Topic: I've been kicked off

[Fraxinus]

Crikey kaytzie, what did you expect?!! First visit of the year to your plot in June. Second visit two months later to see "what needed to be done". Quite a lot I would imagine! :o I'd imagine most plot holders reading this post wish their sites evicted people as efficiently. Do you know how annoying it is to have plot holders on your site show so little interest in their plots when most areas have lengthy waiting lists?
What did you expect to get out of your plot not planting any crops in a season? Most gardeners are harvesting the fruits of their labour now, having started their seeds off early in the year if not late last year. I wouldn't expect your successor to willingly hand their plot back to you. You will be extremely lucky to be offered any plot! If you really have to rely on someone else helping you then only take a half plot. As you say yourself you have a garden; maybe you should consider growing your vegetables at home and leave allotment plots to those who will cherish them as most of us do.  ::)
Your rent being up to date is neither here nor there, the longer your plot went untended the more difficult it is for the next person to get it back to shape.If, as you say your neighbour goes drinking with the Secretary why didn't YOU get a message to him/her to explain your absence?! The onus was on you to communicate your absence. There is a strange phenomenon re untended plots on a site; really bad ones will probably be in a cluster- each plot holder thinking there are worse ones than theirs nearby thus hoping they will escape attention!
Whilst it is hard work developing a new plot, there is a massive amount of horticultural information available plus support from fora such as this one. The rest of it is down to you (not your friend!). Roll up your sleeves and get on with it...  ;) 

[elvis2003]

folks,dare i suggest that all points have now been made?the poor girl will be scared of coming back here!

[Good Gourd 2]

Hi, Kaytzie,  sorry to hear you have been kicked off your plot, but as the last reply stated prove em wrong.  Put your back into it, beg or borrow a strimmer if the weeds are high and then why not dig out manageable size beds that way it does not seem so daunting.(you will still have to keep the paths cut though.
I have 15pole and 5years ago mine was like yours but I explained to our secretary that I would get half done that year and all done the next.  But I was there every possible  time I could be and still am.  It is a commitment, my drive is that I would not want anyone to think that I was incapable.
One last thing really the only way to do it is to dig it there really are no short cuts.

[Flunky]

folks,dare i suggest that all points have now been made?the poor girl will be scared of coming back here!

here here. People just sticking thier two pennies worth in. Nothing contructive, just critiscm or so it appears.

[KittyKatt]

Hi, Kaytzie, I'm going to try and be constructive and encouraging if I can. First, I think you need to decide exactly why you weren't able to visit the plot very often. Was it too far away to make frequent quick visits out of the question? (You can get a lot done even in 20 minutes or so if its regular!) I don't mean this next question unkindly, so please don't be offended, and only you will know the answer, but were you full of enthusiasm for the idea of growing your own fruit and veg, but perhaps less enthusuastic when you discovered the actual hard work and regular commitment involved?   Was the plot too large, so the whole thing seemed daunting and overwhelming?
Our council has a policy of splitting all plots that become available into 1/2 plots, and the allotments manager is happy to split again into 1/4 plots if that's what someone thinks they can manage. There's even one plot that has been split again into several tiny chunks that are being well tended. I think you need to decide how much you yourself can manage without help, without it becoming a burden, then if you do get some help it will be a bonus. An allotment should be a pleasure, not a chore! There's nothing shameful in saying that you can't cope with a larger plot, and need a smaller one, and people will respect you for it. This time round, you need to make sure you are given a tenancy agreement and read it through carefully. For a cultivation suggestion, I use raised beds, as you can work on one small piece at a time and get it planted up before moving on to the next piece, and you get a real sense of achievement.
Good Luck
KK

[Old bird]

How frustrated you must feel.

Have you tried having a chat with the person who has taken over the plot? I'm sure they'd be most embarrassed to know they were stepping on someone elses work boots. Perhaps you could negotiate with them to get the plot back?

Why would they give it back to anyone?  Katyzie had abandoned the plot to all intents and purposes.  They certainly weren't treading on Katies' toes - she wasn't there - which is her problem - certainly not theirs!

Yes - I too apologise Katzie - criticism is too easy to give!  I hope that if every you take another plot on you start with a small one and get it into good condition so then you can prove us more experienced allotmenteers wrong!  Good luck when and if you take on another allotment - we will expect to hear of your heroic progress!!

Good luck!

Old Bird

 ;D

[Borlotti]

You say it is a Council allotment.  Well I am sure you should have had a receipt for payment, a booklet with rules and regulations, and this year I have had to sign an agreement.  When I got my allotment had to wait for the Council to send an eviction notice to the previous plot holder, even though he hadn't been seen for ages.  Perhaps your allotments have been let out by the Council and you have different rules.  I certainly think you should have been warned and it seems strange that nothing was sent to your home address.  You should have got a receipt for any money paid and been aware of any rules and regs.  Our Council are quite reasonable but when an allotment gets badly overgrown it should be handed back especially if people are waiting as this only seems fair. Lately we have had a lot of newcomers and some love it and their allotments put mine to shame, but some give up very quickly and if they decide it is not for them they should inform the Council after the first year so it can be given to someone else.  I am pleased that our Council is not too policing and a wild area at the end of the allotment is OK but the Council do rotavate them before they are taken on and it doesn't take long for them to go back to nature.  Anyway hope you get it sorted out to your satisfaction and perhaps half a plot would be better if you wish to continue.  I am retired and certainly could not have coped with an allotment whilst working.  Also I have a certain amount of help from my partner with a motor mower and strimmer etc.  although not as often as I would wish.

[elvis2003]

thanks flunky x

[growmore]

I find it strange that a receipt for rent paid was not given and either the local laws  of the site were not given  in a booklet or shown and signed as read ..
After saying that I think that I would also presume that anyone not doing  anything to a plot for a season didn't really want it ...
With the telly progs on lotties and also rising prices of food, allotments are becoming popular, waiting lists exist on some plots for the first time .,
Where committees may have turned a blind eye to a  plot and thought well at least it's tenanted. they are gonna get pressure put upon em to make sure its used and grown on ...