News from 'The Garden'

Strawberries are ripening under the nets safe from the birds. Next year the strawberry bed will be moved and the two year-old plants will be replaced with new runners that have been growing on. Raspberries have been netted. They should be ready in July or August, but it looks like they’re coming early because of the warm spring. These are summer-fruiting raspberries, so the new canes for next year, are being tied in now and he old canes will be cut out when they have fruited. It’s been a really good year for rhubarb. There have been two pickings per week. This is the plants’ second year and so the first year of cropping. It’s best to leave unpicked in the first year to allow the root system to build up. Ground at the back of the field is being cleared for four new fruit trees. Sweet peas have been picked for quite a few weeks now. A great harvest of lettuce and carrot thinnings have supplied the Larder. Germinating the carrot seed in sand drills has proved to be highly effective.

Thanks to everyone who contributed their green tokens to the Community Garden collection at Tescos, enough money was raised to buy a polytunnel which will be installed in the autumn. This should greatly extend the growing season.

The Garden is open for anyone to help with the work or just for contemplation and chat most Sundays and Thursdays 2.30pm - 4.30pm. Check the church website for any changes to times.