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We have just been informed there are a number of allotments coming up in Cheddar and have visited the site for a reccie.
Almost immediately I got on the phone from the site to put our name down for a number of plots we are interested in.
The (small) problem is that at the moment we are right smack in the middle of having an extension put on our house and if we were allocated an allotment in the next few weeks wouldnt be able to do anything with it until the middle of August.
My question is what could we do once we start to visit the site in August which will produce something for us reasonably quickly. We are in this for the long haul. However, it would be nice to sit down to dinner in the Autumn or Winter and feed on something we have grown. I am sure the more we produce, the more we will get in to it.
Also, where do allotmenteers get their seeds from?
Would appreciate all ideas and answers....

Ta

Lucky you Cheddar,

I asked on Friday about allotments in my area and there is a four year waiting list! PAH!

I did have an allotment a few years back but it's a bit too far for us to go to regularly now. It was very overgrown and we spent the first few months laying old carpets on it to kill the grass. But we did get some nice spuds from it, which helped break up the soil.

Good luck with it! I am jealous, but in the nicest of ways.

radishes are pretty quick if you want something in six-eight weeks.

The best bet is to get down the garden centre for seeds and get reading the packets to see how long things take to grow. Have a look at sulfolk herbs website for some organic seeds too.


I was sitting in casulty eariler today (cracked rib, long story) and i noticed a bit of wastland the size of an allotment. Perhaps we could try and start up a scheme where areas that are unused could be tended by people that need areas to use. I am sure that many places would rather have a load of food growing in an area rather than a bunch of weeds. Mind you on the other hand it could be detremental to wildlife. could flaws like that be ironed out of an idea like this?

I'm still gonna try and blag a bit of land from someone who has a garden that's too big for them.

I'll get going on that one, see what happens and report back! If there is any news.

If you do get an allotment, could you do something immediately, like covering sections with plastic or old carpet to kill off weeds? Otherwise you might find yourself off to a difficult start with surrounding plotholders if yours is the one with all the weeds going to seed and thus causing them more work!

Wulf

well i have had my allorment two weeks and its starting to look better weeds 5ft high i was reading through some posts and found some people waiting 4 years for allotment where i live some have sadly turned back to grass,but my allotment is overgrown but i have listned to the old boys on my allot ment they woould rather have someone on the plot then not a chap helped me today with his cordless trimmer and got those thisle things with purple heads decapitated ready for burning etc.may i give some advice borrow a hedge trimmer a cordless one or if you have a mains power supply a mains one and chop the first foot or so where the seeds are and dry and burn them job done then you got to the spring to sort the rest out

i Know Bedford has a few allotmnts going ... cos i managed to get the chance to pick mine :)

I'm 24th on a list of 32 at the moment Average waiting time: 4 years 3.5 years to go...

I have said that I'll accept a half allotment which hopefully means I'll get one sooner. I figure half an allotment is better than no allotment!

Alcina

well thats amazing where i am there is no waiting list but i have half a plot its about 90ft by 20ft, but i have put my name down for another allotment nr me so i have first refusal on 3 nr to me.

Hi, I am in Stirling, I am on a 9 year waiting list for an allotment. Doesn't that stink? The Scottish Government are on a real healthy eating/living initiative just now, I think I'll be writing to Jack the mac!

My god i feel like a lucky man.

I was asked by a 'friend of a friend' if i wanted an allotment one day when i bumped into him at the pub. I said yes and have now been renting an allotment for 3 weeks.. it's massive; it has 2 sheds, a green house and two apple trees with a hammock tied up between them. The only down side.. it needs alot of work; but i've been out on sundays with my inherited tools (left in one of the sheds) my rusty scythe has proved a winner.. god damn hedges need trimming badly though.. i have been dreaming of a petrol hedge trimmer appearing in my stocking this xmas! Got the girlfriend to make the greenhouse her 'project'; whilst i build up callouses doing the 'man's work'.. working a treat.

Everyone asks me "what you growing?" I bite my lip and say: "Nothing yet". Anyone who has just taken over an allotment in need of work will know this one, surely?

I've been really happy to have a garden of my own at last.. being a city boy; space is precious and expensive and i feel dead lucky. I've got loads of frogs, a wasp and bee nest and hope to encourage more when i've got my head round where to grow and not grow.. but wild sections are more than an aspiration.

Damian wrote:i feel like a lucky man.

That all sounds like extraordinarily luck, Damien. Y'know, it might be worth you buying a lottery ticket this weekend.

Get a few seed catalogues (or plenty of places on line), and in between digging sessions, put your feet up with a cup of tea in one of your many sheds, and dream a little.

Onya Damian!

Sounds like you have done very well!

Nev

Sounds like a great allotment - and when you have had to work hard to clear it up you will feel all the more proud of yourself - especially when those veggies start growing!

Damian wrote:god damn hedges need trimming badly though..

Hi Damian

Where are you? I could lend you my goats, they are great at trimming hedges

Sounds great, though, what you are doing. Some parts of the country seem to be a lot better at having spare allotments!

Ina