Weed Membrane & Site Reps Meeting

I was up early at 5am and ordered 50m of 2m wide 100gsm weed membrane working on the basis that cutting a 800mm strip will do the paths and the remaining 1.2m will be cut into 2.4m lengths to make bed sized sheet. 50m / 2.4m = 21 sheets and I will ultimately have 14 no 2.4 x 1.2m beds on plot 23B. I paid less for the 2m wide this year than I did for the 1.5m wide last year! Go figure.

I sowed six square pots of Liminanthes of Poached Egg Plants with 5 seeds each, I really should have sown these a week or two before the runner beans. The idea is to companion plant with the runners so as to attract the ladybirds so they can then seek and destroy the inevitable aphids.

Allotment Reps meeting today at 12:30

Future of the Parks service - to save money a contractor is looking at taking over for four boroughs, Merton, Kingston, Sutton and I have no idea who the forth council is. This will happen in a couple of years and will be for an 8 year contract extended in 8year chunks to a total of 24 years before retendering.

Last years increase was 2%  grass cutting of the 36 sites cost £16,000 per year and the grass is supposed to be cut once a month between April - September (really 3 times a year if you are lucky)

£50,700 Spend and £65,000 income water charges are between £18,000 - 20,000 per year. 

Update on the results of legionella testing and advice re safety

Update on information from Ecolocal - no more laminated flyers for the notice boards due to cost.

Discussion re the use of Pesticides/ weed killer on allotment sites after an incident between plot holders. 

Plot Inspections - Mill Green to be inspected by the Assistant Parks Manager Bill Wyatt this year.