On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 09:57:17 +0100, JB
wrote:

~On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 22:07:55 +0000 (UTC),
(jane) wrote:
~
~Oh and get a half plot first. Don't underestimate the sheer amount of
~time an allotment will eat ...
~
~Just out of curiosity as I have not really considered an allotment but
~how big is a typical allotment?

The usual full plot dimension is 90'x30' though in the wonderful old
units they still use, a standard plot is described as 10 (square)
poles (rods or perches) with a pole being 272 sq feet or roughly
5mx5m.

45'x30' is a fairly respectable sized back garden these days, so you
can imagine the dimensions.

~I would consider one but unless it's next door or I could get there
~more than weekends then I thought it impractical.

Getting set up is the hard bit - once you've got the beds set out,
worked out a rotation and got shot of the weeds, then it's mostly
maintenance and trying to work out what the h*ll to do with 43
courgettes per week when all your neighbours are begging for you to
stop giving them!

Course, sitting with some fellow allotmenteers on a sunny summer
evening, watching the sun set with a glass of wine (assuming one has
walked up to the plots!) and comparing notes on what isn't growing
that season is bliss.

You can have great fun too. Do you like woodwork? Then creating raised
beds can be a good idea, as then you don't have to dig them over much,
just heavily mulch with manure if necessary, and keep covered with
pieces of carpet when there are no crops. If you do, then I'd advise
using corner brackets to keep the wood from warping. The nice part
here is that it minimises digging, the extra height ensures good
drainage (both great if the soil's clay!) and you don't have to bend
so far to weed. And you can rotate easily, and have fixed paths in
between with carpets or bark mulches on them. Then if it's raining you
can pick stuff without getting too muddy.


--
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!