On 2009-07-01 14:40:31 +0100, "shazzbat"
said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
snip

Having suffered the total destruction of 90% of our allotment last year
by a
water Co, I feel for the OP.

I agree with those who have said she should report the crime, she may
stop
the same thing happening again, or happening to someone else. And she
should
get a crime No from the police, only then is it part of the crime
figures.

Steve

How's your allotment doing this year, Steve? Is it back in one piece and
functioning again?
--

Hi Sacha, thanks for asking. Well, we've made a start, but it will be some
years before we get back to where before the destruction. The Water Co
brought in 200 tonnes(they say) of ECO super soil (they say). But they left
a massive dip in the middle which naturally collects water when it rains[1]
and makes the centre very soggy. We added 20+ loads of manure from the
stables across the road in our little tipper and covered the area 6" deep in
it, both to soak up some water and to break up the clumpy soil.

We now have several weeds we never had before, and the rabbits have come in
from the golf course at the top end, but I'm working on fencing as well. The
potato rows on the small part of the plot that they didn't trash are visibly
doing better than those in the middle. After the growing season we are going
to do much more towards levelling, but it's going to be a long process. At
least we are growing something this year.

Steve

[1] For a water Co they show a remarkable ignorance of how water behaves.
Whenever I complained to them they always came out with "The soil conditions
we encountered......." Whereas I considered it was fairly predictable that
the soil would be somewhat damp in February, when their boring eqipment
sank. And in March, when their 16t digger sank. And in April, when they sent
away the bog mats[2] which they brought in to support the digger, only for
another digger to sink, which meant they had to send for bog mats again. So
I asked them what were they expecting in spring, a desert? They didn't much
like that, nor did their site engineer much like being called an incompetent
w****r, but by that stage I was past caring what they thought of me.

[2] Big, I mean MASSIVE lengths of timber the digger drives on to spread the
load. But not before the damage has been done. That would be far too
sensible.

It sounds a total nightmare and it's hard to know how to deal with such
ignorance and incompetence. As you say they really should have known
better, given their particular metier! I'm glad you're getting
something out of this year, though and hope next year completes the
repair process. I remember you real distress at what was being done
last year so you'll certainly be in a personal position to sympathise
with Kate's daughter.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon