Topic: Is this size plot too small?

[Mr Smith]

Reading my council lease it states that the allotments are 250 sq metres, mine comes outat 220 sq metres, but I don't moan, ;)

[Eristic]

You have to pay for some of the path as well.

[purnima]

And deleted ....

[elvis2003]

 ::) WTF???

[reddyreddy]

????

[elvis2003]

thanks dan!
x

[NettleNik]

As a newbie and just starting out - we measured our allotment plot last nyt and it's 26ft x25ft (a 3 pole). We had a nosey at the other plots and I'm glad that we've got a smaller plot - we definately wouldnt manage a big plot - it would be too daunting. We have our plan of 10 4ftx4ft beds and 5 4ftx8ft beds and thats enough for us to start with. We've been on the waiting list a while so we were glad to take whatever was available, and there are huge waiting lists in our area for allotments. So I do think smaller plots for beginners are a good idea. :)

[fireflydigger]

Ours is small, too, only about 30ft x 20ft - suits us perfectly right now. With waiting lists the way they are (2-3 years for our site), there doesn't seem much point judging plots by how well they feed a family of four or whatever - clearly there aren't enough plots for every family of four that wants one to have one, so we'll all have to put up with a bit less!

[electric landlady]

Just to be confusing - I've got a half plot but it's still the full 10 rods (roughly - it's an odd shape). Full plots on my site are huge - there's no way I could manage a whole one. Yet they are very much in demand - as far as I know mine is the only one they've split, due to lack of demand for smaller ones... ???

My half is just about right for me at the moment - roughly a third of it has got fruit trees/bushes on so I don't have to dig the whole thing. Initially I was a bit daunted and thought I'd never fill it all up, but now I'm squeezing things in all over the place - I definitely wouldn't want it to be any smaller.  :D but a teeny plot is still better than no plot I'd say

[Unwashed]

I think there was a time when 20 poles was considered a full plot, and there were people who worked two of them - but 40 poles is the maximum allowed under the Allotments Act.

I'd agree with LBB that 10 poles is a 'full' plot, though it's only a convention.  So for taurus, that's like LBB first said, 31ft wide on the 88ft wide section and 45ft wide on the 60ft section.

Funny how times have changed.  When I took on my bramble and couch plot 15 years ago it was 20 poles and the council charged it as 5 because they just couldn't find tenants for love nor money and were happy for me to take it.

[Unwashed]

You have to pay for some of the path as well.

That's an interesting point.  On my site plots were measured very roughly and generously, and rents were cheap - £1/pole.  Now rents are almost £5/pole and the council have been re-measuring enthusiastically.  Before, it didn't matter whether the path was strictly part of your plot or not, but now my path would cost me almost £6 so I'd argue strongly that the side path isn't part of the plot.  Fortunately my council agrees.

[Robert_Brenchley]

The main thing is to have something you can handle. On my site, a standard plot is 600 square yards, with hedges. The only people who manage to cultivate the whole lot are a few retired people who almost live on the site. We're slowly splitting more plots, and the standard of cultivation on the half plots does seem to be better.

[the-goodlife]

my plot in mtrs!


10mtrs wide  x 50mtrs long