Hi all,
I am going to choose my first allotment this week and I can't wait!!. I first applied to get a plot on the site at the beginning of Oct and was told there was immediate vacancies, so after abit of a delay I am going to get one on Wednesday morning at Cole Park in Isleworth (thanks suzylou for giving me info about this!). I have 9 to choose from so what should I look out for?. I'm thinking if one has a nice big shed for me to have then it goes to the top of my list!. To be honest I am not really that fussed if it's really overgrown as a: I have all winter to sort it out, and b: I kinda like that sort of work anyway!.
I have plans to grow far far more than I'm sure I will have room for but we will see how we go!.
Roll on Wednesday! ;D ;D ;D
Hey hey, lucky you :) Pick the one nearest the water butt :) If there is no water butt pick one with a shed, if there is no shed, pick one you can get your car/manure deliveries to, the least waterlogged
There's not likely to be one which is perfect :)
Congratulations Neil. There is a similar thread on the Basics board, running at the moment. I suggest you visit that and collect all your advice from there too.
Derekthefox :D
Can you take all nine and retire early to a life of peasantry and peace on you're budget-price country estate?
Congratulations :) Post some pictures once you've chosen.
Hey good for you - lets us knowhow you get on ;D
woo hoo...you got a lotty ,you got a lotty!
I recall you were just as excited when you got yours Helly ... come to that, so was I ... !
Derekthefox :D
Every single one ;of us can relate to the, I've got a Lotty, ;D excitement ;D
Yes, sad aren't we really? Not that I care, I get more enjoyment over this that I would over something like golf for instance ... (yawn).
Derekthefox :D
Don't talk to me about Golf - thought I was escaping the dreaded G word on here ;D
Hey Neil, Happy Christmas and congratulations, may the two of you be very happy together...... ;D ;)
Ha ha Delilah, I suspect you are a golf widow then ... ?
Derekthefox ;D
congrats neil ;D
whichever you choose you will come to love it anyway!
when we chose ours we arrived a bit early and chatted to other allotment holders there who advised us on which plot to choose.
enjoy,
Tara and Dave
You are so right Tara and Dave, the plot becomes part of your blood, and inseparable from you, which ever one is chosen ...
Good luck
Derekthefox :D
Wa-Hay I got it!!
The one I picked was quite overgrown, there were others that were less overgrown, but the one I went for has a water butt at the bottom, will have a bit of shade aswell as plenty of full sun in the summer, I dont have a neighbouring plot atall on one side, and at the back of my plot behind where I intend to put my shed has a fair amount of overgrown bushes on it and the guy who showed me round said I was welcome to cut them down so I could have a car parking space! very nice I thought!! :). Plus my plot seems very long so Im more than chuffed that I will have plenty of room to grow all the stuff I want to.
All I have to do know is wait for the contract to be sent to me, pick up my key and off we go!!. There is no rubbish atall left by the last holder which is nice, so I plan on hiring a petrol mower as the grass is quite long then get to work on stripping the turf off and having myself a nice big turf stack at one end of my plot! When I am next there i will take some pics to show you all.
:) :) :)
excellent Neil, glad you are pleased with your choice, and I look forward to seeing these pictures ...
Derekthefox :D
Congrats Neil B. Your new plot sounds idyllic. Car park anorl. Get you ;D
Good idea about the petrol mower. It will look much bigger when you've cut the grass ;D
Make sure your stacked turves are grass side down and covered up and they'll rot off really well :)
Have fun choosing your seeds. Don't forget the Seed Swop on A4A :)
Or you'll end up with a really big grassy mound... ::) ::) ::) ;) mind you the cat likes sitting on it...
Congratulations though Neil and look forward to pics!!
Lottie
Congrats to you Neil ;D
DtF - yes I am a Golf Widow - I've learnt to sit patiently listening to descriptions of every shot taken, which club he used, how far it was from the pin, whether he duffed it or not, did he hook it or slice it?
Now I've got Lotty though the plan is for him to become a Allotment Widower!!!!!! ;D
Yes Delilah, and you can get your own back, by describing the soil, your weed problems, your planting plans, methods for coping with all the pests, in fact you could go on, and on, and on ...
And then there is a week by week progress report to give ... ;D
Derekthefox :D
I could go on and on and I WILL go on and on - and you never know he may be converted ;D
The key question perhaps, is do you want him to be converted ... my OH leaves the allotment to me, she shows interest when I point out details on the twice a year she visits ... I like it being my own bit of private space .
Derekthefox :D
My lotty is the only time me and OH spend any leisure time together. He potters and I grow things :) He was dismissive of my getting a plot at first but I'd paid the rent on it and so it was a done deal. It was my project but he likes to take over and so was soon there dishing out orders ;D Strimmed it in no time he did - bless ;D He's been really supportive though and he loves it now as much as I do. He bought me loads of lotty stuff for my birthday and emailed me from work today to ask if I wanted thermal socks for Christmas to match the wellies I had for my birthday. He's so considerate ;D He's getting stressed at work and has not been to plot for weeks so I think he's overdue for a visit :)
Quote from: Delilah on December 08, 2005, 11:59:45
Congrats to you Neil ;D
DtF - yes I am a Golf Widow - I've learnt to sit patiently listening to descriptions of every shot taken, which club he used, how far it was from the pin, whether he duffed it or not, did he hook it or slice it?
Now I've got Lotty though the plan is for him to become a Allotment Widower!!!!!! ;D
It's alright Delilah - I don't play golf and I am not that far down the A15 ;D
;D
Delilah - you've missed a stage in your OH's training! Mine plays golf too but is not allowed post-mortems and, now that we have a child, also restricts himself to one or two outings a month. I only know he's done well if he comes home clutching a ghastly trophy or a bottle of wine for his prize. He also spends at least one evening a week on the PC - after her bed-time - as he is the handicap secretary and website manager. It's an itinerant golf for English speaking players of many nationalities and is run by a committee of its members.
I have a cunning plan, by listening to him patiently then in theory he has to give me the same respect ;D
I have to say in all honesty he isn't too bad, he plays golf every Sunday morning or Saturday afternoon, depending on what the rest of the family are doing therefore fitting in around us - it does go a little mental during June and July when most of the competions are at their height. If he gets his golfing time then if does de-stress him consequently making him much happier and easier to live with :)
Yes and us blokes definitely need our destress time ... ;D
Derekthefox :D