Feeling bullied off my plot

[bearded bloke]

Oh was nearly very rude ................... Welcome to the vine BTW

[zazen999]

Even better. Get some 4ft canes, put them around your plot and slide chicken wire vertically over them to make a fence. then pop some cardboard down, make holes in the middle and shove some squashes in. And any other spreading plants you can get hold of.

Then take photos and write back saying 'so sorry, was ill and you know what a bad season it's been. Plants in, mulch down and fingers crossed for a better August'.

And if you see your neighbour say 'looks like someone's been helping me out, what a star! I've got a bottle of wine for them back at home, you don't know who is it do you?'

[bearded bloke]

^^^^^^ Go Zaz

[binley100]

^^^^^^^^^^seconded . Sounds like a plan and a good one at that

[zazen999]

^^^^^^ Go Zaz

Thanks! One thing I've learnt is how to make a huge impact on large plots with little outlay!

I'd leave off the chicken wire if he hadn't planted his own stuff. But as he has...best draw a line and stake your claim!

I'd also not do it when it's raining, do it asap and get it done and dusted. It's got to happen at some time, no point in delaying things.

[akashicdevi]

Thank you everyone for your excellent input. I really appreciate your thoughts and ideas. I really love the idea of planting through cardboard. I do actually have some squash and pumpkin plants which are currently pot bound and straining to get planted (i was hoping to get back into things much sooner, so i at least managed to start those off at home!)

I'm going to contact the council asap and discuss it with them. I don't see how i can "show signs of cultivation" if they haven't done a site inspection to know the difference. One half is now most definitely cultivated and the other half cannot be planted while the weed killer is active, so my hands are tied to do any more than what's been done to it. I will be sending the council photographs as well, explaining the situation, because the more i think about it, the more annoyed i am that my organic plot is no longer organic. Thats vandalism in my book.

We'll see what they say, because whilst complaining about this to the council will make things awkward, its not going to get any MORE awkward than he's already made it - i am feeling bullied off the site and frankly uncomfortable to even GO there, and that is NOT on. I should not be made to feel uncomfortable going to a place that i LOVE. If i roll over and let this happen, then this person is only going to get worse, acting like he owns the site.

[BarleySugar]

Just out of interest, if you have an allotment society, does the society manage the site for the council? If so then usually it is the committee that would send out the warning letters rather than the council.
I agree with the ideas already put forward by others, but if it is the committee who is 'in charge', it might be worthwhile to contact other members to notify them of the reason you hadn't been able to cultivate your plot. On our committee we have to have a majority vote on evictions if there is a reason put forward by the tenant, the chairman cannot act on his own.
In a recent case, the tenants haven't ever cultivated the plot despite it being a cleared piece of field originally given to them April 2011. They were issued a warning letter this April, and nothing happened. When they received the termination letter we received an email saying she had just had their fourth child and her husband still wanted to continue the tenancy. After discussion we decided to go ahead with the eviction, but offered to put them back on the waiting list (it's only 4 long), to give them a chance to get their family life sorted.

[Jeanied]

I really don't think you are going to get a lot of joy from the council to be honest. They will have one allotments officer for all their sites, and they will liaise with the chair of your site over most things affecting the allotments. The last thing they will want to do is get involved with disagreements on the site - and I speak from experience here!
I would keep an open mind if I were you, until you have seen for yourself and taken your photos. Then decide what you are going to do. And wait till you speak to the person who has done this, before you take it too personally. He may have no idea that you feel uncomfortable and bullied by his actions. You need to tell him this.

[lottie dolly]

Thank you everyone for your excellent input. I really appreciate your thoughts and ideas. I really love the idea of planting through cardboard. I do actually have some squash and pumpkin plants which are currently pot bound and straining to get planted (i was hoping to get back into things much sooner, so i at least managed to start those off at home!)

I'm going to contact the council asap and discuss it with them. I don't see how i can "show signs of cultivation" if they haven't done a site inspection to know the difference. One half is now most definitely cultivated and the other half cannot be planted while the weed killer is active, so my hands are tied to do any more than what's been done to it. I will be sending the council photographs as well, explaining the situation, because the more i think about it, the more annoyed i am that my organic plot is no longer organic. Thats vandalism in my book.

We'll see what they say, because whilst complaining about this to the council will make things awkward, its not going to get any MORE awkward than he's already made it - i am feeling bullied off the site and frankly uncomfortable to even GO there, and that is NOT on. I should not be made to feel uncomfortable going to a place that i LOVE. If i roll over and let this happen, then this person is only going to get worse, acting like he owns the site.

Good for you,you sound a bit more positive now,it's supprising,the powers of vine friends,i still remember Lincoln council hahaha

[rustylady]

Do you have any friends that could go with you to your plot Akashidevi? Or do you usually go alone?

[akashicdevi]

Hi, that is good advice. I'm trying to stay calm about it all. Its not easy!
The site is council run. (so the letter is from the council) However, many sites in the borough are opting to go self managed next year and our site is one of these, until then, i understand that my tenancy agreement with the council still stands. There is an umbrella organisation/federation that we've recently become a member of, but they are there to advise while going self-managed and do not take any part in the running of the site.
Our allotment committee of three people (chairman, vice and treasurer) is newly formed (a couple of months) and very inexperienced. They haven't yet formed the rest of the committee from 'ordinary members'- thats not due to happen until sept.

Is it possible that they can over-rule the tenancy agreement with the council, even while it is still a council managed site?

My plot has not been left abandoned for a year. I was last there in late Feb/ early March to ensure everything was still covered after winds and make sure my polytunnel hadn't blown away. it took about three months of absence before this person got stuck into my plot!
I don't fancy my chances with the 'committee of three' as they are all good friends! One helped spray the weedkiller (I was reliably informed by another plot holder who watched it happen, and told them off for it, but they carried on)

[akashicdevi]

Do you have any friends that could go with you to your plot Akashidevi? Or do you usually go alone?

I usually go alone, but i think i can find someone to come for moral support. And possibly might arrange to go there when a lovely plot neighbour of mine is already there so they can warn me if he's on the site or not. Right now i want to avoid him because i don't trust myself to not get wobbly/upset/angry.

[Glutton4...]

I was going to say get your coat and boots on, and go punch the b@$t@rd very hard on the snout. However, I think Zazen's advice is probably the best. As usual! Fingers crossed for you mate, we're on your side.

(I was also going to suggest spraying his allotment with weed-killer, to see how he likes it, but that's just mean and nasty, and dragging yourself down to his level. It would be satisfying, though! )

[bearded bloke]

I was going to say get your coat and boots on, and go punch the b@$t@rd very hard on the snout.

G4 you are getting to be a softie not so long ago that would have been ...... I was going to say get your coat and boots on, and go punch the b@$t@rd's chuffin lights out see I told you the pills wqould work in time

[Percy T]

I am really sorry to hear your troubles on your plot, however dont get bogged down in was he doing you a favour or not, try to focus on the positives, as bearded bloke correctly states if this chap has planted on your plot the council should not have sent you a letter for non cultivation, I would also tend to agree with the others go down your plot with a friend for support, contact the committee thanking the neighbouring plot holder for helping you out in your time of need etc. this why he would rather foolish if he stated he was doing it for his own interests, could be that he started of too many plants at home (we have all done that).

Thing is dont be scared to go down to the plot, its your plot go and enjoy it, even if it is just visiting it and making plans in your head. You should let the council know your difficulties they can in some cases be a bit understanding.

good luck