Topic: Allotment etiquette

[abarton6]

I was wondering what other people's views on allotment etiquette is.

Specifically I mean in relation to walking across other people's plots.

I though this would be a no-no but I was working on mine today and two other plotholders breezed across mine with a "Hello - lovely day". To put this in perspective they were not trampling over my beds at all but walking across the large grassy section that is the other 4/5 of my 80ft plot.

Still It did suprise me somewhat.

Al B

[skypilot]

I don't have this problem as my plot like the others in our allotment area is well partitioned. The rule book does say, however, that allotment holders must not venture into anothers allotment without the permission of the owner.

I feel that, in your case as the area traversed was roughage and the people were being cordial I wouldn't make too much of it. Had it been dug,  for example, or allocated for a specific purpose then, I'm sure these persons would have realised this and given it a wide berth.

You could of course mark your boundaries and see what effect this would have  :)

[wardy]

I dug out an old door that was wedged in the hedge of my allotment and causing the hedge to die back.  Once the door was out in made a short cut for every Tom, Dick and Harry to take a short cut through my plot.  I've bought some new variegated privet plants to block up the gap  ;)

[SpeedyMango]

I wouldn't walk over anybody's plot, cultivated or not, without permission.

We had this problem last year. Our 'neighbours' used to use our plot as a shortcut to theirs, as they only had a small patch of ground in the centre of their plot cultivated (and still do), the rest (including the paths) was impenetrable brambles. They also used to leave their mountain bikes lying on our plot whilst working on theirs! When we arrived one day and saw them, they did move them, but didn't apologise or introduce themselves. Unfortunately they were hardly ever there, so we couldn't really speak to them about it (which has to be the best option).

After the first footprint in a newly sown bed I started winding string around and across all beds once I'd sown in them, and  I cleared the overgrown path down their side of the plots with my strimmer and dug new beds blocking off their access route across our plot. I think they got the point.

[Svea]

our plots too are well divided, with fences made from orange netting, bits of wood or old chicken wire (you name it, they have used it)

persoanlly, i feel almost like i am intruding on people's space when i go over to chat to them while they are there. i am almost waiting for the 'permission to come aboard' which is silly as obviously, plots are not ships ;)

can you mark out your edges, al? and somehow block them with some kind of fencing? it need not be high, 1m is tall enough for people to get the message. or plant a few hedge plants?
and next time, stop to chat with them and casually ask whether there is a 'right of way' across your plot - if you find the old guys have always done it for the last somany months since it's been empty, kindly inform them that now it's not anymore. or something.
i am sure you will be more tactfull than i couldever be :D

svea xx

[wardy]

I've just noticed on my last post on this thread that where I put Tom, D i c k and Harry it's come out as Tom, thingy and Harry.  Ha ha  ;D

[Mrs Ava]

If someone wouldn't mind pointing out the rules to the fox that saunters across my plot leaving his foot prints, I would be grateful!  I never cross others plots, unless invited to, but always use the path, and everyone on our site seems to do the same.  One reason I wouldn't want to stroll across is you don't know what will stick to your boot when you get back on your plot...white rot...club root....in the same way you could infect their, as yet, uninfected plot!  It is a tough one.  If you don't feel you can speak to the people about it, then as mentioned before, is there anyway of marking your boundaries....even if only temporarily so that people take the hint?

[Derek]

I must admit I hadn't thought about this... I have designated slabbed paths across my two plots and would have no objection to these paths being used.
There is a tap almost next to my plot  and I have said to my neighbour (on the other side) that it makes sense to use my path to access this when filling his watering can.

I think that if there are definite paths across a plot there shouldn't really be a problem but otherwise certainly not.

Derek

[adamhill100]

If it happens again maybe you should consider one of these..  http://www.nwtrappers.com/catalog/traps/bear.asp   :)

[moonbells]

I must admit I hadn't thought about this... I have designated slabbed paths across my two plots and would have no objection to these paths being used.
<snip>
I think that if there are definite paths across a plot there shouldn't really be a problem but otherwise certainly not.

Derek

I am trying to use all the extracted stones from my plot to make a hardcore path across.  I figure that if folk are going to walk across, then it's more likely to be on that.  However with the raised beds, that have 15" paths between them, carpeted, I guess folk will walk down those too so I should be safe from accidental or deliberate trampling or infecting.

I hadn't thought about the infection issue either.

Which reminds me,  must just pop over to pests and mention Wisley...

moonbells

[BAGGY]

We have a plot and a half separated by another ladies' full plot.  She constructed a breeze block steppingstone affair for us in front of her compost bin.  Aren't lotty folk nice?  Would viruses travel over breeze blocks or are they just as likely to get scraped off ?

[ACE]

the large grassy section that is the other 4/5 of my 80ft plot.

If we had somebody who was only cultivating a small section of their plot we would have to rent the rest to somebody else. But then again we have a long waiting list and a lot of the plots have been divided into managable plots.

[Janice Marlow]

As a secretary of our local allotment association I know that we have rules for behaviour expected from us on our allotments.  These cover rules for bonfires, weeds, cultivation of plots and such like.  Not everything is covered, but we do not rudely use each other's plots to shortcut across, because we try to be friendly and support each other.  I would recommend that you check out your rules and ask to be involved with the rule making process by talking to the committee or writing a letter. ;)

[MarthaMad]

I had a fence made of posts and heavy wire, it was low enough for my neighbour to hop over...

One late summer day I took a day off in mid-week for some allotment time... and found him and his wife  in my allotment picking my strawberries and blackberries.   He acted like there was nothing wrong... I went ballistic! I called the council, told every other allotmenteer and  We have now erected a higher fence on that side. 

The cheeky swine. 

[Mrs Ava]

Bl**dy cheek of them MarthaMad.  I would have gone crazy to!  Some people have more front than Selfridges windows!

[bear]

I agree somebody picking your crop is definately wrong, in fact it's basically theft. Walking across a plot is something you have to negotiate with the plotholder, but what about walking along the boundary paths between plots, is that ok? I need to do that to get to other bits of the site.

[Mrs Ava]

I can't see any problems using paths around the site, especially if you need to, to use site facilities.  I do like to walk around our site about once a fortnight, just to see what people are up to and to get an idea what people have planted.  Didn't figure anyone would object as I would never actually cross someones plot.....now I am wondering if people would object..... :-\

[Granny_Smith]

I walk around our site too - gives me an idea about what will grow best in the area, so I don't waste time trying to grow stuff that will be useless.

We recently had a plot holder evicted from the site for stealing from other allotments.

[MarthaMad]

We recently had a plot holder evicted from the site for stealing from other allotments.

I wanted  his hand to be chopped off and fed to rats, but that was a bit severe.

Oddly enough,  No one has seen him since november of last year... Maybe he fled in shame.

[Granny_Smith]

Check out the biggest compost heap on your site - you never know !