Topic: New Allotment - How long to clear a site to be perfect???

[purple sprouting]

My OH and I applied for an allotment in September, and despite the number of overgrown sites, had to wait three months for the council to decide if any were available.   (Not really a problem at that stage but......)

I applied for two plots in December and took over tenancy at that time.  My OH hired a cultivator and the entire two plots were turned in January.  Since then I have planted potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, herbs, brassicas, a huge pumpkin/squash patch, and sweetcorn, beans, flowers etc etc).  Some of my two allotments are under black plastic to suppress weeds (the soil has been neglected for many years and this first year I don't have anything to enrich it, but I am composting like mad, and have about two tonnes of organic horse doo fermenting - together with grass cuttings being dug in etc.).

Imagine my suprise when yesterday I received a letter from the council telling me that the plot was not being cultivated to their expectations and could I either confirm that I no longer required the plot or fully cultivate it by June 19th. 

This......... despite the fact that most of the site is completely overgrown.

Has anyone else had any similar experiences?? How did you respond? 

Regards

[Common_Clay]

Purple Sprouting... I think that's just awful and has really made for angry reading.

There may possibly be a mistake though? If your council's allotment department is anything like ours (which, with three months for them to figure out what's taken and what's not, sounds like it) then could it be that they somehow have their wires crossed and think you are tenants of another plot? I think it would be very worth your while contacting them to check.
  If not, I think that is absolutely ridiculous... surely they'd rather have fallow ground cultivated and obviously being worked on rather than just left? Sounds like you've done a lot, too. Grrr.

  I have recently tried to help two people get a couple of allotments and, while there are loads of empty, overgrown ones, the information is a shambles. For instance, the website for our association says there are vacancies for full plots. The man 'in the know' on the site says there are, too. Call the council and they have no vacancies, supposedly with people's names on the list for 18 months waiting for the ground to be rotavated (council do it). So, my only advice is to contact them and find out what's going on. Best of luck.

[supersprout]

this seems very unreasonable sprouting. my lottie neighbours reckon it takes three years to turn one overgrown plot around, let alone two.
and it sounds like you are doing a BRILLIANT job.
does your local authority want to drive plotholders off the land to develop it? :-\
I've had letters in the past when I had a shared plot in Stevenage - it's a bit of a jolt >:(


if you have a friendly site rep talk it over with them
definitely find out who's responsible for overseeing lottie standards in the council, and talk to them in person - ask what you're doing that's different to what they expect, as soon as possible, if possible get them to meet you on the plot
has the local authority rep has visited the site, or are they working on hearsay?
were they looking at the right plot? it's easy to get them mixed up
keep notes of all phone calls and meetings, and copies of all letters
please don't be discouraged  :) just make contact in person asap to clear up any mistakes or differences in opinion about what is a 'well run' allotment

hope you manage to clear it up with your local authority rep soon :)

[Gadfium]

It might also be a case of the council thinking they are talking to the previous tenants...

Write down a list of everything you have done since you took over the plots. Add in a detailed rundown of the state of the plots when you took them over. Any pictures you may have will provide quick visual proof of 'what was' versus 'what is'.  If you want... add in the costs expended (particularly those you had to outlay because of the state of the plots e.g. black plastic)... all good fiscal proof of committment.

Then get to grips with the author(s) of the letter. Preferably in person, so that you can get precise answers to:

1. Why this was ever sent out.
2. On what basis.
3. On whose say-so.
4. Who provided the information stating your plots were neglected. On what date(s) was this information logged. Were photographs taken?
5. Who, in their department, checked their information, prior to the letter being sent out. And get a copy of their report. They might have a plot-mix-up.

Hopefully this will sort out the situation. Swiftly.

Always a good idea to get them to confirm, whatever is said to you as a result of this meeting, 'in writing'.

[sarah]

and let us all know what happens. good luck, it sounds like you have worked exrememly hard, there must be a mistake.

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's either a mistake or somebody being totally unreasonable. Go to the person at the top and insist that they see your plot personally.

[monkey puzzle]

Agree with previous posts.  Invite the writer to meet you at the lottie.   From your description, wires are definitely crossed.

Sudden thought - the numbering system on our site is a bit strange which occasionally causes confusion.   I hate to suggest this but are you sure you're cultivating the right plot(s)? 

I wish you well.  Try not to worry.

[Looby Loo]

Sudden thought - the numbering system on our site is a bit strange which occasionally causes confusion.   I hate to suggest this but are you sure you're cultivating the right plot(s)? 

I wish you well.  Try not to worry.

The plot numbering on our site seems to be a law unto itself. Gawd only knows how the guy who delivers theh horse muck ever finds the right plots.

I can only wish you well and like others have said I just hope it is a paperwork balls up after alll your hard work.

Please post when you get it sorted.

[saddad]

Hope you get it sorted quickly, I haven't got a perfect plot yet and my best I have been working for 13 years!
 ;D

[purple sprouting]

Thanks to everyone for their support and ideas - I am a lot clearer on what I shall ask the council tomorrow.  Will feedback in due course.

Regards

Abb

[wattapain]

We had a letter like that last year  along with everyone else on the site - and some of the others ( certainly not ours!!) are pretty good though i don't believe perfect can ever go with allottment!!
Turned out that the allottment sec had changed and the newbie thought he'd start anew and stir things up.
nothing came of it - but he did get quite a few irate phone calls.
Don't expect we'll be getting one this year though  ::) ;)
Terri   :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

A neighbour of mine used to get one every year just because certain people had taken a dislike to him. I hope it's not malice in your case though.

[basketcase]

Tell me about it! I've only recently started allotmenteering and I got a letter last November too.

For anyone passing it this would seem reasonable because it was, indeed, somewhat overgrown. However, the reasons it was overgrown were:

• it hadn't been worked for at least 2 years
  I was trying to be organic, so didn't want to spray it
  
• when I explained all this when I signed the papers (the previous January) I asked about the Council rotavating it and was told "hang on till after March when they did all the inspections
  
  I had a death in the family so couldn't get down for a bit.  When I did it was obvious nothing had been done. It was now too overgrown for an ordinary rotavator and needed a heavy duty one.
  
  Back to the Council who said "What a pity you didn't chase us up" It's too late now. We'll only rotavate if you give up the plot and someone else takes it over".
  
  I sent them a long letter outlining the state of it, the problems and saying I couldn't possibly do it in 2 weeks, but would undertake to make a noticeable difference by the next inspection. They agreed to this.
  
  So if they actually mean it, you could try that. They did say that there was a waiting list - so it makes you wonder why some of the plots have (I've been told) been vacant for 4 or 5 years.
  
  One of the problems is the "it takes time" nature of, well, Nature! versus the "you have a fortnight to bring it up to scratch" of the Council.  Good luck with your quest. I think it sounds as if you're doing a great job too.
  
  Basketcase

[busy_lizzie]

This sounds very much like a mix up to me.  All the previous advice is sound especially contacting  the writer of the letter with evidence that your plot has been cultivated. Lets hope you get an apology.  Our Committee are very good as they bend over backwards to try to help people and certainly give them enough time to sort out a previously neglected plot. We have a three letter system,: 1. a gentle reminder, 2. A more strongly worded one, asking if there is a problem, and the 3rd one giving warning that the plot will be checked within a certain timescale then they would be given Notice to Quit.  If a plot holder gets in touch with the Secretary if they have a particular problem, like a death or illness in the family or any other reason, then they are usually very understanding and make allowances. So hope you get it sorted PS.  busy_lizzie

[amphibian]

I had similar accusations made against me during my impostor incident. It seems organic growers are prone to these issues, due to the slower rate of clearance. I had only had the plot since July and cleared or covered most of it.

I just stood my ground and insisted I had long-term plans.

What to they expect beginners to do when faced with 17 perch of couch grass, docks and nettles; instantly produce 17 perch of crop covered tilth?

[saddad]

Don't let the B****rds grind you down, I have enough trouble trying to get some of our members to turn a sod. We are a self owning site and too many members just want a cut in 12 acres of prime urban building land!!!! Over my dead body!
 >:(

[katynewbie]

 :o

You stick to your guns dad! Hear Hear..or is it Here Here? Never did know!

 ;)

[amphibian]

:o

You stick to your guns dad! Hear Hear..or is it Here Here? Never did know!

 ;)

Hear hear.
 :)

[katynewbie]

 ;D

Thankyou! Now can anyone tell me why...where does it come from? These are the kinds of things I think about whilst weeding, maybe i need to get out more...

 ;)

[Svea]

[offtopic]The correct term is, "hear, hear!" It is an abbreviation for "hear, all ye good people, hear what this brilliant and eloquent speaker has to say!"


Of course, if the speaker is actually asking a question, such as "and just where do you think we should open the new strip club?" it's not hard to imagine that at least one yahoo in attendance might yell, "here, here!" But this would be the exception that proves the rule.[/offtopic]

any feedback you can give us on your situation, purple sprouting?