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#1
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National Trust to provide allotments
What a truly excellent idea! B&Q have said that for the second year
running, their sale of veg seeds has gone up. I think this time 27% was mentioned. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/ear...ust-to-give-la nd-for-allotments.html -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon Perennials & shrubs online |
#3
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National Trust to provide allotments
"Sacha" wrote in message ... On 19/2/09 12:04, in article , "Martin" wrote: On Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:50:22 +0000, Sacha wrote: What a truly excellent idea! B&Q have said that for the second year running, their sale of veg seeds has gone up. I think this time 27% was mentioned. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/ear...st-to-give-lan d-for-allotments.html "He pointed out that the vast proportion of land in Britain is owned by one per cent of the population, meaning few ordinary people have access to land to grow their own fruit and vegetables." iffy statistics, many houses have a garden big enough to do both. One doesn't need acres. Most can't cope with 50 sq/metres, although units of 100sq/metres are provided as standard in the gardening club my wife runs. She is considering offering units of 25sq/metres in future. People constantly tell us they want to downsize their gardens. One chap actually wrote asking us for ideas on making his large garden more manageable. Prescient as I am ;-), I suggested that he might ask a younger person to look after it in exchange for the opportunity to grow food and flowers on it for his own family. -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon Perennials & shrubs online An elderly neighbour of mine was keen to do this with part of her garden, and she asked my advice. I said that, in principle, it was a great idea but that she would have to allow access to this gardener almost at will. The local gardener she had in mind is a very close friend of mine who works. This friend would need access to the garden before leaving for work, after work or after cooking dinner; in other words, all sorts of odd hours. In effect, the elderly neighbour would need to leave her side gate unlocked for long periods or all day. This worried her, as it should. It worried me, knowing that she had already succumbed to a bogus electricity caller (she ran from the house screaming and the caller decamped). There were other issues, too, as there are bound to be with this kind of arrangement. If the proffered plot were a front or side garden, then it may work very well because access is so much easier, but a back garden plot is fraught with problems and dangers. Spider |
#4
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National Trust to provide allotments
On 19/2/09 13:23, in article , "Spider"
wrote: "Sacha" wrote in message snip People constantly tell us they want to downsize their gardens. One chap actually wrote asking us for ideas on making his large garden more manageable. Prescient as I am ;-), I suggested that he might ask a younger person to look after it in exchange for the opportunity to grow food and flowers on it for his own family. -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon Perennials & shrubs online An elderly neighbour of mine was keen to do this with part of her garden, and she asked my advice. I said that, in principle, it was a great idea but that she would have to allow access to this gardener almost at will. The local gardener she had in mind is a very close friend of mine who works. This friend would need access to the garden before leaving for work, after work or after cooking dinner; in other words, all sorts of odd hours. In effect, the elderly neighbour would need to leave her side gate unlocked for long periods or all day. This worried her, as it should. It worried me, knowing that she had already succumbed to a bogus electricity caller (she ran from the house screaming and the caller decamped). There were other issues, too, as there are bound to be with this kind of arrangement. If the proffered plot were a front or side garden, then it may work very well because access is so much easier, but a back garden plot is fraught with problems and dangers. Spider All good points. It would depend on where and how the plot is located and how well they know the gardener person, too. -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon Perennials & shrubs online |
#5
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National Trust to provide allotments
"Spider" wrote ... "Sacha" wrote "Martin" wrote: What a truly excellent idea! B&Q have said that for the second year running, their sale of veg seeds has gone up. I think this time 27% was mentioned. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/ear...st-to-give-lan d-for-allotments.html "He pointed out that the vast proportion of land in Britain is owned by one per cent of the population, meaning few ordinary people have access to land to grow their own fruit and vegetables." iffy statistics, many houses have a garden big enough to do both. One doesn't need acres. Most can't cope with 50 sq/metres, although units of 100sq/metres are provided as standard in the gardening club my wife runs. She is considering offering units of 25sq/metres in future. People constantly tell us they want to downsize their gardens. One chap actually wrote asking us for ideas on making his large garden more manageable. Prescient as I am ;-), I suggested that he might ask a younger person to look after it in exchange for the opportunity to grow food and flowers on it for his own family. An elderly neighbour of mine was keen to do this with part of her garden, and she asked my advice. I said that, in principle, it was a great idea but that she would have to allow access to this gardener almost at will. The local gardener she had in mind is a very close friend of mine who works. This friend would need access to the garden before leaving for work, after work or after cooking dinner; in other words, all sorts of odd hours. In effect, the elderly neighbour would need to leave her side gate unlocked for long periods or all day. This worried her, as it should. It worried me, knowing that she had already succumbed to a bogus electricity caller (she ran from the house screaming and the caller decamped). There were other issues, too, as there are bound to be with this kind of arrangement. If the proffered plot were a front or side garden, then it may work very well because access is so much easier, but a back garden plot is fraught with problems and dangers. I would have thought the fitting of a Yale lock with keys to both parties would have sorted out that problem. -- Regards Bob Hobden |
#6
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National Trust to provide allotments
"Mike" wrote when I took up my allotment there was only a couple old blokes still there along with a wonderful lady who from her name and little things she said I'm pretty sure survived escaping the holocaust to grow veg into her nineties, (she passed away during the last winter without her allotment ever becoming overgrown). I thought it would all soon close. But now the demand is so great the lady's plot is divided in two halves for two off the waiting list, which nationally is in 6 figures now. Now I look around and see I'm the old bloke, if I look at anybodies plot, you cam see they think I'm tut tutting at their skills, little do they know I'm clueless beyond one gardening book and advice from here. Our last allotment site ended up in 2004 with five plots taken between three gardeners (two were couples) and there were 150+ plots. How times change and in such a short time too. It's now a Park although they say they will put back a small allotment site of about a dozen plots if/when they get the money. Yet they are saying they have a huge waiting list now. One problem I see is that a lot of the older sites don't have toilets and with more women than men, and young women mainly, taking up plots, it becomes imperative to have a toilet provided. (if only so I don't get arrested!) I am one of the "old farts" on our site but try to keep my own counsel unless asked specifically. One thing I have noticed is that the new gardeners don't seem to understand the importance of manure (and lots of it), I don't know if they use lots of fertilizer instead but if not then they are storing up trouble in the shape of decreasing yields and mucking up the soil for future gardeners. -- Regards Bob Hobden |
#7
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National Trust to provide allotments
On 19/2/09 18:30, in article ,
"Mike" wrote: "Bob Hobden" wrote: One thing I have noticed is that the new gardeners don't seem to understand the importance of manure (and lots of it), I don't know if they use lots of fertilizer instead but if not then they are storing up trouble in the shape of decreasing yields and mucking up the soil for future gardeners. the chap who runs it has that sorted, he get truck loads in from the stables opposite and everybody uses it to cover the weed growth in winter. Yes. Well. Bob and the others will certainly advise you better than I can but contaminated manure has caused a LOT of problems for veg growers. Ask your supplier and the stable owner if their horses have grazed on land treated by the weed killer that doesn't affect the animals but certainly affects the manure. -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon Perennials & shrubs online |
#8
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National Trust to provide allotments
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message ... "Spider" wrote ... "Sacha" wrote "Martin" wrote: What a truly excellent idea! B&Q have said that for the second year running, their sale of veg seeds has gone up. I think this time 27% was mentioned. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/ear...st-to-give-lan d-for-allotments.html "He pointed out that the vast proportion of land in Britain is owned by one per cent of the population, meaning few ordinary people have access to land to grow their own fruit and vegetables." iffy statistics, many houses have a garden big enough to do both. One doesn't need acres. Most can't cope with 50 sq/metres, although units of 100sq/metres are provided as standard in the gardening club my wife runs. She is considering offering units of 25sq/metres in future. People constantly tell us they want to downsize their gardens. One chap actually wrote asking us for ideas on making his large garden more manageable. Prescient as I am ;-), I suggested that he might ask a younger person to look after it in exchange for the opportunity to grow food and flowers on it for his own family. An elderly neighbour of mine was keen to do this with part of her garden, and she asked my advice. I said that, in principle, it was a great idea but that she would have to allow access to this gardener almost at will. The local gardener she had in mind is a very close friend of mine who works. This friend would need access to the garden before leaving for work, after work or after cooking dinner; in other words, all sorts of odd hours. In effect, the elderly neighbour would need to leave her side gate unlocked for long periods or all day. This worried her, as it should. It worried me, knowing that she had already succumbed to a bogus electricity caller (she ran from the house screaming and the caller decamped). There were other issues, too, as there are bound to be with this kind of arrangement. If the proffered plot were a front or side garden, then it may work very well because access is so much easier, but a back garden plot is fraught with problems and dangers. I would have thought the fitting of a Yale lock with keys to both parties would have sorted out that problem. -- Regards Bob Hobden Indeed, it probably would solve the problem for some. However, add a touch of paranoia and a generous pinch of selfishness (one of the "other issues" I hinted at), and a simple problem becomes a complicated one :~(. Suffice it to say, the younger in-coming gardener (and my best friend, incidentally) was truly relieved to be rescued from a difficult partnership. Access is a huge part of this sort of arrangement but, because of the very reasons that such a deal is struck, the partnership itself can become very flawed and unbalanced, and a problem in its own right. It takes some wisdom to see all the problems and negotiate a fair trade. For those who can manage it well, it's a great idea. Spider |
#9
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National Trust to provide allotments
"Sacha" wrote , "Mike" wrote: "Bob Hobden" wrote: One thing I have noticed is that the new gardeners don't seem to understand the importance of manure (and lots of it), I don't know if they use lots of fertilizer instead but if not then they are storing up trouble in the shape of decreasing yields and mucking up the soil for future gardeners. the chap who runs it has that sorted, he get truck loads in from the stables opposite and everybody uses it to cover the weed growth in winter. Yes. Well. Bob and the others will certainly advise you better than I can but contaminated manure has caused a LOT of problems for veg growers. Ask your supplier and the stable owner if their horses have grazed on land treated by the weed killer that doesn't affect the animals but certainly affects the manure. A simple test of growing a couple on young tomato plant in some is all that is needed. They are very sensitive to the chemical. -- Regards Bob Hobden |
#10
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National Trust to provide allotments
On 19/2/09 22:53, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote: "Sacha" wrote , "Mike" wrote: "Bob Hobden" wrote: One thing I have noticed is that the new gardeners don't seem to understand the importance of manure (and lots of it), I don't know if they use lots of fertilizer instead but if not then they are storing up trouble in the shape of decreasing yields and mucking up the soil for future gardeners. the chap who runs it has that sorted, he get truck loads in from the stables opposite and everybody uses it to cover the weed growth in winter. Yes. Well. Bob and the others will certainly advise you better than I can but contaminated manure has caused a LOT of problems for veg growers. Ask your supplier and the stable owner if their horses have grazed on land treated by the weed killer that doesn't affect the animals but certainly affects the manure. A simple test of growing a couple on young tomato plant in some is all that is needed. They are very sensitive to the chemical. Now that really is a handy tip for those beginning to grow their own food. And how's that Furcraea, Bob? ;-)) -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon Perennials & shrubs online |
#11
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National Trust to provide allotments
"Sacha" wrote... after "Bob Hobden" went on.... One thing I have noticed is that the new gardeners don't seem to understand the importance of manure (and lots of it), I don't know if they use lots of fertilizer instead but if not then they are storing up trouble in the shape of decreasing yields and mucking up the soil for future gardeners. the chap who runs it has that sorted, he get truck loads in from the stables opposite and everybody uses it to cover the weed growth in winter. Yes. Well. Bob and the others will certainly advise you better than I can but contaminated manure has caused a LOT of problems for veg growers. Ask your supplier and the stable owner if their horses have grazed on land treated by the weed killer that doesn't affect the animals but certainly affects the manure. A simple test of growing a couple on young tomato plant in some is all that is needed. They are very sensitive to the chemical. Now that really is a handy tip for those beginning to grow their own food. And how's that Furcraea, Bob? ;-)) The one in the big pot that I move next to the house every winter is fine, the one I planted out in the garden last year couldn't have had a worse first winter...probably it's last from the look of it! -- Regards Bob Hobden |
#12
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National Trust to provide allotments
On 20/2/09 17:22, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote: "Sacha" wrote... snip And how's that Furcraea, Bob? ;-)) The one in the big pot that I move next to the house every winter is fine, the one I planted out in the garden last year couldn't have had a worse first winter...probably it's last from the look of it! Oh dear, that IS bad luck. I'm still amazed you get away with one out in the garden at all, though. I hope the one in the pot keeps going! -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon Perennials & shrubs online |
#13
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National Trust to provide allotments
In article , Spider
writes the elderly neighbour would need to leave her side gate unlocked for long periods or all day. This worried her, as it should. Not if she had a really strong padlock and the gardener had the combination number or key surely? Maybe someone around at odd hours would dissuade the potential criminal caller? Janet -- Janet Tweedy Dalmatian Telegraph http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk |
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