Allotments 4 All

hopefully you don't have the problem like we have over here where there is only one poor lady dealing with all the allotments in the town, and never returns your calls

I have emailed the council again to hassle! - this time they have given me some more detailed information and an estimated expected date that I might get one! Although they say it may not be until late this year, I am now 25th on the list and some people are holding out for a particular plot rather than any one like me. As I started last year at number 70-ish on the list, and I was 32nd several weeks ago, it looks like things are indeed moving!

So keep your fingers crossed for me guys! And thanks again for all the advice and sharing tips!

I think the issue is that with plots being fashionable, every man and his dog wants one.Add to that, most new starters being unused to hard work, and opting for raised beds, which they then space four feet apart, and you have vast amounts of wasted space that could be put to better use.

Personally I think all applicants should be interviewed, any mention of raised beds, permaculture, or no dig, and they fail.

Why take on an allotment of you don't want to dig?

i would find out who has one of the abandond ones from the couoncil and get in touch with them get them to write a letter to the council telling them that they dont want it and you do,

failing that just have one!! ;D

its the same on our lottie place the plots are taken & they are not growing veg just having them sitting there with weeds growing what a waste!! >:( >:( >:(.

Theres a plot up from me the chap has had it for 4 years ive been told he,s not once planted a single plant on it just keeps 3 chickens on it and its a mess, i will get a picture of it to show you all >:(.
Ive mentioned it to the association at meetings but the old guy who runs the allotment site for the council is  not botherd the rule should be if you dont grow nothing in your first year (with exceptions of course :ie lottie being a bomb site etc) then you are evicted!! so people like you who are keen & willing to get a lottie really winds me up these folk who get one & dont do nothing with it, when i got mine it was a mess booked a week from work cleared it planted it all in one week ;D

so if theres any folk here whos got a lottie and not doing owt with it shame on you, but im sure theres not

I'm a fan of no-dig gardening once the perennial weeds are sorted. We're not all slackers.

We have a three-month probation on the site; no money changes hands or anything until they've shown that they're going to have a go at it, and they've discovered how much work it is.

i waited 2 and a half year for my half plot,well jungle ::)

but im in the middle of clearing it,also discovered one next to me guy just gave it up after a year,and its in better condition so on the phone tomorrow. ;)

hiya, vespaman, welcome to the site
I guess we'd be thrown off, raised beds, no dig..mmmm, well looked after site ?..invalid,well, that's what I'm classed as, so, unless you're hale and whole, you can't grow veg..sorry, I just find it funny  ;D

Why on earth should you dig if you don't need to? I was on a plot yesterday thatis being transformed into raised beds because the plotholder has got arthritis and can't dig. His plots are impeccable and full of colour.

Like Robert says, once you've got rid of the perennial weeds there's no need to dig. Layers of organic matter placed on the soil get pulled in by the worms. Good for them, good for you and good for the soil.

Most of the paths between beds are 30-45 centimetres with one main central path for wheelbarrows etc. Even if you don't have raised beds you still need access to what you are growing and walking on your beds just compacts the soil.

Right moan done! I'm off to work now.

Like all things, if done properly no dig etc is a fantastic system I'm sure.

However IMO the current crop(pun intended) of Jamie Oliver, GW, HFW etc showing raised beds is counter productive.

Our plots are full of earthworks that resemble the Somme.Worse is the dimwits that somehow think rubber backed carpet tiles will rot down.The successful plots on our site are those that have been dug thoroughly for at least two or three years, some then chose to go the raised bed route.

I have never seen mulching being effective in eradicating marestail.On our plots it hides under the top layers, and lays in wait.

Again like all things, a hard worker with the right attitude will make a success of their chosen method.

An individual seduced by the idea of cheaper veg, and the glossy tv images, without a desire to graft won't.

Moan over I'm off to work too!

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on April 13, 2008, 22:23:10
I'm a fan of no-dig gardening once the perennial weeds are sorted.

couldn't agree more. Marestail has survived for thousands of years by making sure it's pretty invulnerable. Not even sodium chlorate kills the roots though it seriously mucks up the soil for planting. Given that the roots can go several metres deep I don't think double digging or bastard trenching does the trick either.

Just good husbandry and regular hoeing in my experience.

Some of the plots available to newbies are pretty daunting. That's why we too give them a trial period, but we also give them a hand to get the plot cleared. Better than standing watching and saying they're rubbish and shouldn't have a plot.

sounds like us, grawc, we give people a hand, IF they are doing something, no free work, 3 month trial and some of ours were pretty horrendous, we've now got 95% productive plots so something's working  ;D

We're the same. We've taken 4 plots back into cultivation that had become dumping grounds and are now being cleared and planted and the ones that were unallocated have been taken on too.

Fingers crossed! ;)