"Martin" wrote ...

"Bob Hobden" wrote:

"David WE Roberts" wrote ...

Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the council that we were away over winter
on
a world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting
list.

Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has been
touched
since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the council requesting that they reassign the plot to
us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this
year's
growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the council have planted a load of cherry trees
alongside the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)


Probably was re-rented but the new people, full of enthusiasm, took it on
in
ignorance of the work involved. Seen it a lot on our site, new gardeners
encouraged by how easy it all seems in all the modern magazines and TV
get a
plot and then realise it is constant battle against weeds, lack of rain,
too
much rain, physical hard work, and most of all time. If people are in
full
time employment it is very difficult to keep an allotment up straight
unless
you are totally committed year in and year out and prepared to change
your
life style to accommodate that. That means being down on the plot every
weekend and most fine evenings in the summer. Few are prepared for or
understand that total commitment.

In your allotment do people have to pay a non refundable deposit which
they lose if they abandon the allotment leaving it in an overgrown
state?
In the allotments that my wife runs as secretary, the vast majority of
first timers drop out by this time of year leaving their allotment
full of weeds. The allotments are on the same site where they work.


Ours is a Council run site and you pay a years rental up front, so for
someone at work that is about £100.00, and you lose it all if you abandon
the plot or, more likely, get asked to leave because your plot is not
tended. We have Council inspections about 3 times a year, the next being
Thursday, which as allotment rep I also attend. Found out this week that
two plot holders are giving up at the end of this season, one young lady
only married a year ago husband not interested at all (always a problem),
and an older man with a double plot who has another plot nearer home
already.
So we should have three new gardeners next year, lets hope they know what
they are doing and what they are getting into and realise you need to put
goodness back into the soil if you want to keep cropping.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK