Topic: BLOODY WOMAN

[Melbourne12]

Melbourne, I stand completely by my words......and I feel we've got to agree to disagree here..the next cyber pint's on (but not over, eh?) me, on this one... ;)

I DON'T say that  anyone has a right to  have an allotment, neglect it, randomly kill plants hither&yon  with weedkiller...  etc.etc.....of course I don't!

I merely took issue with OB's statement that peeps with a physical disability should be excluded from having a lottie, and that I hold to :)

Then we entirely agree.  There are several physically disabled plotholders on our site, and they do a super job with the aid of friends and family.

But I do think that councils should be a little quicker off the mark when someone is granted a plot to make sure that they are actually cultivating it, or at least making a serious start on the problem.  If they can't or won't, then well, it was a nice idea, but next season it should go to someone else.  Planning and dreaming is no substitute for actual cultivation.

[Kea]

You could try NIAB or ADAS (both local) for testing but they probably charge an 'arm an a leg'.
 
It is possible to set up an allotment for someone in a wheelchair provided you spend enough money.
Raised beds and gravelled pathways. This would account for the Agent Orange approach. She was obviously saving money an getting some inexperienced people who don't know anything to do it.

You could take the 'name and shame' approach though not the name bit, apparently the Cambridge News is short of stories as i had a guy on the doorstep trying to sell me the paper a few months ago and i said there's nothing in it to read and he said they need people to send them news items.

I'm thinking I should highlight the Gooseberry thief......I'm told it's an annual occurrence on my allotment and it's a woman...she picked one bush and left me the other two.

Now i haven't even got a fence/gate to keep them out as the Town council organised loads of free manure (to fresh to use!) and dumped a load on top of my fence/gate.

Of course the same people may come back to work on the next stage.

[antipodes]

phew what a controversy:
1) yes sorry for your strife cambourne, I hope that she will at least apologise and offer to pay for some new plants etc, but hope that the soil isn't damaged?
2) I do feel that allotment sites should be open to everyone, even those who are a bit daft and inexperienced like myself, but of course on the proviso that they get basic info about what they can and cannot use (we had to sign a paper of rules). I am terrible at weeding so probably do contribute to m y neighbours getting weeds but I would certainly never use any chemicals that would harm things. Sometimes I feel there is a bit of a "be a super gardener or bugger off" attitude which is disheartening when you enjoy your garden but can only provide minimal care to keep it reasonable and get some veg.
3)YES yes yes to disabled folk being able to garden, we have raised beds especially for that, with a local association and they have some lovely courgettes, tomatoes, flowers etc.
BUT if you are so disabled that you need to get a gardener in to do your plot, I fail to see the point? And it may also be a little dangerous for a person in a wheelchair to garden on their own - what if she has a fall etc? and how will she tend the veg from a chair?? unless someone is helping her or she is planning to set the plot up especially for her disabilities? e.g raised up boxes etc?. She seems to be a bit of an exception, from what you have described of her attitude.

Hope the plot is growing stuff again soon...

[Old bird]

Sorry to upset so many folks!

Hopefully this mess will soon be sorted for you Cam.

I still stand by my opinions!  If someone is in a wheelchair - there is not much they can do on an allotment! There are many many happy disabled people using their  many  and multitudinous talents that they have - Manics you are obviously coping very well but as you say "you are not in a wheelchair yet". 

There are loads of people managing allotments with disabilities - although I have yet to hear of another "wheelchair bound" allotmenteer.  Also I would have thought that Health and Safety would have a field day with providing hard access for them in their wheelchairs, along with ramps onto the plot etc etc.

I am not "knocking" disabled people - I am not sayint that disabled people should not be allowed allotments - I am saying bluntly "there are some things that disabled people particularly in wheelchairs cannot do"  No point in shilly shallying around it!  There are people in wheelchairs that do manage gardens - they also manage the people that they have to do them - bloody brilliant and why not.

Able bodied people have limitations - I certainly don't try climbing mountains, running marathons, sailing the atlantic ocean, even attempting to win Wimbledon.  I know I cannot achieve these things.  That is knowing your personal limitations.

This person was not doing the managing of her plot at all!  So big deal able bodied or disabled they were not able to tend the plot.  Maybe this person was being incredibly busy doing something very important elsewhere.  Who can tell.

I have huge admiration for those that overcome disabilities and there are several people I know personally that have restricted use of limbs etc.  They do not try to do things that they know will be impossible and they have the intellect to understand their limitations.  There are huge amounts of things that disabled people and able bodied people can do these days and my idea is work towards the positive things that are achievable using your own merit!

We had a plot for "disabled" people on our site.  There were about 2 helpers to the plot and about 8 disabled people.  The plot was a mess despite regular attendances - the disabled people were not interested - neither were the helpers - they were just trying to use up some time during the day.  They eventually moved leaving their plot completely messed up!  When they were there all other allotmenteers were not!  If you were there when they were - they were shouting and yelling and generally everyone avoided their visit times.

I repeat I am not knocking disabled people - but I am saying - we all have boundaries, unachievable aims, we all have differing talents we are better off doing what we can do and do it well than trying for the unattainable and failing.

Old Bird

[Chilipepper]

well thats what i was trying to say but im dumb and it came out all wrong :(

[flossy]

 
   Hi everyone,

   Sorry I didn't say hello yesterday,  but I just caught Cam's pain after reading of the terrible
happening to her plot and needed to say something. [ have been a bit shy till now ]

Do hope everything is resolved soon and the damage reversed.

Thank you for your greeting manicscousers, I have appreciated so much advise, news, photos and endless help already --  will try and join in now !

Some info,  Mum and Nan, 66, Lottie 14 mths , Laptop 7 mths!  still learning !!!   Oh reside Herts x

[good7saint]

Right for what it is worth Here in Liverpool we do have an allotment site for people in wheel chairs.
With raised beds and pathed paths, think they have able bodied people to help them out.
But do agree it is a bit pointless giving someone in a wheel chair a plot that they will obviously not be able to do anything with.
Might as well just leave it over grown, if someone has a disability but are able to do things and have friends or family who can help with what they can't that is different

[Baccy Man]

There are loads of people managing allotments with disabilities - although I have yet to hear of another "wheelchair bound" allotmenteer.  Also I would have thought that Health and Safety would have a field day with providing hard access for them in their wheelchairs, along with ramps onto the plot etc etc.

I am not "knocking" disabled people - I am not sayint that disabled people should not be allowed allotments - I am saying bluntly "there are some things that disabled people particularly in wheelchairs cannot do" 

There is a gentleman I know who is confined to a wheelchair, he has had his plot for about 5 or 6 years. When he first got the allotment he received help from friends, family & some of the other plotholders to get it cleared, levelled, raised beds built & slabs put down on the paths. Access to the site is up a dirt track full of pot holes but he has no problem accessing his plot. His raised beds are a bit higher & narrower than other people who use them make them & the paths are a bit wider but everything has always been very well maintained in fact he has one of the best plots on the site which is quite an accomplishment considering he has a full time job & the majority of the other plotholders are retired & spend more time at the site.



Getting back to the original subject my plot was one of 2 affected when the person who took on the next plot decided to spray his weeds on a windy day a few weeks ago he used a mix of sodium chlorate (200g per litre) + a splash of farm strength glyphosate. As a result most of my permanent plants have been killed I received a response from the council today about the complaint I made they basically said that he had not breached the terms of his tenancy so they didn't have to do anything but they have been in touch with him & he has informed them that he wishes to end his tenancy voluntarily. The council have also offered me a years free rent as a gesture of goodwill.

[star]

Im glad to hear you had some sort of result BaccyMan, I hope you found it acceptable.

Cam........what can I say? I feel for you so much, its bad enough losing plants to stupidity like that but when you had JA's from Supersprout too. Only to be killed off by weedkiller >:(. 

Saddad and others can help replace what you have lost, and Im sure you will get replacements. I personally get a tad sentimental over things given by someone who is no longer with us. I do hope you get a satisfactory end result too.

[Kea]

Cam, what sort of things have you and your friend lost...or is it too early to say?

Baccy Man.I bet that doesn't really cover the cost of replacement though. My TC is going to get the bill for my fence which they've dumped a load of very fresh (raw) manure on and possibly my globe artichokes which a slightly underneath now as the fence is only just holding the manure off them. £ years old and just starting to produce a good crop.

[cambourne7]

wow baccyman thats a partial result but still not ideal.

The police have been in touch today to come and look at the site because of the aligation of criminal damage.

The clerk has not been in touch but were still waiting to find out whats been used so we can work out whats been lost.

my friends list is

> I reckon I have lost
> 3 packets of carrot seeds,
> a packet of parsnips,
> a packet of radishes,
> a packet of spring onions,
> 4 packets of tomatoes,
> a packet of cabbages,
> a packet of sprouts,
> a packet of beetroot,
> a packet of leeks,
> a packet of peas,
>
> and depending on if it is toxic or not, 4 rows of potatoes, all my
> garlic, and all my spinach, and the 6 fruit bushes at the end of the
> plot, JA and my compost.

There is a 3rd plot we can see is also affected as its at the end of hers one bed was full of fruiting raspberries which are a black burnt mess and it looks like someone else may have used the watering cans on there strawberrys which have gone black.

I have posted a message on the site forum to see who else may have used the watering cans.

[flowerofshona2007]

Just caught up with this !!
 Ignorance has reared it ugly head and caused upset again !! I doubt it was done with malice but it has caused you all to lose your crops this year and damaged the soil if you are organic, it may pay to have an amendment to the site rules regarding the use of weed killers and make it a rule to only use gly based ones if need be !
Thinking about the watering cans and i know it 'what you have always done' leaving anything that can be used by others is playing with fire :( i think the safest way is to keep your cans on your plot so they dont get used by others, sad but far safer.
All can be replaced and if i can help please shout i have many seeds :)
We have had to make our toilets wheel chir friendly as we have a disabled group that have a plot on site, they do a very good job as a group.
Huge hugs Cam (((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))) x

[Baccy Man]

Baccy Man.I bet that doesn't really cover the cost of replacement though.

Council giving me a years free rent saves £12 real cost =
4 fig trees brown turkey/brunswick/white marseilles/violetta @ about £20 each. Taking cuttings was on the list of jobs for this year but not yet done so will have to buy new.
Raspberries, red & yellow varieties I have growing elsewhere so are easily replaced Glencoe (purple) has now been replaced as someone bought me a black raspberry from focus which sounds identical although the variety name is not listed so may turn out to be something else.
Asparagus will probably be grown from seed again so a 3 year wait.
Rhubarb I have growing elsewhere so easily replaced.
Black, red, white currants I have growing elsewhere so easily replaced.
Gooseberries, jostaberries, alpine currants, bilberries, blueberries, goumi, salal, blackcap, sumach, Blackberry-jam Fruit & japanese wineberries will have to buy new.
Salmonberries I think I gave my mum a plant last year, if I am remenbering correctly will be able to replace.
JA's will have to buy new.
Hardy kiwi 'Issai' 1 plant out of 4 has produced has produced 1 new leaf bud so has been potted up in fresh soil & will hopefully recover with a bit of TLC.
Lost some peas & beans but that's not a big deal as i have plenty elsewhere.

My situation is much better than the other plotholder who was affected though as I have additional land I use to grow things he doesn't. I have arranged for a load of free veg plants for him from a market trader I know which he can grow this year. The current plan is to call in a favour from a friend of mine who runs a groundworks company & excavate then replace the affected soil, hopefully it will all be sorted this weekend.  In the future I will probably make sure I duplicate all my plants though as some of them are difficult to find.

[ceres]

Baccy Man, sorry to hear about your disaster too.  I've had the weedkillered manure  and have lost potatoes, beans and now toms are showing the problem.  Same offer as to Cam, I can dig up some JA's for you.

[Old bird]

Wow Baccy man - what a disaster you have had too!  I am dead impressed how much you grow though!  How do you find the time to grow all that as well as, obviously, loads of other things.

You will have to take photos when you are up and running again.  Sounds really as though you have a bit of everything. 

Old Bird :o

[caroline7758]

Makes me feel like crying just reading those lists- heaven knows what I'd do if it were my plot! :'(

[Kea]

Cam, I'm going to have some raspberry canes which have sent runners off to places I don't want them which you or your friend can have. Glen Clova and possibly Autumn Bliss I'll dig them out and get them to you probably at the end of summer when the ground softens and I can dig them (it's like solid concrete at the moment) up as they won't fruit this year anyway.

[Ishard]

You can take the people to the small claims court you know, it only costs 30 quid and is easy to do.

Claim for your lost crop not just the bushes/seeds.  :)

[Emagggie]

Firstly, sorry to hear about your troubles Cam. Do you know this person or ever see her? Have you thought about confronting her and asking if she realises what has happened? Indeed, is she aware of the devastation she has inadvertantly caused? I wouldn't pin too much hope on compensation though, but I bet she leaves your site pdq.

[cambourne7]

Thanks for the comments guys, its been apreciated.

The clerk has heard from her and shes playing dumb, knows nothing about it. Shock horror!

Add to my list of dead plants a mint plant ( honestly how can you kill mint!! ) anyway we have asked the clerk to get the soil tested. My friends plot we have sort of left not knowing what to do and are spliting some of my unplanted beds up to share so we can get some crops out. So we planted up 3 beds of mixed peas and beans and underplanted with courgette and squash plants.

Strange as it would seam although people on the site have expressed some symphaty they seam to think lecturing us on sharing watering cans and not locking them in your shed is a more worthwile objective. We now have 3 plots definatly afected, my plants in containers and one plot we thinks had the strawberrys killed on but the people are away so we cant check. We have now replaced the old watering cans (although we still have them) with some new ones hidden on my plot furthest away from that woman. The old watering cans are on my friends plot next to hers so it will be intresting to see if they move back at any point. Were also considering adding powdered paint to them to see what happens  :D

Not much more we can do till get get the soil sample checked. The 2 massive dock plants  on her plot previously unafected are not wilted. And new weeds trying to grow on my friends plot are now also looking brown and crispy so not looking good at all. Fruit bushes might be ok depends on when he watered them and window of opportunity the watering cans had to damage anything.

Going up tomorrow to plant tomato plants and look at the greenhouse i need to move at the weekend. We have given the clerk till wednesday to confirm what the parish is going to do as there is a parish meeting on tomorrow night this can be raised.

Also ruled out external vandalism as we found a bottle of roundup visable and accessable on someones plot untouched and sealed (been there a while).

Going to see if i can arrange a meeting with her, the clerk and all the other people afected to see what happened.

Cam