Topic: My own lottie at last!

[CarrotCruncher]

After five and a half years, I've finally got my allotment - viewed it this morning, and signed on the dotted line before lunch!! It's going to take a bit of work to get it useable, but they knocked off three month's worth of rent to make up for that. It's only a half plot, but I've struggled with a 2 x 4 foot first floor balcony for the past five years, so anything bigger feels like heaven.

My poor OH, he's going to be a lottie-widower, bless him!

Sorry to sound all daft and excited, but you've no idea what it means to me... well, you probably do, but you're the only ones!

[dandelion]

Congratulations CarrotCruncher ;D ;D ;D! Don't forget to take a 'before' picture!

[vee]

Fantastic news Carrotcruncher!
I know just what you mean - it's so exciiting isn't it?

[supersprout]

Yep, you're gonna have such fun - enjoy spreading yourself cc ;D

[tilts]

Enjoy yourself in heaven!!! don't forget to take a flask!

[CarrotCruncher]

Ok, here's a 'before' pic - probably the most representative of the site. Plot itself is 33 x 54 feet (approx 11 x 18 m). A little less than half has been covered by the black sheeting, seen in the pic, for about a week now. Sorry it's a link rather than a pic, I've not got to grips with the board's methods yet!

http://www.freewebs.com/newlottie/

Previous plotter has kindly left me some tatties (growing into the communal path), some onions (plonked right in the middle of the plot), a few strawb plants still in their first year, some pinks and other flowers, and two young trees (pic below) - can you help identify these? I've never grown trees before, so am hoping they will bear fruit in more ways than one!

I have my composter on order (could take up to 28 days to arrive :( ) and will be going shopping for some basics today. My basic plans are drawn up, I just hope I can achieve them before winter sets in!

[mc55]

CC, how exciting, we've all been there.  I still get excited over seedlings appearing, or a new weed free bed ! 

did your trees blossom at all ?  I have an apple and an 'ANO' on my plot and yours looks like my ANO, which could just be a smaller / younger version of the apple that it is next to.

5.5 years is quite a wait ... have fun !

[libby]

hi there, the tree, i find growing in my plant pots as weeds, can't remember the name,pull it out, looks like sweet pease? in your other photo, looks like they are self seeded? nice size  plot! ;D

[CarrotCruncher]

Wahey, did my first digging yesterday - so wonderful to have a space large enough to warrant something bigger than kitchen cutlery to do the digging  ;D

Thanks libby, it's about as large as I think I can cope with, in this state - and it's only a half plot! Apparently I only just missed out on getting a full sized one, which is probably a good thing or I would be looking for a horse to plough it by now!!

Possibly should have mentioned, the 'trees' are nearly five foot high so I'm guessing they're not your standard self-seeded weeds :)

mc55, I've checked for flowers now but can't see any trace. Nattering with one of my new neighbours yesterday, they pointed out that they could well be suckers from the plum trees in the plot at the bottom of mine, which would tie in with why there is no sign of flowers :(

Either way, I guess they'll be coming up sooner or later, as they're growing in the ideal spot for my shed (when I get one).

Further explorations of my new jungle yesterday revealed a small orchard of young horse chestnuts, and an oak about three years old or so. Come the autumn, I'll be finding these little fellas a new home.

My composter's on order through the council, but it'll be a while before I can afford any other 'furniture' for my lottie. Got the first few square metres dug yesterday, and I've a feeling this is going to become hopelessly addictive - long live lotties!!

[Digger_07]

???
I can never understand why there are waiting lists when the plot you get has clearly been empty and unworked for at least 1 year.  Why not let it to a new user as soon as the rent becomes due?

I once waited 2 years to get on a site.  When contacted by the "new" site manager he showed me 4 plots that were vacant.  3 of them for more than the time I had been on the list!!

Surely it would be easier for all concerned if the plot was not left to get so neglected: more attractive to new plot holder and less of a problem spreading weeds to neighbouring plots.

If they were running a business they would have gone bust years ago.  Perhaps councils want derilict plots ;)

[dandelion]

I totally agree, Digger_07! I suspect that often councils don't even know which plots are available and which ones are not. When I was given a list of plots available, I discovered some were being cultivated. Others, clearly neglected for years, were not on the list! On our site, someone from the council has recently put up notices on all the plots for which they have no records. Hopefully this will help...

[lorna]

dandelion. brilliant news. Have fun but don't forget the advice of the experts on A4A take it easy, little by little :) :)

[louise stella]

OOooh - someone close to my own heart!

When I read your first post it was like I had typed it!  I can well understand your excitement!

But I too cannot understand why councils let the plots get so bad when there are peeps on the list desperate for a plot!  S'not fair! Mine had had about ten years or patchy "ownership" with other plotters taking over bit of it to stop it getting too overgrown. 

I can only think it's in the interests of the council to keep them vacant!  Oh! - and John bloody Prescott doesn't help either with his grand plan to concrete over Kent for housing!!!!

Louise
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