Grow Your Own Magazine

After a two year wait in Swansea, my name down in three allotments,with my pateince wearing thin, at last I have been offered not one but 2 plots in one week !! one was a quarter plot, on a slight slope,solid ground, heavy clay, needed clearing of grass, weeds and a few small trees that need to be hoiked out and it hadnt been touched for 10 years, no sheds allowed. The other about 4 miles away, a triangular plot, sheltered site, was cultivated a year ago, now very weedy but half covered in black plastic, sheds allowed, and some very friendly allotmenteers on site. So I took this one, now the work begins...I only hope I have the stamina to turn it into something special. I am so excited. Wish me luck folks.

Congrats!!

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There's just no telling who's growing Tomatoes these days!

Well done, I'm hopeful it won't be too long till I get one, I'm in weekly contact with our Lottie Officer - so I'm hoping that she'll either get sick of me and just give me a plot to get rid of me, or she'll feel sorry for me and give me a plot - either way I don't mind, I just want a lottie!! Good luck with yours

congrats dont forget some pics
loux

Great feeling isn't it

You think you feel good now, just wait until you are harvesting your own crops

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Save the earth - it's the only planet with chocolate

i got the phone call today to say i've got a plot after about a 1 year wait .... i'll go take a look tomorrow ....

Triangular plot eh!? Make sure you watch Gardeners World then, Joe has made triangular beds which have gone down a storm.

Congratulations on getting your plot, now the fun really begins eh?

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A simple dude trying to grow veg.

http://haywayne.blogspot.com/ - Updated - 25th August

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev036pr___.png

Well done you. It now hard work (and FUN) all the way!

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It takes more oil than vinegar to make a good salad dressing.

vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated Sept 2nd 2008

Congrats dont try and do too much at once and you will have it done in no time.

What a disappointment .....
I went to look at my new plot today - it hasn't been used for several years - it's heavily overgrown (waist deep weeds) and other plot holders have used it as a dumping ground for tree branches, carpets, weeds, grass cuttings etc - the trees that have grown cover about 1/4 of the plot and will need a lot of digging out to make the plot properly usable

While I was there, the woman from the council phoned, saying she'd just been down there herself and how sorry she is that the plot is such a mess - she said she'd see if she can get the council's own grounds clearance team to clear the plot for me, but wasn't hopeful, so if she can't get that, she'll offer me the plot rent free for 2 years

I got talking to another plot-holder - he said the council woman keeps promising to get a skip to clear the rubbish that's built up there but it's never happened - and we're not allowed bonfires ...

Considering that plot-rents are pocket money, 2 years rent free just isn't very much of an incentive considering that it'll need a lot of hard work this year and won't be usable till next year .... the only person I know even vaguely willing to give me a hand clearing the site is my 11yo son and he'll be very quick to say "sod that for a laugh" ....

I want the allotment for several reasons:
1 - I like growing and eating veggies and want to grow more than I can grow in my garden
2 - It's a good way of getting exercise and fresh air, which is important considering as I work from home on a computer, so spend a lot of my life indoors on my bum
3 - It's kinda sociable, I'll get to meet and chat to other people, which I don't while I'm shut indoors

So I'm still kinda tempted to take it for the exercise etc etc - but I'll probably try and negotiate 4 or 5 years rent free ........
What do you guys think?

Hey up.

I'd ask her what day the council guys are turning up [not if]; and do you need to move anything for the skip men to get in [you assume that it will be there for 2-3 days].

Never assume incompetence; every now and then people will rise up to meet expectations...If the clearance team work for the council, surely it is up the the council what work they do???

Personally, I'd be tempted to take it; and think of it as a long term challenge. Is there a little bit that you can at least clear and get some spuds in this year? I'd cover it all with weed control fabric over cardboard/newspaper once all the rubbish is gone and use the no-dig method.

We've been told that our council guys are coming next week to rotavate and clear the 3 plots that have been let. They haven't been used for about 10 years apparently. If they could just clear and rotavate it, then you are laughing; even if it is just cleared then it's a start.

Definitely negotiate the free rent for 5+ years if you are putting your own time/money into clearing the land before you can even start; then you don't want to lose the plot a couple of years after you have got it.

Flippin' councils!!!

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Andrea :wavehello

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...logs/zazen999/

moon trial underway with onions, lettuce, tomatoes and calabrese.

FG, if you think it'll be worth it when it's done (decent site, not too far away etc) take it on and enjoy the challenge. I'm slowly, slowly clearing a long abandoned plot, most of which was covered in brambles and weeds taller than I am. It's hard work but I'm really looking forward to it being useable again and being able to say 'I did that'

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http://thankyouforthedays.blogspot.com/

Always look on the bright side of life...
I mean - what have you got to lose?
You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!

unfortunately no, the ground will not be usable this year - unless i get a few people in to help clear it and dig out the tree roots, in which case i *might* be able to get something in the ground in the autumn ....

(yesterday i was very upbeat, almost went down the greenhouse to sow loads and loads of seeds so i had something to plant in a few weeks time)

it's unlikely a skip will be allowed - access to the allotments is via a privately owned drive, and the owner doesn't allow lorries ..... and bearing in mind the huge pile of waste that's waiting to be removed from elsewhere on the site ....

the council gardens / clearance teams are all contractors, so if the council want them to do something, chances are there will be a cost and it'll have to be negotiated and agreed etc etc etc .... therefore highly unlikely to happen ....

the pics below show both ends of the plot - one pic shows waist-high weeds on the left and 2 trees near the end of the plot - behind the trees is a pile of other trees and branches that have been dumped there by other plot-holders - the photo doesn't actually show the smaller trees coming up through the weeds, or the carpet and other rubbish buried by weeds and nettles - the other pic shows dark weeds growing over what was a compost bin, and another tree behind ....

i MIGHT be able to rope in a bit of labour from a friend who kind of owes me .... i'm going to make a couple of phone calls ........

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Wow; that is alot of work.

Freecycle the wood to someone who heats with a wood burner, we got rid of an old apple tree that had to be felled last june - they brought the trailer and carried it in bits so we didn't have to pay to get it removed. There was alot of wood and she thought she could heat the house for a winter with it all.

then roundup the lot

then bring in the friend/s to help with the labour [having an ale party might help] to get rid of the tree roots.

cover as you go with weed fabric [£15.99 for 50 m from wickes at the mo].

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Andrea :wavehello

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...logs/zazen999/

moon trial underway with onions, lettuce, tomatoes and calabrese.

i dont know how much wood, but i would make a wood pile next to the compost bins you make. it will make a little haven for woodlice and millipedes and stuff.

ok went back for another look
1/3rd of the plot is useless trees
1/2 is weeds and rubble and rubbish thats been dumped on there by other plot holders - will need a skip to clear best part of 3ft of rubbish - underneath which will be lots of tree roots ....
and the rest is the "compost bin" area ....

Awwwww, you must be gutted, but the hard work will be worth it in the end. What about asking fellow allotment holders/friends/neighbours to a "dig fest" with the promise of a BBQ/picnic/few beers at the end of the day/weekend? If it were me, I'd take it, as when you spread the cost over a year, its only a couple of quid a week at the most for something that will pay you back tenfold with pleasure

you must be gutted FG,i thought my one was a mess compared to that mine was clean dont lose heart keep my fingers crossed for you.

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