September 2008

In this issue: Notice of Annual General Meeting, Elections, Open Day, access plots, trees, and more...

Annual General Meeting

The AGM will be held on Thursday 27th November 2008 at 7.30pm in the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, Balcarres Avenue, G12 (junction with Winton Drive). Please will all plot holders attend this meeting, and pay their dues at the same time. GCC have not yet set the rents for 2009, but you can assume they will be slightly more than what you paid this year. Details will be with the missives next month.
Dues will be accepted from 7.00pm.

Elections to Committee

Officers: The President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary complete their term of office. The President, Treasurer and Secretary have served the Association in these posts for at least six successive years, and believe it is time that other members shared in some of these responsibilities. To ease the succession to a new executive group, they are prepared, if the members wish it, to serve a further (maximum three years) term, during which time they will actively encourage other members to take on some of these roles.

Ordinary members: Committee members are elected annually, and present members are eligible to stand for re-election.

KAA can only function if enough people are willing to serve on the committee, so the Association encourages members to put themselves forward for election, including the Executive posts, as this widens the range of experience available.

Please send nominations (by post or email), with the names of a proposer and seconder, to the Secretary (David) by Saturday 18th October 2008. Resolutions should also be sent by the same date. Nominations and resolutions will be included in the AGM papers.

Open Day - 14th June 2008

The sun shone and many visitors joined us for our 12th Open Day as part of the West End Festival. At our first Open Day we raised £48.82: this year we raised £446.20.

We welcomed many annual visitors who revelled in the variety of allotments, fruits, flowers, vegetables and the many "goodies" available. These included plants, baking, produce, jams, tablet, barbeque and invaluable chats with allotments holders and friends. It is always a very sociable and enjoyable day and this year was no different.

A big thank you to all who took part and made contributions.

Margaret Williams Prizes 2008

Judged by John Badger, August 2008

Best plot - Margaret and Colin Williams, Kirklee 89.
Best half plot - Mae McCulloch, Julian 59
Best flower border - Angela Boettcher and Fiona Watson, Julian 9a
Kirklee: Best plot - Margaret and Colin Williams, 89.
Second best plot - Sheila Robertson, 113.

Julian: Best plot - Ellen and Alex Hutcheon, 27.
Second best plot - Ahoke Pasi, 5.
The judge uses the criteria of the St. Mungo competition, in which points are awarded for vegetables (50 points), flowers (20), tidiness (20) and continuity (10). Our thanks to John Badger, and congratulations to the prize-winners on their high standards of cultivation: especially Allison and who only took over their plot this year.

Access plots - invitation to apply

The access plot at Julian Avenue was completed during the year, providing raised beds which enable four people who are no longer able to cultivate a standard plot to continue gardening. At present two members use these, each holding one as their 'permanent' plot, and cultivating the other until another member becomes eligible (as advised by the GCC Allotments Officer). This procedure was agreed by members at the 2007 AGM, and developed in the Spring newsletter.

This note invites any member who finds that they are having difficulty in maintaining their plot because of a permanent disability to apply for one of the two remaining access plots. If you wish to be considered for a place on the access plot, please send a short note to that effect, with a brief statement of the condition which prevents you from cultivating an un-adapted plot by Saturday 29th November 2008

(a) to me at the address at the end of this newsletter

AND

(b) to Robert Watson, Allotments and Recycling Officer, Glasgow City Council, 37 High Street Glasgow G1 (email: [email protected]). The allotments officer will then advise the committee that the requirements have been met, or otherwise, and the committee will then act accordingly.

David Boddy

'Plot 57'

Plans are being developed to reinstate Plot 57. One possibility under consideration is to build further raised beds at the back. These will not technically be disabled plots as the slope of the access will be too steep, but are for plot holders who might prefer not to bend down so much. The lower part will have bays for deliveries of compost, manure etc. Temporary bays may be constructed soon in this space, but hopefully more permanent bays will be built once funds have been applied for and allocated.
Heather James

Trees on allotments

The growing popularity of fruit trees on plots is easy to understand - but remember that they are trees... The committee has recently received sevaral complaints about trees shading adjacent plots, and root runs affecting drainage and fertility. KAA rules state that permission must be sought from the committee before trees are planted - but this has not been enforced in recent years for fruit on dwarf root stock, where the tree is more like a bush. But remember an apple tree on vigorous root stock can reach 20 feet, pears double that, take great care in choosing the root stock.

Choose the site for fruit trees carefully to avoid damaging adjacent plots - preferably in discussion with neighbours on all sides, bearing in mind the shadow of the mature tree. Avoid cheap offers - speak to a nurseryman for advice on the culitvars that suit local climate - the James Grieve apple that thrives in Edinburgh usually gets scab and canker in Glasgow. Butterworths, an organic fruit tree specialiset based in Ayrshire grows varieties geared to our climate and offers free advice.

Dwarf fruit trees can be grown as free standing specimens, yielding heavier crops and this method avoids the risks of injudicious pruning - but take up more room. Espalier or cordon methods allows more intensive planting - types that bear fruit on side shoots are best suited for this method. Good advice on planting and pruning is available on the web on the BBC gardening web site. Useful sources are: www.bbc.co.uk/gardening
www.butterworthsorganicnursery.co.uk/

In conclusion - have fun, but remember to consider the size of the eventual mature plant, keep these small, and consider the impact of shade and roots on adjacent plots.
Diana Ritchie

Kings Catalogues

I have ordered a supply of catalogues, and will again place them in the huts when they arrive. For the benefit of newer members, this catalogue is only available to Associations who are members of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners. Many members find it offers good value and a wide range of seeds.
David Boddy

Intruders

There have been several instances lately of young people climbing the fences to enter the sites. I have arranged with Maryhill Police that they will from time to time visit both sites, which may deter unwelcome visitors. Their phone number (532 3700) is displayed in the allotments: you may want to put this into your mobile phone ready to use if necessary. Please note that this now connects you to a central call centre, who then transfer you to the Maryhill station - they assure me this is the most reliable way of obtaining help when required.
David Boddy

Report from Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society August 2008

Please check the website www.sags.org.uk for information, campaigns, Open Days and just discussions on gardening. People can still join in the Growing Survey. There is a spreadsheet to record what you have grown and how much you have harvested. You can just record occasional crops and harvests. We are looking forward to the results to show just what we can grow in Scotland.

Scottish Allotments have had a very successful year with our Annual Scottish Allotments Conference 'New Allotments in Scotland'. In the morning Aileen Campbell MSP gave an excellent report on 'Allotments and Parliament' and the allotments guru Richard Wiltshire - co-author of The Good Practice Guide - Growing Communities for the Local Government Association in England and Wales spoke on a new vision for allotment communities. In the afternoon there were reports from across Scotland and workshops including one on organic growing - these are on the website.

We collaborated with the Centre for the Built Environment on a half day conference and exhibition 'Cultivating Sustainable Scottish Cities and Towns in the 21st Century' It brought together planners, developers, architects, conservationists and gardeners to discuss and disseminate good practice in designing and incorporating gardens, allotments and orchards in Scottish cities and towns. We had sponsorship for gardeners to participate from the Incorporation of Gardeners See website for report and booklet of articles from the keynote speakers.

Otherwise we spent a lot of time visiting new groups who want to set up allotments - really burgeoning and also making responses to Government consultations - Housing, Biodiversity, Mentally Flourishing Scotland, Climate Change, Food and the Soil Framework. All raising awareness and promulgating the message that allotments and gardening are very important.

Finally the three Scottish Allotments Trophies were awarded in Glasgow this year - they circulate round the different regions. Merrylee Plot-holders Association won the Miller Cup for their plots for the two local schools - Our Lady of the Annunciation and Merrylee Primary. Delightful award ceremony in the Kibble Palace with the children, parents and teachers as well as plot-holders (pictures on the web).

If you want any more information on any of this please email me: Judy Wilkinson or ring: 357 0204

Glasgow Allotments Forum

Glasgow Allotments Forum (GAF) meets on the first Wednesday of every second month at 7pm in Woodside Halls: the next meeting is 5th November. GAF is open to all allotment holders and other interested parties - the Allotments Officer, Robert Watson, attends the meetings. This year GAF has been very active in assessing and responding to the draft Allotment Strategy. It is a good place to meet fellow gardeners from other allotment associations, to share issues of concern and learn a few tips. It is also a good source of information regarding events taking place that are of interest to allotment holders. You will be very welcome to attend the meetings.
Diana Ritchie

From The President

What a strange summer! I was abroad in the West Indian wet season from mid-June to mid July and came back to reports of the Glasgow rains, well demonstrated by the luxuriant growth of weeds. Then it brightened up for a few weeks and we had bountiful crops of rasps, strawberries and especially currants. Then the gloom descended for what felt like the whole of August (confirmed by the official Met Office figures as the wettest and least sunny August for many years). But, the warm humid weather seems to have been pretty good for the crops: best broad beans I've ever had, and looking round Kirklee for the late August plot inspection, it looks as if many plotholders have done well this year, though struggling with the weeds.

As usual the year winds up with the AGM in November. I hope you will take the trouble to attend. The meeting is usually lively: we will have the tricky issue of trees to discuss this year..so I hope to see you there.
Roger Downie

Garden Africa

Jackie Heaton (a member at Kirklee) supports this charity which aims to develop gardening skills in Africa. She has asked us to draw the attention of members to their website address, which is: /www.gardenafrica.org.uk

Email distribution

Many people will have received this issue of the newsletter electronically. If you have received a paper copy, and are able and willing to receive future issues by email, please send your email to me at the address below.

Committee for 2008

Office holders:
President: Roger Downie
Vice President: John Hancox. Treasurer: Margaret Williams. Secretary: David Boddy.
Ordinary members:
Brian Dunabie, Heather James, Diana Ritchie, Jill Slicher, Robbie Stewart, Tom Whitmarsh, Judy Wilkinson, Aline Williamson.

Enquiries to the Secretary please at

:
15 Beaumont Gate, Glasgow G12 9ED
email david boddy