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Plots Available!
Readers may be aware that The Allotment Society leases its current site from the Borough Council. It is land that will be used, in the long term, to extend Rolleston Cemetery. Our immediate future on the site has been in doubt recently as part of a Council review of its district wide cemetery requirements.
Having conducted this review the Council has decided to concentrate expansion on the Stapenhill site and we have been told that we should have at least another five years life.
Now that we are assured that we have a reasonable time in front of us we do have several plots available to rent.
Current annual rates are £15 for a half-plot or £25 for a full plot. There is also a £20 deposit, returnable if you resign with a tidy plot. Residents of Rolleston Parish have priority but we will let to “outsiders” rather than leave plots uncultivated.
Rolleston Allotment site is one of the most attractive in the district, set on a south facing slope in open countryside and we take pride in our overall appearance, sensitive to the cemetery next door.
If you would like an application form or just a walk around the site as a tempter, please contact the Society’s secretary –
Tom Martin
43 The Lawns, Rolleston on Dove, DE13 9DA
Tel: 01283 813320
e-mail: martin.43@btinternet.com
As ever, it has been a season of mixed fortunes.
Local wild life seems to have been particularly active and increased netting of young crops essential. Onion crops have suffered from white rot and it is regrettable that increasing EU restrictions on disease treatments for use by the amateur grower leave many crops unprotected. Having had a moan, the site, overall, looks productive and in good heart.
The summer competition produced some high scoring plots with new names appearing on the list. It is always good to see recognition of the hard work of many plot holders being shared around.
| Best Full Plot | Best Half Plot |
| Barry Greenhalgh | Mrs Diane Marriott |
| Peter & Alice Topliss | Jim Roberts |
| Bryan Bennett | Alan Milward |
| Steve Eszrenyi | Ron Harrison |
| Neil Crump | Mrs Diane Millar |
| Colin Shaw | Mrs Karen Salisbury |
Best Crop: Steve Eszrenyi for celery
As mentioned in the last report, it has been another late season.
It is a feature of our soil that it dries rapidly to a hard cake. Sensitive operations such as seed sowing are carried out best immediately after a period of rain, so showery weather becomes a mixed blessing.
Our delayed spring competition produced some very good, high scoring results and our site social “get-together” straight after this for “Coffee & Cakes” was on a beautiful morning with the site looking well prepared for the coming season. We missed the Rector hopping across the cemetery wall for freebies so there was a good share-out to take home!
| Best Full Plot | Best Half Plot |
| Barry Greenhalgh | Mrs Diane Marriott |
| Neil Crump | Jim Roberts |
| Peter & Alice Topliss | Mrs Diane Millar |
| Steve Eszrenyi | Mrs Karen Salisbury |
| Ted Killick | Michael Hill |
| Colin Shaw | Mrs Petula Paul |
It’s mid-February and the ground is cold and water-logged from the excessive rain. We have not had the usual frosts but with forecast that the Gulf Stream is locked in its present position for some time it will be a while before the soil becomes warm and friable enough for sowing. There is little activity on site apart from some tidying and late winter pruning and we could be in for another late season.
There have been few plot changes this year but we have almost eliminated the waiting list and now is a good time to get you name down.
A feature of recent years has been the greatly increased range of vegetable plants available from Garden Centres. In some cases, where only a few plants are required, it is as cheap to buy a small tray of plug plants as it is to buy a packet of seeds.
Unfortunately many of these plants are held in warm and poorly lit premises. It is best to get them soon after arrival and grow them on in more suitable conditions, even potting them on for a while if the weather is unsuitable.
It used to be argued that root vegetables had to be sown directly into the ground. This is true of crops such as carrots but ball shapes such as beetroot and swedes will transplant easily if grown in individual cells rather than as a mass. Even parsnips, which are always variable germinators in open ground, can be started in deep cells. They may not be show specimens but they will have very edible roots. It’s a good way to get the season started.
Tom Martin
Last updated: 2 March 2015