Anyone here got an allotment

[al78]

I have taken on a half-size plat a couple of months ago. So far have got just over half of it dug over, the cold weather over the last two weeks helping to break up the soil. I'm hoping the lack of a car is not going to be too much of a hindrance. I am managing to transport water butts and manure with the trailer, transporting trays of young plants started indoors may be more of a challenge. My plan for next year is to grow potatoes, carrots, leeks, onions, beans, cabbage, spinach, kale and broccoli, with herbs inter-planted as companion plants. I just hope next years weather is better than this years was (it can't be much worse, can it!).

Anyone else like to share their experiences?

 

[biggs682]

we would love one , but sadly we will have to make do with our 2 raised veggie beds

 

[berty bassett]

be careful planting herbs unless in pots coz some of them go nuts

 

[rich p]

There's a gardening forum attached at the top but it's as dormant as a dahlia tuber at this time of year.

 

[Sandra6]

We had an allotment for a couple of years but had to give it up when we moved last year.
I was always getting into bother for not doing as I was told by the allotment committee though. We had a really big plot and kept chickens in half, then planted about a quarter and put a small lawn in - first telling off! No lawns allowed!!
I only ever grew herbs in pots in the sort of greenhouse/shed. Carrots can be fickle and nobody managed to grow them up there -something to do with the soil apparently.
Lettuces were a big success and potatoes. I also grew some fantastic pumpkins and more courgettes than you could shake a stick at.
Our plot was about a mile from the house and I don't drive, but managed to trail everything I needed up there, including walking two miles with a pair of chickens in a box.
Make sure you keep everything locked up though, you'd be surprised what people will nick, like a very old and dirty pair of gardening gloves and a rake!

 

[BSRU]

My better half has had a half plot since last Easter, I have been designated the labourer, so spent the Easter holidays erecting a shed then digging the overgrown half plot. Since the plot needs to be dug a few times a year and realising it brought untold pain to my whole body I decided to by a petrol tiller, it is still hard work but alot faster, I can dig the plot in a morning.

 

[summerdays]

We got an allotment at the beginning of this year, though it's Mr Summerdays really, I just do a bit of the weeding and cooking anything we produce. We were pleased with what we produced this year given it was our first year of an allotment, beetroot, courgettes, squash, spinach did the best this past year, and potatoes didn't do very well.

 

[MarkF]

I must be one of the few to wait years for an allotment and then give it up shortly after landing one.

It was quite a large area, maybe 30 allotments, in an idyllic setting, adjacent to farm with rolling fields beyond. I had high hopes & dreams. But, I met more weirdo's and oddballs in the few months I had it than previously in all my life, 40+ years. Plus, I too fell foul of the uber sowers on the allotment committee. The 2 allotments directly next to mine were owned by 2 OAPs, they (appeared) to spend all their day there, before, retiring to the local pub. The barmaid informed me that they had arrived together at the same time for over 20 years, they both bought 2 x half pints, separately, every single time, never had one bought a drink for the other! These 2, IMO, were the only 2 "normal" people, the rest drove me beserk.

 

[ASC1951]

Allotments are the gardening equivalent of turbo trainers. Great to have one - in theory.

 

[palinurus]

Had an allotment for a few years now, Ms. Ps idea but I've got pretty stuck in. Been busy this season so didn't grow as much as usual. We have trees established now so get cherries and apples, pretty much self-sufficient in potatoes and onions from late spring, and each year I fail to grow enough Borlotti beans- next season I'm going to do loads. I have success with some things so I grow them regularly, not so much with others (carrots especially).

No car- everything comes in and out by bike with the exception of the shed (man with van) and the manure (a great big tractor delivers it).

Trouble is the council have just decided to redevelop the area, they still have to get permission to change use of the land and go through the planning stuff (Google Farm Terrace allotments), I don't want to start from scratch on a plot which is further away- I generally walk to the plot. When we started we lived in a one bed flat with no garden, now we are in a one-bed flat with a small garden and I reckon we could grow a fair bit in that space.

Good time to get one- plenty of time to get an area prepared for planting. Half plot also probably a good idea- ours is about 2/3rds the usual size and it's tricky to find time to work it all.

 

[Cush]

I use part of our garden which is fairly large as a veg plot that is the size of an allotment. To be honest it is cheaper to buy from Tesco and nowhere near the bother but I would feel guilty if I did not grow at least a few veg and this year our crop of onions has been terrible.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

We've a double plot for years, although admittedly my wife does 90% of the gardening there, but she is trained and apprenticed and qualified and all that jazz. I mow the grass and sit in a chair with my Kindle drinking beer.

 

[smokeysmoo]

My Sister got one about 12 months ago, and she and my BIL love it. They had a small plot of land in a farmers field as part of Hugh Fearnley doo da's land share idea, but the farmer ended up getting arsey and it went t!ts up.

So she managed to land this one, (not easy round here I can tell you). They worked wonders on it and I've never had as much veg as I've had this year, her yields have been fabulous.

They also decided to get some chickens and now have 4 lovely birds that have all started laying.

Me? I couldn't be @rsed with all TBH, and from what it's cost her so far frankly I couldn't afford it

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Got my name down for one about 3 yrs ago. Still waiting. I do make good use of my veg plots in the garden tho' Last summer's weather resulted in the worst ever cropping I've ever known

 

[Andrew_Culture]

My wife started a blog about our plot http://www.naturallylaws.blogspot.co.uk/

I help by making crap videos

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cx75jpBrV8