Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: moonrakermagpie on March 27, 2010, 21:24
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Hi,
If it is not a taboo subject, could I ask your opinion?
With reference to an allotment, or two to be more precise, but owned by separate people.
If you were unable to manage more than half of the allotment for “your favourites”, what in your opinion would be the best return per given area.
I mean which plants would you consider would give you the best return for the least upkeep? In particular the least amount of watering and weeding.
Can be edible of non edible, just the best return…if you see what I mean!!!
Cheers Steve
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Onions are fairly self caring.
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runner beans and courgette are big croppers and cut and come again leaf and swiss chard :)
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Why do you ask Steve?
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Why do you ask Steve?
Well rather than leave it unused I would prefer to try and fill it with "something". Have considered some stinging nettle for eating and for the compost heap.
Cheers
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On our site anyone who cannot manage to upkeep all of their plot has half of it taken away and let to someone on the waiting list.
Allotments are in such sort supply nowadays and the waiting lists so long that unproductive plots are not acceptable.
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On our site anyone who cannot manage to upkeep all of their plot has half of it taken away and let to someone on the waiting list.
Allotments are in such sort supply nowadays and the waiting lists so long that unproductive plots are not acceptable.
That is a good idea, it takes the pressure off the people who want a plot but it is just too much for them to cope with, but do the new comers not get a bad reception sometimes from people who were reluctant to give up some of their plot even though they did not cultivate it.
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No not usually as we give them a choice - Lose all the plot or only half. They are usually quite pleased to be allowed to keep half of it.
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I'd suggest Squashes/Gourds.
Lots of growth to supress weeds. Just needs water.
Don't go with the nettles. Hard to control and may annoy neighbours when they spread.
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We were asked if we wanted a whole or half, and as there is just us we said half as things like salad and tomatoes I will have at home. That's if the council ever get they're ****** in gear and get the site up and running! >:(
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Why do you ask Steve?
Well rather than leave it unused I would prefer to try and fill it with "something". Have considered some stinging nettle for eating and for the compost heap.
Cheers
I'd cover it with cardboard [with a mulch of manure underneath if I had any]. Then plant through it with main crop spuds and beans [to be left until dry and used as dried rather than as green beans]. One or two days work and you can leave them to it until August/Sept. And the odd winter squash in the corners to roam all over the place. Plus when you dig it over, all the weeds will be weaker and the soil richer from the cardboard.
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Spuds are good, as are parsnips and leeks if you want to take up space for several months.
Best return for the pocket is that which is easily storable, pumpkins/squashes. or if you have a large freezer, runners and french beans, mangetout, sweetcorn.
I'm guessing you're round Devizes way, so you should have a long enough season for the pumpkins if you get them going now-ish.
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Just out of interest.......how can you work out where someone posts from, as I cannot remember quoting where I live when I regestered?
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Perennial herbs - chives always come up again. Rhubarb. How about flowers for cutting? I always try and find a space for sweet peas. And wallflowers and sweet williams which can raise from seed and use to fill spaces in the garden to flower the following spring.
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Just out of interest.......how can you work out where someone posts from, as I cannot remember quoting where I live when I regestered?
Where are you from?
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aunt sally i wish our site was like yours :)its such a shame when plots arent worked even though our contract says they can be taken away it never happens.
Hubby has convinced the powers that be to only allocate half plots to new comers and to give priority for full plots to people who alread have half, but only if they have been working it :)its worked out well so far people that want a bigger plot put the work in, then get one :)sorry to hijack post ::)if it was me id put in dwarf beans and courgettes :) :)
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Are you most concerned with ensuring you keep your plot by being seen to grow stuff or is this not an issue and you just want to maximise what you get compared to the work you have to put in. As others have hinted, if you know your not going to ever be able to work your full plot there is a bit of a moral issue with lots of people waiting for a plot - what about asking a friend to share and work part of it?
If time is tight at present but you expect things to improve then stuff grown thru weed fabric or cardboard tends to be lower maintainence. Squash is meant to be planted a meter apart so you can use it to cover a wide area. Spuds could be grown thru fabric. Plant leeks thru cardboard to minimise weeding. Even planting a green manure would improve the soil and avoid leaving areas bare - you would need to dig it in before it set seed though.
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Our site was very bad 18 months ago. We kept on to the parish council but nothing ever happened. Some of the "good" gardeners got together and we brought in a reporter from the local rag who did an article with a nice group picture of us hoes and spades in hand.
Low and behold the council finally took notice and we formed an association of the tenants and a management committee and manage the site ourselves in a day to day basis with the council taking responsibility for rent, letting and evicting. We do regular plot inspections and make sure all plots are let and well tended.
The change has been dramatic:
18 months ago
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/Aunt__Sally/Then.jpg)
6 Months ago
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff221/Aunt__Sally/Now.jpg)
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that looks great now aunty , its suprising what the power of people can do when they get together '
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Our site was very bad 18 months ago. We kept on to the parish council but nothing ever happened. Some of the "good" gardeners got together and we brought in a reporter from the local rag who did an article with a nice group picture * of us hoes and spades in hand.
Great lotty pics Aunty but where's that * picture?
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In "The Downs Mail" but I'm afraid I don't have a copy ::)
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In "The Downs Mail" but I'm afraid I don't have a copy ::)
Huh! (thought so!) :(
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before getting too hard line on the 'use it or lose it', we also consider personal circumstances. The 'Rules is rules' view of the world can be very harsh. The lady with cancer ... should she lose her lottie because she is going thro' chemo and has been very unwell? Looks like we think she will never recover! Or the mid season knee replacement? Or the twins that are expected ... the young mum is making plans to use the space in a way she can manage in late pregnancy - yes, squashes, green manure, sunflowers - but you never know, she might have to spend 2 months in bed.
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Absolutely right madcat.
We always make sure we know if any of our gardeners have any temporary problems and work out a plan with them to help them over a tricky period. It might be that we will just keep a part of their plot strimmed down for them for a few weeks or ask another gardener to cultivate it for the season.
Taking back part of a plot is only done if the problem becomes a permanent one and they will never cope with all of their plot.
This is the beauty of the allotment holders themselves managing the site. They know all the gardeners and their problems much more than a distant council. Until we started shaking their boat some of our councilors didn't even know where the allotments were ::)