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'In Bloom' - Newsletter - August 2007

August 2007
THE PENNINE VILLAGE OF LUDDENDEN
Silver Medal - Britain in Bloom 2005

Last month I mentioned that there was nothing like homegrown veg. Well having had a dozen fruits from the greenhouse the dreaded mildew struck and all my plants had to be destroyed. The wet weather this summer has unfortunately caused quite a few problems and several other people have also had their toms destroyed by blight or mildew. On the plus side my salad crop, peas, beans and sweet corn have done me proud. So with this type of weather you win some and loose some, make a note of what worked for you just in case this type of weather becomes the norm for summer.

In only a few days time (too late for this newsletter) we will know how we fared in this years Yorkshire in Bloom. So for those who can’t wait, keep a check on the website for the results. While I am mentioning the competition I feel it is the right time to ask villagers who have a few hours to spare a month to come forward and join our merry band in helping out with the ongoing work we do in keeping the village spic and span. Yes I know a lot of what we do is not very glamorous but it all helps keep our environment a great place to live. So come on with the autumn tidy up just a few weeks away give us your time!!.

What’s been happening around the village

Apart from watering, weeding and deadheading the team has had a fairly quiet month, but as mentioned above the autumn is fast approaching so it’s a good time for the team to recharge their batteries. One thing that does need mentioning again and it’s a continued problem is dog fouling. The riverside walk and Stocks Lane are just two of the places where presents have been left. It’s no good blaming the dog for the mess it is the owner’s responsibility to clear up after them.

Dates for the diary

Saturday 8 September - Mayor Making - at 1.30

Ada Brookes Trophy

Again competition has been strong and this year Stuart Elwin from Calderdale Parks & Street Scene judged the competition.

The winner this year, receiving a Silver Gilt was 9, Carr Field Drive. Stuart commented that he has seen this entries garden mature over the last few years and the use of perennial grasses is superb, with colour, movement and structure helping this frontage to be easy to maintain.

Additional special mentions were also directed to 1, High Street Court for the best hanging basket and 5, Riding Head Lane for the use of succulent plants in their display.

Bird Life

With autumn just around the corner our gardens are about to turn into giant departure terminals. Swallows, swifts and house martins will be heading south to Africa. I always feel sad with the departure of the swallows as I enjoy watching them so much. They always appear to enjoy life with their games of “catch me if you can” and high-pitched whistling over the village. This year despite the weather they appear to have bred successfully. With the summer residents leaving birds such as tits and finches will return from the woodland and farmland into the garden again. So if you have not continued to feed the birds during summer now is the time to start.

Fieldfares, redwings and even robins migrate to over winter in this country. So if a robin suddenly adopts your garden watch out for an orange rather than red breast.

Jobs to do this month

September is the time of the apple. Any sign of windfalls around your tree is usually a good indication that the fruit is ripe for picking. Now is the time for planning for spring colour. As they come available buy wallflowers and under plant with tulips or daffodils. Perennials that are past their flowering best can be split this month and climbing and rambling roses should be given a prune. If you have space in the greenhouse you can sow sweet peas for next year. If you have been lucky with your tomatoes now is the time to pinch out their tops, as further flowers are unlikely to develop decent sized fruit.

Check out your compost heap. If it’s ready for use this month is the ideal time to fork it out onto bare areas of soil where you plan to grow veg. Once that is done look out for early varieties of peas and beans as they can be sown in autumn for cropping late spring or early summer next year. Chinese cabbage, endive, lettuce, baby salad leaves, winter spinach and spring cabbage can also been sown direct into the soil to be used during winter. As with anything planted out in winter listen out for the weather forecast as you may have use some form of frost protection.

Recipe of the month

Blackberries or brambles, that well known prickly and somewhat invasive pest is at this time of year fruiting happily in hedgerows. The thing here is to remember to only collect those fruits that are found away from roadsides, as car exhaust flavoured berries are not very pleasant. This recipe is also a good way of using up those windfalls from your apple tree.

Blackberry and Apple Amber

225g (8oz) shortcrust pastry

450g (1lb) cooking apples/windfalls or a combination of both, peeled, cored and chopped

100g (4oz) blackberries

juice of 1 lemon

100g (4oz) brown sugar

2 eggs separated ( that is yolks from whites not egg from shell)

100g (4oz) caster sugar

Roll out the pastry and use to line a greased 20cm (8inch) flan dish. Prick and bake blind in the oven at gas mark 5, 190c (375f) for 15 minutes. Cook the apples and berries along with the lemon juice and brown sugar over a gently heat for 15 minutes. Sieve and apple and berry mix and when cool mix in the egg yolks. Spread evenly over the pastry base. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and whisk in the sugar bit by bit until the meringue is thick and glossy. Spread over the top of the apple and berry mix. Bake in the oven at gas mark 3,160c (325f) for 40 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown and crisp on top but soft inside. Serve with clotted cream, double cream or ice cream.