[JaK]

will it be big enough?
I have at long last been offered half a plot although I am unsure of it's actual size I feel a little disapointed (I know I should feel happy and maybe do a happy dance?). I need to grow enough fruit and veg for a family of four.
I am going to have a look at it on Thursday.

[Yorkie]

How exciting! 

Traditionally a half plot is 150 sq yards.  Realistically you will struggle to grow enough fruit (which takes up quite a lot of permanent space) and veg to be self-sufficient all year round for 4 people.  In fact, I think you'd struggle to do that on a full plot too.

A half plot is all you get offered at the outset on my site and all other council ones in my town, so you'd have the choice of accepting it or leaving the waiting list.  That is the pay-off for only having to wait for 3 years on my waiting list instead of 6. 

You'd need to check out the position about full plots for new tenants on your site, but don't shoot yourself in the foot unnecessarily by demanding a full plot without checking out the position.

There may be provisions for upgrading to a full plot if you've proved yourself on a half plot for a season for example.  We find that many new tenants want the biggest plot possible, but fail to get on top of a half or even quarter plot.  I'm not at all saying that that's going to happen to you, but those letting the plots out have no way of differentiating between prospective tenants so treat all the same at the outset.

[JaK]

I see your point. If nothing else is available for a while I will ask if I can go back on the list for a whole plot whilst using the half plot.
My main reason for my disapointment is that I wont be allowed to keep chickens there, it is charity run rather that council so I don't think I can do anything about that.

[sunshineband]

We have the same system as Yorkie runs: newcomers get a half plot and if they cope well with it, they can get a further half as well.

The site is very large and so it is usually possible to gte the second half fairly close, and it works well for most plot holders.

You will be able to grow quite a lot on half a plot, especially if you go for intensively close planting and never let the ground stay empty for long.. a good rotation plan will help with this.

Planting top fruit along an edge as cordons or espaliers saves space and is very productive.

I agree with you -- take the half 

[New shoot]

I got a 1/4 plot at first, which was all that was on offer, but managed to get a 3/4 plot on the same site a couple of years later.  Take the 1/2 but put your name straight back down for the other 1/2 

Sites which allow chickens are not so common these days - mine is even iffy about having sheds, greenhouses and polytunnels and it's council run

[mumofstig]

You only get 1/3rd or 1/4 of a plot in Ashford...that's all that is on offer, and you can't put your name down for another one. As full sized plots are vacated they are split up into smaller plots because there are more people on the list than there are plots - so you either take it or leave it 

Needless to say I took it, when I was offered one 

[Truffle]

I was offered a 9 pole plot which is just under half a plot.

At first I felt the same as you, can I really do all that I want to do with this small space.

But as I had waited so many years to get an offer of a plot I almost took the chaps hand off.

Boy, am I glad I only took the small plot. The time and effort involved is more than I had first expected.  But very rewarding and enjoyable.

I have taken home loads of fruit and veg without much space management and consideration of what I was growing. So with a bit of planning a harvest from even a small plot can be bountiful.

Everyone on my site seems to start small, show their worth and gradually acquire additional plots.

[annieandjeremy]

In Birmingham the Council will only let you have a half plot as a newcomer and you can't get a full plot as the waiting list is so large.  Most couples get round this by having half a plot each.  Annie has just got her half plot and it happens to be right next door to the one in my name so we have a wide plot with a path up the middle and 2 sheds.

The only problem is that the Council, as part of the cuts, have hiked the rents by missing out the middle stage of an  agreed staged rise and out plot will cost £100 next year.

[Salmo]

On my site all that expansion to a whole 10 pole allotment usually achieves  is that crops are spread out more and ground waits empty for the next crop.

Concentrate on crops that are expensive to buy and produce a good yield in a small space. Also include such things as peas and new potatoes which can only taste perfect straight from the allotment.

Avoid growing too many space fillers that are cheap and always available such as main crop potatoes and cabbages.

Double crop or inter-crop where possible. A crop of lettuce before runner beans. Follow overwintered brassicas with courgettes or sweet corn. Winter salads after potatoes. You can usually achieve 3 crops in 2 years.

PS Annie and Jeremy - does nobody notice that you are together? What about the poor souls still on the waiting list?

[Nikkithefoot]

I have a half plot and manage to have fresh veg off it 3-4 times a week for 10 months of the year. I also freeze the surplus and managed to feed a family of 5. I don't grow fruit on the plot but I do have that at home.
We are not allowed livestock of any description or sheds either. I must admit I wouldn't like my chickens away from home, you'd need to visit at least twice a day, preferably more to make sure they were safe, to let them out in the mornings and put them away at night. Having them at home if possible is far better IMHO. Going out first thing in little more than a dressing gown and wellies is a sight to behold. (Fortunately my neighbours don't get up as early as me!!)

Plan your plot carefully, feed the soil well, keep the weeds down and you will enjoy good crops (Mother Nature notwithstanding  )

[JaK]

Thank you all. I think I will go for the half plot. Feeling much better about it now.

[grendel]

we got lucky and got 2 half plots within a week of each other on 2 sites, we are now just a year in and have an idea what grows best on each site, to date beans and beetroot have been our best crops, peas and tomatoes very disappointing, potatoes ok and the leeks are still small but looking good. even half a plot is hard work, so they like you to prove yourself on a half plot before letting you go wild on a full one.
Grendel

[Rangerkris]

Show how much hard work you put in on a half plot and you might be lucky enough to get a second half plot it worked for me. I changed an disused plot for about 7 years into something that can be used.

[stompy]

PS Annie and Jeremy - does nobody notice that you are together? What about the poor souls still on the waiting list?

I don't see a problem with this, clever thinking 

I have always had a full plot and sometimes strugled with it, until i got to know what i was doing (took around 3 years), now i can easilly fill a full plot with fruit and veg.

Like others have said, if the option is there get cracking with what you've got and get your name down again for a second half plot.

[bigben]

I agree with Stompy on this - if the policy is to only give half plots to newcomers ( not a bad idea but could do with being modified if people are then coping ok with a half plot.) I think simply moving to half plots to reduce waiting lists is not the only way forward and hides demand. Councils should be increasing their number of plots not just giving out half plots. By all means have an "apprenticeship" scheme with newcomers starting with a half plot, but also start investing in increasing the number of plots. I have one full plot and was invited by one of the old boys on the plot to help him work his. He is almost 80 and cannot work the whole plot so has given me 3 or 4 beds to work to avoid him being asked to vacate. Our site has no formal mechanism for him to be able to look after just half his plot. If it had then he would have possibly given half his plot to a newcomer.