Last night we had kids on the allotment again. A neighbour alerted a
couple of us and the shed owner legged it down to arrive just before
the police.

They'd tried kicking the shed door in and have thrown some stuff
about. Last time they'd thrown some spades around but we found them
all after a couple of days or looking around the edges of the site.

What suggestions for security? Exterior fences aren't high enough for
razor wire ... so I suspect we need some really prickly plants
instead...

The speed at which neighbours spotted the kids probably saved any
serious damage being done.

The police were amazingly fast - dialed the 101 number as I have a
problem remembering the local number. Costs 15p but she put us through
to an emergency reponse. Wasn't quite quick enough though but was nice
to see a fast response anyway!
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

"mogga" wrote in message
...
Last night we had kids on the allotment again. A neighbour alerted a
couple of us and the shed owner legged it down to arrive just before
the police.

They'd tried kicking the shed door in and have thrown some stuff
about. Last time they'd thrown some spades around but we found them
all after a couple of days or looking around the edges of the site.

What suggestions for security? Exterior fences aren't high enough for
razor wire ... so I suspect we need some really prickly plants
instead...

Rosa rugosa, Rhinoceras proof and very cheap!

Phil

mogga wrote:
Last night we had kids on the allotment again. A neighbour alerted a
couple of us and the shed owner legged it down to arrive just before
the police.

They'd tried kicking the shed door in and have thrown some stuff
about. Last time they'd thrown some spades around but we found them
all after a couple of days or looking around the edges of the site.

What suggestions for security? Exterior fences aren't high enough for
razor wire ... so I suspect we need some really prickly plants
instead...

Pyracantha, sloes and bullaces - essentially like razor wire but legal.
And it provides something for the birds too.

Regards,
Martin Brown

"mogga" wrote

Last night we had kids on the allotment again. A neighbour alerted a
couple of us and the shed owner legged it down to arrive just before
the police.

They'd tried kicking the shed door in and have thrown some stuff
about. Last time they'd thrown some spades around but we found them
all after a couple of days or looking around the edges of the site.

What suggestions for security? Exterior fences aren't high enough for
razor wire ... so I suspect we need some really prickly plants
instead...

The speed at which neighbours spotted the kids probably saved any
serious damage being done.

The police were amazingly fast - dialed the 101 number as I have a
problem remembering the local number. Costs 15p but she put us through
to an emergency reponse. Wasn't quite quick enough though but was nice
to see a fast response anyway!

I'd go with Blackthorn (Sloes) which you can get quite cheaply from hedging
suppliers. eg..

http://www.hedgenursery.co.uk/browse...FQlpfAoddBXm6A

http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatal...FaEntAod-gJb3w

http://www.best4hedging.co.uk/acatal...FcYNfAod-2HFcQ

They take well to being cut into a hedge once big enough and you will get
Sloes too.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:32:57 +0000, mogga
wrote:

Last night we had kids on the allotment again. A neighbour alerted a
couple of us and the shed owner legged it down to arrive just before
the police.

They'd tried kicking the shed door in and have thrown some stuff
about. Last time they'd thrown some spades around but we found them
all after a couple of days or looking around the edges of the site.

What suggestions for security? Exterior fences aren't high enough for
razor wire ... so I suspect we need some really prickly plants
instead...

The speed at which neighbours spotted the kids probably saved any
serious damage being done.

The police were amazingly fast - dialed the 101 number as I have a
problem remembering the local number. Costs 15p but she put us through
to an emergency reponse. Wasn't quite quick enough though but was nice
to see a fast response anyway!

Our Council have paid for high fencing on 2 sides of our site. The
other 2 sides have well laid hedges. We have had no interlopers
since, except for badgers but I hear that they have been "rehomed".

Pam in Bristol

mogga wrote in
:

Last night we had kids on the allotment again. A neighbour alerted a
couple of us and the shed owner legged it down to arrive just before
the police.

They'd tried kicking the shed door in and have thrown some stuff
about. Last time they'd thrown some spades around but we found them
all after a couple of days or looking around the edges of the site.

What suggestions for security? Exterior fences aren't high enough for
razor wire ... so I suspect we need some really prickly plants
instead...

The speed at which neighbours spotted the kids probably saved any
serious damage being done.

The police were amazingly fast - dialed the 101 number as I have a
problem remembering the local number. Costs 15p but she put us through
to an emergency reponse. Wasn't quite quick enough though but was nice
to see a fast response anyway!

Have you asked the local council to install cctv? Long shot but they might
agree. Might get a grant for it. Ask them, they can only refuse or accept.

I have had financial assistance with home security, and I don't see why it
should be different for a council allotment.

Baz

On Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:10:19 GMT, Baz wrote:


The speed at which neighbours spotted the kids probably saved any
serious damage being done.

The police were amazingly fast - dialed the 101 number as I have a
problem remembering the local number. Costs 15p but she put us through
to an emergency reponse. Wasn't quite quick enough though but was nice
to see a fast response anyway!

Have you asked the local council to install cctv? Long shot but they might
agree. Might get a grant for it. Ask them, they can only refuse or accept.

I have had financial assistance with home security, and I don't see why it
should be different for a council allotment.

Baz


We have CCTV on our house that can see part of the site - but it just
doesn't work in the dark very well!

The idea of a spot light on top of a guard tower came to mind.

We've got to go self-managed so it'd be us funding it. We need most of
our current and immediate future funds for paying for the legal work
to go self-managed so no immediate money for anything.

Can't apply for grants until we have lease for the land.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On Mon, 6 Feb 2012 17:16:20 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


The police were amazingly fast - dialed the 101 number as I have a
problem remembering the local number. Costs 15p but she put us through
to an emergency reponse. Wasn't quite quick enough though but was nice
to see a fast response anyway!

I'd go with Blackthorn (Sloes) which you can get quite cheaply from hedging
suppliers. eg..

http://www.hedgenursery.co.uk/browse...FQlpfAoddBXm6A

http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatal...FaEntAod-gJb3w

http://www.best4hedging.co.uk/acatal...FcYNfAod-2HFcQ

They take well to being cut into a hedge once big enough and you will get
Sloes too.


Gosh they look very cheap!
Sloes sound like a plan!

Thanks all
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On Feb 7, 9:41*am, mogga wrote:
On Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:10:19 GMT, Baz wrote:
The speed at which neighbours spotted the kids probably saved any
serious damage being done.

The police were amazingly fast - dialed the 101 number as I have a
problem remembering the local number. Costs 15p but she put us through
to an emergency reponse. Wasn't quite quick enough though but was nice
to see a fast response anyway!

Have you asked the local council to install cctv? Long shot but they might
agree. Might get a grant for it. Ask them, they can only refuse or accept.

On Feb 6, 5:16*pm, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
"mogga" *wrote





Last night we had kids on the allotment again. A neighbour alerted a
couple of us and the shed owner legged it down to arrive just before
the police.

They'd tried kicking the shed door in and have thrown some stuff
about. Last time they'd thrown some spades around but we found them
all after a couple of days or looking around the edges of the site.

What suggestions for security? Exterior fences aren't high enough for
razor wire ... so I suspect we need some really prickly plants
instead...

The speed at which neighbours spotted the kids probably saved any
serious damage being done.

The police were amazingly fast - dialed the 101 number as I have a
problem remembering the local number. Costs 15p but she put us through
to an emergency reponse. Wasn't quite quick enough though but was nice
to see a fast response anyway!

I'd go with Blackthorn (Sloes) which you can get quite cheaply from hedging
suppliers. eg..

http://www.hedgenursery.co.uk/browse...-prunus-spinos...

http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatal...s_hedge.html?g...

http://www.best4hedging.co.uk/acatal...ng.html?gclid=....

They take well to being cut into a hedge once big enough and you will get
Sloes too.

I wouldnt buy sloe plants, its a lot of unnecessary work planting
them. Go find some wild sloes and take long cuttings, and simply stick
the sticks into the ground. Expect around 25% strike rate. Way less
work, costs nothing.


NT

On Feb 7, 3:16*pm, NT wrote:
On Feb 6, 5:16*pm, "Bob Hobden" wrote:



"mogga" *wrote

Last night we had kids on the allotment again. A neighbour alerted a
couple of us and the shed owner legged it down to arrive just before
the police.

They'd tried kicking the shed door in and have thrown some stuff
about. Last time they'd thrown some spades around but we found them
all after a couple of days or looking around the edges of the site.

What suggestions for security? Exterior fences aren't high enough for
razor wire ... so I suspect we need some really prickly plants
instead...

The speed at which neighbours spotted the kids probably saved any
serious damage being done.

The police were amazingly fast - dialed the 101 number as I have a
problem remembering the local number. Costs 15p but she put us through
to an emergency reponse. Wasn't quite quick enough though but was nice
to see a fast response anyway!

I'd go with Blackthorn (Sloes) which you can get quite cheaply from hedging
suppliers. eg..

http://www.hedgenursery.co.uk/browse...-prunus-spinos...

http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatal...s_hedge.html?g...

http://www.best4hedging.co.uk/acatal...ng.html?gclid=....

They take well to being cut into a hedge once big enough and you will get
Sloes too.

I wouldnt buy sloe plants, its a lot of unnecessary work planting
them. Go find some wild sloes and take long cuttings, and simply stick
the sticks into the ground. Expect around 25% strike rate. Way less
work, costs nothing.

NT

And lots of yummy apple & sloe pies later. 90% bramley, 10% sloe and
loads of saccharin - without enough sweetening, sloes taste nasty,
with it theyre lovely.


NT

On Tue, 7 Feb 2012 07:16:50 -0800 (PST), NT
wrote:


I wouldnt buy sloe plants, its a lot of unnecessary work planting
them. Go find some wild sloes and take long cuttings, and simply stick
the sticks into the ground. Expect around 25% strike rate. Way less
work, costs nothing.


NT


First find a sloe...

Don't know where one is locally.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On Tue, 7 Feb 2012 19:24:24 +0000, Sacha wrote:


We have CCTV on our house that can see part of the site - but it just
doesn't work in the dark very well!

The idea of a spot light on top of a guard tower came to mind.

We've got to go self-managed so it'd be us funding it. We need most of
our current and immediate future funds for paying for the legal work
to go self-managed so no immediate money for anything.

Can't apply for grants until we have lease for the land.
--http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

Also add a _very_ loud alarm in teh shed, one that will /not/ give
false alarms.


NT

Istr there was once a bell or alarm that sounded like a large, fierce
dog barking!


A hungry alsation has been one idea I thought of. Suspect it wouldn't
be good for the allotment though.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

mogga wrote:
On Tue, 7 Feb 2012 07:16:50 -0800 (PST), NT
wrote:


I wouldnt buy sloe plants, its a lot of unnecessary work planting
them. Go find some wild sloes and take long cuttings, and simply stick
the sticks into the ground. Expect around 25% strike rate. Way less
work, costs nothing.


NT


First find a sloe...

Don't know where one is locally.

Look for the stock proof hedging that looks like it has 1" needles
attached to 6" nails and you won't be too far off. A bit late now to
look for sloe fruits. There were still a few berries up here after Xmas.

I would grow a mix of sloe, bullace, wild rose and pyracantha for
variety. The birds like them all. Vandals will be shredded to pieces on
all of them. Be careful what you wish for as pruning by hand requires
thick chrome leather gloves or you will get spiked and scratched.

Regards,
Martin Brown

On 08/02/2012 10:46, mogga wrote:
On Tue, 7 Feb 2012 07:16:50 -0800 (PST),
wrote:


I wouldnt buy sloe plants, its a lot of unnecessary work planting
them. Go find some wild sloes and take long cuttings, and simply stick
the sticks into the ground. Expect around 25% strike rate. Way less
work, costs nothing.


NT


First find a sloe...

Don't know where one is locally.

There is one on a boat to China. ;-)

--
David in Normandy.
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