Topic: Getting organised!

[Esre]

Emailed the council the other day about my position on the waiting list and roughly how long the wait is. I have been told that they have recently let to people who came on in Aug 06 and  I went on the list around November so fingers crossed about 4 or 5 months till I get a plot.

Now there is light at the end of the tunnel I need to try and get organised. I can source pallets for compost bins and wood, I have an all I can carry manure offer, I have basic tools just need to buy a hoe. I'm going to sit down at the weekend and decide what we would use regularly and what I can grow to try out and sort out a rotation plan, is there anything I have missed?

Esre

[Garjan]

A chair for a rest and to enjoy the results of your work.
A schedule to build a shed for your tools.

Have a nice weekend. It's so great to be looking forward to something pleasurable.

[allaboutliverpool]

I don't know about your allotments, but a good thing to do is vist the site regularly and find out about different plots and chat up the committee.

Find out if someone who has recently worked a plot is giving up and aim for that or you may be offered something like the one I was offered at first.

See the tempting offer on :-

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments3_finding_an_allotment.html

[kt.]

I would source some water containers. I have 9 around my plot that I have acquired over the past few years. Wont bother getting anymore now...... unless they just happen to be there. The big blue water butts are difficult to get hold of so if you get the chance of any - grab 'em.

[Jeannine]

A kettle and a gas burner !!!

[wilko]

 :) and don't forget the camera  ;D

oh and good gloves  :D

[emmy1978]

Definately a kettle, or a camping stove even better, for brew making, and can I just jump in to say Freecycle for anything for the lottie. Amazing what is on offer, compot bins and water butts come up on my local group every few weeks. x

[artichoke]

On the subject of chatting to current allotment holders and the committee, in the hope of getting in faster: on my site there is a growing problem of people subletting parts of their plots in exactly this way, to friends, bypassing the waiting list. We have just been sent letters saying that this puts our secretary in a very difficult position when people on the waiting list see newcomers apparently getting plots ahead of them. All sublettees are to leave at the end of September.

Very difficult to enforce.....each of the four allotment renters in question could just say their friends were helping them out? Also I know all the sub and sub-sub-lettees well and they are working harder than many; can't bear the thought of them having to leave it all behind in September.

[saddad]

Increasingly a problem here too... Does every site have a plot like that one? I thought it was just us...
You seem to have been given some great advice there Esre. Chair, brew and Camera are the essentials and don't forget to post some before and after photo's for us nosey lot!
 ;D

[Esre]

The site is locked so unfortunately I can't get on to have a look around, I'd like to know the size of the plots and when I asked the nice lady at the council she said approx 15 metres (!!!) but no idea how wide so that makes actual plans a bit harder but I can still do rotations, will have to work out amounts later.

The local allotment committee doesn't deal with the plot lettings for the site I'm after but they seem very active and the is an AGM on Tuesday so I might pop in just to meet a few people.

I have gloves and snips, we have a small bramble problem at home so I am used to getting rid of those if needs be.

I have been looking on freecycle, there was a greenhouse on the other day but sadly I can't store it so will have to wait and see what else crops up nearer to the time but it's amazing what is on there!

Added to my list watering can (doh!) containers, camping stove and kettle. 

Off to ask about black buckets in Morrisons for now as I will be getting a load of plants soon from a friend at work, I gave her some squash seeds I'd saved with no idea if they would germinate, she put the lot in and all 35 plants are doing well so she has said I can have some tomato plants and a few other bits that will be okay in pots till I can get more room :)

Thanks for all the tips! I really want to get on with it now and this waiting is a reall pain, I rent so can't really turn the garden over to veg but I am sort of sneaking a few bits in here and there, tomatoes will go along the fence that kind of thing ;)

Off to read up on what can be done/planted in Aug and Sep now :)

Esre

[saddad]

If the soil is damp and you like them late sowings of Swede and Carrots did really well for me last year.. have just cleared out the last as we needed the bed space for more broad beans!
 8)

[manicscousers]

we read that someone plants french beans in june, we tried it and were picking them until late september  :)