Streamside News…New Year ‘21 Happy New Year to all of our members! Currently another national lockdown has just commenced until mid February at the earliest, so regretfully we will not be able to reopen for the 2021 season as planned on 7th February. We will of course open as soon as government regulations allow, and will communicate accordingly with members when we are in a position to confirm our plans and will update our website accordingly . In the meantime please see below some New Year’s “Gardening Resolutions” you may wish to consider.... 1.Try to be chemical free. Using only non-toxic earth-friendly remedies for weed, pest and disease control you will help to maintain nature’s balance, and allow many creatures that are beneficial to our gardens to thrive.
2.Control your watering. Now is a good time to regain control of your water usage by inspecting any irrigation systems for signs of problems (leakage, broken pipes, faulty timers etc). If your chosen way of watering is by hand then always aim for the plants roots, rather than foliage, and in hot weather restrict watering times to early morning or late evening, to avoid evaporation. If your budget allows then consider installing an irrigation system, plus water butts to collect the precious rain water – which is free!
3.Chose native plants. This year focus on including more native plants into your garden, they often offer a lower maintenance option, and have a higher chance of not only surviving but thriving, plus they preserve a complex web of life protecting and feeding beneficial creatures like birds, bees and insects. And they require less transportation thereby reducing carbon emissions.
4.Encourage the next generation of gardeners. 2020 was a year when many found gardening as a refuge during unprecedented times, encourage your children or grandchildren to develop an early love of gardening by introducing them to the delights and satisfaction of tending a garden. Consider child-friendly tools, easy to grow plants, and a plot of their own to experiment and get dirty.
5.Compost more. As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preventing unnecessary waste going into landfills, by composting our food scraps we are promoting garden sustainability and a cleaner earth – plus you will save money on buying commercial soil improvers.
6.Focus on healthy soil. This year incorporate more nutrient-dense organic matter (see above paragraph) to naturally give it needed nutrition instead of relying on synthetic fertilisers. Healthy soil can also drain more effectively as well as retain moisture setting up your plants to thrive.
7.Increase your gardening knowledge. Our gardens keep growing and no garden is ever “finished”, to ensure you maximise your garden’s potential strive to keep learning and seek out free advice when questions or problems arise. Streamside helpers and members have a wide breadth of knowledge, plus you could consider joining online gardening communities or visiting the library to source some great gardening reference books.
8.Grow your own food. Make 2021 the year when you grow something to eat! You’ll save money, reduce trips to the supermarket and will have the reassurance that everything is fresh, nutrient-dense and organic – plus it will taste so much better than anything you can buy, even if it is a charming wonky shape!
9.Share the bounty. One of the “joys” of growing your own is the occasional glut of a crop that you cannot possible use for your own consumption. Make an effort to share the leafy bounty with neighbours and friends who will enjoy your home grown produce. We often receive donations of excess crops at Streamside during the peak of the summer growing season and they are never around for long!
10.Enjoy your garden. This year resolve to spend more time just enjoying your garden/outside space. We all need to reconnect more with nature, many discovered this during lockdown 2020, and there is nowhere better than your own garden. Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2021. Keep safe and we hope to welcome you back to Streamside in the near future. The spring newsletter will be sent to members end of January 2021.