What a Fantastic Day at Our First Plant & Seed Swap!

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What a brilliant day we had at our very first Plant & Seed Swap! We were thrilled to welcome 23 people who came along to share seeds, plants, and plenty of gardening enthusiasm. There was a real sense of community as people exchanged tips, stories, and ideas for growing their own food and flowers.

We were also delighted to have Bev from The Shelf join us for the event! She had a great time chatting with everyone and is looking forward to sharing spare seeds and plants at The Shelf, helping more people get involved in growing their own food. Later in the year, she’s also excited to share fresh produce from the community garden, making healthy, homegrown food more accessible to those who need it. It’s fantastic to see these connections growing! 🌿✨

Even better, the rain held off until the very end, giving us the perfect window for a successful event. We all came away with lots of different chilli and tomato varieties to grow, as well as plenty of broad beans to get started. And we’re all looking forward to seeing cosmos flowers pop up later in the year, adding a splash of colour to our gardens!

The good news is, we’ll be doing it all again in May! If you’d like to be the first to know about the next swap, please get in touch and we’ll add you to the list.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along, contributed, and helped make the day such a success. We can’t wait to do it again! 🌱✨

Grow your own.. broad beans

As the weather finally begins to warm, we can at last start thinking about growing this year’s cops. A good one to start the year off with are broad beans. Broad beans are a hardy and rewarding crop, offering sweet and tender beans that can be enjoyed in various dishes, or even just eat them raw! Here’s a quick guide to help you grow your own broad beans:

1. Sowing Time:

  • Autumn Sowing: In mild areas, sow hardy varieties like ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ in October or November for an early harvest.
  • Spring Sowing: In colder regions, sow in February or March.

2. Selecting Varieties:

  • ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ is ideal for autumn sowing due to its hardiness.
  • ‘The Sutton’ is a compact variety suitable for small spaces or containers.

3. Sowing Seeds:

  • Direct Sowing: Plant seeds 5cm deep and 15-23cm apart in well-prepared soil. Rows should be 60cm apart.
  • Indoor Sowing: For early crops, sow seeds individually in 9cm pots indoors in late winter.

4. Soil Preparation:

  • Choose a sunny, sheltered spot with fertile, moist but well-drained soil.
  • Incorporate well-rotted compost or manure to improve soil fertility.

5. Plant Care:

  • Support: Tall varieties may require staking to prevent lodging.
  • Watering: Keep soil moist, especially during flowering and pod development.
  • Pinching Tips: Remove shoot tips after the first pods set to deter black bean aphids and encourage pod development.

6. Harvesting:

  • Harvest when pods are well-filled, typically 15 weeks from spring sowing.
  • For sweeter beans, pick when the scar on the bean is still white or green.

7. Post-Harvest:

  • After harvesting, cut plants down to the base and compost them, but leave roots in the ground to boost nitrogen levels.

By following these steps, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of broad beans, enriching your meals and your garden soil alike. See rhs.org.uk for more helpful growing tips!

Preparing for Our First Community Gardening Workshop

Today, I’ve been out planting broad beans, getting everything ready for our first big workshop in a couple of weeks! It’s always exciting to see the first seeds go into the soil, knowing they’ll soon be sprouting into strong, healthy plants. With it being the official first day of spring today, now is the perfect time to start thinking about what we can grow together.

Our upcoming Seed Swap & Plant Giveaway on the 22nd of March will be a fantastic chance for people to come together, share seeds, and take home seedlings and planting guides to kickstart their own growing journey. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or a complete beginner, you’ll be welcome to join us.

🌱 What to Expect at the Workshop 🌱

  • Free Seeds & Seedlings – Take home plants and seeds to grow in your garden or on your windowsill.
  • Planting Guides – Helpful tips on how to get the best results from your crops.
  • Tea, Coffee & Cake – Because no gathering is complete without a cuppa and something sweet!
  • Community Connection – Meet fellow gardening enthusiasts and swap ideas, advice, and seeds.

I’d love to see as many people as possible join us for this event. It’s a great way to get outdoors, learn something new, and take home something to grow. Even if you don’t have a garden, there are plenty of ways to grow food in small spaces, and we’re happy to share ideas on how to make the most of whatever space you have.

So, mark your calendars and spread the word—let’s grow something amazing together! 🌿💚

First Earlies

Chitting Away: Preparing Casablanca Potatoes for a Bountiful Harvest 🌱🥔

At Grow East Anglia, the growing season has only just begin for 2025, and we’re excited to announce that we’ve started chitting our first early potatoes: the Casablanca variety. These versatile and delicious potatoes are known for their smooth skin, creamy texture, and fantastic flavour—perfect for an early crop of new potatoes!

In 12 weeks or so, The Casablanca potatoes will be available at The Shelf, the Community Supermarket at Citizens Advice in Diss. The Shelf provides affordable, fresh produce to the local community, and we’re thrilled to play a part in supporting this vital initiative.

What Is Chitting?

Chitting is the process of encouraging seed potatoes to sprout before planting them in the ground. It gives the potatoes a head start, helping them grow more quickly once they’re in the soil.

Here’s how to chit your own potatoes:

  1. Choose Healthy Seed Potatoes: Select firm seed potatoes with no signs of rot or damage.
  2. Place Them in a Tray: Arrange the potatoes in an egg carton or seed tray with the “rose end” (the end with the most eyes) facing upwards.
  3. Provide Light and Cool Conditions: Place the tray in a bright, cool spot—around 10°C is ideal. Avoid direct sunlight or frost.
  4. Wait for Sprouts: Over the next few weeks, you’ll see sturdy green or purple shoots emerging from the eyes. Aim for sprouts about 1 inch long before planting.

What Happens Next?

Once the Casablanca potatoes are ready, our wonderful volunteers will plant and care for them at the community allotment. From watering and weeding to keeping an eye out for pests, every step is done with care to ensure a healthy, abundant crop.

By early summer, we hope to harvest a bumper crop of new potatoes that will be delivered straight to The Shelf. These fresh, locally grown spuds will be available to the community, providing nutritious and delicious meals for those who need them most.

Get Involved!

If you’re interested in learning more about gardening or want to lend a hand, we’d love to have you join our volunteer team. Whether you’re an experienced grower or just curious about getting your hands dirty, there’s a place for you here.

Follow us for updates as we nurture this season’s crop from seed to plate. Together, we can make a difference!

#potatoes #growyourown

A tidying day!

Grow East Anglia: Preparing for a Bountiful Growing Season 🌱

Today was a hive of activity at the Grow East Anglia’s community allotment as our amazing volunteers rolled up their sleeves to clear and tidy the poly tunnel space. The team worked tirelessly to prepare the plot for this year’s growing season, ensuring everything is ready to support The Shelf at Citizens Advice in Diss.

The Shelf is a fantastic initiative, providing free fresh produce to those in need, and we’re proud to contribute by growing a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. With the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, the allotment is now a blank canvas, ready to be filled with life and colour over the coming months.

From pulling up weeds to recycling old broken plant pots, every task completed today was a step towards making fresh, local produce more accessible to our community. But the work doesn’t stop here! Once the weather warms up, we’ll be planting, watering, and nurturing the crops to ensure a plentiful harvest.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us today. Your efforts make a real difference and are a vital part of building a stronger, more sustainable community.

If you’d like to get involved, whether you have green fingers or are a complete beginner, we’d love to welcome you to the team. Together, we can grow something truly special.

Stay tuned for updates as our allotment transforms and grows throughout the season!

For more information about volunteering or supporting The Shelf at Citizens Advice in Diss, please contact us at melody.norman@gmail.com.

Let’s grow together! 🌿

#CommunityAllotment #Volunteering #TheShelf #CitizensAdviceDiss

Check out this before and after!

A Bright Harvest

Yellow Courgettes Ready for The Shelf! 🌟🥒

We’re thrilled to share some wonderful news from the Grow East Anglia allotment—our first batch of yellow courgettes has grown and is now ready to be donated to The Shelf, the Community Supermarket at Citizens Advice in Diss!

These vibrant yellow courgettes are as nutritious as they are beautiful, and they’re sure to brighten up the meals of those who rely on The Shelf. Packed with vitamins and flavour, they’re a versatile ingredient that can be used in everything from salads and stir-fries to soups and baked dishes.

A Big Thank You to Our Volunteers

This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our amazing volunteers. From planting seeds to watering, weeding, and keeping an eye on pests, every task has been carried out with care and commitment. Your efforts have helped transform tiny seeds into a bountiful crop that will make a real difference to our community.

Why Yellow Courgettes?

Yellow courgettes are not just a feast for the eyes—they’re also:

  • Delicious: With a slightly sweeter flavour than their green counterparts, they’re perfect for adding a unique twist to any dish.
  • Nutritious: Rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, and fibre, they’re a great addition to a healthy diet.
  • Easy to Cook: Their tender skin means there’s no peeling required—just chop and cook!

Supporting The Shelf

The Shelf is a vital resource, providing fresh, affordable produce to those in need. By growing and donating these courgettes, we’re proud to contribute to this important initiative and support the local community.

Join Us!

Would you like to be part of this rewarding journey? Whether you’re a gardening enthusiast or a complete beginner, we’re always looking for volunteers to help out at the allotment. It’s a fantastic way to learn new skills, meet new people, and make a real difference.

Thank you again to our wonderful volunteers for your dedication and hard work. And to our community—enjoy the yellow courgettes! We can’t wait to see what delicious dishes you create.

#YellowCourgettes #TheShelfDiss #CommunitySupermarket #FreshProduceForAll #ThankYouVolunteers 🌱

Wonderful Weather for Walking!

Walk from The Poppies on the 29th October

Our walk in Harleston was a great example of how community and nature can come together to create something truly special. The glorious late October sunshine weather (inbetween days and days of rain!) set the stage for a morning filled with the joy of walking and connecting with our local town. We ventured through picturesque paths, capturing the essence of local flora and fauna through our camera lenses.

Leni, our charismatic walk guide, illuminated the journey with her knowledge, introducing us to intriguing plant species and encouraging us to embrace the tranquillity of the natural world. Her words resonated deeply, reminding us to release the stresses of our daily lives and find solace in the beauty that surrounds us.

Adrian, our photography maestro, added an artistic touch to the expedition, helping us capture the intricate details of the world around us. The pictures we took (see above!) served as a testament to our wonderful day of discovery and connection. These will be used to build a town map, displayed in the library and around the town at the end of this project.

As we eagerly anticipate our next walk on the last Sunday of November, let’s remember that these moments of togetherness and exploration are not just about the outdoors; they’re about fostering a sense of community, rekindling our love for nature, and promoting a healthier, eco-friendly alternative to driving. Join us in the journey towards a more sustainable future, where walking is not just a choice but a beautiful way of life.

To join us on our next walk on the 26th of November, sign up here:

Harleston Walk

Join us for an easy, relaxed circular walk from The Poppies to Harleston town centre. Our expert will guide your walk and help you to spot local wildlife and plants.

29th October 2023, meeting at 10AM in the Play Park at The Poppies

Bring your camera or phone to take some pictures, we’d love to see them.

Walk includes a stop at The Swan in Harleston for free tea, coffee and cake! All free – just come along.

To join us, sign up now:

Bike Repair Workshops

After our successful project with Youth Engagement Suffolk last year, we’re delighted to be able to offer bike repair workshops again. This time we’ll be at the Exhannge2 in Harleston on Tuesday 14th November 2023 at 6:30pm.

The workshops are free, limited numbers of places available.

Please complete this form if you are interested. and we’ll send you all the details.

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