Dig

Allotments (Planning) Bill

2008-02-22T13:26:00.003Z

From ePolitix

Tony Baldry (Con, Banbury) introduced a ten minute rule motion to bring in a Bill to "encourage local authorities to make provision for allotments; to require them to consider imposing duties on developers to provide land for statutory allotments when determining planning applications; and for connected purposes."

He stated that the demand for allotments has increased and the number of available plots is decreasing. Although allotments have some statutory and regulatory protection "all too many allotments are disappearing and even fewer new ones are being created."

Baldry's Bill seeks to redress the balance, it proposes that under the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, developers "are obliged to consider, akin to the 1925 legislation, whether there is a need for the developers to make provision for allotments either on that site or on land elsewhere."

He concluded that "allotments are in big demand for growing fruit, flowers and vegetables, or just as a great way to chill out." Therefore he hoped that the House and the government would support the Bill.

The second reading is on March 14th.

Technorati tag: Gardening

Crop

2007-08-16T17:09:00.001Z

Crop, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

1 3/4 pounds of green tomatoes, and there are still some on the vine.

These boots were made for planting

2007-08-03T15:39:00.001Z

I recently got a new pair of army boots. The last pair lasted me five years, and I expect the ame from these. However, I couldn't just throw the old ones out, that seemed like a waste. I had to find a new use for them.

Turning them into plant pots was an obvious move.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Video

Guerilla Gardening in Toronto and Tijuana

2007-07-24T11:36:00.000Z

BoingBoing has a post about two artists' guerilla gardening projects.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Guerilla Gardening

Makeshift garden protection

2007-07-09T15:59:00.001Z

Makeshift garden protection, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Don't know where the grid came from, but hopefully it'll keep the cats off.

Raised bed

2007-06-18T13:10:00.001Z

Raised bed, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

This bed started life as stackable storage, but when the previous owners were throwing it out my sister managed to bag a few and let me have one. I've dug it in a bit and filled it with compost and soil improver. There's spring onions (hopefully to keep the slugs at bay), rocket and beetroot seeds in there, as well as the first batch (probably sacrificial) of propagated lettuce.

Click through to the Flickr picture for notes showing where everything's ben plnted.

The grass is ankle high (in places)

2007-05-31T18:30:00.001Z

The grass is ankle high (in places), originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

In other places there's no grass at all still. I've sowed more seeds there.

I don't mind the grass being straggly, it serves to hide the lumpiness of the ground it's growing out of. I'm not planning on falling into compulsive mowing, either, so that's another point in its favour.

There are shoots of the brambles I thought I'd removed popping up at the far end and some sort of creeper as well. I'm going to have to find the rigger's gloves and pull up the brambles, but I'm thinking of turning the creepers into a feature and wrapping them around a cut off section of trunk that's lying around.

This is just phase one. If I'm allowed (it isn't my garden really) I'd like to try a bit of wildscaping, turning the far end, at least into a mini nature reserve.

Down the garden path

2007-05-30T12:32:00.001Z

Down the garden path, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Since this path, which goes to allotments as far as I can tell, has been closed off it has been taken over by nettles and other plants.

Ladybird tower

2007-05-29T16:03:00.001Z

Ladybird tower, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Now planted at the end of the garden. Let's hope it doesn't attract the wrong sort of ladybird.

Herb bed

2007-05-18T15:34:00.001Z

Herb bed, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

The rain stopped long enough today to finally plant out the tomato and mint I bought a week and a bit ago. I also sowed a few seeds, we'll see how they fare. There's an empty space that's either going to get more tomatoes or another tall plant.

The Garden

2007-04-18T16:19:00.000Z

The Garden
Originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

I've turned all the earth and removed a lot of the weed roots and some of the stones, but it's still a long way from being finished. I think I'll sow grass tomorrow, whatever, but I'll have to spend an hour or two picking rocks out of it first.

I've also sowed some wild meadow flowers at the far end, beyond the compost bins. I'm not sure how successful they'll be. Even if they are, the flowers won't bloom until next year. The plan is to make that area a bit of a wilderness garden, any suggestions are welcome.

There's a new compost bin now, as well. It's huge. I'll bed it in tomorrow, probably.

Technorati tag: Gardening

Le Lawn

2007-04-08T10:39:00.000Z

The rather dul, perfectly kempt lawn used to be an English obsession. Now, it seems, French gardeners are succumbing to its dubious charms. I'm starting work on the garden behind the house and have already stated my intention to break up the grass with Rosemary and other bushes, as much to cut don on the amount of mowing that is required as for any aesthetic reasons.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Lawn

The Guardian's allotment blog

2007-02-08T22:31:00.001Z

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/allotment/

Technorati tag: Gardening

LA's compost queen

2007-01-18T19:35:00.000Z

Bette Midler claims to have seen the workings of God in her compost heap. But she is a Hollywood celebrity, and allowed to say that sort of thing.

After that initial revelation, this article becomes an introduction and guide to the art of generating good humus from the stuff that everyday folks throw away.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Compost

How to Guerrilla Garden

2006-09-22T16:40:00.000Z

Whimspiration on the addictive art of Guerilla Gardening.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Guerrilla Gardening

Save a butterfly, grow honeysuckle

2006-07-25T11:38:00.000Z

That's the headline advice from the Guardian in an article about the decline about the decline of butterfly species across Britain.

He said the worst hit counties had suffered a "double whammy" of being relatively flat and so suitable for farming as well as being in the south-east development boom. "[The extinctions are] the result of either urban spread, lack of woodland management or intensive farming practices. Sadly these counties in the east of England lack any serious hills which could have provided a refuge from the plough."

Technorati tag: Gardening, Butterfly

The allotmenteers vs the Olympics

2006-07-03T10:47:00.000Z

The Manor Garden Society Allotments, date back at least 80 years, having been bequeathed for the public good by a local philanthropist, Major Villiers. Now, however they are under threat from the developments surrounding the London Olympics and could be compulsory purchased to make way for a footpath. The tenants have been offered alternative plots but the site is available for only seven years.

The scheme also threatened a nature reserve next door. She said: "It's crazy to be talking about a green Olympics and to be annihilating the nature.

"The London Development Agency and the mayor [Ken Livingstone] launched a food strategy and bio-diversity strategy to increase access to fresh food, particularly in places like east London, but all they're talking about is deleted [if we lose the allotments]."

Technorati tag: Gardening, Allotments, Olympics

Recycle Now- cheap composters for you

2006-06-26T08:50:00.000Z

The Recycle Now scheme is offering, in conjunction with many councils, cheap composting bins. Check at this page to see if the offer is available in your area.

If you're feeling richer, and would like to be able to dispose of cooked food, meat etc. then you might want to get a Green Cone, currently on sale for £44.95 (usually £66.95). These have a buried section which leaches out the decomposed contents as nutrients and turns it into a wormery.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Composting, Wormery

Gardens as nature reserves

2006-06-20T08:15:00.000Z

The allotment has turned into wilderness due to a lack of time and commitment. Hopefully the frogs we found last year are enjoying it. It is possible, however, to have nature in your backyard without allowing it to degenerate. Though you may have top take steps to defend frogs from newts.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Wildlife

Gardeners can do their bit against Global Warming

2006-06-13T14:16:00.000Z

Gardeners are being urged to open up their borders to increase the nesting places available to wildlife displaced by global warming.

'Every garden is a habitat for wildlife,' said Chris Gibson, a senior conservation officer for English Nature, which will launch its campaign at the BBC Gardeners' World Live show this week at the National Exhibition Centre near Birmingham. 'Even the most unnatural garden is a habitat for some natural wildlife and gardeners can do their bit to create little bits of habitat wildlife can use.'

Technorati tag: Gardening, Wildlife, Global Warming

Pee-pee-ponics

2006-06-12T10:26:00.000Z

Robert Van De Walle details a special kind of hydroponics, utilising urine, rather than flushing it away with black water, and wood chips. There are no details of how he plans to collect the urine, which is probably for the best.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Hydroponics, Urine, Wood chip

Compost solves everything

2006-05-14T21:07:00.000Z

BBC-

Want to help combat identity theft, get rid of rats or beat the hosepipe ban? Compost is the answer. The worm is turning for nature's method of waste disposal.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Compost, Worm

Plant-It vegetable patch

2006-05-09T08:24:00.000Z

Start your gardeners young.

Plant-it Vegetable patch kit - the one occasion when kids can justify having green fingers!

Encourage children to grow their very own vegetable patch and discover first hand, just one of natures many wonders. a perfect introduction to the world of planting for little green fingers.

A great way of getting children to learn where food comes from and hopefully eating the end results - what better way to get kids to eat up their greens!

Technorati tag: Gardening

Victory Garden

2006-04-30T11:04:00.000Z

Treehugger are promoting the idea of a Victory Garden to fight global warming by providing your own food. Their first suggestion is Rosemary, with tips on planting, pruning and using in your cooking.

Technorati tag: Gardening, Rosemary, Victory Garden

pond

2006-04-14T13:20:00.000Z

pond,
originally uploaded by spinneyhead.
More of a plastic lined puddle really. The idea is that the plastic will hold water for a while and keep the stones i'm going to pile in there inviting for the frogs we discovered last year. Then our little green friends can repay up by eating slugs and other nasties.
Technorati tag: moblog