Our Meetings at Milford Village Hall

The village hall now has an efficient heating system which we are able to enjoy when we start our programme for 2026. This year's speakers have a variety of topics which we hope you will enjoy. We also have the members social evening , cheese and wine at the AGM, a garden visit, a mini-show where members bring along the bulbs they have grown to be judged by our speaker Geoff Peach, two afternoon shows where you can enter your magnificent efforts in the garden together with home produce, plants for sale and of course the opportunity to meet friends and exchange garden tips whilst enjoying a cup of tea or coffee and entering the raffle.

We look forward to welcoming you to Milford Horticultural & Gardening Society. Not a member? Why not come to a meeting as a guest (£3 for an event) or join us as a member for £12 per annum. (See About Us page).
If you would like to donate a raffle prize we would be very pleased to accept!

Ideas welcome
If you have been to a talk locally and enjoyed the speaker, we would love to hear from you suggestions for future meetings. Why not bring details to the next meeting and give them to Eric, our Chairman, or any committee member?
Do you have any ideas for classes we can include in the shows? We would love to hear from you. The Schedule is put together in October and November in time to be printed for next year.

Stall at Village Fete
Very many thanks to all those who helped on, or supplied plants for, our successful stall at the Village Fete. The monies raised will help to keep our Society running. This year please can you consider sowing a few seeds in used containers such as those you buy food in at the supermarket? A small tray of runner beans or annual flowering plants will make a contribution to the funds raised.

Evening Visit
Our joint evening visit with Witley Gardening Association will be to Loseley Gardens on July 7th. Join us on our annual local garden visit, you won't be disappointed.

Summer and Autumn Shows
In 2025 both the Summer and Autumn Shows were successful events with new members entering their produce. The weather didn't help gardeners with the timing of their entries, however the hall was a testament to their dedication and perseverance and colourful displays were admired by both visitors and members alike. Congratulations to all whose who entered! At our Autumn Show we decided to offer Tea or Coffee and Cake for £2 to help swell the funds. It proved to be very popular however if we are to offer this at future shows your hard working committee would welcome more cakes. All extra money raised goes towards future speakers and events.

What to Be Doing Now?

Late winter is about quiet preparation rather than frantic digging. The soil is still cold, daylight is creeping back, and what you do now sets the pace for the whole season.

Chit your Potatoes!

If you’re growing early or first-early potatoes, now is the time to start chitting. This simply means encouraging seed potatoes to sprout before planting, giving them a head start and a slightly earlier crop.

Place seed potatoes with the “eyes” facing upwards in egg boxes or trays. Keep them somewhere bright, cool (around 7–12°C), and frost-free, a windowsill in an unheated room is ideal. Over the next 4–6 weeks, you’re looking for short, sturdy green or purple shoots about 2cm long. Avoid warm, dark places; long white shoots are a sign they’re stretching, not thriving.

Other jobs worth doing now!

Check stored potatoes, onions, and garlic and remove any showing signs of rot
Clean and sharpen tools (future you will be grateful)
Plan crop rotations and seed orders before everyone else does
Plan and prepare seedbeds. Protect early sowings from late frosts, winter isn’t done yet.
Protect any vulnerable fruit blossoms such as peach or apricots from the frosts

It may not feel like spring, but this is where a good growing year quietly begins.