University Gifts Town Allotments

RESULTS on the allotments are improving from an eco – green material created on campus and given away for free. 

Loughborough University gardens’ team is gifting to allotments in the town lorry loads of biodegraded material to enrich the soil produced from anything they prune.  

Gardens’ Manager at the university Kaz Setchell said it’s a soil enhancer made from all the greens on campus including grass clippings, tree pruning, shrubbery, leaf mould and a certain amount of sand from the top layer of the pitches. 

All goes through a green machine to produce a substance as effective as compost. 

“The university can’t promote it as compost but as a soil enhancer as it doesn’t go through the exact necessary processes,” said Kaz. 

“It’s put into a holding base consisting of three spaces about 10 metres square for three stages to compost down,” said Kaz who represents the university on the board of Loughborough In Bloom.  

“We’re shifting quite a lot. We can’t use it quick enough on campus, we’re exceeding our storage. It will be ongoing while we’ve got a lot.” 

It’s turned until ready to be delivered by the maintenance team to allotments including Park Farm, Alan Moss Road and Mountfields. The rich material has also been received at the African Oasis on Howe Road and other community gardens. 

Kaz said it’s a way of the university connecting with the community to improve relations.   

“The student action group also helps out at the Forest Road Green Belt with Pat Cook, this is another way of giving back,” said Caz. 

Carl and Pete from the team make the deliveries in a builder’s lorry one day a week 

“It takes us away from our maintenance work so it’s restricted to one day a week but delivery is free,” they said. 

One plot holder was delighted with her results. 

“My seedlings have come through in double – quick time.”