Topic: how big?

[derbex]

From memory mine is about 15' wide by 60 or 70' long. We don't keep rabbits, we're infested by them. I'm reclaiming a bit next door about 15' * 30' (or 10 * 15 if you're the rental officer  ;D), this is intended to be a sward* with apple trees. There don't seem to be many rules here -your plot is supposed to be cultivated which is taken to mean you have to do something to it and you should be considerate about bonfires. I don't know about bees -I'll have to ask.

Jeremy

Multiple choice test -cross out one which do not aply :

sward is it :
a) A diverse and interesting multispecies grassland habitat
b) That untidy, weed-infested bit rough ground.

lawn is it :
a) That calm and pleasing area of neatly striped grass.
b) An area of boring mono-culture that does nothing to promote wildlife and only serves the interests of agri-business.

[slyfox-mal]

my plot is 139 feet  by 40 feet mainly bramble infested jungle so far but getting there bit by bit

[Len]

May help.
Length

12 lines  = 1 inch
12 inches  = 1 foot
3 feet  = 1 yard
1760 yards  = 1 mile

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36 inches  = 1 yard
440 yards  = quarter mile
880 yards  = half mile
 100 links  = 1 chain
10 chains  = 1 furlong
8 furlongs  = 1 mile

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4 inches  = 1 hand
22 yards  = 1 chain
5.5 yards  = 1 rod, pole or perch
4 poles  = 1 chain
40 poles  = 1 furlong
 

[Mrs Ava]

heheh Derbex, you are as bad as me!  Everytime I re-edge my plot I pinch another slither from the paths all round!  Sorry any of my neighbours that may be reading this.  The paths are going to be like razor edges before long, but I keep thinking to myself, 'I could fit another beetroot, or lettuce, or spud in that little bit!'  ;D

[Sarah-b]

15 poles in all (spread over 2 plots).
We keep a "recreational" area for picnics and bonfires.
We also have some covered bits.
We have a whole area for "easy to grow" cut flowers.
I am really obsessed with it and couldn't manage it if I wasn't - and OH does a fair bit too.

Are you worried about taking a plot on and then losing control of it? Cos even when things get bad, it's amazing what a couple of hours can do to sort it out.
Go on Aqui - go for it. What have you got to lose?

sb

[aquilegia]

Thanks for that all. They are huge!

I definitely think a whole plot would be too big. My garden is approx 6m x 6m. My veg patch is 50cm x 4m. and the veg extension we're digging this spring is 3m x 3m. (I was out with the tape measure yesterday!)

Even with me spending three days in the garden per week, with Mr Aqui's unskilled help at weekends, that's still plenty to do.

My current plan is to see how much I can get out of the veg patch this summer. I will then consider taking on half a plot either this autumn or the following autumn (it keeps moving forward a year, originally it wasn't until at least 2006). I'd love some berries, asparagus, etc, but just don't have room. Yet!

[Sarah-b]

I can see why you are hesitating. I think I wouldn't manage the plots if the garden at home needed much attention.
As it is, I hardly do anything in the garden at home. Last year I did do some toms in pots - but found that I couldn't cope with watering the plot then coming back and watering the garden and the pots too. So this year I have vowed "NO TOMS IN POTS AT HOME". In fact "NOTHING IN POTS". And I mustn't fall for any temptation over this cos i know I can't cope...
sb

[mitzzy]

at a rough guess my plot is about 45x80 ft


I will have to meaure it properly and get a better idea how big it is .
all I can say it was big when it cover with weeds and it looks huge without them  :P



Mags

[Plottie]

right, mine'll be about 10 rods then...always wondered what that measurement was!

Mine looked huge too (the plot that is :o) until we marked out beds and tentatively allocated space to all we want to grow this year.  Now all of a sudden it doesn't seem nearly big enough BUT this will be our first growing season so i may revise this opinion when I start  having to tackle 10 rods worth of weeds when they start to grow in my lovely cleared beds!!!

Plottie  :)

[aquilegia]

I may (if weather and time allow) drag Mr Aqui to the allotment office this weekend.... I'll keep you informed.

[Apple Dumpling]

My plot is about 30ft x 70ft. I say about because it's actually 25ft wide at one end and 35ft wide at the other. I think the guy who laid out the plots at our site must have been drinking.

 It's a nice size for us though, as I easily produce enough veg to feed the two of us and any more land might take more time than I could spare.

[Svea]

ok, went round to see the plot which i am getting 'soon' (as soon as the lady vacating my plot is out of hospital in the next few days, basically)

it's probably about 8x4m, which seems a good size for two.
it has a rhubard bed on one side, with i think two plants in it. other than that, nothing else is permanent. we are allowed soft fruit so goosegogs it is :D

i seriously can't wait now and will be ordering lotsa seeds soon :)

svea

[botchituk]

I have 2 Lotties both approx. 140 sq.metres each, Although on one, I would reckon that at least 20 sq. metres is taken up by a 50+ year old greenhouse. The other one has a nice modern 6ft x 8ft greenhouse on it, although when I am in the old greenhouse it seems to have such a good feeling about it and I can't help but to imagine all the things and people that have been in the place.
By pure fluke both my Lotties are next door to each other and only about 50 yards away from my house. There are only 3 allotments in the scheme which is council owned, so I think I am very lucky to have got 2 on the same patch although technically one isn't mine but an older gentleman bowling club friend of mine.
I got one of these in late may last year and one in late August last year, so I haven't been able to do a lot with it except tidy it up, although I've planted raspberry canes and strawberry plants.
Last year I planted anything I could lay my hands on, but this year I've taken a little more time over things and have all my seeds and potatoes at the ready for when Spring finally comes.

[frannie]

i vaguely remember rods and chains from school - wasnt there a perch as well? mine is about 75' x 20' - i think thats about 5 rods?

[ajb]

Somewhere around 4000sqft (about an 8th of an acre) or about 6 weeks of digging.

[Suffolklad]

i vaguely remember rods and chains from school - wasnt there a perch as well?

.....poles as well

All the same length if I remember correctly - a rod, pole or perch.

I have 3 allotments, and I think each is about 25' x 100'

Mike

[Slaine]

I've just took over a 5.5m x 20m plot, it's the smallest plot on the site i think but big enough to get my fingers green.

[wardy]

Don't know how big my lotty is - enormous is the best way to describe it!  My husband isn't fussed about growing anything.  He just wants a shed to put stuff in and move it about occasionally and a deckchair so he can relax and drink beer.  He already has the wind up radio (which he bought me for Christmas) so he can listen to the match when he's not actually at the match.   He likes to make things out of bits of wood and has made me two raised beds already and a wire bin to put leaves in.  He's soon to acquire a shed and says he's buying a box of wine and a gas cooker in it.  I'm busy buying manure, mulch, seeds and tools but he's got a different agenda completely but he's going to be very relaxed on the plot and that's what it's all about.  We have some new lotty neighbours who are all newbies so we're going to have a good time finding out how things are done. 

Wardy

[Derek]

Hi

I have dug out a couple of pictures of my original half plot.
The first is at the time I took it over although the previous owner still had produce he allowed me to start work on the empty sections.



The second picture shows how I sectioned it off.. this is a lazy idea of mine... I couldn't face looking at a full undug plot...sections make it easier and sets me goals which are achievable
The original greenhouse I bought from another plot holder for £30





Hope you like 'em

Derek

[Svea]

wow - half plot you say? it's looks huge!