Allotments 4 All

Now I can't see this as relevant in Joe Swift's case,  the allotment is too far from his home to be used as a garden, but his design for raised beds made me wonder what to people think of this trend - probably most noticeable in urban allotments.

A lot of people on our allotments come from flats and, as a result, there is an increasing trend to treat allotments as gardens rather than just plots for growing as many vegetables and/or fruits as possible. More flowers are grown, there are seating areas and the beds are more interesting shapes (though probably less efficient). One of the nicest near me is based on the classic potager design of four triangles with crossing paths between them. We have a garden so ours is more utilitarian - although we are planning a pergola for grapes and passionfruit.

Our allotment association has even changed the the wording of one of its rules from 'for the purpose of growing vegetables and fruit ' to ' for the purpose of growing mostly vegetables and fruit' to accommodate this trend. Mind you one chap who laid turf over half his allotment got his marching orders pretty swiftly!

Hasn't made much of an impact on our site.  We do have a few people who grow only or mostly flowers, surprisingly the 'old codger' types.  That's allowed under the rules, the plot just has to be minimum 75% cultivated.  There are a lot of raised beds, but mainly bog standard rectangles.  I can think of a couple where they've done the 'lay out the curve with a hosepipe' thing.  I'd say on the whole on our site the plots are thought of as allotments rather than gardens but some of the plots are as attractive as many gardens. 

I live in a flat and I have given over a  largish area to grass.

I have a table and chairs on it and we can enjoy it as somewhere pleasant to sit outdoors in the summer.

I still have plenty of veg growing and I do not feel that this space is in anyway wasted.

A lot of lotties title themselves as allotment gardens,or allotment and pleasure gardens.

I also think a grass area is useful for people who have children with them on the plots.

My two year old grandson likes to play on the grass and I feel he is safer on grass.

I am also able to grow roses and clematis which is another area I am quite keen on.

Our plots are seeing the raised beds, and the garden areas.

Gone are the days that plots were for the working class man, to assist feeding the family.

Somehow it needs to get back there, and that will probably come when the fashion subsides.That said I expect there will be a raft of people waiting for plots for a cheap hobby during the forthcoming recession.

Channel four's website billing plots as ''goldmines'' and worth £3000 a year in savings doesn't really help.

I'm all for relaxing on the plot, I have tables and chairs and a bbq, but then I have the rest of the 20 rods under full old fashioned cultivation.

Our plot is going to be a 'traditional' allotment in that it will be 4 main beds on rotation and some fruit.

However, the end where the greenhouse is will have 4 raised beds next to it, these will be used for experiments and attempting to grow some special stuff for the show  :)

As far as flowers go, we have the flowerbed at the end and I am keen to have a go at the companion planting  :)

I have spent a few years making my sloping plot into one with lots of raised beds. I have back trouble (partially caused by the allotment a few years back!) and so having a no-dig, hand-forkable plot made sense from the lesser bending and also for the ability to level things off a bit points of view.

Now I have a small person, having easily-maintained beds is even more paramount! They are also easy to rotate crops round (one crop per bed) and to stick posts/water piping in the corners of in order to net or fleece to keep off unwanteds. As we stare at the gradual encroachment of leek moths towards us, that means yet more netting. I'm already enviromeshing all cabbages (flea beetle, pigeons) and carrots (carrot fly).

I do have one long, thin bed for summer flower growing. It currently has gladdies, dahlias, croci, muscari and pinks, and will get some sweet peas possibly. Another bed is small and by the shed, but provides me with daffs.

The great advantage of flowers is that they attract pollinators, which is vital in the face of depeting honeybee populations. Admittedly I've got my fruit areas, but they're only really buzzing in spring.

So I like my entirely practical raised beds. I certainly wouldn't have spent the hours or the money if they hadn't been useful as against just pretty!

moonbells

Quote from: albacore1854 on April 16, 2008, 11:29:09
Channel four's website billing plots as ''goldmines'' and worth £3000 a year in savings doesn't really help.

God only knows where they get this figure from.  I certainly do not save £3000 per year on food from my lottie produce.  If this could be done then farmers would probably be out of business more than they are already and everyone would be getting all their produce looted from the lottie. 

I believe about 75% of a plot should be cultivated in one way or another.  I do not grow flowers other than companion planting.  Many plot holders do to attract the good insects to make the plot work better.  The rest for Shed, greenhouse etc and somewhere to sit.  If people want a large grassed area then that is what the local park is for.  Though I do not have a grassed area myself, I would agree that a small grassed area can keep kids occupied whilst you do your graft unless they are joining in ;D 

If the plot is being mainly used just as an extended lawn, and not for its main purpose of cultivation.... with waiting lists as they are...... their are many people in the wings waiting to use the plot for its main purpose for whom I would look to be reallocating at the end of the contract.

The 3grand comment is on the allotment guide link on Jamie at home.

Like anything River cottage I have to read all I can, best comedy in years.

Persumably the three grand saving is based on a family of six who bought  goldplated organic fruit and vegetables  - out of season.

I dunno, £3000 saving would be manageable when you consider the target audience of the programs...

Was in Marks & Spencers food bit yesterday and saw 200g bag of 'Organic white breadcrumbs' - £1.29...  :o :o

Quote from: Ant on April 17, 2008, 11:46:01
Was in Marks & Spencers food bit yesterday and saw 200g bag of 'Organic white breadcrumbs' - £1.29...  :o :o

Why would anyone buy breadcrumbs?????????????

Heard My 19 year old doing a Victor Meldrew in Waitrose  at the sight of ready chopped onions.

I can see how they would work on £3,000.  If you work out the organic boxes that they sell for £15 ish.  Then only 4 of them - and if you are veggie and a family it could easily save you that amount then.  Obviously they are including things like bananas in there which obviously you couldn't grow on your lotties - or could you.  Bob Flowerdew has managed in his polytunnels somewhere!!

I certainly save a heap of money and I am only one!

Old Bird

;D

Quote from: Old bird on April 17, 2008, 13:00:02
I can see how they would work on £3,000. 

Depends how you do the sums. I get a few hundred figs off the tree each year and organic figs are 99p each at Tesco, so you could say there is a few hundred quid each year from just one fruit tree. 

I think almost nobody really saves money by growing their own veg. If you had to cost your time even at minimum wage you would be hugely out of pocket.

Quote from: Ceratonia on April 17, 2008, 15:14:51

Quote from: Old bird on April 17, 2008, 13:00:02
I can see how they would work on £3,000. 

Depends how you do the sums. I get a few hundred figs off the tree each year and organic figs are 99p each at Tesco, so you could say there is a few hundred quid each year from just one fruit tree. 

I think almost nobody really saves money by growing their own veg. If you had to cost your time even at minimum wage you would be hugely out of pocket.

Then factor in the workouts - gym membership isn't cheap; multiply that by 2-3 adults...

moonbells

And the fun factor Moonbells and the company and then deduct what you would have spent at the pub if you didn't go to your lottie! 

Loads a money!!

Old Bird

;D ;D

Hi all,

I think all the plots on my site have some kind of sitting area in front of the shed. ("A compound") A grassed space can be used as a work space for building, for working with seeds, plants or crops as well as taking breaks with friends or just sitting and planning or for families as a play space for children. I live in a small flat with no outdoor space at all so my grassed area is used for bike maintainance. I don`t think thats wasted growing space. I grow flowers for cutting alongside my "lawn" on my first plot. Also I think everyone on the site grows some flowers for cutting or just the pleasure of having them on the plot.

At one end of my second plot which is just row upon row of veg planting I put in a real lawn area bordered by roses and a big earth bank and galvanized water tank "planters". But I planted squash in the earth bank and three fruit trees that would take water from the lawn area. I built a "rustic" arch from old leylandia branches. This is where my NGOH (non-gardening other-half) can relax outdoors with a degree of privacy and also supervise my work. It was begining to look good until the pipeworks started.

If you live as I do with-out a garden or a balcony you have to deliberately create some kind of outdoor leisure time and a place to do it, wether it be walking or cycling or allotmenteering. As more and more flats are built more people will want some kind of outdoor space they can "own" which is n`t the same as a park at all.

I have raised beds made from white plastic (roofing?) boards for seed beds and molly-coddled salads and baby veg in a relatively protected space sheltered by a fruit cage, a bean fence and a cucumber fence. These are treated differently from my other veg that have to thrive on neglect under green debris netting.

Col

I'd love to make my allotment into more of a garden if I had the time. I remember a schools TV programme I used to use when I was teaching German, which showed the suburban "gardens" in Hamburg which were used by people who lived in flats in the city and went out there at the weekends. One chap even had a little model railway running round his!

I grow fruit, probably 30% of plots, veg, probably 50 % of plot and the rest is flowers, shed and compost heap.  We only have one person with raised beds on our site, and he has completely enclosed his allotment with netting, several layers thick, to keep out the rabbits, which we don't have, and the butterflies, which get through his netting as though it wasn't there.  He has raised beds, but in doing so has lost an awfu lot of growing space as he has such massive paths.  But each to their own.  I love my flowers and grow them to look pretty and cheer me up, and to provide me with flowers to cut for the house as I wouldn't cut flowers from my own back garden.

I think there needs to be a change of definition.

Either Councils want to promote allotments, or leisure gardens.IMHO there is a distinction, and the rulings they would need to put in place to manage differ.

we often see the term full cultivation in our contracts, well that to me means veg, or fruit with maybe 20% flowers for those that want to.

We have an influx of yuppie youngsters on our plots either laying lawns, or doing raised beds with 4 foot paths.One plot 10 rod plot has 4, 8x4 beds slap bang in the middle of it and nothing else.

Now to me, the council should pick a good plot be it raised beds for the infirm, or a traditional plot, and when a new starter begins, they are told,that is what you are aiming to achieve.We inspect monthly, and wish to see improvement.3 black marks, and you are given a month to clear your plot, and your off.

Alternatively, they are happy with people doing lawns, and ponds, and using a plot as a replacement garden with a bit of veg.In which case presumable we will all see a reduction in council tax as they can reduce the open spaces required.