This week in the garden, we will be harvesting our few remaining tomatoes and red grapes and we are also going to make rosehip and apple jelly.  With the dry forecast, we will also return to painting the wooden canopy in the lower garden.

We have had a large delivery of manure which will need to be wheel barrowed to our compost bays.  There is still more cutting back to do on the elder tree in the lower garden. The aim is to allow more light to reach the ornamental and vegetable beds.

We will be potting up a range of different bulbs and corms which we will be growing on for sales. These include Hyacinth, Muscari, and Cyclamen coum. We hope to have these in flower and looking their best between Christmas and early Spring.

Meanwhile if you have planting space of your own, now is the time to order your bulbs ready for planting from October onwards. Bulbs are an important part of many ornamental borders especially in early spring when few other plants are in flower. From February to early May, crocus, daffodils and tulips are the first signs that warmer days are approaching. Plant these bulbs in the autumn when the soil is still warm. As well as looking beautiful at the start of the year, bulbs can look really good when combined with other plants and grasses.

  • Order your bulbs early so you can ensure you get what you want. (September)
  • Plant in the right conditions. Tulips like well-drained soil and sun; daffodils and fritillaria can handle more moisture and shade.
  • Try sequencing your plantings so they flower at different times.
  • Better to plant too deep than too shallow – at least 15cm is good for tulips.
  • Invest in a bulb planter if you plan on planting a lot. They make it simpler to gauge depth and are easier on your back!
  • Don’t worry too much about spacing. You can get a more natural look by scattering them and planting them where they fall.

In October we’re going to restart regular workshops where a regular group of people commit to attend a certain number of sessions so that they can work together on specific areas of the garden or types of growing. There will be 3 workshops and they all happen on Sunday morning once per month from 10 am until 1.00 pm. These workshops are bookable in the links below, NOT via the usual volunteer sign up sheet.

1st Sunday of the month starting October 4 Border workshop for those interested in ornamental and garden design. Oct – July, 9 workshops
3rd Sunday of the month starting October 18 Productive garden for those that are cultivating larger plots Oct to Feb, 4 workshops
4th Sunday of the month starting October 25 Kitchen garden workshop for intensive small space gardening Oct to Feb, 4 workshops

There are limited places on each workshop. Please only book if you think you can get to most of the sessions. There is a £2 booking fee to deter speculative booking.

A reminder that in case you have not yet had your induction as a BPCG volunteer, please sign up for a session here.  If you have had your induction already, then please sign up for a 3 hour volunteering session on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday here.  Before booking a slot and coming along, please read and make sure you adhere to our code of conduct during Covid here.

On Sat 26th Sept 11am to 12.30pm Jelena is running a Zoom Fermentation workshop making Autumn Sauerkraut and Beetroot and Horseradish condiment. To book and find out more go here.

Jelena is also running a workshop on Sat 19th September at the London Harvest Festival for Community Gardens and Farms run by Social Farms and Gardens. For more info about the Harvest Festival, and to book your free tickets, go here . And to see a taster video of Jelena in action with our green tomatoes, go here

Thoughout September, Sally is offering Yoga on Sat mornings (11am to 12.30 and 2 to 3) and on Weds from Wed 16th (2 to 3), and Andy is offering Tai Chi on Sat mornings (9am to 10am).  Book on www.brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk/events/

HELP! We need some help getting our web site up to date. We’d love to hear from you if you have experience in creating WordPress themes in Avada. We don’t need any technical work or php development – this is just a theming task. If you can help please contact Chris on admin@brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk

HELP! Our Chipper-Shredder needs a service from FR Jones in Sydenham.  They don’t pick up or service on site so we need to ask for a favour of someone able to pick it up in their van and deliver it to Sydenham for us for its service – and then pick it up. The chipper-shredder is 5 foot high.

Brixton Beer Co-op – a loose collection of hops growers in Lambeth and around –  welcome local growers of hops to contribute their hops to a community Green Hops Brew made by Canopy Beer.  The deal is that you bring your hops along to be weighed outside at Canopy on Sunday 13 Sept – 7.30pm – 8.30pm at Canopy Beer Co  Arch 1127 Bath Factory Estate, 41 Norwood Road, Herne Hill, London, SE24 9AJ.  A month or so later, you will be invited to enjoy a pint of Green Hop beer. It’s delicious! If you can’t make that exact time, but wish to take part, and therefore have someone else pick up your hops for you and bring them along, please contact ann.bodkin10@gmail.com

We have been donated a small child’s bike which is available to anyone who would like to make a donation to the greenhouses in return for it. Here it is in a photo with Steph! It’s in very good condition, almost new.  Offers to kate on kate@brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk before 15th September. Thanks.

An interesting opportunity for you from Social Farms and Gardens if you are interested in becoming a community gardener.  GARDENISER PRO is a new accredited training program for key coordinators in community focused farms and gardens. There are eight places for Londoners. The course starts in October. Apply by 11th September. https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/events/european-gardeniser-pro-online-training-course

Another offer!  The London House Of Wellbeing is a brand new health screening service at 200A Railton Road, Herne Hill.  The screening tests involve a simple ‘finger prick’ to take a small amount of blood with results then given to you right after the test. BPCG volunteers that are interested in having one of 10 free tests, please reply to this email. For more details about House of Wellbeing email: info@thehouseofwellbeing.co.uk