Allotments 4 All

I really don't want to post this but I am unsure what to do so need some advice please.
I have had our plot for a few years now and have had no probs with neighbours as we have only had 1 but now we have a new one who I havent met. Everything was fine their plot actually shares my boundary and I have chicken wire fencing and a couple of pallets dividing us. I have my raspberries and rhubarb growing by the boundary. They have now put up a small shed against my boundary which was fine by me even though it shaded my compost bins but now they have fixed plastic sheeting all along my fencing upto 3 ft high blocking out the sun from my rhubarb and raspberries and today I found they had cut my comfrey that was by the boundary and dumped it on my compost heap.

I have always thought it wrong to shade anothers plot and certainly wrong to cut someones plants. I don't know whether to have a word with the chairman as I never get to meet the plot holders because they are there midweek in the day when I am not. Should I say something or just ignore it? I don't want to make a mountain out of a mole hill but it just seems to me to be unacceptable behaviour by a fellow plot holder.

Oh dear,I do sympathise,I also have a difficult neighbour.

He is a nice guy but seems to think it was OK to move my trellis that was on the boundary.I sorted that out but he has helped himself to some net and hoops because I Had left them on the edge of the plot,he had to cross my plot to get them.I have yet to sort this out as I have a lit going on at the moment but I now have to put everything away.I am beginning to think he may have some mental health problem so not sure how to play it.He is pleasant and he has watered for me when I was away.

Maybe best to try to meet these people and sort it out in the nicest way possible as you go to the plot for fun,not aggro.Good luck.

if you really cant get down there when they are around. i would just tell the chairman about it.

but meeting the poeple first would be the best thing to do befor doing any thing else.

Cutting your comfrey is certainly not allowed even if it was weeds growing there rather than something intentionally planted they would not have the right to cut them back without your permission.You are the person renting that piece of land therefore everything growing on it it is solely your responsibility.

Shading is more of a grey area while it doesn't help neighbourly relations to shade a neighbouring plot there is nothing you can do about it other than talk to them to try & reach an amicable solution. If they decided to plant a row of beans or a load of fruit trees along the boundary line it would create lots of shade on your plot but they wouldn't actually be doing anything wrong. I can't understand what advantage they think 3' of plastic sheeting along the fence would give them.

I would try talking to the plotholder first before going to the chairman. You could always leave them a note attached to their shed if you can't get to the plot at the same time they are there.

I'd ask the chairman what the best plan of action would be - they will come into contact with your neighbours more often .

It would be very difficut to position something that would leave your plants in the shade the whole of the day in the summer, we had a container brought in to the allotment that we use as the shop, the plot holder next to it complained about lack of light because his plot was in the shade most of the day, but the container was delivered in the winter and there was a low sun now in the summer he has sun till late evening.

You could try leaving a note in a plastic bag tied to a cane or shed door if they have one explaining the problem and include your phone number. Didn't work for me but you never know. If you don't get a response...and you'll be able to see if they got the note then speak to your chairman. Or do both.

I agree with the others, you really need to speak to your neighbours or leave them a (polite) note. They may not even realise what they've done. Failing that, are you on good terms with another plot holder who may also be there during the week and willing to have a friendly word on your behalf? Good luck, it would be a shame if such an enjoyable pass time was spoiled by this.

I know how you feel and some.  My neighbor is lovelly and likes to garden very organically!  Meaning no weeding!! (yes that was sarcasm!)  The grasses are now 2 to 3 ft tall and all the seeds are blowing all over my allotment.  We should have fenced our allotment but funds being scarce didn't, only to realise that neighbor now has things planted well over boundry and where my shed was planned to be!  Sometimes i just want to cry when I get down there and see more weeds popping up. The neighbors the other side are getting equally frustrated and are fenced off from it.  The frustrating thing is I waited 2 years for this and didn't realise I could have said no I'll wait for a better or differant plot, I thought I had to take what I was offered and get on with it!  Some days I'm at my wits end and then bump into said neighbor who is such a delightful kind person, I don't have the heart to say anything!  To top it all, last yr, garlic was planted and so I took over caring for it, watering it and kept it weed free, only to come back this week and find it all gone!!!!   GRRRRRRR!!!!!  Oh well, 10 days till allotment inspection.  We'll see what happens then.

I'm just back from the lotty and it seems that the lotty next to me is now taken al lthe weeds have been cut back which is a good thing because I was thinking of doing it myself, so lets see what happens with my new neighbour :)