Monday 8 January 2018
January News from Upchurch Horticultural Society - From the Potting Shed
Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Club - www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk
The blue tits are also buzzing around the nesting boxes and taking a look. Curiously there are also 3 pairs of long tailed tits getting in their way. I am not sure if these nest in boxes but the blue tits are trying to bully them out of the way. A nesting box is a good idea in the garden. Not only does it provide a lot of entertainment if you have time to watch the birds, but a parental pair of blue tits feeding 7-9 chicks will scour a garden of all its pests. It’s always sad at the end of the year when you clean the boxes to see that some of the chicks didn’t make it, but most did and it helps to maintain healthy numbers.
There is always plenty to do in the garden if you can face it and it will get you ahead of the game if you can get outside, but I am in no position to preach and struggle in the winter. A better plan is to look after your patio plants at your villa in the Canary Islands. However, if you are serious about leeks and onions you need to start now and even I will sow my leeks very soon. 40 weeks are needed from sow to show and I actually won first prize last year for leeks. The competition for onions is serious and to grow the really big ones needs a lot of time and attention. If you are not a competition grower, stay in the warm, there are plenty of other opportunities to win a first prize in the yearly shows. There is a domestic cooking class this year for curry....men only!
Hopefully your plans are in place for 2018 and seed and plug orders are placed and some already delivered. I have a large number of seed packs for long flowering perennials and really want to get more colour in the borders for summer and autumn. It will mean high maintenance but hopefully worth it. Once established I can replace casualties by propagating from cuttings and seeds and slowly change the planting arrangement over time and introduce new varieties. That should keep me going until the day comes when I settle for a few well chosen shrubs and a thick bark mulch.
Last year I concentrated on monthly tips for the garden and will certainly identify the main tasks as we work through the year, but there are plenty of websites offering monthly gardening tips one of the best being the Thompson & Morgan website. This year I would like to take more time to discuss gardening themes like fertilizing, propagation, pruning etc in the hope that this will help to interest people in gardening and to encourage local gardeners to get more involved in horticulture.
We are always looking for new members and try to encourage a fun attitude towards friendly competition. So if you want to grow your own fruit, vegetables and flowers or even enter any of the 3 shows we hold each year, then please get in touch, we would be happy to hear from you.
If you are interested in becoming a new member, (all ages are welcome), please contact Rosey on: 01634 377812 (evenings) or Email: rosemary@ringwoodaccounting.co.uk
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
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Friday 5 January 2018
Thursday 4 January 2018
Motorcycle and Off Road Bikes Stolen - London Road, Upchurch
Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward
Crime Number: XY/068351/17
Between Wednesday the 27th and Thursday the 28th of December, a green Sinnis Shuttle 125CC motorcycle, reg number: GK14 YTS was stolen from London Road, Upchurch. 2 off road bikes were also found missing.
If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.
For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk
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Poolside Bar Music Nights - January and February 2018 at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course
Telephone: 01634 360626
Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk
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The Rivers Restaurant - Valentines Dinner Dance at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course
Jenny - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course
Telephone: 01634 360626
Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk
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Newington History Group
Apart from this year's series of guest speakers and visits, Newington History Group will be organising the village's annual Heritage Open Days on September 8th and 9th and its WWI centenary event, The Battle's Over, on November 11th.
In addition, members will be on hand to discuss local history matters at Newington Village Festival on Saturday, July 7th.
A re-print of the group's latest book, Then and Now, is available after the orginal run sold out within six months. The book contains bygone drawings of Newington buildings alongside text and colour photographs of the same buildings or locations. The book, costing £5, can be boughts from Thelma Dudley or the Heritage Hub in the Forum, Sittingbourne.
NHG meets in the Methodist Hall, Church Lane, Newington ME9 7JT at 7:30pm on the second Thursday of the month, excluding January and August.
The group seeks to unearth, preserve and promote the history of the village and neighbouring areas.
Annual subscription is £15 and guests (£3) are welcome.
For more details contact Thelma Dudley on 01795 842711
Email: thelma@newingtonhistory.co.uk
Follow the History Group on Twitter: @newingtonhg
Richard Thompstone - Newington History Group
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Wednesday 3 January 2018
Winter Tea Room Aboard Edith May
Local author Rob Smith will be aboard throughout the day signing copies of his latest book,
“A Dockyard Matey Makes Good - The life and times of Robert Smith ('Nige')”.
We will be offering our usual selection of fine quality, homemade fare, tea, coffee, cakes and light lunches.
The fire will be blazing to keep out the winter chill. Open from 10:30am until 4:00pm each weekend from Saturday the 20th of January.
We look forward to welcoming you aboard.
Edith May Trading Company
Telephone: 07875 503926
Email: info@edithmaybargecharter.co.uk
Website: www.edithmaybargecharter.co.uk
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