[impreza280]

Hello all - I'm new on here, having just acquired a 250 sq m allotment.

However, I only want to grow vegetables, fruit etc on a portion of it. I only have a small garden but in the next 10 years hope to move to a much larger property and I want to plant other things for the longer term and I also want to give my children responsibility for a portion each.

I am thinking of growing some Nordman fir trees, which after 3-4 years, will give me a 'free' Christmas tree every year instead of paying £30 (£6 of which is transport from Denmark and the CO2 footprint that goes with it). And I'm thinking of planting some box plants, which over time will grow and I can turn into topiary, one of my favourite garden styles. Finally, I am thinking about some tree saplings which I can later plant elsewhere to offset my carbon footprint.

Over time, my plants are likely to increase in value, and even risk getting stolen. But ethically, is it wrong to use the majority of an allotment in this way? And is it wrong to knowingly plant more than I might need and potentially resell them in the future?

Ultimately, I will be gaining satisfaction and be slightly better off financially, just like growing veg.

At what point might I be overstepping the mark?

[Lardman]

having just acquired a 250 sq m allotment.  However, I only want to grow vegetables, fruit etc on a portion of it.. ..

At what point might I be overstepping the mark?

Why did you take on a plot if you don't want to use it to grow food ? Most sites insist that the vast proportion of the plot be cultivated - it will be in your contract. The thing to think about is in 10 years time if you leave the plot how do you think a new tenant would feel about it being covered in trees where they want to grow spuds?

[Lardman]

But ethically, is it wrong to use the majority of an allotment in this way?

I think so. others might not.

And is it wrong to knowingly plant more than I might need and potentially resell them in the future?

Your contract may well stop you doing that.

[monkeywobbler]

Hello, welcome to the site!

My personal opinion of an allotment is that it's there to grow food to feed your family in the main. They were initially set up for that purpose and if I'm honest I would be slightly put out after having waited for five years on an allotment list if my neighbour set up next door with a pile of Christmas trees and some topiary.

I would suggest that you grow the trees and topiary in a part of your garden in pots, or if that's not big enough, to wait until you have your larger property.

You also need to give some thought to returning the plot to the state you received it in, and the cost of this - for instance having to dig up fir trees and topiary, you're going to leave some rather large holes.
There are companies in this country that sell British grown Christmas trees if that would make you feel better about their carbon footprint?

I think it's ethically wrong to use your allotment in this way as it's not what they are intended for, and another family who legitimately need to grow to feed their family would use the space better.

Just my opinion of course! 

[fatcat1955]

I hope your user name is not a reflection on the car you drive. Just think of your carbon footprint.

[SkipRat]

Forget the ethics for a minute, if you persist on growing trees and the like it would be morrally wrong for you to restrict the sun light to your neighbours, restricting  their plant growth, which would happen if you persued this plan.  

[DD.]

My tenancy agreement forbids growing trees, full stop. Not without reason, I'm sure.

[Charl89]

sorry i am with the others, why dont you just grow veg, if you dont want to use all of it why not ask some of your family incase they might like to use some to grow veg. i feel sorry for my neighbour they have a great big tree next to their allotment and nothing can really grow. it wasnt her choice but she now has to work round it.
if you dont want to use the allotment for growing veg, get rid of it and allow people who do use it as i keep hearing there is a shortage over there.

[impreza280]

OK, many thanks for your comments  - I was just testing the water and I can see quite clearly what is right and wrong. I haven't seen the wording on the agreement yet but have no intention of breaking it.

[Charl89]

just out of interest, do you enjoy growing veg? cos this could be your chance to getting started

[digwell123]

Our new allotment rules state no tree over 2m tall, and must not encroach on the next door plot, and must be removed by you if you give up the plot. If you dont, the cost of removing would be sent to you. Allotments are for growing food, and the tennancy agreements generally indicate this.

[Aunt Sally]

This is the official, legal definition of an allotment:

* An allotment garden means an allotment not exceeding a quarter acre, which is wholly or mainly occupied and cultivated by the tenant for the production of vegetable or fruit crops, other than apples, pears and plums, for the consumption by the tenant or the tenant’s family, and flowers, provided these are not grown for commercial purposes and for no other purpose.

[fatbelly]

I don't know about your site but on ours if anyone was to grow Christmas trees then the Council and Lottie committee would have something to say.

My contract states that my plot should be used to cultivate Veg's and fruit but not fruit trees.
This type of contract is pretty much standard throughout the Lottie world.

Also ethically would it be fair to the person who one day in the future takes over your Lottie and have to dig out tree roots etc before they can start cultivating the plot.

[Swing Swang]

One allotment that I pass by most weeks has about half a plot put down (very attractively I must say) to willow for basketweaving (ie coppiced at 18" above ground level). Unless they are using it to make their own aspirin for personal consumption then it's never going to get eaten so there must be some flexibility in the interpretation of rules on some allotment sites.

I wouldn't want a neighbour planting trees, BUT if you have a boundary plot and you intend to plant close to an adjacent hedge, and you give certain assurances (or even a deposit kept in trust in case you abandon the plot and they have to be removed (?)) then it might be possible to negotiate a local agreement.

Just a thought, but my personal view is that Christmas trees have no place on the site. They might also increase any theft/vandalism problems too.

SS

[Dominic]

Q: What CAN'T I grow on an allotment?
A: Trees

As Aunt Sally correctly quotes, legaly, an allotment if for growing fruit, vegetables and flowers for personal use.
Growing christmass trees may be defendable under flowers, but not carbon footprinting.