Woohoo! Been offered an allotment!

butterfly72

Despite being in a borough which isn't accepting anyone onto the waiting list because its sooo long. (10 yr wait they say) I've been offered an allotment!! :j I can't get over it! I'm so excited!! Its about a mile and a half from home and the set up looks good on its website.

I haven't been to see it yet, it might be a miserable plot in a dark corner by the loos! We are going tomorrow to see it!! Tonight I'll be reading my growing veg books and getting clued up.. because I don't have much of a clue!

I hope its not too late to start growing things. I imagine that it wil need some sorting before I can start planting. And I'll need to get equipment.. a spade and trowel and umm...... see, no idea!!

I'll you know tomorrow what the plot is like and try and take a piccy.

:T

stilernin

butterfly72 wrote: »

I've been offered an allotment!! :j I can't get over it! I'm so excited!!


I'll you know tomorrow what the plot is like and try and take a piccy.

:T

Lucky, lucky you. I put my name on the waiting list only a month ago and was told I could wait for 2 years!!

Start with a spade, fork and hoe until you get going. Buy the best of these you can afford.

To get ahead whilst you are preparing the ground, get things going in 'pots'. Yoghurt pots, cut down milk bottles, cut down pop bottles, paper pots............ you will start looking at things in a whole new way!!

I look forward to the pics and hearing how you get on.

Linda32

Brilliant news, I'd hardly be able to sleep :j

If its really over run, don't try to do too much at once, just get one bed on the go and plant somthing, these loads to plant now, carrotts, raddish, luttice - I doubt thats spelt correctly btw off the top of my head. Its abit late for things when are usually sown from seed like toms but you can still get plants in the garden centre, cabbage, cali, sprouts - "just in time" if your very very quick

Sorry, running away with myself its just exciting :T

Megansmum

Fantastic news! :T I got my first plot a couple of weeks ago and like you i had no idea where to start! I have planted from seed at home some brussels, sweetcorn, letuce, tomatoes, strawberrys cucumbers, onion sets, seed potatoes, tomatoes and spring onions! I just followed what the pack said (although my brussels were forced up - don't put them on a radiator to germinate - and are a bit spindly).

Got a small shed on the plot yesterday to house my tools, and dug a tiny patch ready for my potatoes. Mine was covered in weeds but I will have a great load of compost next year as in small bits we are digging them up and turning them over in the corner of the plot. When finished i will cover it over with the old carpet from my daughters room and secure that down with bricks - instant compost!! Well.....instant as in, instant compost in 18 months or so!!:rotfl:

This is the only forum i come on for tips and advice and it's great. Whenever i don't know what to do - within a few hours i have loads of advice.

I have also been to wilkos and poundstrecher and got 2 blueberry plants, 1 apple tree, 1 cherry tree and 1 pear tree! You don't have to think small in your first year!!:D

Good luck, it is the best thing i have done - i love getting my hands dirty! I hope you get as much enjoyment...oh, and the other allotment holders will be very obliging and full of tips and advice, like minded people seem to be really friendly.:beer:
All the best.

stitching_witch

We've had our plot since November and managed to get six beds prepared and planted. Oh, and a 4m x 3.5m fruit cage built and planted with raspberries and strawberries.

I wouldn't say no to a plot next to the loo though. Our site doesn't have a loo - or even water come to that. and until we build a shed we can't even use a bucket!

Needless to say our visits to the allotment are limited to a couple of hours, three times a day.

strawberry_laces

Great news:beer:
There is loads of time to sow stuff. Start sowing into pots now so they can be growing while your clearing.

Start a compost heap, add shredded paper and green waste from indoors and most of the weeds from your plot can be added.

I don't agree with buying the most expensive tools to start of with, i use the £5 forks and spades from b&q. They are great to get you started and if you break one or have one stolen it's not much to replace.

This is a great forum but an allotment forum would help you more, plus you can still post on here.

Take a picture of your plot straight away, most people don't believe me when i said the weeds and brambles were 6' high on my plot in September.

nimbo

i've just fotten a lotit ealso, and there is loads of really nice people who are helping out, allotment Dave, and his lovely wife are the greatest...

he has so far given me loads of advice, and some cabbage plants to stick in. she has lent me a nail brush, and given me soap, (we have no tap as yet...)

good luck.

katskorner

Well done on landing a plot - they are hard to come by now! I love mine and am so glad I got it five years ago. My kids have grown up on it - we had it when my eldest was a baby.

We don't have loos so the kids use a big plant pot or widdle in the bushes! Male urine is great on the compost heap as it acts as an accelerator in the breakdown process! (Gosh where do I get these snippets from?)

Fortyfoot

For those who are still wanting an allotment it might pay off by saying where abouts a suitable location would be for them.

Fortyfoot

Leopardlady

I am thrilled as i have just found out i am 9th on the list for one!! I have been waiting 2.5yrs to get on the list, so i now feel like there is hope

nimbo

Leopardlady wrote: »

I am thrilled as i have just found out i am 9th on the list for one!! I have been waiting 2.5yrs to get on the list, so i now feel like there is hope

i was on the list for 2 years, and if you look on the bright side, people above you may no longer want an allotment....

try writing to them quoting the 1908 allotment and small holdings act. i did and lo and behold a few weeks later they find a plot that i can have!!!! if you get 10 signatures of peole who pay council tax in the area they should have to provide allotments for you... (have to admit i never tested that theory as they found one for me...)