[Fluff]

I have been given the go ahead to have a green house and veg patch down the end of the garden.  Mostly due to work commitments so when I get home dont have to load car with tools plants etc and travel down to allotment.  Cant give up my  half plot as I have chicken run down there. (on way to work so pop in daily) The idea was to use the rest of the plot for fruit production.
Rows of rasperries blackberries etc.

Would welcome your input as to what else is self maintaining or low maintenance.  Alotments are hard to get and I feel quite priviledged so want to use the land but cant afford the same amount of time  especially during setting up at home.

Also not allowed to sub let  lottie and not allowed chicks at home because of deeds and rats that seem to come with chicken.

[paintedlady]

low maintenance (to a degree - all things need some attention even if it is just harvesting, pruning, staking or thinning) would be your usual fruit suspects:

raspberries/blackberries and hybrids such as tayberries/loganberries
rhubarb
red, white and blackcurrants/josterberry
blueberries
gooseberries
strawberries
Are you allowed to plant trees - how about hazel or maybe fruit trees on semi dwarf root stock?

asparagus - still keep an eye out for pests such as asparagus beetle though generally not a problem
jerusalem artichokes
establish perennial herbs such as thyme, sage, chives & oregano

Or - plant vegetables that need a long growing period, so once planted you just need to give them the occassional eyeball as you feed the chickens.  I might suggest brassicas such as brussel sprouts but they are hardly low maintenance when it comes to pest control!  But how about something like leeks, onions, autumn planted garlic & overwintering onions, maincrop spuds or winter squashes would be perfect (make a large fenced in area, plant out after all risk of frost has passed, then harvest in September/October  )

[kari]

The allotment I have just taken over was unused for ages & the soft fruit bushes are doing amazing, so they would be a great idea, there are white,black & red currants, gooseberries, pink gooseberries, lots of rhubarb plants & both the jerusalem & globe artichokes are growing madly.  No one has watered or tended them in around a year & all are huge & producing mases of fruit.