| Fulham Horticultural Society Newsletter October 2024 Our centennial anniversary show took place on Saturday 7th September 2024 at St. Etheldreda's Church, 528 Fulham Palace Road, Fulham, SW6 6JF Click here to see a local report of our 2023 show And here for some pictures Thanks so much to all of you who helped, baked, brought produce and flowers, made wonderful jams, chutneys, cards, ran the tea stall, manned the reception desk, set up and down for the Show. We had over 40 entrants and 200 visitors. Nicole organised a pianist which made it extra special. Also thanks in particular to Nicole for running the Show for so well for so long. Charles Dowson won the Cobb Challenge trophy (awarded to the exhibitor who wins the most points across all categories) and the Frederick Hoare cup (for the highest points in vegetable classes). Thank goodness Charles does not grow flowers! Most of the committee are resigning after amazing work and a long stint. It would be a shame for the Show to stop after such a successful year. We are holding the AGM on Saturday 9th November 12-1 in the tea hut. Volunteers can do a little or a lot but please come if you think you could help or send me an email. In particular Hazel is stepping down after stirling work running the teas and cakes. I know we have wonderful bakers on the allotments and if anyone or a group is willing to help that would be excellent. What's on The Daisy Trust is holding its annual fundraiser fair on Monday 7th October at St Dionis Church, Parsons Green 9-5pm. There will be over 60 stalls selling jewellery, women's wear, homewares, accessories, children's clothes and toys, gifts and food. 10% of sales on the day go to The Daisy Trust which supports those in need in the Hammersmith & Fulham community. Please come along and support. Tickets here, info at www.daisytrust.org. October to do list 1. Seeds to sow in October - broad beans - they will overwinter and give you a crop from June onwards. Cauliflowers - these can be sown in a cold frame for early summer cauilflowers. They must be kept under cover all winter and planted out in March. Cabbages - this is the last month for transplanting spring cabbages. Cover with nets to protect from the pigeons! Peas - sow a hardy overwintering pea variety in a warm, sheltered spot and reap an early crop next year. 2. Harvest any remaining summer veg. Lift potatoes and beetroot. Dig up any remaining sweet potatoes. Swedes should be at their best during this month and the next. Continue cutting autumn cauliflower. Broccoli should be harvested now, although sprouting broccoli may continue cropping for a while. Pumpkins and squashes should be harvested and left to cure in the sun (if there is any) to harden their skins. 3. Parsnips can stay in the ground until after a couple of frosts have concentrated and improved their flavour. Carrots also can stay in the ground if not being attacked by slugs. 4. Key jobs for this month are clearing away any old vegetation. Unless there are signs of disease add to your compost. Woody stems decompose slowly unless shredded so try to break down sweetcorn, beans and brassicas. Remove and plant supports such as canes and poles and store them under cover so they don't rot. Dig in green manures if planted in August/September. The purpose of green manure is to improve the structure of the soil by opening it up and providing valuable organic matter. It also releases nutrients, particularly nitrogen into the soil in a form that crops can utilise. Green manure will also cover the ground, smothering weeds. If you haven't planted this year, make a note in your allotment diary to do so next year. 5. Covering beds with polythene will suppress weeds. If not done last year cut down asparagus and Jerusalem artichokes to the ground and compost foliage. Earth up Brussels sprouts to give them support as they become top heavy. 6. Finish pruning blackberries and summer raspberries. Cut out all the old canes that carried last year's fruit and tie up the non fruiting canes. 7. Pests and diseases - Clear your potato patch. Any left in the ground may carry viruses. Remove yellow leaves from Brussels sprouts, cabbages and other brassicas. Leaving them may produce grey mould. Cabbage aphid will be about. Consider spraying with organic or inorganic insecticide if there is a problem. Do not prune cherries or plums until next spring. Pruning may allow silver leaf fungus to enter. Recipe of the month Blackberry & Apple Cake Provides 8-10 slices Ingredients 125g butter, softened, extra for tin 125g castor sugar 3 large eggs, beaten 50g ground almond 100g self-raising flower 2 Discovery, Russet or Worcester apples peeled and cored, cut into 12 segments each 100g blackberry Topping 1 large pinch of cinnamon 2 tbsp of Demerara sugar 25g butter cut into small flakes 25g peeled and toasted hazelnut roughly chopped icing sugar for dusting Method 1. Heat oven to 160c/140c fan/gas 3. Butter a 22cm round loose bottomed tin and line the base with baking parchment. Beat the butter and castor sugar with together in a bowl until it is light and fluffy. Gradually pour in and beat the eggs a little at a time, until you have used two-thirds, adding flour if it curdles. Fold in the remaining egg, the ground almonds and combine everything gently. 2. Add two-thirds of the apples to the cake mixture and all the blackberries. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth out. Scatter the remaining apples over the surface of the cake. For the topping, sprinkle over the cinnamon, Demerara sugar and butter. Bake fo 50-55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and scatter on the toasted hazelnuts. When the cake is cool dust lightly with icing sugar. Serve in slices. Recipe courtesy of Gerard Baker Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower Albert Camus Keep gardening Fulham Horticultural Society October 2024 |