Weekly Updates for May 2021

9 May 2021

As usual a busy week in the Garden. Our aerial photographer called in to see what we look like at ground level. We will be showcased in due course. Langley arrived with yet another armful of wooden labels which makes the site look so well presented.

The tide is turning. A few weeks ago volunteers were taking seeds and fragile plants home to nurture them in their early days. Now their proud foster parents are bringing their charges back on site ready for planting in the greenhouses or poly tunnels. A fine job has been done without doubt and lots of love and care applied as well as water. This has meant that Poly 2 has been a hive of activity as tomato plants have been planted in their places indicated by Langley’s signs.

Climbing French beans in P2 are growing well but not always in the right place so Margaret and Holly have moved things round and it looks much better now.  Anne and Keith were unusually on site on Sunday in order to plant out cucumbers in p1.

Jill from Buxton Civic Association has visited us to see what we do and to compare notes as she tries to restore a herb garden at Poole’s Cavern. BCA are our good friends and they are always welcome.

So lots of other stuff going on. Watering of course. Composting, weeding especially giving the ground elder a lot of attention, basil pricked out and nematode applied to P2.

We need to give a special mention too to the year 6 participants of the ‘Give Peas a Chance’ project. Remember how awful the weather was on Saturday?  These youngsters turned out despite the rain, some walking quite a distance to attend. They did a soil experiment and the various layers which were analysed are sitting in jars in the greenhouse. They ate lunch on site then took a tour round to find where the vegetables had been growing. They are on to composting next week.

Finally I always go on about the weather. The polytunnels have hit 38 degrees tops with minus 0.2c. Summer is coming and no frost forecast. Yippee!

May 16 2021

We are taking a big step towards normality with the resumption of workshops which used to be run monthly at the Serpentine Garden. Our first in a new series will be a Salad workshop on Wed 26th May 1 30pm to 2 30pm led by Anne Wood. Numbers will need to be strictly limited for obvious cautionary reasons. If you wish to attend please book your place now via Anne on anne.keith.wood@talktalk.net. The session will involve a look at and tasting of all the leaves and talking about growing and harvesting.

On site for the first time this year the temperature in poly1 has managed to stay a healthy 3.9 degrees above freezing at all times. The plants inside are almost growing before our eyes. So it’s time for them to start braving the elements and sprouts, cabbage and broad beans have been planted outside. Some admin has taken place logging what has been planted by whom so far and reorganisation of the main greenhouse done.

Generally various forms of maintenance have been done including weeding. Patty has resumed her duel with the ground elder and Margaret has freshened up the borders. The 6 per person square foot squares have been keenly sought in the members’ raised bed. It is good to see signs of activity there now and we look forward to others demonstrating what you can do with a small space.

The schoolchildren continued their ‘Give Peas a Chance’ project yesterday and were out and about soil testing and composting. It’s said that children do not like eating veg. but our young visitors, we have discovered, are partial to carrots.

23 May 2021

Next Saturday 29 May the Serpentine Garden has a stall at Buxton Market. We are having a plant stall where we hope to raise money for the Garden through donations for our surplus plants. If you have any plants you can offer they will be very much appreciated. If you can contribute anything will you please either drop plants off at 60 Lismore Road SK17 9AN (if we are out please leave them in the front door area). Alternatively please bring plants to the market from 10 00 onwards on Saturday. Thanks.

Prize of the week for the most cosseted plant goes to the sweet basil in poly2 so neatly framed by a wreath of holly to keep the predators away and fleeced up to keep them cosy.

30 May 2021

Next Saturday 29 May the Serpentine Garden has a stall at Buxton Market. We are having a plant stall where we hope to raise money for the Garden through donations for our surplus plants. If you have any plants you can offer they will be very much appreciated. If you can contribute anything will you please either drop plants off at 60 Lismore Road SK17 9AN (if we are out please leave them in the front door area). Alternatively please bring plants to the market from 10 00 onwards on Saturday. Thanks.