To allotment or not to allotment

bekkabex

My friend has rigged out a shed on her allotment with a sort of loft bed arrangement as a play space for her kid to use when she's down there working on it... works a treat.

Smurggle

Thanks for your really helpful replies everyone!

Well I went to have a look and it was a bit of a shock if I'm honest, the plot is huge (maybe 40ftx20ft ish) and is completely derelict, glass window panes, loads of weeds (as I expected) and lots of friendly mad people! But they seem quite laid back about everything, they allow chickens onsite, although I think I'm going to keep my girls in the back garden still.

I nearly fell over when he told me how much it was for the year...£2.50! And he's not going to charge me for the first year as it's such a state (that will save me a fortune! ), I am a little worried about the amount of work, I won't be able to grow much this year I don't think, maybe some potatoes, but I think I should look at is as a very long term thing.

So all in all, yes I think I'll go for it, what have I got to lose?

Wish me luck!

poppysarah

Smurggle wrote: »

I nearly fell over when he told me how much it was for the year...£2.50!

Wow! Is that the cheapest allotment in the country?

kymrob

£2.50 wow i thought mine was cheap!
just give yourself small goals !
good luck

Foxy0810

£2.50 omg can't believe that we have just been offered a plot which we accepted and it's £55 a year kids love it though and can't wait get it up and running and clear of weeds etc

Sambucus_Nigra

Smurggle wrote: »

Thanks for your really helpful replies everyone!

Well I went to have a look and it was a bit of a shock if I'm honest, the plot is huge (maybe 40ftx20ft ish) and is completely derelict, glass window panes, loads of weeds (as I expected) and lots of friendly mad people! But they seem quite laid back about everything, they allow chickens onsite, although I think I'm going to keep my girls in the back garden still.

I nearly fell over when he told me how much it was for the year...£2.50! And he's not going to charge me for the first year as it's such a state (that will save me a fortune! ), I am a little worried about the amount of work, I won't be able to grow much this year I don't think, maybe some potatoes, but I think I should look at is as a very long term thing.

So all in all, yes I think I'll go for it, what have I got to lose?

Wish me luck!

Cover the lot in cardboard - 2 layers if you can. Weight it down with your surplus things on site.

Get a bulb planter. Use it to make holes in the cardboard [wait a couple of weeks for it to get a little rained on], and plant your spuds giving them plenty of space.

For the rest of the site - use the bulb planter again, and grow loads of squashes. Give them about 10m length space each. the foliage will cover your cardboard.

Then, once it is all covered and you have potatoes and squashes in - clear a bit at a time, in your own time.

quietheart

Could you take half the plot?
At the site I'm at any new plots have to be halved but there's a huge waiting list.
I would agree with earlier poster about fruit. If you plant some bushes, get some raspberry canes in (there's usually people willing to get rid of their stragglers) it will be much easier to manage. I know I'm trying to get more and more fruit in as it's so low maintenance compared to veg.
I don't tend to go over winter and during Feb I think maybe I should give it up, but then I go and remember how lovely it is. It's really calming, great exercise and sociable as well.
Best of luck!

ukbill69

Go for it, I just got my first allotment and I cant stay away lol

Iffy_Wallet

Hope it's going well. I don't have an allotment, as I've got some space at home, and have planted a few fruit trees, blackcurrent and blackberry bushes etc, and have loads of strawberry plants. :DI'm trying to get into growing veg as well, but didn't do too well with potatoes last year. However, I'm getting into growing tomatoes and herbs - I love fresh basil and found it easy to grow. I didn't do well with fresh peas, as a group of magpies pulled up all the small shoots.

I don't like to encourage people to leave the wonderful MSE site, but I would say that I enjoy receiving the newletter from the Allotment Vegetable Growing Forum - http://www.allotment.org.uk - that's if I am allowed to say that. The very kind John at that site has loads of info about growing fruit, veg and evn keeping chickens! (I have no commercial interest in that site).

I'm only a novice at food growing, but in such challenging times I'd like to see more people take up the challenge, if at all possible. If enough people get interested, then perhaps somebody will have to ask Martin for a sub-forum.
:money:

Edit: Sorry - this already is in a specialised folder: Greenfingered MoneySaving :embarasse

matt987106

I would ask then if you could 1/2 the plot, demand is great, so they willl like that

I used to say i spent 2 hours per week doing allotment stuff, you need to spend more come Oct to clear and dig over though ( something i didnt have time for last year, so i have put down some weed killer )

i have a 4 and 9 yr old, they loved it, BUT the 9yr old is now worried about getting dirty now, she does like to look her best