm by Kevin Whately

🔨 Auction: Donated produce auctioned afterwards, with all proceeds going to charity

🌿 On the Plot

• 🎃 Pumpkins & Squash — Cut back leaves shading fruits so the sun can ripen skins for winter storage. Pick before frosts.
• 🌿 Herbs — Pot up chives, mint, and parsley for a sunny windowsill through winter.
• 🧹 Paths & Borders — Weeding and edging now saves heavy work later in the wet season.
• 🌻 Sunflowers — Leave seed heads for birds.

🌱 Still Time to Sow

• 🥬 Spinach — Thrives in cool autumn soil.
• 🫘 Broad Beans — Autumn sowing gives strong roots and earlier spring harvests. Mick pots them first to establish before planting out.

🌼 Plant Spring Bulbs

Get daffodils, crocus, and hyacinths in the ground now.

🌷 Tulips — Hold until November.

All available from The Hut.

🎄 Get Ready for a Christmas Display

Time to plant Amaryllis and Hyacinths for Christmas flowering.

• 🌺 Amaryllis: 6–10 weeks
• 🌸 Hyacinths: 11–14 weeks (require a spell in the dark)

A good range is available at The Hut — grab them while stocks last.

🐌 Slug Control

Warm weather may have caused complaints, but one thing stands out: NO SLUGS.

Sales of slug pellets at The Hut are well down compared to previous years.

📋 Planning Ahead

• 🌾 Collect Seeds — Save from your best plants, dry, label, and store.
• 🔄 Plan Crop Rotation — Helps reduce soil‑borne disease and balance nutrients.
• 🛠️ Tools — Clean and sharpen ready for next year.

🌷 Spring Flowering Bulbs – Now in The Hut

• Amaryllis – £7.25 (or any two for £13.50)
• Hyacinths – £4.25 per pack (or any two for £7.50)
• Tulips – £4.40 per pack (or any two for £8)
• Narcissi – £3.75 per pack (or any two for £6.50)

Plus Alliums, Crocus, and Fritillaria.

📣 WHGAA AGM – 50th Anniversary

📍 River Valley Centre, White Horse Drive, Emerson Valley MK4 2AS

📅 Friday 2nd October

Please add it to your diary.

🛍️ September Offers

• 10% off Westlands bonsai, rose, citrus, and houseplant composts
• 50% discount continues for selected August sale items

🌼 Happy Gardening

Mick Goodman

Membership Secretary