Allotments 4 All

I'm new to this allotment lark. I've posted pictures of my wilderness and then after a few weeks a totally cleared and rotovated plot.

I've added a shed and paved around it, I've marked out my different sections with string, I've planted strawberry, rhubarb, some fruit trees and raspeberry. Everything is coming on nicely. I'm happy BUT...

when I aquired the plot there was two 4ft high mounds of rubbish from the allotment owner next to me. He made some muttering that he would move it but after two weeks my eagerness to get my plot cleared overcame me and I moved it myself (it had appeared to be added to in that time). Then last weekend I marked out quite clearly with string my plot. I've even been conservative and left at least a two foot path between neighbours. So what did I find last night - loads of tyre tracks across my plot leading to my neighbours plot. He's clearly driven over the string. It's not like this guy is young, he will be in his late 60's. Sadly I'm not one to confront people so will be out tonight digging over (again) where his tyres have been. Had it not started raining there would have been some more raspeberry caned in the area where he has driven over.

But I tell you, don't people have consideration and respect any more. It doesn't take much. Another neighbouring plot had planted a fruit tree and it had broken in the wind. I noticed they had not been for a few days so I have bound the tree and hopefully it will be saved. It doesn't take much.

it is completely unacceptable for your neighbour to drive a vehicle across your plot. its outrageous. he knows you are working the plot and is perhaps a bit miffed that someone has taken the plot where he has been dumping his rubbish. i know how you feel about confrontation and its a shame that your experience as a new plot holder has started like this. you must lay down the law striaght away in a friendly and polite but firm manner. if he continues to abuse your plot then unfortunately youwill have to take it further. does your site have a committee?

Hi Heyho!

Totally unacceptable!  I understand that you don't like confrontation but there are ways round this so that you can "advise" said man that you are cultivating the plot and would appreciate if he didn't drive anyway near your boundary.

Probably the best way to tackle this would be to speak to him about the "person" who drove over your allotment/strings/plants and all and ask him to keep his eyes open for the person who did this! And would he let you know if he sees it happen again.  Don't make out you know that it is him but also lay the foundations that he has been rumbled and that the action is unacceptable in any form.

Good luck - You don't need to be confrontational about this - just a quiet word with your "friendly neighbouring allotment holder".

Let us know how you get on.

Old Bird

>:(

Yes this community thing is not always great.We have to put up with peoples bad points as well as the good.

Maybe you can put things around the border of your plot that he is unable to drive over.

Falling out with the neighbour is depressing and the image of allotments is lots of caring and sharing.Sadly it does not always work out that way.

Hope things work out and don't let it get you down . :)

Have you thought of putting a fence round your plot?

What an idiot!!!!!!!!! thats outrageous, go to your comittee and ask them to speak to him.

Thats not cricket at all!
I had a similar issue with my old plot. I spent weeks clearing it all and every time i went down i found myself getting no further forward because inconsiderate, lazy plot holders continued to thrown thier rubbish over my fence as they had been doing for the past 2 years. Even when I painted a huge notice on my fence that the plot was occupied it still happened.

I lost it one weekend when I got there and found 3 black bags of waste on my plot. so i searched through them, found a few empty flower box which had been sent through the post and took all three black bags to the address on the label and reunited them with thier owner.

Needless to say I never had any more rubbish bags dumped on my plot!

Quote from: MickW on April 10, 2008, 10:15:22
Have you thought of putting a fence round your plot?

The barrier lends itself for some more fruit trees and raspberry bushes. If I put the trees in I do so with 4ft stakes to support them. An extra stake or two at the perimiter of my allotment and well driven in might well leave a nasty dint in his bumper if he decides to drive over it again.  ;D

Sorry about your troubles heyho - hopefuly you'll be able to resolve them soon.  Lacelotte - good on ya!  Toms Lottie:  you little tinker!  ;D ;D ;D
twinkletoes

Quote from: Lacelotte on April 10, 2008, 10:28:43
Thats not cricket at all!
I had a similar issue with my old plot. I spent weeks clearing it all and every time i went down i found myself getting no further forward because inconsiderate, lazy plot holders continued to thrown thier rubbish over my fence as they had been doing for the past 2 years. Even when I painted a huge notice on my fence that the plot was occupied it still happened.

I lost it one weekend when I got there and found 3 black bags of waste on my plot. so i searched through them, found a few empty flower box which had been sent through the post and took all three black bags to the address on the label and reunited them with thier owner.

Needless to say I never had any more rubbish bags dumped on my plot!

Oh my... I'm so suprised about people dumping rubbish, let alone dumping on other people plots!

How lucky finding an address in the bags! I bet the didn't know what to say when you returned them.


Have you ever bumped in to eachother in passing down the allotment?


Regards,

Lawrence

Quote from: Toms Lottie on April 10, 2008, 10:48:29
Here Is A Little trick :D  Im Sneaky

Hammer Some Big Nails Into A Thin Bit Of Wood.  Put Where The Car Entered Your Plot And Just Wait  ;D  He Wont Think Twice About DOing It Again  ;D

Thats what i would be doing only they would be camouflaged.  You could also make it clear that who ever it may be would get to meet your mate Billy....................Billy Baseballbat

Quote from: IsleworthTW7 on April 10, 2008, 11:10:57
How lucky finding an address in the bags! I bet the didn't know what to say when you returned them.

Have you ever bumped in to eachother in passing down the allotment?


Regards,

Lawrence

I don't think I'd know who he was if I did bump into him. Infact I probably have done lol. There are an awful lot of plots up from me as mine was quite close to the entrance/exit so there are a lot of faces walk past I dont know.

I do know that he wasn't a young allotmenteer either as he lives in an estate for over 55's. Eeesh and it's us young 'uns that are have no respect! hehehe

dig some trenches a spade deep and 2 spades wide, then fill it with the loose fluffed up soil so its not quite so obvious.

Then when your "mystery" driver comes along he will be in for a nice shock... then just play innocent and say they were potato trenches  :)

Not that I would condone this action of course.... oh no...  ;)

Quote from: Toms Lottie on April 10, 2008, 10:48:29
Here Is A Little trick :D  Im Sneaky

Hammer Some Big Nails Into A Thin Bit Of Wood.  Put Where The Car Entered Your Plot And Just Wait  ;D  He Wont Think Twice About DOing It Again  ;D

Im with this guy.

No respect, I blame the parents !  :-X

He could have poor eyesight and not seen the string, and always used the plot as a carpark before, could of been a genuine mistake.

:)

Heyho,
          I have just been down the same  path myself with the lotty I took on basically what happened was that council allocated me the wrong plot because the people that have been on the allotments for years and because of their 'Spanish Practices', have so I was told 'Moved the allotments about' apparently unknown to the council,  because I'm a diplomatic type of  person I went round it the right way and the problem is now resolved. Regarding your rubbish  problem one which I have also had. What you should of done was  phone your council because this comes under Health&Safety (sorry to use the term) in my case they came along and moved all the rubbish off a the next joining allotment :).

Be careful with the nails through wood Tom... I still remember putting a nail through my heel... a fence had collapsed and the grass grown over it...
:-[

Quote from: springbokgirlie on April 10, 2008, 17:32:49
He could have poor eyesight
:)

My god heyho you have got problems blind people driving cars on allotments.  :o

if ever youre there on youre own, you could always return the favour, and when he grumbles simply say "i know! some bugger did it to me the other day too! how annoying!" so long as you dont get caught...
but i guess it sounds like hes a stick in the mud and would resent any form of change, so probably keep 2 urself chuck his rubbish back over if he carries on with it and complain to the council if he persists beyong that.. it isnt right but i guess the 1st priority now is some whacking great fences... ive seen the sorts used to keep crowds out at the councils fireworks displays building sites etc being used, no way hed miss those eh? and i bet hed loathe it too, too high to wang his rubbish across, har har bloody har! yes im in a slightly evil mood... on the plus side u could grow stuff up them being mesh? id be too worried hed squish youre raspberrys etc if they werent protected...

I'm quite horrified by some of the suggested 'SOLUTIONS' which are just as bad as the original offence.

If you know your neighbour is responsible then speak to him about it. If you have a committee and your neighbour is difficult go down that route. If he's a problem they'll know!!


There are loads of ways of dealing with this without behaving like a b****tard yourself.