[walterfilbert]

Welcome to the site chum.

Why do "Those in Authority" continually let spare allotments get into this state?  Surely it's better to hand-over as quickly as possible.  But then when to we see the "Council" boing anything at speed or sensibly?

Cheers,  Tony

It must vary dramatically by location. I've seen similar photographs to ours shown on some allotment facebook groups with people decrying them and saying plots would never be allowed to get into that state on their sites!

Met plenty more of our neighbours and today we learned that this plot used to actually belong to the warden of the site. I'm sure that goes some way to explaining why it was held on to for so long. I imagine they were in ill health but didn't want to give up the plot or similar, and if you're a warden I expect you have quite a lot of say in that decision.

Still been spending most of our days on there since Thursday, and I'm very sad to be going back to work for the week!

In just a few days we've managed to:

• Completely strim down the site to a reasonable level
• Go through the contents of a small rotting shed, complete with two gigantic water butts full of fetid stagnant water and assorted other rubbish
• Had a big bonfire which consisted of most of the shed and a gigantic pile of dead old cherry prunings which were completely entanged with brambles and grass
• Start properly getting in there and digging out all those bramble roots
• Get a rough plan sketched of how we eventually want the plot
• Started putting a few pallets in place for our compost areas!

We're having such a great time!

[jambop]

Well done! What a difference you have made already. I honestly wonder at my age whether I would have the courage to take that on although I have done huge amounts of work in my own garden... in fact today I have just been felling a large parasol pine some 25m high... but that is a one off thing you have some ground to clear there I salute you in your quest. I actually have to laugh at myself now moaning about a few annual weeds that need clearing up on my veg plot. I detest a thicket of bramble and thorn...   bonne chance avec ton travail mon ami