Start An Allotment - Or Half A Plot
Local councils have details of available plots in your area. If a whole plot seems a lot, some sites have half-sized plots or share one with a friend. From as little as £20 a year. And hopefully there’ll be some healthy veg at the end of it.
It’s a good time of year to get in on the lists as often they are comprehensively reviewed as leases come up for annual renewal with the calendar year. So, January could see the start of something new for you.
See our Generous blogger on his allotment adventure here, here and here.
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AF , 23 Nov 2008
This is actually the second year and it was much harder, a rough start almost led to it being given up. However with a little random generosity in our house ,towards each other (the non gardener pitching in to help), stuff got planted and a harvest happened.
There seem to be lots of new starts on the space this year and our town has started an allotment society.
The council is also taking more of a firm line re keeping an eye on what’s happening and ensuring that holders do not slacken. This is due to the waiting list for them getting longer.
The non gardener’s comment is that she really loved sitting up their in the evening and seeing so much sky.
If you haven’t tried give it a go.
Darwen, GB , 12 Jan 2009
I’m trying to get an allotment but our local council is a little reluctant to provide any in our town. We are part of a larger conurbation which does have some provision but its not exactly local.
Berkeley, GB , 12 Feb 2009
Already grow nearly all our own food on 3 allotments. Also keep chickens.
Cambridge, GB , 25 Mar 2009
Can’t wait to het down our allotment each weekend. Only our second season but our 20 year aspargus bed is what gets me excited at present. Large raised bed for 20 plants made from wood recycled from an old church hall floor and fill with free to collect recycled compost from Donaborn and mixed with manure from the local Shetland Pony rescue centre. How “right on” am I today? My main challenge is going to be to prevent my fellow allotment holder from harvesting the young asparagus too soon. can’t pick any till 2012 I tell him. That way we should get healthy crops for 20 or so years. Not holding my breath.
Cheltenham, GB , 02 Apr 2009
Year 4 of our allotment. Enjoying those varieties that would be out of reach if shop-bought. Now ratte potatoes, italian salads and toms and artichoke hearts are ours for the taking. The battle against couch and mare’s tail is ongoing but i wouldnt leave my plot for anything now. Beats the gym for a workout! Lovely community thing too, our patch has a public footpath through it so we meet so many folks there too!
London, GB , 15 Apr 2009
Just starting my second year, and hopefully it will be much more productive. We started with 6ft brambles covering the lot, we’ve prepared bout have with beds and have the other half covered to stop the brambles growing back
Kingston upon Thames, GB , 05 May 2009
Just got our allotment in February and very excited to be starting with it. Hoping for lots of spuds, broad beans and carrots – fingers crossed for decent weather ;)
Stafford, GB , 04 Nov 2009
Not sure if this is the right place for this comment, but had to find a home for it somewhere. I was completely inspired the other week by an event in my parents’ village – an apple pressing day. Those who had apple trees brought their apples to a central location where they mashed, pressed, bottled and pasturised them, so they could be stored in the freezer, returning the juice to the apple donators and selling some (I think for donations towards the kit they hired in). The aim was to get people to make better use of local produce with an aim to become more self-sufficient in food as a local community. This made me think of loads of other similar community events you could have. How about a local jam swap? We have loads of raspberries so I make half a ton of Raspberry jam that lasts forever and we’re all bored of it by august. Or a veg swap in the height of summer? Or a pickle swap? etc etc etc. Those of you with allotment societies would be ten steps ahead with this stuff I’m sure…