new allotment totally overgrown

[becky2812]

i did meet one of the locals yesterday, infact he helped me choose which plot to choose. I had the choice of 3. The first one was next to a huge dyke, which wouldn't have been safe for my son, the second looked very appealing, but the man said that he and 3 others had given that plot up in the last 4 years, as it regularly floods and kills everything off. So i ended up going for the worlds biggest and messiest allotment!!

[Two_Sheds]

i ended up going for the worlds biggest and messiest allotment!!

They're all like that when you take them on

Look at mine: 6 foot high brambles & nettles on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Dane End Dolly]

Hi Becky and welcome to the vine, i reiterate what everyone else has told you, we also had a completely nettle and dockweed covered plot and started at one corner and worked our way through, it is exhausting but rewarding as you will look at it when you have finished and be proud. good idea about the tyres, i have heard of people doing that for spuds and it working out well.

good luck and keep us informed on how you get on.

Kx

[Lazgaot]

i did meet one of the locals yesterday, infact he helped me choose which plot to choose. I had the choice of 3. The first one was next to a huge dyke, which wouldn't have been safe for my son, the second looked very appealing, but the man said that he and 3 others had given that plot up in the last 4 years, as it regularly floods and kills everything off. So i ended up going for the worlds biggest and messiest allotment!!

Well done getting the plot! I know the sinking feeling when you get a plot and its a complete jungle, have a look at some Before and After pictures of plots on here for inspiration and ideas (there's a thread on it some where as well as in most peoples signatures).

Good luck clearing the glass, a large seive might be useful to get rid of it and other undesireables.

[becky2812]

well i just rang the coucil lad. I can sign on thursday but have to sign a disclaimer too saying if i cut myself on the glass it's my own fault! Also they have promised some other tennant one of the sheds, and they hove told him he can pick. they won't know which one it is till i go sign thursday. I hope he leaves the chicken house!

I took my friend to have another look this morning. we have decided first job are. (after clearing glass)!

Build basic chicken wire fence along the back, i have wooden posts on the plot i can use, so need chicken wire.
Next, clear out and air the chicken house so it dries out a bit (full of sawdust) then build a run coming from it so i can chickens in. I have never built anything in my life!!

Need to fence off one corner for compost then get started dealing with one area at a tgime making some beds and planting.

then i am going to take it one area at a time,

[Hans Mum]

Build basic chicken wire fence along the back, i have wooden posts on the plot i can use, so need chicken wire.
Next, clear out and air the chicken house so it dries out a bit (full of sawdust) then build a run coming from it so i can chickens in. I have never built anything in my life!!

You'll need to use something more substantial than chicken wire to keep Mr or Mrs Fox out, especially on an allotment as they are less likely to be disturbed or heard, sorry dont mean to rain on your parade but I'd hate for you to turn up one day & your flock be decimated.

[becky2812]

Hi Hans mum. The chicken wire fence is just because there's a big dyke behind my allotment, so it's more of a boundary than anything else. The chicken run will be made of sheets of much stronger wire sheets i think..

[organic]

Just a thought about the dyke - I dunno what it's like, but could you annexe part of it and grow some things on there? Maybe not, but I'd be half tempted to give it a shot.

Re: clearing... if you can get it into your head that digging is a good thing (healthy and good honest work) it becomes something to look forwards to rather than something to dread. I absolutely relished the thought of going to the plot for a few more hours chasing long roots down into the soil to make sure I got them all up. If you can do the same you'll have no trouble (and the party sounds like a fab idea - just as long as people know to get as much of a weed's roots out as possible, not to leave spuds where they find them and so on.)

All that remains to say, then, is when you're digging, don't forget to use proper safe lifting techniques... lift with your legs, not your back. It's no good getting hurt when you've got a plot to clear and then care for.

[Lazgaot]

Is it only me that thinks that the council offering bits and pieces off your soon to be plot is just wrong and unfair? Surely you are inheriting whatever has been left and that includes the runs, sheds, brambles, couch grass and the glass? Is there anyway you can get in contact with the previous tennant and get them to give you the shed rather than surrender it to the council? It should also be very nice of the other tennant to ask you if he can have the shed.
If the sheds where the council's then fair enough, but I doubt they were.

[becky2812]

well i'm not happy about it. Apprently the sheds belonged to the previous tennant as as soon as he left, someone else asked for the shed, so the council said yes. go get what you want. Which is probably why the raised beds have also been canibalised by everyone else, and the chicken run that i think was there is gone!!

Speaking of which. How sdo i make up wooden frames to make into a run??

[organic]

I wonder what would happen if the tennant asked for the shed back. Around these parts it's pretty normal for an outgoing tennant to sell their shed and stuff to the incoming one.

[Paulottie]

Is it only me that thinks that the council offering bits and pieces off your soon to be plot is just wrong and unfair? Surely you are inheriting whatever has been left and that includes the runs, sheds, brambles, couch grass and the glass? Is there anyway you can get in contact with the previous tennant and get them to give you the shed rather than surrender it to the council? It should also be very nice of the other tennant to ask you if he can have the shed.
If the sheds where the council's then fair enough, but I doubt they were.

It is not just you....I think it is wrong. It belongs to the outgoing tenant. It is not the council's to give away and certainly they should not be saying 'help yourself'...must be bordering on theft. The thing that astounds me is the front of saying they've got the choice...and making you wait for your tenancy to finish pilfering the plot!....Where did the glass come from? Was there a greenhouse as well?

As I said in an earlier post it might just be justified if the council were selling abandoned stuff to pay for the plots' clearance....but if one person is allowed then it is a free for all!

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do. It will be interesting to see who the recipients of the stuff are.....perhaps you could go and dump the glass etc. on their plot as well

I should try and rise above it all...clean canvass. Keep on your positive trajectory...You are an allotmenteer...yipee!

[greengas]

i did meet one of the locals yesterday, infact he helped me choose which plot to choose. I had the choice of 3. The first one was next to a huge dyke, which wouldn't have been safe for my son, the second looked very appealing, but the man said that he and 3 others had given that plot up in the last 4 years, as it regularly floods and kills everything off. So i ended up going for the worlds biggest and messiest allotment!!

I thought that of mine when I took it on last June but if you look at the photo's in my blog (sig at bottom) you will see what is possible with hard work, bonfires and composting!

[Lazgaot]

It is not just you....I think it is wrong. It belongs to the outgoing tenant. It is not the council's to give away and certainly they should not be saying 'help yourself'...must be bordering on theft. The thing that astounds me is the front of saying they've got the choice...and making you wait for your tenancy to finish pilfering the plot!....Where did the glass come from? Was there a greenhouse as well?

As I said in an earlier post it might just be justified if the council were selling abandoned stuff to pay for the plots' clearance....but if one person is allowed then it is a free for all!

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do. It will be interesting to see who the recipients of the stuff are.....perhaps you could go and dump the glass etc. on their plot as well

I should try and rise above it all...clean canvass. Keep on your positive trajectory...You are an allotmenteer...yipee!

Just a thought, but would the lottie agreements clarify the position of the huts/sheds and runs on the plot? Might be worth looking into. I know that a few things on my plot were pilfered by a few of the old boys on the site before I got it. One of them had the cheek to tell me what he took!

The OP is probably grateful and relieved to finally have the plot, but allowing the council to give away the shed on it is plain wrong and like you say Paul, as good as theft. I'd fill whatever was being given away with the glass!

[Paulottie]

I'd fill whatever was being given away with the glass!

......Or the better one so they decide to take the other take the other


...or both