Motivation ....

[Alison]

It's not - if FG hasn't got the motivation, and hasn't for some time now - perhaps it is time to let it go. We've been here before and we've all jollied FG up; but if he;s not interested, he's not interested. It's just an allotment; it wouldn't be the end of the world if he gave it up.

That's as may be but it certainly came over that way - oh the joys of just communicating by text without the help of body language etc! Take your arguement up to a point, and certainly agree that it's not the end of the world for anybody to admit enough is enough, however, if he's not interested then it seems strange that he's asking for help so maybe we should leave that up to FG.

[FionaH]

I feel that life is too short to do things you are not enjoying. You haven't enjoyed your plot for a while now so why not let it go?

[zazen999]

That's as may be but it certainly came over that way - oh the joys of just communicating by text without the help of body language etc! Take your arguement up to a point, and certainly agree that it's not the end of the world for anybody to admit enough is enough, however, if he's not interested then it seems strange that he's asking for help so maybe we should leave that up to FG.

I'd totally agree if this was the first time that FG had asked this question, but if he's not enjoying it and isn't getting up each day wanting to get down to the plot then is it worth it?

Anyway - my first response still stands. I suggested getting a chum to help a year ago; and several times inbetween......it's not like we haven't tried to help in the past.

[di]

Have you got much of a garden FG?Maybe if the whole idea of getting motivated to get up to your lottie is too much,it'd be worth growing stuff from home?
I know for me,sometimes it's not that I haven't got the motivation to do all the jobs that need doing up t'lottie,it's finding the motivation to get everything packed....flask for me,lunch/drinks for kiddies,making sure they're dressed appropriately & have extra layers for if the weather turns,tubs/bags for harvesting....before I even get to leave the house!
I've not had my best year,although mine appears to be the opposite to you in that I have all the motivation in the world for lottie time,it's the doing something with the produce once I get it home!
Winter's a great time to re~evaluate where you're at(and dig!!!)If you can meet your needs in your back garden then maybe you can find that enthusiasm you've lost,or maybe you'll decide to give the lottie one more go.Just don't keep it on if it's getting you down so much.Other than a place to provide you with food,it should be a place you can go to unwind & forget your worries...not add to them!

[sewer rat]

I've just read and re-read these posts and I don't think FG wants to give up the plot. so for what it's worth, here's my tuppence
FG,
Sort out your house first - you'll spend more time there than down the lottie even after your motivation returns and no-one likes to live or cook in a half finished kitchen!
Set aside an hour in the next week to go down to your plot, and when you get there, do nothing but lift a few spuds, pull a few onions and a cabbage, then come home - cook whatever you have harvested for your supper that night. That might help remind you why you took the plot on in the first place. And remember, everything you harvest is money saved, and we all need that - especially if we're decorating the house!
I do think that getting a plot sharer might be a good idea - not sure of the protocol at your site - could you arrange it yourself or would the whole "giving up a half plot but wanting to keep the other half" type arrangement have to go to a committee?
Sit down with a tea or coffee and flick through some seed catalogues - you'll be amazed at how that can help bring back some motivation - if not for this year then most certainly for planning next season
Whatever you decide, it has to be right for you, but one closing thought - if you did give it up (and I sincerely hope you don't), how long are the waiting lists if you decide you want to give it another go when you feel more up for it.
I know you haven't had it particularly easy recently with all that's been happening in your life, but if you ever feel you need to get away for a bit, our door is always open - and you won't get much further away from it than up here.

[Farmer_Gyles]

It's not - if FG hasn't got the motivation, and hasn't for some time now - perhaps it is time to let it go. We've been here before and we've all jollied FG up; but if he;s not interested, he's not interested. It's just an allotment; it wouldn't be the end of the world if he gave it up.

its not that i'm not interested in the growing - a very promising start turned into a very crap year - and i even put in the effort to help others but can't get help myself
but hey ho, thanks for your sympathy and stuff...

[Farmer_Gyles]

it's not about not enjoying it - it's about having been suddenly semi-crippled most of the year and huge backlog of everything to catch up on and all sorts of other things going wrong too

and while i'm a lot fitter and a lot better than i was, it'll be several months before i'm back to full health and i've got tons to catch up on - i'm doing the best i can with as much as i can and i DO WANT to get down the garden and onto the allotment, but it's a struggle ....

thanks guys for ideas, thoughts etc
and zazen, if you've got nothing nice or constructive to say, say nothing

[zazen999]

FG - it is constructive if you've not enjoyed or been motivated for a year - then why beat yourself up - cover it with cardboard and start again in the new year; find a chum to work it with you, go for half a plot, do it in bite sized bits, give it up - all of these have been suggested in the past. It has been a year now since you've been asking.
No need to get all uppity when a suggestion is made.

After all; it is just a suggestion, which might actually improve your well-being if the stress of having to cope with an allotment is troubling you.

You say you're getting better and WANT to do it - but i'm not stopping you....so what is?

[Two_Sheds]

but hey ho, thanks for your sympathy and stuff...

Now that is harsh.
I think it's the sympathy you're after, not advice? People on here have already given you constructive and useful advice, more than once. You seem to have had some good crops: sweetcorn, beans, tomatoes, and you made lots of plum jam? So it's not all been hopeless.

I rather got the feeling with this latest post that you wanted someone to make the decision for you: to give up the plot. Given the evidence (lack of enthusiasm, motivation, poor health etc) it seems, to me, that perhaps you should.
A plot should be a place to relax and recharge your batteries, not a source of extra stress.
Nobody can give you motivation, you have to find that for yourself. Best of luck whatever your decision is.

[Stacey Steve]

FG I can understand just how you feel and have shared your lack of motivation.

4 months ago I had 2 mini strokes and was off work for 3+ months, it seemed as if each day my lack of motivation got worse and it was an effort to even go and water the things in the greenhouse but I persisted.

Things got worse again when all my strawbs were stolen but still I was determined not to be beaten.

Started back at work part time but still there were days on end where I just couldn't be asked to go to my plots.

Last week I had to have my poor dog put down and I was absolutely disraught, really thought I was going to go back into depression. Sunday I just went to the lottie to just water but suddenly it was if a veil had lifted and I dug over a bed for the garlic to go in. Had a nice sit down enjoying the peace and weeded out some beds that to be truthful I was getting to be ashamed of.

Went down there for half an hour and came home 6 hours later. Sometimes you just need to force yourself to do something. It's hard I know but just give it a try and if you really can't then as said before it's not the end of the world but it is something you could end up regretting in the long run.

Just go for it!

[HeyWayne]

Hmmmmm

[Rhona]

I ought to post a picture of our lottie everytime someone gets the blues about theirs.

"What lottie?" they'd cry. "All I can see is a dense mass of uncultivated madness. Not an edible thing is growing there!"

"Exactly", I'd nod, sagely.

[piskieinboots]

Just go for it!

that's a pile of rotten luck you've had there SS - good to hear you are coming through it.

Hmmmmm

go down the chip shop I guess

[Incy]

FG,
Good to see you back on here.
There's been some great advice on doing a little piece at a time or even covering the whole lot with cardboard and starting again next year which would have the added benefit of allowing you time to finish the house without feeling guilty about not working your plot.
I'm glad that physically you are on the mend and I'm sure the motivation will follow. You have already motivated yourself to do the house!
Somtimes there are so many things to do that it becomes overwhelming and as a result it is hard to get motivated to do anything. That's where making a list and working out the order of things to be done can help. That's what I did when I was recovering from depression and it was all 'on top'. It really helped. Also working out what doesn't matter and forgiving yourself for not doing it.
I'm not sure which part of Purley you live in, but having grown up there I know a lot of the houses have decent to large sized gardens, so maybe growing stuff in your garden for a bit would help as then you only need to step outside to admire/tend/harvest things.
I know it works for me. We are on the list for an allotment but in the meantime it's our back garden that provides the growing space. I usually only get out there at lunchtime or at the weekend but even if it's just to see how things are doing it helps and keeps me motivated.
When we do get an allotment we plan to have the easier crops there and the ones needing more attention at home, that way if we aren't motivated to go up there every day it's not the end of the world.
Good luck with whatever way you decide to tackle this. I wouldn't advocate giving the allotment up but maybe taking a break by covering it for the winter is a good idea.

[bluemoon]

I've had arthritis in an ankle for about 18 months and was feeling pretty pleased with myself that I wasn't letting it stop me. A broken toe earlier in the year? I hobbled to the plot. But then the arthritis spread to both hips about 8 weeks ago and suddenly it's all very difficult. That, coupled with an attack on my chickens (which was repeated on Sunday night) and I've been feeling the lack of motivation too. It's not just a loss of interest though, it's the fear. Everything I do from the gardening to the camping to the running around after grandchildren requires me to be mobile and I've been wondering what my life will be like if I grow much worse. I can't see myself stuck in front of the T.V. day after day and I went into what I can only describe as a depressive panic. I'm still feeling like that and things are having to be planned in advance; it took me three days to plant the overwintering onions, going to the plot half an hour after I'd taken the pain meds and working until they wore off. Today it's cleaning out the chicken houses, again after the meds. I'm lucky in that OH is a keen allotmenteer too, but even so I wouldn't get much enjoyment from asking him to do everything, then listening to him telling me about it afterwards. I'm still finding my way around problems and worrying about the future, but I'm going to hang on to my plot for as long as possible, I've been allotmenteering for too long, it's a huge part of my life and at the moment I can't envisage a future without it. I can't give any advice FG as I'm still floundering myself, but I do understand how you're feeling.