In consultation with residents, Frome Town Council is exploring potential new allotment sites at Weylands in Frome. Any of you out there on the waiting list, you could have a plot this year! Please show your support by writing to admin@frome-tc.gov.uk and letting them know that new allotments are a good idea. Thank you!

Please come and meet us and hear about our plans to establish new allotment sites in Frome.

If you’re on our waiting list we’d like to meet you so don’t be shy, come and say hi!

http://www.cheeseandgrain.co.uk/2011/02/potato-and-seed-swap-day/

After a break for tea and biscuits, an open discussion takes place, giving members a chance to ask questions, express views and put forward ideas about the direction and activities of the association.

See you there!

Legumes French beans, peas, runner beans, broad beans

Root vegetables radish, carrot, potato, onion, garlic, beetroot, swede, sweet potato, shallots

Brassicas spinach, chard, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach

Fruit-bearing tomato, sweetcorn, cucumber, squash, pumpkin, courgette, aubergine

Just make sure you move them around every year with your planting plan, so the same type of crop isn’t in the same place year after year.

Apple Trees Plant chives around the base to prevent scab. Plant nasturtiums around the base to prevent woolly aphis. Potatoes and apple trees repel each other.

Asparagus Plant tomatoes and parsley next to asparagus.

Beans Plant carrots next to beans. Also beneficial are cucumber, cabbage, leek, celeriac and corn. Carrots are best. Runner beans don’t get on with onions.

Beetroot Get along fine with kohlrabi and onions.

Cabbage All brassica are aided by strongly aromatic plants. Early spuds help as well. Brassica don’t get on with tomatoes and strawberries.

Carraway Helps peas, repels fennel.

Cauliflower Aided by celery.

Celeriac Scarlet runner beans and leeks help celeriac.

Celery Dwarf beans, leeks, tms and cabbage aid celery.

Chamomile Helps onions and cabbages.

Chervil Companion to radish.

Chives Aid carrots as well ... Read More »]]> Just like people, some plants get along and some just don’t. So when you’re planting this year, why not try this time-honoured method of companion planting? I always wondered why there are chives all round our apple trees.

Apple Trees
Plant chives around the base to prevent scab.
Plant nasturtiums around the base to prevent woolly aphis.
Potatoes and apple trees repel each other.

Asparagus
Plant tomatoes and parsley next to asparagus.

Beans
Plant carrots next to beans. Also beneficial are cucumber, cabbage, leek, celeriac and corn. Carrots are best. Runner beans don’t get on with onions.

Beetroot
Get along fine with kohlrabi and onions.

Cabbage
All brassica are aided by strongly aromatic plants. Early spuds help as well.
Brassica don’t get on with tomatoes and strawberries.

Carraway
Helps peas, repels fennel.

Cauliflower
Aided by celery.

Celeriac
Scarlet runner beans and leeks help celeriac.

Celery
Dwarf beans, leeks, tms and cabbage aid celery.

Chamomile
Helps onions and cabbages.

Chervil
Companion to radish.

Chives
Aid carrots as well as keeping scab off apple trees.

Corn
Sweetcorn aids early spuds, and is helped by peas, beans, dill and cucumbers.

Cucumbers
Aided by sweetcorn, lettuce, celeriac, radishes, kohlrabi and sunflowers.
But doesn’t get on with spuds.

Let us know how you get on, or any companion planting you use sweetpea@fromeallotments.co.uk or @FromeAllotments on Twitter or www.facebook.com/frome.allotments

Pumpkins keep a remarkably long time if left somewhere cool and dry — though mine are waiting patiently on a shelf in the kitchen, and they seem fine.

Roasting and freezing is a good way to use the insides of jack o’lanterns. When it comes to roasting pumpkin, there’s no need to chop them up like the TV chefs tell you to. Just cut them in half and bung them in the oven. Cook nice and slowly at, say, 180℃ for an hour or so. And hey presto, they’re much easier to scoop out and skin.

If you just scoop out the flesh, and cut the shell in two halves, you have ... Read More »]]> Now the jack o’lanterns have been and gone, how to store the rest of your crop till you’ve got time to make those vats of soup and delicious risotto with sage?

Pumpkins keep a remarkably long time if left somewhere cool and dry — though mine are waiting patiently on a shelf in the kitchen, and they seem fine.

Roasting and freezing is a good way to use the insides of jack o’lanterns. When it comes to roasting pumpkin, there’s no need to chop them up like the TV chefs tell you to. Just cut them in half and bung them in the oven. Cook nice and slowly at, say, 180℃ for an hour or so. And hey presto, they’re much easier to scoop out and skin.

If you just scoop out the flesh, and cut the shell in two halves, you have a fun way to serve soup. Just put the hollowed halves on a plate and Bob’s your uncle.

Please email your recipes and storage tips to sweetpea@fromeallotments.co.uk