How long would you wait before complaining about the state of another plot
next to yours?
One neighbour just planted in the spring and then left it to do it's own
thing. The weeds got to 6ft tall before the seeds started to blow onto our
plot like snow, at which point I took a strimmer to their seed heads. This
is not the first year this has happened. Their plot is also infested with
Bindweed which constantly tries to get into our nice cultivated soil, they
do nothing about it except pull it up so it's gradually taking over their
plot. It gets sprayed if it comes near us. Yesterday some brambles they have
let get a hold behind their shed have made a break for our plot amongst our
plants and got me as I was weeding.
Would you complain?
I have finally.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:13:37 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

How long would you wait before complaining about the state of another plot
next to yours?
One neighbour just planted in the spring and then left it to do it's own
thing. The weeds got to 6ft tall before the seeds started to blow onto our
plot like snow, at which point I took a strimmer to their seed heads. This
is not the first year this has happened. Their plot is also infested with
Bindweed which constantly tries to get into our nice cultivated soil, they
do nothing about it except pull it up so it's gradually taking over their
plot. It gets sprayed if it comes near us. Yesterday some brambles they have
let get a hold behind their shed have made a break for our plot amongst our
plants and got me as I was weeding.
Would you complain?
I have finally.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK
I'd complain about the plot and also about whoever is supposed to
monitor the site not doing their job.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East End of Swansea Bay where sometimes
it's raining and sometimes it's not.

On 13/09/2012 19:05, Bob Hobden wrote:

Yes there are lots of people wanting allotments but a good proportion of
the new plot holders are not experienced gardeners and you can tell
within a few months that they won't last. They don't give it enough
time, they don't possess a hoe, they don't do things to make their own
life easier, they don't use manure, they don't water properly if at all,
they don't ask anyone about anything or listen if you make polite
suggestions, they won't use chemicals (even on Bindweed!), they buy all
their plants in ....
It has to be the TV programmes.

Give it another 5 years and the allotment sites will be back to the old
days with lots of vacant plots and only us old codgers left.


I think a lot of people have romantic notions of growing their own
produce and little do they realise the amount of time and sometimes back
breaking work that has to go in; then there is the combat against pests
and diseases too, and drought followed by waterlogged soil. I sometimes
wonder if it is worth the effort myself sometimes; until this time of
year when it is mainly ongoing harvesting of produce planted earlier in
the year. I still marvel at how productive some plants are such as
runner beans, courgettes and chives with very little work other than
watering. Others like potatoes are worth growing but can be hard on the
back digging up several rows of them.

On Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:13:37 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

How long would you wait before complaining about the state of another plot
next to yours?
One neighbour just planted in the spring and then left it to do it's own

About 4 weeks after they'd left it.

Lots of people start with good intentions but seem to forget that time
is the answer to most of the questions about allotments.
It is very much like adding another relationship into your life.
Everything has to fit in around it - including the other humans in
your life who want your time.

I read recently someone suggesting 10 hours a week!

thing. The weeds got to 6ft tall before the seeds started to blow onto our
plot like snow, at which point I took a strimmer to their seed heads. This
is not the first year this has happened. Their plot is also infested with
Bindweed which constantly tries to get into our nice cultivated soil, they
do nothing about it except pull it up so it's gradually taking over their
plot. It gets sprayed if it comes near us. Yesterday some brambles they have
let get a hold behind their shed have made a break for our plot amongst our
plants and got me as I was weeding.
Would you complain?
I have finally.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

Why the exclamation mark? Do you think that's a lot or ridiculously little?

I really have no idea - my garden is larger than an allotment, on the other hand it's deliberately arranged to have as few as possible things that need regular attention and as much as possible where the attention required is not time-critical. But a full day in the garden each week and a few half-hour sessions doesn't seem wide of the mark, in either direction.

"kay" wrote


mogga Wrote:

I read recently someone suggesting 10 hours a week!


Why the exclamation mark? Do you think that's a lot or ridiculously
little?

I really have no idea - my garden is larger than an allotment, on the
other hand it's deliberately arranged to have as few as possible things
that need regular attention and as much as possible where the attention
required is not time-critical. But a full day in the garden each week
and a few half-hour sessions doesn't seem wide of the mark, in either
direction.


Certainly in the summer you need to be on the plot at least 10 man hours a
week to keep it under control, weed, water and feed. In the winter other
than the usual annual dig there isn't that much to do other than crop the
winter veg.
This week we have had a total weed and tidy up on ours from fence to fence
and have spent about 25 man hours down on the plot although chatting with
other gardeners must have taken up a couple of hours. :-)
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Fri, 14 Sep 2012 10:34:30 +0000, kay
wrote:

mogga;968766 Wrote:

I read recently someone suggesting 10 hours a week!


Why the exclamation mark? Do you think that's a lot or ridiculously
little?


I'd spend 10 hours a day on mine if it was more sunny (and I had less
work to do!)

It's probably a lot more than most people spend on our site - and it
shows tbh. The people who are on more hours have nicer plots.

I really have no idea - my garden is larger than an allotment, on the
other hand it's deliberately arranged to have as few as possible things
that need regular attention and as much as possible where the attention
required is not time-critical. But a full day in the garden each week
and a few half-hour sessions doesn't seem wide of the mark, in either
direction.

Yes adding it up like that it does work out getting on for that long.

We've got people who've got very tiny plots and still haven't done
very much.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On Fri, 14 Sep 2012 16:48:33 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


Certainly in the summer you need to be on the plot at least 10 man hours a
week to keep it under control, weed, water and feed. In the winter other
than the usual annual dig there isn't that much to do other than crop the
winter veg.
This week we have had a total weed and tidy up on ours from fence to fence
and have spent about 25 man hours down on the plot although chatting with
other gardeners must have taken up a couple of hours. :-)

Adding up the brew breaks can certainly add on the hours
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On Sat, 15 Sep 2012 09:48:48 +0100, "'Mike'"
wrote:


I have been seriously thinking about writing a leaflet to hand to all new
potential gardeners!

Bob this isn't such a silly idea. I can see a lot of sense in a booklet of
say 3 sheets of A4 folded landscape to make a 12 page A5 Booklet. 'So you


I'm in the process of starting one for our site.
Things like "What do I do with this rubbish that I've dug up?"



want an Allotment'. I had an allotment back in the 60's and even though my
father in law had worked the one next to me for about 14 years, I didn't
realize the implications of having an Allotment and therefore, the 'warts
and all' friendly booklet explaining for example the timetable of planting
and cropping and the obligation to your Neighbours to keep your plot as
free as possible of nuisance weeds and how much time in hours daily/weekly
during the year.

Written in a friendly way which can be picked up and put down at will.
Covering outside commitments like work, overtime, family and DIY at home as
far as 'have you got time for all of this AND an allotment.

More emphasis on what is involved time wise than what to grow and how to
grow it, that can be picked up anywhere.

Just an idea. Make it a national thing sold/given away if you can get
sponsorship through allotment societies who could have their own centrefold
in it, appertaining to their society.

Mike
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

"mogga" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 15 Sep 2012 09:48:48 +0100, "'Mike'"
wrote:


I have been seriously thinking about writing a leaflet to hand to all
new
potential gardeners!

Bob this isn't such a silly idea. I can see a lot of sense in a booklet of
say 3 sheets of A4 folded landscape to make a 12 page A5 Booklet. 'So you


I'm in the process of starting one for our site.
Things like "What do I do with this rubbish that I've dug up?"



Were you one of those who telephoned me about a booklet following my
posting?

Mike


--

....................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

....................................




want an Allotment'. I had an allotment back in the 60's and even though my
father in law had worked the one next to me for about 14 years, I didn't
realize the implications of having an Allotment and therefore, the 'warts
and all' friendly booklet explaining for example the timetable of planting
and cropping and the obligation to your Neighbours to keep your plot as
free as possible of nuisance weeds and how much time in hours daily/weekly
during the year.

Written in a friendly way which can be picked up and put down at will.
Covering outside commitments like work, overtime, family and DIY at home
as
far as 'have you got time for all of this AND an allotment.

More emphasis on what is involved time wise than what to grow and how to
grow it, that can be picked up anywhere.

Just an idea. Make it a national thing sold/given away if you can get
sponsorship through allotment societies who could have their own
centrefold
in it, appertaining to their society.

Mike
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

"mogga" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 15 Sep 2012 09:48:48 +0100, "'Mike'"
wrote:


I have been seriously thinking about writing a leaflet to hand to all
new
potential gardeners!

Bob this isn't such a silly idea. I can see a lot of sense in a booklet of
say 3 sheets of A4 folded landscape to make a 12 page A5 Booklet. 'So you


I'm in the process of starting one for our site.
Things like "What do I do with this rubbish that I've dug up?"

Please will you post it here?

--
--

http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

On Sun, 16 Sep 2012 11:44:48 +0100, "'Mike'"
wrote:



I'm in the process of starting one for our site.
Things like "What do I do with this rubbish that I've dug up?"



Were you one of those who telephoned me about a booklet following my
posting?

Mike


No.

I could probably list some of the other stupid questions I've dealt
with though. (And the things people do...)
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On Sun, 16 Sep 2012 18:37:03 +0100, "Ophelia"
wrote:



I'm in the process of starting one for our site.
Things like "What do I do with this rubbish that I've dug up?"

Please will you post it here?

--


I will. It's only just started at the moment - give me a few days and
I'll add a bit more to it at the moment. I've got a couple of drafts
to throw together I think.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

"mogga" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 16 Sep 2012 18:37:03 +0100, "Ophelia"
wrote:



I'm in the process of starting one for our site.
Things like "What do I do with this rubbish that I've dug up?"

Please will you post it here?

--


I will. It's only just started at the moment - give me a few days and
I'll add a bit more to it at the moment. I've got a couple of drafts
to throw together I think.

Thanks I look forward to it.

--
--

http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/