Anyone interested in signing the petition to save Stratford Allotments,
sign online.
IMO doesn't matter if you don't live in the area, if they bulldoze one,
they should provide at least 2 new sites.

http://petitionthem.com/default.asp?...etail&pet=3540

Happy gardening

JW

"GemBio" wrote in message
news:1hns2fp.1maumzno9jhpyN%nospamherethanks@icno1 .net...
Anyone interested in signing the petition to save Stratford Allotments,
sign online.
IMO doesn't matter if you don't live in the area, if they bulldoze one,
they should provide at least 2 new sites.


I agree. I haven't signed though, since every petition I ever signed was
defeated, they've got more chance without my sig.

Steve

"GemBio" wrote
Anyone interested in signing the petition to save Stratford Allotments,
sign online.
IMO doesn't matter if you don't live in the area, if they bulldoze one,
they should provide at least 2 new sites.

http://petitionthem.com/default.asp?...etail&pet=3540

Happy gardening

If 6 or more people in an area demand an allotment the local Council has to
provide them, and within a reasonable distance.
We lost our fight although the Council have conceded and will remake about
15 plots within the new Park our old site is to become. Meanwhile we have
all moved to other sites to continue growing, in our case it's and
improvement overall.

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

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"GemBio" wrote
Anyone interested in signing the petition to save Stratford Allotments,
sign online.
IMO doesn't matter if you don't live in the area, if they bulldoze one,
they should provide at least 2 new sites.

http://petitionthem.com/default.asp?...etail&pet=3540

Happy gardening

If 6 or more people in an area demand an allotment the local Council has
to
provide them, and within a reasonable distance.
We lost our fight although the Council have conceded and will remake about
15 plots within the new Park our old site is to become. Meanwhile we have
all moved to other sites to continue growing, in our case it's and
improvement overall.

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


What do councils call a "reasonable distance"? I ask because the only
allotments I have seen down here are in Truro which is 5 miles away. Of no
matter to me as I grow little veg (as you will know!) my sister on the other
hand has 3 full allotment plots, but I am not sure how far from her they are
(Portsmouth)
It was interesting to hear that the old rule still applies, I am surprised a
lot more people do not step forward.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

Charlie Pridham wrote:
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

If 6 or more people in an area demand an allotment the local Council
has to provide them, and within a reasonable distance.
We lost our fight although the Council have conceded and will remake
about 15 plots within the new Park our old site is to become.
Meanwhile we have all moved to other sites to continue growing, in
our case it's and improvement overall.

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


What do councils call a "reasonable distance"? I ask because the only
allotments I have seen down here are in Truro which is 5 miles away.
Of no matter to me as I grow little veg (as you will know!) my sister
on the other hand has 3 full allotment plots, but I am not sure how
far from her they are (Portsmouth)
It was interesting to hear that the old rule still applies, I am
surprised a lot more people do not step forward.

People don't step forward because, like you, they don't know it (still)
applies.

SNIP
What do councils call a "reasonable distance"? I ask because the only
allotments I have seen down here are in Truro which is 5 miles away. Of no
matter to me as I grow little veg (as you will know!) my sister on the
other
hand has 3 full allotment plots, but I am not sure how far from her they
are
(Portsmouth)


One of the ones I can see from the M27 as I drive past perhaps?

Steve

In article , Bob Hobden
writes

Meanwhile we have
all moved to other sites to continue growing, in our case it's and
improvement overall.



But isn't it part of the value of allotments that you are growing on
plots/land that has been fed and cultivated for some years? Unless they
give you that type of land again it will surely take you aeons before
you get the depth of soil and the fertility that many allotment sites
have?

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

I wonder there's not a space for older or less able garden owners to do
a deal with someone to get their gardens cultivated. I know a couple of
people who through lack of time or disinclination, or physical infirmity
who don't look after their gardens. They don't want to move but the
gardens go to pot. What a pity there wasn't some sort of organisation
which linked a garden to a gardener before the developers get in !

Either side of us are long term lets and so they don't do anything to
their 200 foot gardens besides mow the grass, (except, one, only has it
mown half way down and then there's a low wire fence) Consequently on
one side there's all sorts of stuff growing, good for wildlife but the
ivy and brambles will eventually strangle the life out of it.

janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Janet Tweedy writes
In article , Bob Hobden
writes

Meanwhile we have
all moved to other sites to continue growing, in our case it's and
improvement overall.



But isn't it part of the value of allotments that you are growing on
plots/land that has been fed and cultivated for some years? Unless they
give you that type of land again it will surely take you aeons before
you get the depth of soil and the fertility that many allotment sites
have?

I'm not so sure that the points about feeding and depth of soil are so
relevant nowadays. Surveys have demonstrated that the 'wildflowers' that
are increasing in abundance are things like nettles and docks which like
high nitrogen levels. We've been fertilising so much of everything for
so long that even a virgin site probably has high enough nutrient
levels. If you want to encourage a wild flower meadow that isn't simply
coarse grass and buttercups, the first thing you need to do is reduce
its fertility by repeated mowing and removal of cuttings, or even
stripping off the turf completely to remove the most fertile layer.

Most veg don't root down very far, so depth of soil isn't a great issue
either.

It is a lot easier to take over an allotment which has been in active
cultivation, but I'm not sure there'll be a vast difference, in terms of
yield, between 'virgin' ground and an allotment which has been
uncultivated for more than a year.

That said, the idea that a new allotment on a field somewhere is an
adequate substitute for a carefully tended and cultivated allotment is
ludicrous.
--
Kay

Janet Tweedy writes

Either side of us are long term lets and so they don't do anything to
their 200 foot gardens besides mow the grass, (except, one, only has it
mown half way down and then there's a low wire fence) Consequently on
one side there's all sorts of stuff growing, good for wildlife but the
ivy and brambles will eventually strangle the life out of it.

Ivy and brambles are very good for wildlife ;-)
--
Kay

In article , K
writes
Ivy and brambles are very good for wildlife ;-)

They are very good fro wild neighbours if they keep coming through the
hawthorn hedge and thinning out the branches etc as they grow quicker
than the hawthorn.

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:49:13 +0100, K wrote
and included this (or some of this):

It is a lot easier to take over an allotment which has been in active
cultivation, but I'm not sure there'll be a vast difference, in terms of
yield, between 'virgin' ground and an allotment which has been
uncultivated for more than a year.

That said, the idea that a new allotment on a field somewhere is an
adequate substitute for a carefully tended and cultivated allotment is
ludicrous.

The best and biggest crop of tomatoes I ever had was when I took
off the turf on a more or less green-field site,turned over the soil
and stuck a greenhouse on top. The yield was enormous; all they
ever got was a bit of Tomorite.

The second best crop I ever saw was in a neighbour's garden in his
new greenhouse. He didn't really have a clue what he was doing,
stuck in some canes and tomato plants, didn't bother about taking out
side-shoots, attacked the plants liberally all over last thing at
night with a hose-pipe and had an amazing crop.

--
®óñ© © ² * ¹°°³

"Janet Tweedy" wrote after, Bob Hobden

Meanwhile we have
all moved to other sites to continue growing, in our case it's and
improvement overall.



But isn't it part of the value of allotments that you are growing on
plots/land that has been fed and cultivated for some years? Unless they
give you that type of land again it will surely take you aeons before you
get the depth of soil and the fertility that many allotment sites have?

Well that's a mute point Janet.
If the ground has only recently been abandoned then you could find it's
excellent but you could also find the previous gardener didn't waste money
on manure etc and the ground is virtually barren**, or it's full of nasty
diseases/pests, or he was a messy gardener and it's full of rubbish, glass,
bricks, plastic etc. the previous gardener on our present plot must have
been one of those but that was a very long time ago.
Of the three allotment plots we have started only one was taken over from
another gardener and that certainly was not a benefit, the plot had always
been dug one way so was like gardening on a hillside, it was not very
fertile to start with and they had used it as a dumping ground for stuff
from home, brambles were encroaching and surrounded the plot. The other two,
including our present one, were long term unused, possibly 20 years but
certainly 10+. Both had excellent fertility from the start and little or no
diseases or pests (other than slugs).
We would go for a long term unused plot every time because, although it's
harder work to start with, it's all down to you.

** I'm told there was one of those gardeners on our present site a few years
back, too tight to buy manure or pay for it to be delivered, and he
complained his veg steadily got smaller and poorer over the years but would
still not pay for any fertilizer, eventually he gave up, leaving the plot
for some unsuspecting person.
--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

In article , Bob Hobden
writes
Well that's a mute point Janet.


You mean you're not allowed to discuss it?

(sorry couldn't resist Bob!)



Of the three allotment plots we have started only one was taken over from
another gardener and that certainly was not a benefit,

Both had excellent fertility from the start and little or no
diseases or pests (other than slugs).
We would go for a long term unused plot every time because, although it's
harder work to start with, it's all down to you.


** I'm told there was one of those gardeners on our present site a few years
back, too tight to buy manure or pay for it to be delivered, and he
complained his veg steadily got smaller and poorer over the years but would
still not pay for any fertilizer, eventually he gave up, leaving the plot
for some unsuspecting person.


I take your point about not minding losing long held allotment areas, I
have not had an allotment though my father held three in New Eltham,
many moons ago.
However I would have thought the council would only allow an area of
land/ground to replace your allotments that wouldn't be equally as
suitable for them to build the next quota of packed in houses, i.e.
something too steep, awkward, inaccessible or liable to flood?
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Janet Tweedy" wrote ...
after Bob Hobden replied
Of the three allotment plots we have started only one was taken over from
another gardener and that certainly was not a benefit,

Both had excellent fertility from the start and little or no
diseases or pests (other than slugs).
We would go for a long term unused plot every time because, although it's
harder work to start with, it's all down to you.


** I'm told there was one of those gardeners on our present site a few
years
back, too tight to buy manure or pay for it to be delivered, and he
complained his veg steadily got smaller and poorer over the years but
would
still not pay for any fertilizer, eventually he gave up, leaving the plot
for some unsuspecting person.


I take your point about not minding losing long held allotment areas, I
have not had an allotment though my father held three in New Eltham, many
moons ago.
However I would have thought the council would only allow an area of
land/ground to replace your allotments that wouldn't be equally as
suitable for them to build the next quota of packed in houses, i.e.
something too steep, awkward, inaccessible or liable to flood?

Depends if it's "Statutory Allotment land" which has some protection via the
Dept of the Environment (and it works!). If you are not sure if your site is
or isn't just ask the Council and they will tell you. If it is and you
suspect some funny business from the Local Council (exorbitant rents, no
upkeep, damaged fencing not repaired) to force people off the site get a
letter off to the DoE with your suspicions, a bit of foundation to your
claims helps too. :-)
If it's not Statutory then tough, you are at the mercy of the landlord.

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