WAGS NEWS
January 2010
Chairman's Piece
Looking back at the newsletter I wrote a year ago, WAGS was in a bit of a pickle, with four Committee members deciding to hang up their spades. Several people came forward fill most of the places and WAGS survived.
At the October Committee meeting, Barbara Caistor announced that she would not be continuing as Catering Officer after the AGM in February, so again we appeal to you all to consider joining us to fill this position. There are more details of the things Barbara does during a typical year on page 6.
We never did find an Assistant Store Manager, and Colin would welcome one with open arms. Gareth does help out when Colin is away, for which we are very grateful, but we really do need someone to help out on a more regular basis and to learn the ropes.
Despite two disappointments, Toni is determined to have another go at running a trip. Look for details of venue and date elsewhere in this Newsletter and please add it to your diary so you can be sure you are available when the time comes.
Please remember to renew your membership and please do add your e-mail address (if you have one) to your renewal slip. We are aware that it takes several months for news to reach our members and hope that we can keep you better informed by sending e-mails at appropriate times. We promise not to bombard you or send you junk.
We will also add up to date News to the WAGS website www.cranfordcomputers.co.uk/wags so please take a peek on a regular basis.
Don't forget to claim your discounts from those local firms who support WAGS by offering money off their products on production of your WAGS Membership Card. Make sure you show this to the cashier before they start the transaction.
Colin tells me that you have been ordering lots of seeds already this year, so I'm looking forward to seeing lots of plants donated to the Plant Sale in May as well as an abundance of entries in the 2010 WAGS Show.
We have had some supply difficulties in the Store due to our supplier going out of business. Colin has found an alternative, so you should see the shelves full again after Christmas.
If you have any suggestions on any aspect covered by the Society, please do let myself or one of the Committee know so that we can discuss it and take any necessary action.
Happy New Year Gardening!
Bernard Novell
WAGS Annual General Meeting
Friday 12 February at 8:00pm, Centre 70
- Apologies
- President's opening remarks
- Minutes of previous AGM
- Chairman's report
- Treasurer's report
- Trading Store report
- Membership fee 2007
- Band concert
- Autumn show
- Election of Committee Members writing at least 14 days before the AGM.
The meeting is followed by cheese and wine at £3.00 per head.
Trips 2010
We hope to be running one or two trips in Spring and/or early Summer 2010. Two suggestions are: Saville Gardens (Windsor Great Park) and Kew Gardens - the first in May (Sunday 23rd) and the second in mid-June. They are likely to be open to non-members too, so be sure to book early! Please look out for notices in the WAGS Store in the New Year for more information and watch this space in the next Newsletter.
Showtime
The 2010 Show will be on Saturday 11th September. Please make sure you save the date on your New Year calendar.
We don't plan to change much on the Schedule, which seems to serve us well, but are trying to forge better links with the local schools to try and encourage more entries from children in all classes, not just those specifically aimed at them.
Watch out for the photography titles in the April Newsletter, or keep an eye on the WAGS Web Site www.cranfordcomputers.co.uk/wags where they will be posted as soon as they are available.
Bernard Novell
The RHS Affiliated Societies Scheme
The RHS Affiliated Societies scheme currently supports more than 2,800 gardening clubs and societies throughout the UK and overseas, making it the largest network of gardening clubs in the UK.
The popularity of the scheme proves the value placed on the benefits of affiliating to the RHS and becoming part of this community gardening network. Our aims are to attract more and more gardening clubs to the scheme, to put keen amateur gardeners in touch with one another and provide individual societies with the advice and support they need. By working together to promote gardening at a local level, we can encourage people young and old to get involved and ensure that this great British tradition of growing as a community continues for generations to come.
Each quarter the RHS produces a newsletter for the Affiliated Societies, with all the latest gardening and RHS news, as well as news from Affiliated Societies around the country. As WAGS is affiliated to RHS, Bernard receives the newsletter, but if you have access to the Internet, do visit the RHS web site to see the latest newsletter, as well as back issues, online: http://www.rhs.org.uk/affiliatedsocieties
Potatoes at Charlton Park Garden Centre
The potato originated in South America, and there is evidence of its cultivation and domestic use in Peru by 3000 BC. Records show that potatoes were grown for food in South America long before they were introduced to Europe. They first came to Spain in the early 16th century.
The potato was grown commercially in England towards the mid-18th century, but was not readily accepted until it was fully acclimatized and was able to produce a reasonable yield.
By 1882 huge quantities of potatoes were being exported from Scoland to America, this potato boom lasted about 30 years. Potatoes have been extensively grown on the East coast of Scotland, especially in the highly fertile soils of Angus, Perth, Fife and the Mearns, since the mid-1800s. Since the 1800s, early potatoes have ben widely grown in Ayreshire and farmed for their good quality and new potato taste.
Potato breeding has a long history. It is thought to have begun outside of South America soon afte the potato was introduced into Europe. The first reference to distinct varieties in Britain was in 1730. The breeding of new varieties in Europe accelerated after the first blight epidemic in 1845, and secondly after 1915 by the recognition of the importance of disease immunity. William Paterson (1810-1870) is one of the earliest known breeders. John Watson (1902-1986) bred varieties such as Home Guard (1942) which remains popular to this day. Jack Dunnett is responsible for many modern varieties such as Nadine (1987), Stemster (1986), Kestrel (1992), Argos (1995) and Swift (1993), to name a few.
At Charlton Park Garden Centre, Wantage this year we have many of the old Heritage varieties for sale, such as: Fortyfold (1836) which is the oldest variety still in commercial production; Beauty of Bute (1890); Flourball (1895), a round flat, white slightly dented at the heel, and Edgecote Purple (1900) a long oval purple tuber. At the other end of the scale we have brand new varieties from Holland such as Simply Red, Satellite, Red Scarlet and Carrera, a white-skinned variety excellent for the show bench that has high blight resistance.
Our seed potato event runs from 16 January 2010. Single tubers will be available as well as 2.5kg packs and some 25kg sacks. We will also be at Whitchurch seed potato weekend (Whitchurch, Hampshire) on 30 and 31 January 2010. Richard can be found every Friday in the market place!
Charlton Park Garden Centre
Charlton Road, Wantage
www.charlton-park.co.uk
Richard@charlton-park.co.uk
Info from "The potato world" by John Webster
Catering
This AGM will be my last as WAGS Catering Officer as I find it necessary to stand down. Hopefully there is someone out there willing to take on the post which is not an onerous job and there are always plenty of willing helpers.
There are just three functions a year involving catering. The first in the year is a Cheese and Wine following the AGM, then serving refreshments at the Band Concert in August, and the Autumn Show in September when a buffet lunch is put on for the judges and helpers. Please contact me if you are interested. I will be happy to work with you initially until you feel comfortable to take it on yourself.
I cannot leave without a final thank you to all those who have regularly helped out. I hope you will continue to support whoever takes over from me.
Lastly, can I count on your help again for the Cheese and Wine at the AGM on 12th February!
Barbara Caistor
[If you fancy putting your organizational skills to the test for a few occasions in the year, why not contact Bernard Novell, or ask Barbara for more information? Ed.]
Wags Store
Several Dobies Catalogue orders have already been sent off. From the New Year, the discount on all orders is 10&perc;
Potatoes The following varieties are available at the Store (3kg bags, except for those marked * in 2kg bags):
Duke of York; Home Guard; Maris Bard; Pentland Javelin; Rocket; Sharpes Express; Swift; Estima; Kestrel; Wilja; Cara; Desiree; King Edward; Maris Piper; Pentland Crown; Picasso; Sante; Charlotte*; International Kidney*; and Nicola*.
Price £2.40 per bag (either 2kg or 3kg)
The WAGS Store is also stocked with various composts, fertilizers (by the kg) as well as liquid fertilizers and tomato feeds.
If you are interested in helping out on odd Saturdays during the year; please contact me at the Store or by 'phone (see the printed edition of this newsletter).
The store re-opens 9 January 2010.
Colin Timmins Store Manager
Child's Play
Growing your on potatoes is a wonderful way of encouraging childen to help in the garden or allotment. What taste can beat that of cooked new potatoes, just hours after digging them up? Potatoes - especially new ones - are a good source of vitamin C, as well as potassium, protein and fibre. Growing potatoes is easy if you make sure you buy good quality seed. a 3-kg bag from the Store should provide about 30 tubers - enough to plant about a 10-12m row.
Potatoes like rich, well-prepared soil, so add some well-rotted manure or compost over the winter. Either dig it in, or let the worms and rain do the work!
As soon as you have got your bag of seed potatoes home, you need to set them out in trays - use egg cartons - in a light airy, frost-free place to sprout before planting. The sprouts grow out of the eyes, generally at one end of the seed - put this "rose end" uppermost - but don't let them grow too spindly!
Plant first earlies, such as Maris Bard and Swift, in mid-March for use as new potatoes in June and July. Second earlies, such as Kestrel - good for chips and roast potatoes - are planted in early April for lifting from July to September. Maincrop varieties like Maris Piper take longer to mature. Plant these in late April, to lift in September/early October for winter storage. If space is at a premium, try one of the salad varieties, such as Charlotte or Nicola, and just grow a small crop to harvest when shop prices are high.
To plant them, just dig a hole (15-20cm deep) and drop a potato in each with the sprouts facing up. Allow plenty of space between plants and make sure they are well watered, especially when they start to flower. To avoid the potatoes turning green, the soil needs to be earthed up around the green tops as they grow. That way more offshoots are produced, which means more potatoes!
If, like me, you have very little space, try putting a few tubers in a large pot about 30 to 45cm wide. Fill it with good, rich potting compost and put in about four seed potatoes to a depth of about 10-15cm. Cover them with soil and keep well watered. As growth progresses, add more compost at intervals till it reaches just below the rim of the pot.
You can harvest baby potatoes by carefully scraping away the soil around a plant, leaving the main plant still in place. Pull up earlies when the plant starts to flower, but leave maincrops till the leaves wilt and die. Lift them out of the soil but take care as you dig up the plants not to spike any with your fork. Children can join in the treasure hunt and scrabble through the soil looking for ones you might have missed...
Have fun!