Allotments 4 All

The weedkiller looks like one of the fast acting contact ones which can be persistant, so you are wise to try and find out exactly which one as you may need to thoroughly wash or replace the containers and pots you have grown stuff in.

I have spare PSB/WSB and calabrese and some spare courgettes and winter squash if you need them. I know you went to barnsdale meet last year(?) so I would be happy to drive over to Rutland and pass them on if it helps. Let me know.

thanks suzanne i think were going to just consolidate what we have for the moment before we decide what to do.

Hi again Cam!

I am sorry for your losses again - looks a lot worse than I first thought but really should someone in a wheelchair be in charge of an allotment.

I have absolutely nothing but pity for people confined to wheelchairs but as this has proved - they can't do it!  They can't dig, weed, work an allotment.

I am sure there are plenty of do-gooders who will say that she ought to be allowed - but truth of the matter is - gardening an allotment is heavy work - not suitable for disabled people!  Potentially there could be a group of disabled people that take over one allotment but for one single one who apparently has made no effort anyway for 7 months is a total waste of an allotment. 

There are some things that disabled people cannot do - blind people cannot drive cars - they cannot take photographs - except with help!   What is the point.   People in wheelchairs cannot do what able bodied people can do - it is tough but life can be tough - there are plenty of things that they can do - and do do - very well indeed.  all the disabled Olympians have found what they can do and they are going for gold.  Why can't this woman find something that she can do.

Cam - hopefully she will not be there much longer!

Sympathies with you and your neighbour!

Old Bird

;D

You really need to find what was used.  If it's an all-purpose weedkiller like sodium chlorate, then the soil will indeed be contaminated.

Normally I'd expect a landscaper to use glyphosate, but it wouldn't act like that in two days, no matter what the strength.  It's also used professionally as a liquid, so any residue in the watering cans would be small.  Sodium chlorate crystals don't always dissolve fully, so the chance of those remaining in lethal strength in the watering can would be much higher.

I'm wondering if the watering can really is the cause of your losses.  I'd be suspicious that when the plot was sprayed that weedkiller drifted over your plot, especially as it's been so breezy recently.

In any case, the landscapers were acting as an agent of the plotholder, so it's her responsibility.  Small claims court, methinks.

thanks guys.

Has to be the watering cans as all the plants in a covered cold frame were affected.

Sodium chlorate crystals don't always dissolve fully, so the chance of those remaining in lethal strength in the watering can would be much higher

Sounds like the cause put not heard anything yet, will be calling again tomorrow to chase with the clerk.

I would think this could be classed ascriminal damage or negligence. >:( wonder if the person using the weedkiller was certified?

called all the local landscapers who have all said they did not do it the developers dont let them operate on the site apparantly if they use anything 2 bad.

The other guy (his whole plot affected) is going to go see the parish clerk tomorrow and see what can be done. I am going to call into the local police station next week and ask them what they think i can do.

If it's Sodium chlorate that's really bad news.....shows and incredible ignorance it will put the ground out of use for at least 6 months.

I'd give you some JA's but mine didn't come up this year...i must dig down and find out why but I must be the only person in the universe to have JA's die....unless someone put weedkiller on mine but I don't think so. I didn't harvest many so should have ton's.

Highly unlikely that a professional landscaper would use Watering cans that happened to be there and then leave them contaminated..

thanks kea and i agree with you betula but i needed to rule that out in case i got fobbed off.

Not going to do anything till i get the confirmation what shes done.

Quote from: betula on June 25, 2008, 19:02:53
Highly unlikely that a professional landscaper would use Watering cans that happened to be there and then leave them contaminated..

Maybe these "landscapers" are just someone's mates who did a bit of a cheap job, or even someone well-meaning but ignorant who was trying to help the disabled plotholder.

Or maybe she hired a man with a van and not someone who knows what they are doing

OMG!!! This is so terrible, so sorry for you and your friend. It is truely unbelieveable! Is this your only growing area? Have you lost everything? I would expect this would come under criminal damage too.

Really sorry xx

hiya, flossy, nice to meet you.. ;D
who's doing the tests for you, cam ?
did they give you any idea how long you have to wait,

not testing just waiting for the clerk to speak to her to see whats she has used if she comes back and said she has not done anything i will send a sample of the JA and soil to the rhs.

... but really should someone in a wheelchair be in charge of an allotment.

I have absolutely nothing but pity for people confined to wheelchairs but as this has proved - they can't do it!  They can't dig, weed, work an allotment.

I am sure there are plenty of do-gooders who will say that she ought to be allowed - but truth of the matter is - gardening an allotment is heavy work - not suitable for disabled people!  Potentially there could be a group of disabled people that take over one allotment but for one single one who apparently has made no effort anyway for 7 months is a total waste of an allotment. 

There are some things that disabled people cannot do - blind people cannot drive cars - they cannot take photographs - except with help!   What is the point.   People in wheelchairs cannot do what able bodied people can do - it is tough but life can be tough - there are plenty of things that they can do - and do do - very well indeed.  all the disabled Olympians have found what they can do and they are going for gold.  Why can't this woman find something that she can do.

Cam - hopefully she will not be there much longer!



Old Bird

If I don't highlight this and register my COMPLETE disapproval of the sentiments expressed, then I am  tacitly agreeing with them - and this I will not/cannot do.

So....hands up and be counted peeps....is physical disability/infirmity an automatic disqualification for having an allotment?

I most certainly, of course, sympathise with Cam and her fellow allotmenteers in this instance, but, sorry, feel the need to disassociate myself from Old Bird's sentiments here :-[

thanks, alishka, I'd be disqualified straight away, not in a wheelchair...yet  :)

Cam, we've just been through this with the RHS over our weedkiller issue.  They will give a member an opinion based on visual inspection of photographs or plant samples but they have no testing facilities.  I have contact details of the labs used by DEFRA - the local Plant Health Inspector gave me them because DEFRA won't conduct testing for Joe Public.  It is very expensive to have tests conducted but if you want the details, I can pass them on. 

My plesh, Manix....form an orderly queue please....behind me ;D

My nicest client, that is, the one most involved in her garden, is the child of a lady who took thalidomide during pregnancy.....client can't walk, can never walk, client has no legs.....has NEVER had legs....

But client has an intellect, reads books,  has a computer, knows EXACTLY what she wants, where she wants & the best growing conditions for whatever....

True, patently true?, it seems that Cam's lottie neighbour got it horribly wrong, either in her directions or in her trust that the person she chose to do the work knew what he/she/they were doing.....but that's another issue and nothing whatever to do with physical disability - I think....