[potato head]

Hi there & welcome to the wonderful world of allotments. What do your friends say about you plot? Have you persuaded any to join in?

My friends think it's really weird but my best friend has came up once to help me dig it!

[snowdrops]

Well done to him/ her,maybe they will get the bug too. Your friends will get over it

[Eblana]

My son who is 17 now did gardening in school during what we call in Ireland transition year (a vocational year at 15 between our equivalent of GCSE's and A levels).  At the end of the year I got a call to say that he wasn't going to pass the year because he didn't participate in the play or the other activities,  the principle was so condescending about him only being out in the garden so that he didn't have to be in the classroom and about it not developing him.  I was furious and the principle and the board of governors got a piece of my mind.  In the end I got another call to say that he would be passing the year and at the graduation ceremony the principle had to eat humble pie and congratulate him and two of his friends for the lovely garden they had produced (she hadn't even seen it before she decided to fail him. 

I have encouraged him to continue on with gardening, but because of this incident and his friends ribbing him about it he has stopped.  Please don't be put off by people being condescending or by your friends not understanding, the people on here will give you lots of encouragement and help.  There used to be another young guy on here who has gone on to be a very successful gardener with medals from the RHS so you never know where this will lead you. 

The books you have gotten are great, I also find having a small note book where I jot down things is also a great help. 

[potato head]

Hi Eblana!
Thanks for the advice 
I hope that your son gets back into gardening eventually  x