Grow Your Own Magazine

Hello everyone,

I have been a keen gardener for a few years now and over the past four seasons have moved more and more into Vegetable gardening. Nothing showey, just for the table and I am loving it.

My problem like many others is one of allotments in my locality. I have two within 2 miles of me but I am 27th on one waiting list and 20th on the other.

I live in Ince, Wigan but my options are minimal. Does anyone have any idea's on finding land on which to grow? or perhaps knowledge of any more allotment schemes in my area.

Thanks

Darren

Hi Dwrudd, welcome to the vine. Someone mentioned working a neighbour’s garden, in return they get some of the vegetables you grow. I think it was either Nick The grief or Andrewo? Are there any elderly or disabled neighbours local to you that would welcome a person sharing their garden? It would be a lot quicker than waiting for the allotments locally.
Jax

Twas me Jax and you beat me to it You could try sticking an add in the local post office ( they have to get their pension don't they ) and see what happens. My Father did this whails he was waiting for a plot years ago. Have a word at the local council to see if there are any more sites (private maybe) near you. I guess it depends how far you want to travel.

Failing that try contacting the national allotment society, they may know of some.

http://www.nsalg.org.uk/

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Thank you both, I shall try the society and get a little advert locally.

Darren.

Any joy yet??

sorry for the delay, I can't always get at the computer for a surf ( work n all)

I have had no such joy yet, still 27th on my local allotment waiting list

I have started to ask around and hope to turn somthing up. I have however, persuaded my wife that a small greenhouse is an essential for her hanging basket to thrive and so I am searching the net for a decent 6 x 4 which is a start and can be hidden behind my shed in the garden. Obviousley the main reason is for her baskets you know

My seed spuds arrived this week and so are chitting in the garage, I will use spud bags again this year as they were so succesful for the last couple of years and can be plonked inbetween the shrubs on the bosses flower bed.

I'll let you know if I turn somthing up though.

Thanks

Darren

Hi Darren,

I assume you are looking for a second hand G/house. Otherwise, Elite do one that is a lean to that is designed to go on a shed. It looks lovely tel your wife the site of all thos tomatoes etc

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

I am looking to buy new but I will need a free standing greenhouse not a lean to. I have an L shaped flower bed that surrounds my shed on two sides, the decision is now 6 x 4 or 4 x 6, which side the door is on.....

I am trying to get the best use of space as it is obviousley only a small size.

Darren

4ft long x 6ft wide would be best as you only need 1 x 2ft slab for a path and can grow all around this. If you have it 4ft wide greenhouse, you either loose half your space to a path or you're not eating enough

I would put some staging on both sides ( preferably removable) then you can grow in the borders in the greenhouse but still have some room to grow early stuff.

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

I had not thought of that, Thank you.

I was edgeing toward the other way round but I am convinced and shall go 6' wide,

Darren

Wider & shorter is always better than long & thin (don't google that LJ!!!) becuase you can get better air flow through it.

On the subject of air flow, it will probably only come with one vent, get another one & if you can afford it a louvre as well. If you're relly feeling flush get auto vents openers for the roof vents then you can get good ventilaton in the g/house and it will help minimise fungal problems.

The louvre will be handy if you want to heat it in winter/early spring & use parafin lamps as you can open this up a crack to allow air & fumes out.

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Nick I daren't google long and thin - can you imagine what might come up!!

(Just realised what I have wrote!!)

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[

you've been reading to many of my posts

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Well, I am 39th on the list for an allotment. Within a 25 mile radius of my house, there are only 40 allotments in total. So it looks like I might to waiting some time Like maybe when I retire (I'm only 33 now).

Its not like I live in the urban jungle either! Devon in fact!!!

Hi VG,

I'm not 100% sure of the regs but I think if there are 6 people in your parish that want an allotment, the council have to try an find you a some space either short term ( lease of another landowner) or long term some of their won land. If you've got a 100% waiting list (and 39 waiting for 40 plots is as near as dammit) I would have thought that you may have a good chance.

I'll check the regs for you and make sure I'm right but it may be worth seeing if you can get a free ad in the local postie or shop or maybe even the local pub !

See if you can get the phone numbers of the other 38 folks and ask them if they fancy starting another site up. If you run it in conjunction with the existing site it will be better as they will have double the clout when it comes to buying supplies if they have a shop on site etc. Try putting this to the secretary they may be helpfull.

You can always contact the local council & see what the position is.

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Regarding Allotments, I am living in France at the moment and when we go back to UK for a holiday I join my son on his allotment in York, hopefully I will try for one as my wife is eager to return to live in UK, I prefer to stay here for the peace and quiet, plus the courtesy the youngers in France give to their elders (I am 74), the litter free streets, the open roads ( no road fund licence either), but wife misses the language and wants to return to her northern roots. Back to beginning, I was amazed in travelling around York how many of their allotments were not being used. I started my gardening days in the late 30's through the 40's, Dig for Victory and all that and always enjoy growing for eating. In France I noticed all allotments here are immaculate and well used, the French have a flair for growing veg, even their gardens are very well tended, not a weed in sight.
Good luck in your search.

http://www.nsalg.org.uk/page.php?page_id=25

Short explanation about approaching local authority to request allotment land allocation, as mentioned by Nick above.

We have a similar situation here - the waiting list is ridiculously long for the 2 nearest sites to my home. What drives me crazy is that on the closest one some people have 2 - 4 plots each, and yet they have this massive waiting list. The current chairman of the committee has 3 seperate plots, 2 of which are a tip, only the middles are being used (to grow competition dahlias in fruit cages) because the edges are so overgrown. It makes me SO mad!!! But what can I do? Just carry on growing what I can in pots and flower borders in my little front garden, and wait.....!

Have you tried having a chat with some of the people on the sites who's plots are looking a bit tatty, maybe they would share?They might be chuffed if you offer to help. Half a plot is better than none, and you could offer to pay half the rent, share produce, as well as watering & weeding while they are away etc. If you get talking to people and offer to give them a hand, they might well offer - generally allotment gardeners are a nice bunch.

Try a local farmer, mine runs a garden centre now but has some land at the side of it going to weeds (a number of acres). I noticed some veggies on it and asked if they were his he said his friend rents some of the land as an allotment. He keeps chickens and moved off his allotment because kids got in and killed them all.

So I told him my woeful tale of not being able to find an allotment and perhaps he had a bit of space for me and he said hows about 3/4 - 1 acre I nearly fell over he is going to talk to the other guy (as he wants to expand as was there first) and get back to me but it looks like a dream come true he even said he would help me get started and rotivate it with the tractor and give me any help I needed so it looks like I am finally going to get an allotment after all, not quite how I had intended but who cares!!!

Well done Elmo. All comes to he who waits.... sometimes

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Thats fantastic Elmo!

I travelled around the locality last night to find any possibilities of land etc but had a very interesting chat with a man who has an allotment in my area.

The council seem to be allowing land to go untended and then use this as an excuse to get rid of the allotmants and build on them. It has alreday happened to one site and looks likley on his as well. You know what rumours are like but I am going to investigate further and try to get the local papers involved if I can

Darren.

Hi dwrudd... was going to mention the nsalg site (FAQ page) but others beat me to it! Worth noting that if you meet the criteria (6 people over 18 on the electoral role etc...), the council has a [i]statutory obligation[i] to provide its residents with plots - don't give up mate!!
Also, found out about a petition to Whitehall to provide more allotments throughout the UK at

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/allotments/

worth a go.... Best of luck .

I agree with everyone. I guess I've been lucky - I got an allotment straightaway in Worthing, but when I moved back to Suffolk the council were unhelpful to say the least, but I found out the relevant person and pestered. I waited 6 months, only to find there were several untended plots and I could've had one much sooner if I'd known who to ask. I should've gone to each site myself and spoken to the plotholders, instead of relying on the council to help. But don't expect private allotments to be any better ! Many are 'staffed' by people who have prejudices (no women, no youngsters?) or are not up on email or answ