What have I done?!

Well, good luck with that RJR. I know how you feel. My plot is now never anymore than 20 hours work away from being spotless in my particular style of growing, and soil improvement is going well, but it takes time. The plot next to me has been vacant since the Winter, renewals are up next month and no one from the waiting list has taken it up in 9 months... with it being rather overgrown, big time ... There's nearly 100 people on the waiting list and I can't help feeling these lists are rather exaggerated or they sadly contain what are called in modern parlance, tyre kickers. One would have thought someone would have jumped at the chance in March.
I e-mailed the Council last week with a view to taking it over. I could really do with the room, I don't need the heartache of a long dig, but the last thing I want is a derelict plot next to me for another year. We shall see.

Quote from: diospyros on August 26, 2013, 19:17

with very overgrown plots help should then be available to do an initial strim/rotovate/glyphosate/annihilation of your choice!

To be fair to the City Council, they can't really do much more. The annual rent for a plot is £20. When someone takes a plot, they are asked if they want it strimmed and totally cleared of debris and derelict constructions. The long time Council worker who works the allotment sites is very conscientious and helpful. Next door was strimmed to a couple of inches in March and a huge bonfire was had, but a year's growth soon takes over. And the allotment association has a communal rotovator wherepeople just add the fuel, so it's not as if people aren't given a reasonable helping hand to start with.