A few weeks ago I received advice from an old timer at the allotments to cut the side shoots off my sweetcorn – I did so warily and then subsequently found advice that contradicted this practice. Apparently it is a dated method, used when sweetcorn varieties weren’t adapted to our shorter growing season as it helped the plant concentrate its efforts. This is apparently no longer necessary. so when the side shoots re-grew I didn’t remove them. This caused great concern on my allotments amongst the ‘elders’ and I patiently explained my reasons.
However….on arriving one night last week to water the allotment, I was greeted at the gate by a particular elder who had offered his advice and received my explanation of why I wasn’t removing side shoots. He simply told me that he had cut all my side shoots off…..Ummm…aaarrrggghhhh! I was furious but so utterly shocked at the time that I just looked at him and walked off. I stood looking at my sweetcorn patch,hands on hips, aghast at the devastation. All side shoots cut to the ground and left lying on my plot. Hubby came and gave me a hug and the culprit slunk into his van and away.
Shortly after that a member of the committee arrived so I told them what had happened and pointed out that even if I was doing every wrong – I had the right to do so without intruders on my plot, taking my growing methods into their own hands! I also pointed out that it does state quite clearly in the rules that one must not enter another person’s allotment without their express permission. It turned out that the culprit is also a member of the committee – but I was promised that it would be mentioned at the coming meeting this weekend.
Yesterday afternoon the culprit arrived and came down to us for a chat – he spent 15 minutes talking to my husband about cricket, Jamaica and ever other subject but sweetcorn. I stayed out of the way! I couldn’t trust myself not to cause a right row. A short time later, the member of the committee I had spoken to arrived and asked if I had said anything to him?…..ummm I thought she was going to?! I don’t have the will or the energy to have some sort of confrontation over this. I am sure he did it with the best intentions and just has particularly poor listening skills. Bloody interfering old sod!
rant over!
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