Allotments 4 All

I have an allotment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   ;D 

Having been waiting on one site for almost 5 years now (plus on a list for a new site and on the list for a private site for a couple of months...).. I have finally got a huge double plot on the private site ;D  There is no electric or running water - however.. I have small stream as one border. Some plot holders have sheds and greenhouses (and some have trampolines.....  ::) LOL!! )

The plot was worked up until about a year ago.. but is now head high in nettles and brambles! (I'm 5'2" and they are taller than me!) .. I am going to hire a petrol strimmer to start with.. once I have the site cleared - would it be best to weedkiller or just cover?  I am intending to cover the lot eventually and just work my way round until I have all the beds etc sorted....

thanks, bec

Nettles are a good sign, good soil.Never used weed killer so can't help there but if you put it into search you'll get some tips.
Bit at a time  and plant as you go so you feel you are getting results,it can take a year to turn a plot around ,take it easy and enjoy it.

Congratulations are in order then. Take things steady, Rome wasn't built in a day :)

Great news.I would cover as much as you can and gradually dig.

brilliant, don't go mad and do your back in  ;D

5 Years! :o :o :o      Longest I have known anybody wait so far.  Boy would i love a second plot.  Can't have more than one in our area due to waiting lists.  One can but dream.    Ahhhhhhhhh ::) ::)

Have fun.

If your weeds are nettles and brambles you can dig them out. I would cover lots of the plot and clear one area - strim, then dig to remove roots.Then plant or sow before uncovering your next area. Cover with tarpaulin or black plastic or natural fibre carpet - even cardboard. if the weeds are especially high strim first.

good luck bit by bit well done for getting a plot.you will not look back :) :)

its cheaky i know but if you post on freecycle that you have nettles on your plot you will get some volunteers who will come and pick them for you  ;D

You can make fertiliser with the nettles but also soup and beer! Could be your first crop! ;D ;D

mmmhhhhh..... think my dh would draw the line at nettles.... could try telling him it is spinach I suppose..?!  ;D

Do chickens like nettles?  Would my 3 love a feast?

failing that... maybe I should try freecycle!!!!!!!  lol!

Congratulations on getting your plot, don't get disheartened once you start clearing and digging, I was always ready to throw in the towel and my other half would keep me going. It is hard work but worth it.

For using up the nettles, I made leek,potato and nettle soup and it was bloomin lovely!! Just make normal leek and potato soup and then add the young nettle leaves to this when cooking, when you liquidise the soup it gives it a lovely sage green colour. Of course you can also use the young leaves like spinach as you said.

Good luck with the plot and do post some before and after pictures on here.  :D

Think I might cry.........    :'(

Been up to the allotment - thought I would take some pics and try and get in a bit closer to make it all out since ds is at preschool...  Got "accosted" by a lady asking why I was interested in her allotment. So I explained about it all and then went to phone the company who own the land - they agreed that the map was marked wrong. I could have the plots either side of the stream. Plot A starts at the stream and then finishes at the hedge, there is a path and gate for the railway maintenance staff to walk through so they have to have access. Plot B starts the otherside of the stream and borders the other plot I had intended to have... I spoke to the lady and her husband (a lot nicer this time) and we tried to work out the boundary.. he said we have 20 paces.. you only have about 11 paces... ???  Just phoned the company again and am waiting for a call back now...   But also.. there is apparently the remains of a building under this plot...

is fate telling me "NO"?    :'(

Fingers crossed that you have a superb plot just waiting to be found!

Sounds strange if these other people were growing tall nettles unless they are new too!

Good luck Becks  Sounds like you may have got at least one plot!

Old Bird
;)

You could probably still make nettle soup, but they get coarse after midsummer. Nettles are easy to get out, and if the plot was looked after before, then a years' neglect is soon sorted out.

Quote from: becs on June 17, 2008, 11:15:16
Think I might cry.........    :'(

Been up to the allotment - thought I would take some pics and try and get in a bit closer to make it all out since ds is at preschool...  Got "accosted" by a lady asking why I was interested in her allotment. So I explained about it all and then went to phone the company who own the land - they agreed that the map was marked wrong. I could have the plots either side of the stream. Plot A starts at the stream and then finishes at the hedge, there is a path and gate for the railway maintenance staff to walk through so they have to have access. Plot B starts the otherside of the stream and borders the other plot I had intended to have... I spoke to the lady and her husband (a lot nicer this time) and we tried to work out the boundary.. he said we have 20 paces.. you only have about 11 paces... ???  Just phoned the company again and am waiting for a call back now...   But also.. there is apparently the remains of a building under this plot...

well I have had no phonecall back yet... I have a feeling that plot B is going to fall through - as it stands at the moment.. it is not worth the £40/year rent...  Plot A I am feeling unsure about... I just have this horrible feeling that one half is taken but not worked (remember these are private allotments and the company who owns them doesn't do any maintenance etc.. just collect the money)... Begining to feel that I should back off now.. I don't want to do loads of clearing etc etc to be told that the plot is not free etc etc.......

Have been on the phone to my local council and have written to the local councillers - there are 30 people on the waiting list for a site in our area...  has anyone successfully campaigned for a new site from the council?

Hi Becs

Sounds a bit iffy! 

I haven't heard of anyone badgering councils and getting new plots but as a matter of interest I am now on the committee (the only way to get things done is to get on the Committee!!!!) and we were doing site inspections last week - my first - and on one of the plots they all disappeared into a field where apparently deer get in from and lo and behold this is unused and possibly 2 acres of field which is due eventually to be "Allotment land".  I was surprised as there was talk of one of ours being built on - luckily with the resurgence of interest in allotment gardening very few councils would get away with that nowadays!  But as we only have a few on our waiting list it would not be sensible to get this land into use - but the thing is the guys who do the gardens have to mow this grass every couple of weeks to keep it tidy - thereby costing the Council several thousand a year!!!  They don't even use it for any livestock!!

I can see there may be difficulty if your area is built up and there may just not be the space available, but why not give it a go!  Have you been round all the allotment sites and checked that they are all being "properly used"?  Otherwise you could make a fuss about those and potentially bring down the "waiting list" to manageable proportions?

Good luck with it either way Becs - keep us posted!

Old Bird

;D