[azubah]

to be honest, an a bit ruthless,,an allotment needs daily attention to keep it nice,as im retired an can give mine just that,,an its easy managed,,we have people on our site who come an hour a week,,an its hard going,an they do give up,my next door plot plants a few things an leaves it,hence full of weeds ,dosent even harvest anything ,,pointless really,why not try half of it,,let a friend or someone use the rest,,or something on those lines,,good luck

I agree with the above. If you can't spend an hour a day on average maintaining your plot, that's 365 hours per year, you will find it hard to keep an average sized plot in good condition and it will become a worry and nuisance rather than a pleasure.
Some on our site come and spray the weeds every few months, and harvest almost nothing. It seems a bit  pointless to me. Unless you can spend more time tending your plot it might be better to offer part of it to a friend or neighbour if you really want to keep it.

[Yorkie]

I completely disagree that an allotment plot needs daily attention and that you will fail if you aren't there daily.  If you can give it that amount of attention, then that's great, but there's no need to be scared off by such comments.

But I keep on top of my allotment by going down once a week.  Yes, it took a lot of graft to get it to that stage over the first couple of years, but it does indeed tick over much more easily these days.

I do not hesitate to use weedkiller once or twice a year if I need to around the edges on the couch grass, but otherwise hoeing or hand weeding suffices.

Now that you've applied weedkiller, don't cover or strim immediately.  You need to give the chemicals a chance to work their way down to the bottom of the plant's roots.  Although the weeds are slowing down now, they are still in sufficiently active growth to see whether the chemicals work - but it might take 3 weeks rather than 2.

[Plot 6B]

As Yorkie stated once you are on top of a plot, it is a lot easier and yes it is hard work to get to this stage.
Don't give up and don't let the allotment get you down by remembering it's a hobby.
I work full time and more and have won the best plot on our site for three years running now. My point being, that some plots are held by people who spend almost every day on them and they look immaculate, I only spend a few hours at the weekend and a couple of hours in the week and mine "apparently" according to the judges is on par with them!
Chin up and keep going

[angelavdavis]

I commented at our allotment AGM a few years ago that taking on an allotment was a lifestyle choice.  Some members giggled at that and some agreed.  

I probably don't have to highlight which members are still around now....

I think it is underplayed how long it takes. In a year like this one, it is really tough to keep on top of the grass and weeds.  The first year we took on our plot, my husband and I spent every Sunday working on the plot in order to get it straight.  We also invested in the largest roll of weed suppressing membrane we could afford and researched "quick methods" so we could get a few crops out of our plot in Y1 so we didn't get completely despondent.

Then and now, like so many other plotholders I know, I have implemented as many time-saving/weed bashing methods I have found but I still have to get to the allotment for a minimum of 3 hours a week during summer (realistically it is more likely 8 hours but that is because time flies and I love it!).

I have suggested that an indication is put on our application forms for allotment plots as I think it is seriously under-estimated by would-be plot holders and it is a shame to see people get a new plot and be really excited only to get disillusioned and abandon their plots before the growing season is up.

For what it is worth, I still think you need to lose the grass paths, use weed suppressants where possible (fabric, newspaper, cardboard, plastic and mulches), plant according to the conditions, use weedkillers wisely if you feel overwhelmed, hoe hoe and hoe, grow only what you will eat or what you feel is economically viable, socialise with your fellow plotholders and enjoy it!  

Actually, on second thoughts, take this advice in reverse order - if you aren't enjoying it, you are truly wasting your time, life is too short!

[Yorkie]

Good post, angela 

[Tea Break]

Hi
If you have a look on the grow your own page, about half way down is a section called "weeds and what to do". have a read it might just be of some help. There is also some information on the net as well. Do you have mares tail or horse tail as they are both different and grow under different conditions. Mares tail grows if it quite wet usually boggy or close to a river/stream.
It does take a lot of hard work especially in the first year and its all down too planning. By seeing where we fail this year we hope to get it right next year. So chin up and start planning.
Mike.

[Growster...]

We have some friends on our allotments, who base their gardening on 'The Half Hour' Gardener' book, (or similar) where they have small beds, which can easily be rotated, weeded, sown etc, all in one half-hour stint.

I've never read the book, but since we took on another full plot, with the half-plot we already had, we made them both into smaller individual beds, and the work has become so much easier, although admittedly, we can both get down there regularly, as we're supposed to be retired, and like the excercise.

Another chap on the plots here, has just six beds on a half plot (there are no rules on cultivation percentages here), and they are easily maintained in very little time.

Angela's 'lifestyle choice' statement is spot on!

[savbo]

a tip (which I really must follow this coming year!) is to keep your hoe and a sharpener somewhere you can pick them up as you arrive at the plot...avoid if you can the psychological barrier of a locked shed! The hoe is then what's in your hand as you have a nosy around the plot, even if you've only popped down for 10 minutes.

A tool I am increasingly fond of is an old kitchen knife! It's amazing how much you can do, and so accurately - especially around leeks and things like that.

3 years on and we still have lots of weeds...but slowly getting on top of them. I do still go on holiday in the growing season... but try to give myself a clear day soon after getting back to get on top again

[simonwatson]

As a full time worker with small children and a half allotment plot I'd like to share my experience.

I don't go to the plot every day to weed it. I find a weekly visit is sufficient. I knew I wouldn't be able to spend hours every day there, so when I first got the plot I set it up to be as maintenance free as possible. I put down weed suppression matting under all the paths and built raised beds. The raspberry patch also got the weed matting treatment.

You can often see small weed seedlings on my plot, but nothing sees two weekends, except when I go on holiday in the summer. Even then, the weeds just don't have time to get big enough to be a problem.

For many who have the time, keeping the soil completely weed free is possible, and I agree that their plots look great. For others of us, its possible to keep the weeds under control. I don't think there are any plants that can go from seedling to producing seeds in two weeks. Even the marestail on my plot has been kept under control under these conditions.

In short, it IS possible to have a productive allotment that isn't covered in weeds without going there every day. Plan a few long days for digging and planting up, keep your hoe sharp and get down there once a week just to keep on top of things.

Good luck.

[alwayshopeful]

Thanks everyone for your comments, think I was feeling abit sorry for myself for a while!  Mine is actually less than a half plot and have just let it get out of hand, fingers crossed for next year - think the way to go is supressing fabric on my small raised beds. after a liberal dousing of weed killer!!!

[Yorkie]

think the way to go is supressing fabric on my small raised beds. after a liberal dousing of weed killer!!!

Just don't apply the fabric until several weeks after the weedkiller - or you'll stop the plant growing and thus prevent the weedkiller having any effect!

[Redgoat]

this year has got to have been the worse ever!

[moody]

alwayshopeful - your story sounds so familiar.

We've had ours for what is now our second season.  We inherited a right mess, full sized plot full of twitch, docks and brambles.  In our first year, we spent our time mostly clearing, we didn’t use any weed killers.  We managed to get a few crops in which either died or got eaten.  It was truly disheartening.  We had some personal stuff go on earlier this year which pretty much wiped us out for this year as well (we let our local town council know – didn’t stop other plot holders helping themselves to all our stuff though!!)  It was when the renewal came through that we had to have a proper think about it.

Being full time professionals (and at the time I was working away at least 3 nights a week, not anymore thankfully), we had to make a tough call on whether we really wanted to do it.  It is very much a life style choice in my book, particularly when the rest of your lifestyle involves going to work full time and raising a family – there’s only a few hours in the day, and the spare ones tend to get booked up pretty quick!

The thing that swung it for me personally was the months we’d spent digging, weeding etc without weedkiller was back breaking to get the plot in to a not even half manageable state.  As it would have all been in vain, we decided to keep it on and have a proper go at it.
We, in effect, made the plot smaller, divided up in to 7ft by 11ft beds to make it manageable, laid paths between the beds to cut down the size.  I sold my daughter for a fair price on ebay and bought Roundup (seemed cheaper to buy the company) and covered the lot in weed killer to give us a head start.  6 months since we “went back”, the plot is really coming on, I’m double digging each bed, looking forward to planting some fruit bushes down the bottom end, even having a bed of roses (I quite like Bon Jovi) – it’s all about 2013, a conscious decision to just get it right now.  Between now and spring, it’s an allotment re-boot.  2013 will be the one.

I now take a different approach.  I’ve cancelled the gym and I take my allotment clothes to work.  I go straight after work at least 2/3 nights a week.  I hoe a bit, clear a bit, tidy up a bit – jut being there, cup of allotment tea etc,-  making sure I balance the hard graft of digging (which after some days is an awesome tonic, some days a bind) with just chilling out.  I try to spend at least one day of the weekend down there to do the “big stuff”.  During lunch break at work I browse around here and work on my allotment Excel spreadsheet, making plans for 2013.  When I’m driving about (I go to London quite a bit) I listen to a few podcasts – In my head, I’m “working” on my allotment even when at work. 

At the end of the day, few of us actually rely on an allotment to put food on the table – it’s a leisure activity and a hobby – never lose sight of that.


I didn’t really sell my daughter btw. ;-)

[mumofstig]

I didn’t really sell my daughter btw. ;-)

I didn't think so, not even for one second   

[Christine]

I didn’t really sell my daughter btw. ;-)

You'd be amazed at how many times I've thought of selling the boys in the family though