Am I making the right choice?

[cariann88]

Back in Jan my allotment site flooded(when we had that bad downpour) really bad from the river that flows at side of the allotment site and has damaged quite a lot of plots.
Since then I have not really worked on my plot and it got me thinking is it really worth putting all my time and effort on the plot if we have bad weather it can destroy it all.
Plus it was £240 a year to keep the plot.

So I have decided I am going to give up my plot and wait until me and my OH buy a house this year then I can grow from back garden.
I have already got paprika growing on my windowsill and can grow a plant or two of tomatoes in my back garden where I am now.

Am I making the right decision?

[nickdub]

I'd say the answer to your question probably depends on money and time available to you.

£240 is a tall order to make back purely in terms of the produce you can grow in a year, so if money is tight for you then that is a factor. The other thing is time. Being outside on an allotment every day for a while in the sun and fresh air obviously has a value in itself, but it's hard to put a figure on that in £'s. If you could only get to the allotment one or two days a week, obviously that would make it less good value for you.

[greenishfing]

I think a lot depends on your personal circumstances and also what size of garden you expect your new house to have. Also how much you normally grow. Also is the social aspect of the allotment important to you?

[Peteyd]

I can honestly say, i would love an allotment... However, its all to do with personal circumstances. Currently we have a young boy (who takes up a lot of time and isn't quite old enough to help out!), and i work quite long hours. There are also no allotments in my village so i'd have to travel to wherever they were. I don't think that by the time i had got home from work, sorted my stuff out and got to an allotment i would have time to really achieve anything before having to return home.

To make up for this, i do have a rather large plot in the garden (which is currently in the process of being extended!), a decent sized greenhouse and a small coldframe so i can tackle a fair amount of growing from home.

Hopefully, one day i will have an allotment... It might just have to wait a few years yet!

[Compostman2]

£240 for allotment sounds a lot to me.
You can grow a lot of food in a small area.

[greenishfing]

I can honestly say, i would love an allotment... However, its all to do with personal circumstances. Currently we have a young boy (who takes up a lot of time and isn't quite old enough to help out!), and i work quite long hours. There are also no allotments in my village so i'd have to travel to wherever they were. I don't think that by the time i had got home from work, sorted my stuff out and got to an allotment i would have time to really achieve anything before having to return home.

To make up for this, i do have a rather large plot in the garden (which is currently in the process of being extended!), a decent sized greenhouse and a small coldframe so i can tackle a fair amount of growing from home.

Hopefully, one day i will have an allotment... It might just have to wait a few years yet!

Maybe put your name down at your preferred site now. Some of the waiting lists are very long.

[bramble]

Cariann, the very fact that you are thinking about giving your Pilot up suggests maybe your heart is not in it anymore after it flooded.
Has it flooded before. Regarding the cost, it's all down to personal circumstances. The benefits of being outdoors are priceless whether its it's an allotment or a back garden.

[nick the grief]

Cariann, the very fact that you are thinking about giving your Pilot up suggests maybe your heart is not in it anymore after it flooded.
Has it flooded before. Regarding the cost, it's all down to personal circumstances. The benefits of being outdoors are priceless whether its it's an allotment or a back garden.

I Agree Bramble. My old plot was £10 my new one is £100 but its 4 x the size and I can do what I want on there no restrictions (the old site you couldn't keep livestock, no trees and you you couldn't have bushes or rhubarb within a distance of a path. you had to have paths on both sides and no vehicle access to the plot. so for me the new plot is worth the money. £240 sounds a lot but if you take in to account things like Gym memberships its cheap and even at £240 its only a fiver a week.

THat said if it floods regularly then I can understand your frustrations. Have a look at sq ft gardening and if you can make a bed where you are now even (you can always take it with you- or use large pots/tubs) you can still grow a lot. Don't get disheartened.

[mothhawk]

Yes, Cariann, definitely the right choice. If you are going to buy a house with a decent garden this year, then spend that £240 on buying fruit and veg this year, put the time and effort you'd have spent at the lottie into the house move and look forward to being able to grow in your own garden next year under much better conditions.

Just make sure the house you choose is up a hill, not on the river floodplain

[Peteyd]

Maybe put your name down at your preferred site now. Some of the waiting lists are very long.

Thats a thought. i'm probably looking in around 10 - 15 years. Can i wait if im not ready when the plot is? (IYO)

[greenishfing]

Thats a thought. i'm probably looking in around 10 - 15 years. Can i wait if im not ready when the plot is? (IYO)

It all depends on the site and if there is a big shortage of plots in your area. Maybe have a chat with different sites.

[Nicos]

Carriann....are you able to pot up plants to take with you?
You are just about at the limit of plants breaking dormancy

Here is a question...if you find your dream house without the perfect garden would you turn it down ?
if the answer is yes, then I’d agree with the others who have said give up the allotment. It’s a crazily busy period packing up and moving and your time might be better spent sorting all that out.
Is this your first plot...the one with the dream greenhouse/ poly tunnel if I recall correctly ?

[Snadger]

All I would say is I purposely bought a house with a large garden, but I still found I wanted an allotment for all the known benefits I new I could get from it.

[cariann88]

Sorry for only just getting back to you all, I've been busy at work.

I am not sure if it's flooded before but I don't want it to happen again. So I have decided that I am going to give it up and wait until we buy our house this year. Plus it will save us a lot of money in not having to pay for a allotment.

[mrsbusy]

That seems a lot to pay - We pay £25 a year and few rules other than must work the plot. We have a biggish garden but it is fairly shady apart from very near the house - we would have to dig up the patio to make a veg plot hence got the allotment. Have to say I waited until retired as just could not manage the work required for allotment