Topic: Changes at the allotment

[Borlotti]

Due to the fact that Enfield Council are building extra school places for George Spicer School, some of our allotments will be playing field for the new annex to the school, and other allotments will be a car park for the teachers.  A lot of building work is going on, but it doesn't really affect me, and a lot of the allotments were not really well kept and people will/have be/been offered alternative allotments on the same site.  Not sure what is happening to the Council owned house and garden at the back of my allotment but a big digger has dug the garden over, and chopped down a few trees and the rumour goes that it will be allotments for the people that have lost theirs.  10 years ago it was my secret paradise, but times change.  With all this wet cold weather think maybe time to rethink. Will see how this year progresses, as I am beginning to feel my age.

[Digeroo]

Sometimes it takes a little longer to accept change.   Maybe once the weather perks up you will renew your enthusiasm.  I am beginning to try no dig and various other lower work methods.

I remember reading one of the Wizard of Oz books to my son and there was a lovely saying in one which goes 'Everything is unusual until you get used to it;'

Hopefully things will calm down and you can back to a bit of peace and quiet except during break times when you will probably hear a lot of screaming children.

Once I am eating some of my own crops I remember why I am doing the work.

[Borlotti]

Don't mind the children playing, although have noticed that junior children at playtime do tend to scream.  Marestail not up yet. Hope my strawberries now well this year, as have run out of jam.

[Digeroo]

Now you are thinking of strawberries and jam.  That sounds much more positive.

What about all those lovely runner beans dripping in butter and pepper.

[BarriedaleNick]

I must admit that I am really struggling this season.
I have developed tinnitus which is annoying.  However it seems to have hit me rather badly, my enthusiasm has evaporated and I am not sure I can face the plot at the moment..
Not sure why - maybe a delayed middle aged crisis but it has knocked the stuffing our of me..

[pumkinlover]

 :sunny:A few nice days and you may feel differently......

[squeezyjohn]

Sorry to hear that Nick ... tinnitus is horrific and I hope it subsides for you.

The good news is that if your plot is anything like mine is at the moment there will be nothing you can really do until it dries out some more.  Leave it until you feel better and hopefully the daylight hours and temperatures will have crept up nicely and you'll feel different.

[artichoke]

What are your ages? I will be 71 this year and admit that my frenzied dashes to my allotments over the last 15 years have definitely slowed down, and this year, with all the rain, I find it very difficult to force myself out of the house into the weather..... But I am always glad when I do it, feel better and fresher for it, and am ashamed that I keep putting it off.

Maybe we should continue this thread as an encouragement for older, tireder people to keep going? Share ideas for managing our plots without exhausting ourselves? It is not that we are disabled as such - just more physically challenged than we have been used to..... I am doing a lot more covering of ground with tarpaulins than I used to, to smother weeds, for example.

Anyway, today I planted out a gutter and three pots of early dwarf pea seedlings (Oskar) and protected them with a netting tunnel and some slug pellets (hoping birds cannot get into the tunnel and be poisoned) and did a little digging in very soggy ground. I am chitting quite a lot more early peas, and plan a few hours tomorrow in promised sunshine at another site, preparing ground for them. This has cheered me up a lot after the interminable winter of storms, wind and rain.

Last year my daughter, as a 70th birthday present, offered me 10 hours of help by a local gardener of my choice. I was offended and defensive at first, but came round and humbly accepted this help. This man was wonderful - hammered in huge posts to support a fence I had almost ruined my back dragging down to the site (bought in local market and it soon collapsed), did a lot of strimming (my strimmer had broken down), sprayed off masses of weeds, dug big holes for fruit trees, achieved in minutes jobs I just had not been able to manage, and was very cheerful and friendly about it.

So please, people who are thinking about giving up their plots, consider accepting a little paid help (in this case £12 an hour and immensely worth it, occasionally), and keep on going and posting here?

PS I have had tinnitus for the last 15 years, and although it is annoying and distracting and interferes with talking to friends and hearing what they say - it is manageable when you get used to it.

[BarriedaleNick]

I am only 49 artichoke but thanks for your encouraging post.  Physically I am fine but some some reason the tinnitus has really knocked me back mentally.  What I do know is once I get my sorry little arse in gear I will be fine - my plot is as good a therapy as I can get!

[Borlotti]

I am 70 (I don't believe it) and my partner has tinnitus and they can't do anything about it and it makes him miserable and he can't sleep.  He had a noise generator but even that didn't help. I afraid he doesn't get a lot of sympathy and unless one has it don't really now how bad it can me (or that is what he tells me).  I only have a tiny garden/yard and that is why I got the allotment when I retired at 60.  I will keep it this year, but are plan is to move away from London in the next two years (not onto a flood plain/plane?). Then I can have a conservatory/green house and won't need an allotment.  Anyway I have had 10 wonderful years there, and made many friends.  Will have to get a garden with an apple tree in it and will miss my lovely Brambley apple tree that I planted 10 years ago. Saw on TV last night that Council's are trying to build on allotments, and as I said we have lost some due to development, but we have plots that people take on and don't cultivate so there are free plots.  Also they have split some. I don't mind too much the plots not being perfect as that means I don't get non cultivation letters (yet).  I have also covered some of the soil with sheeting to keep the weeds down. My partner is very good when I can get him to the allotment, but he said it is my baby, as he is still working and doesn't want to work on his days off.  Manuel was great (very young, strong and fit) and often helped people dig, as his allotment was perfect but he has moved away.  Wait and see what the bill is for this year as think the rent has gone up, but we do have free compost coming on 11 March, so everyone will be up there.  I did do some voluntary work when I retired and looked for
part-time jobs but think having the allotment was one of the best things I did.  I can remember feeling sick with excitment when I first got my allotment keys.  The sun is shining today so feeling better already. 

[manicscousers]

Rotten, getting older isn't it?  But, we have more time to take things slow and easy.
My oh has tinnitus and has had it for 14 years, he now has hearing aids and sleeps with headphones on playing low music which helps.
He has also had mental health problems for the last 15 years and, if we didn't have the plot, I seriously think he would have had a mental breakdown.
Just to go and potter about helps me, bit of fresh air and excercise, degenerative arthritis and fibromyalgia would make me sit all day so it keeps me moving. We do, however, have undercover areas and raised beds so just need wellies for the paths.
Plus, a laugh and a cuppa with our mates makes us both feel better.
Feel better soon, Borlotti 

[Paul.and.Lynda]

I am 47 and I have osteoarthritis in both knees, back problems, arthritic shoulders (all due to playing rugby and my height doesn't help lol). My body creaks and groans but I find working the allotment helps alleviate these 
Paul