Welcome to our January 2026 Newsletter

A graphic design for a monthly newsletter featuring gardening tools, a watering can, a potted plant, and fall leaves set against an orange background.

Fairfield Moravian Allotment Society growing with the community

Dates for your diary

  • Monthly committee only meeting

  • Thursday 12.02.26 @18:00

  • Society Monthly Meeting

  • Sunday 01.02.26 @10:30

  • Work party

  • Sunday 15.02.26 @10:30

  • Seeds swapping day:

  • 15.02.26

Our new website is here

We are so happy to announce that our new website is now live thank to all the hard work Tony has done. There is still a lot of improvement to be done on it and these will be done as we move forward with the help of your support and recommendations. We also have our own email address which will be fully operational and serviced by the end of February.

https://www.fairfieldmoravianallotmentsociety.co.uk/

Screenshot of a website homepage for the Fairfield Moravian Allotment Society, featuring a dark background with a globe and plant in the foreground, and navigation menu at the top.

News 

Councillor Melanie Donavan visit:

Melanie visited our site on the 21st of January 2026. Melanie was very impressed with our site, loves our focus on supporting our community and the work we are doing on sustainability.

Job list:

We now have on display in our Polyhub a list of jobs needed to be attended to.

Black shed:

At our last work party, we focussed on clearing our Black Shed in preparation for its replacement with a shipping container. The next work party is very important to finalise all the needed work. Please support your society.

Table with work parties schedule for 2026, including months, dates, times, durations, and work details, as well as society monthly meeting dates, days, times, and durations.

Jobs to do on your plot in January;

Maintenance & Preparation

  • Clean and sharpen tools: Spades, forks, hoes, and cutting implements benefit from oiling and sanding wooden handles.

  • Tidy sheds and stores: Organize seed trays, pots, and labels; check canes, nets, and cloches for damage.

  • Greenhouse care: Wash glass for better light penetration, disinfect pots and trays, and check heaters or propagators.

Soil & Bed Work

  • Finish winter digging: Complete by the end of January to allow frost to break down clods.

  • Add compost or manure: Mulch beds to protect soil structure and feed microbes.

  • Cover unused beds: Use cardboard or membrane to suppress weeds and enrich soil.

Fruit & Vegetables

  • Prune fruit trees and bushes: Apple, pear, currants, gooseberries, and autumn raspberries benefit from pruning now.

  • Force rhubarb and seakale: Cover crowns with pots or buckets and insulate with manure for early tender stems.

  • Check stored crops: Inspect potatoes, onions, and other stored produce for rot.

  • Sow under cover: Onions, leeks, broad beans, and salad leaves can be started indoors or in a greenhouse.

  • Plant bare-root fruit trees/bushes: As long as the ground isn’t frozen, enrich soil before planting.

Flowers

  • Deadhead winter bedding: Keep pansies and other bedding tidy.

  • Sow sweet peas: If not already done in autumn, start them now under cover.

  • Plant snowdrops and hellebores: Buy them in flower to select the best blooms.

Wildlife & Plot Care

  • Protect overwintering crops: Secure fleece, netting, and cloches against wind and frost.

  • Support wildlife: Feed birds, provide unfrozen water, and leave log piles for beneficial insects.

  • Clear weeds and debris: Prevent spread before spring growth.

  • crop rotation: Rotate beds to prevent soil-borne diseases and nutrient depletion.

  • Draw up planting lists: Use catalogues to decide what to grow this year.