Page 13 - Issue 80 Online

MANEA MATTERS
MANEA MATTERS
practically any plant from your usual potatoes, carrots,
and tomatoes, to the more exotic such as melons, sweet
potatoes, and kohlrabi.
Runner beans, broad beans, cabbages, and sprouts all
do well in our fertile soil.
Many of us also dedicate space to growing flowers and
herbs, which the bees love too as well as fruit including
strawberries, raspberries, apples, and pears.

Now is the perfect time to be
sowing the seeds ready for the
summer growing months

But be warned while there is great joy in harvesting
something you have nurtured from seed to a ripened
vegetable or fruit, there is also the need for commitment
and some hard work.
Digging is no easy task, and through the summer there
is the battle of the weeds, with the need to keep on top
of them to allow your produce the best chance - so you
need to be prepared to spend a couple of hours a week
on your plot.
The upside of all this is not only the produce you get to
eat at the end of it, but the joy of being outside enjoying
fresh air. Where the allotments are situated makes them
an ideal spot for nature watching.
We have an array of wild birds that make their homes on
and around the allotments and it is lovely to share the
magic of the outdoors with them.
Our members range in age from young families, to
teenagers and upwards to people who are still happily
working their plots into their seventies and beyond.
We are a welcoming lot and most are willing to offer a
helping hand and useful advice.
You don't need to be an experienced gardener to tackle an
allotment, you just need commitment and a willingness
to learn as you go along.
If you think an allotment is something you would enjoy
then drop an email to: maneaallotments@yahoo.com
Or pop down to the site, there is usually someone about,
especially in the morning and at weekends, and you can
see for yourself what we have on offer.
Sarah Cliss

DEADLINE FOR ISSUE 81 (SUMMER) – FRIDAY 17 MAY 2024 PAGE 13
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