Newton Hall Allotments

Since I stepped down as Chair this website hasn’t received many updates, and so the decision has been taken to decommission the website.

This will save the Association a small amount of money and will relieve the burden on anyone having to maintain this site, including downloading updates for the various plugins and themes that are used.

Anyone who would like to contact us regarding an allotment can email chair@newtonhallallotments.co.uk, or should contact the council directly.

Whilst the website is available, please check out So, you want an allotment… for more information on how to apply.

Currently, our Facebook group is alive and thriving. You can join this group by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/1035669456848719/ and completing the joining questionnaire.

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It seems like we have been visited once again by the little bored darlings who have caused damage around the allotments.

I urge EVERYONE to visit their plot, particularly if you have a polytunnel as some have been slashed. Randomly, I found an onion in mine the other day but I don’t have any in so they may also have uprooted some crops.

Please can everyone that thinks they have been affected by this ring the police on 101 (not 999, it’s not an emergency) to report the damage EVERY TIME it happens so that more is done to keep our allotments safe.

Additionally, can everyone be sure that the gates are locked behind you when you go in and go out, even if there are people inside.

If you head over to our Facebook page (and I strongly urge anyone who is a member of our association to join the group if you use Facebook) you will see photographs of the damage and some items that were removed from people’s plots.

Anyone who has been affected, or knows anything about these attacks is urged to report them to Durham Constabulary on the non emergency number 101 and please remember, if you don’t report it, it didn’t happen as far as the Police are concerned so please do let them know.

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A construction company has offered our members free waste construction materials including timber of various lengths (often complete pallets and single lengths) and large thick card tubes which have been suggested to be used as planters in gardens. All material would be donated at no cost, the only stipulation would be it needs to be collected from their site in Peterlee.

Anyone who is interested please let Su know asap so I can forward details to you.

Please also spread the word to other members as they may not see this post.

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We have had a delivery of cow manure to the top West Gate (next to the hut – large load) and to the top East Gate (small load) for members to use.

The price is 50p per barrow load (a heaped barrow is fine, just don’t pile on so much that it’s being lost as you barrow it) and is payable either in cash to Jim or John when the shop is open, or (preferably) by bank transfer with the reference Manure and your plot number.

Anyone who needs a reminder of the bank details, please contact Su by email (chair@newtonhallallotments.co.uk) or by phone.

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Manure – 50p per barrow

We have received a quantity of fresh horse manure with straw (barley, I believe) which members can purchase by the barrowload. Please be sensible in how much is heaped in barrows; I’ve seen deposits of manure that has fallen out of overfilled barrows around the place – please don’t take more than you can reasonably transport in a barrow but take as many barrowloads as you like, keep a record of how many you have taken and please make a payment to the association bank account, reference Manure + your plot number and if you could also drop treasurer@newtonhallallotments.co.uk an email it will make things easier for John to consolidate when he gets the bank statement. Anyone who needs a reminder of the bank account details should check John’s rents reminder text that was sent before Christmas.

If you did not receive a text and you would like to in future, please let John know your mobile phone number.

How to use fresh horse manure

Being fresh, the manure ideally should be left to rot down for a year to 18 months, preferably in a heap in order to encourage the brandling worms and microbes to do their work. It is said that fresh manure can ‘burn’ plants with the acidity. Personally, I am going to experiment with making a hotbed in my polytunnel and running water filled tubing through it and under the bed in the poly to hopefully provide an underground source of heat for the warmth loving crops such as tomatoes, chillies, melons and sweet potatoes I am going to grow. Then, this time next year I will spread the manure on my polytunnel beds and will start again with a fresh heap.

Woodchip – FREE

In addition to the manure, we will shortly be receiving regular supplies of FREE woodchips for people to take. The woodchip will be a mix of deciduous and conifer and will be fresh, so ideal to use as paths and mulch on the top of soils, but don’t mix it in for at least a year, maybe 18 months to prevent the decaying wood from using up the nitrogen in the soil. The woodchips will be delivered to the West gate. When the East gate post is repaired and the gate is back in use we will have some delivered to the east gate as well. For a reminder on which is the East and which is the West gate, please see the map on our Contact Us page.

Charlotte Potatoes – £1 per Kg

Also, Charlotte potatoes are in stock. Anyone wishing to buy these should, in the first instance, contact Jim Duffy. His number is displayed on the shed window, but I have been given permission to give it out to anyone who asks (but I’m not putting it on here!).

Happy gardening!

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