Paul wrote ...
It's not really an allotment, but I'm getting to the idea of vegging on
the bank. Trouble is, it's on a wicked slope, about 1 in 2. Is this likely
to make it drain too much for most veggies? I know most stuff need water
to produce the bits you eat, apart from root veg.

Anyone had experience of growing veg (particularly legumes) on a slope
like that?

I could quite easily rig up a pump to water it straight from the river
though, as long as the veg was washed properly before eating that
shouldn't be a problem.

I think I might also get competition from Mr Ratty and his friends the
rabbits, but maybe I can fence that off in a Mr McGregor stylee.

A couple of ideas..
One of our allotment members uses water from the local River Bourne and has
an abstraction licence to do that legally, however the Environment Agency
person said he is only to use seep hoses not use it to spray over the
plants. (sewage outfall upstream?) Seep hoses would not cause you so much of
an erosion problem.

I have gardened on a S. facing slope (about 1 in 10), quite useful as it
heats up quicker in the spring etc. but you may have erosion problems as
others have said. 1 in 2 isn't too bad though for a bank and would lend
itself to a couple of retaining walls (like a raised bed).

Rabbit fencing* is a must on our allotment site anyway but keeping out the
rats is another story, water voles? you should be so lucky. :-)
(* We found AVS Fencing was the cheapest by some margin if there is one
nearish to you)

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK