On Sun, 1 Feb 2004 18:05:38 +0000, Kay Easton
wrote:

~In article , Frogleg
writes
~How *are* allotments protected/restricted? I've never seen an
~arrangement with huts and semi-permanent participation (in the US).
~There are a few "community gardens" locally. One experiment in an
~'inner city' area was completely vandalized about halfway through the
~growing season. My own plot (20'x40') was on a gov't site (NASA) and
~out of reach of most yobbos. Large tools (tillers) were kept in a shed
~with a lock all members of the 'garden club' had the combination to.
~Hose(pipe)s, sprinklers, and small tools were left undisturbed. The
~occasional pumpkin or tomato *would* disappear overnight, of course.
~
~So what are the usual arrangements to prevent theft and vandalism?
~
~Take all your tools home with you.

That's what I do. I didn't have a shed I could use till last Friday
*yippee got another half plot!!* but I still won't leave stuff there.
No lock on door - that way the vandals can peek inside and see nothing
worth stealing so hopefully won't damage the thing.

Finally somewhere a lady can hide while producing compost activator.
huge grin perhaps I shall have the first shed with a lock on the
*inside*.

One of the chaps had his shed burned down so much that he constructed
an aluminium one, which has so far survived.

On a general scale, there are padlocks on the gates.
People mostly lock them back on when they are on the plots, but once
someone didn't, left it hooked over the gate and the local yoof ran
off with the lock... took 6 weeks for them to get a new one cos it had
to be made to fit all the keys we already had... meanwhile we were
wide open.

I personally have changed all my old, blunt hand-me-down tools for
Wolf garten ones - with one long handle, and interchangeable ends
which fit in a rucksack. Shopping around and Christmas/birthdays made
them a bit cheaper! Also a short handle so I can use said tools while
kneeling - very good for onion hoeing! My godfather (allotment holder
for many years) told me the folk on his site nearly all have Wolf
stuff because you can carry several tools with you from the car park
without collapsing.


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!