[lightyears]

the front of my allotment is very open and tempting to theiving old men, the council in there wisdom refused me permission to build a bigger fence and suggested that i plant some plants or bushes that act as a boundry. Beings this is my allotment i thought i would get something that which i could also eat or use in cooking, that however is were my idea's run out, can anyone suggest a fast-ish growing bushy type plant that i can also use.

ps. i have to much fruit already so fruit bushes are a no no

[Junie]

Fruit is the obvious choice, would it be possible to move the fruit? 
For a shorter hedge what about some herbs, I think lemon balm grows to about 18 inches, there is also rosemary, although may be slow growing.  Lavander is another one - some can grow quite tall.  I have tried Lavender Ice Cream which is lovely!

[shokkyy]

There's always culinary bay, though I'm not sure how fast they grow and I suspect a row of them might cost a bit, unless you can get cuttings.

You could do hazelnut and/or hawthorn for a nice mixed country hedge with a bit of thorn in it for deterrent. Hazelnut makes a nice bushy hedge, grows reasonably fast and is edible, and some people use the fruit of hawthorn too.

[bigben]

Are you after a physical barrier or a nominal line that marks your boundary. As has been said you could do fruit goosberrys are spikey and of course things like brambles could be supported with stakes and wires which act like a fence (but are not - honest Mr Council man!) You could put stakes and wires up ready to grow a line of peas in the spring. How about a line of canes ready for growing french beans next year?Jerusalem artichokes grow fairly high but would not appear until later next year if you planted them now. Could you treat yourself to a line of roses as a border - if they were the sort that climbed then they could make a decent barrier in time?

[fatcat1955]

Blackthorn, not much can get through that.

[RichardA]

pyracantha. Not edible but not penetrable either. Incidentally why have you assumed the potential thieves will be men and why old men.
R

[sunshineband]

pyracantha. Not edible but not penetrable either. Incidentally why have you assumed the potential thieves will be men and why old men.
R

I'm sure that no offence was intended there, Richard 

[penninehillbilly]

I know you said no fruit, but blackberry (or cousins, more interesting Tay berry, loganberry etc) would be quick growers, easy to train in so they don't take much of the plot and not many would try getting through or over, you could always be generous and let others pick the blackberries, they might even let you have veg in return

[lightyears]

pyracantha. Not edible but not penetrable either. Incidentally why have you assumed the potential thieves will be men and why old men.
R

I'm sure that no offence was intended there, Richard 

just to clarify, ive had a long running battle with my neighbours who all happen to be old men, no offense ment to well meanings. ive caught them a number of times theiveing from my allotment/shed/chicken house for eggs but my local council are not up to the task of sorting it.

[RichardA]

I am sorry you are having to put with that sort of behaviour. If you say you have "caught them" then why not log the offences with the police. As far fetched as it might sound you could even get an injunction or an ASBO against them even if police will not take direct action. That might spur council into getting this sorted.
I have my happy acre at home so I am not involved in allotments as such but I cannot belive there is no solution for theft and aggrevated trespass if you have evidence. Do you have access to an allotment committee or legal advice through an organisations or through Citizens advice.
Are others suffering the same abuse??
Hope it gets resolved but I can't see a few plants sorting this out -- surely they will step over or walk round or just sabotage your efforts. This kind of thing really appalls me, I hope it soons stops.
R

[lightyears]

Ive logged mainy complaints with the police and they are like the council, they simply dont want to know.I was the chairman of the allotment comittee until the local council disbanded it, leaving a women who can only be descibed as useless to run 13 allotment sites from her office at town hall. This all boils down to my age, i am 27, they dont like young people like me and a lot of others now, coming in a actully turning an old dump into a loverly done growing plot(see my very old posts lol). I have got used to it now, but have warned the council and the police if i catch anyone in my stuff i cant be held responsable for my actions, to that, the police cautioned me and the council went "oh well"

this is a deep long running problem affecting basicly anyone under 30 at my site and is carried out by so very bitter old men who wanted the plots for themselfs but wernt allowed.

[evie2]

I bet if it was you doing the thieving something would be done

What is it with old people thinking they can do and say whatever they want without reproach

Personal opinion based on personal experiences.

[Goosegirl]

Try a nice thorny blackberry - no doubt some will get snaffled but hopefully not on your side. Also, rosa rugosa are a lovely hedging plant, relatively cheap through gardening mag adverts, scented flowers in summer and have many tiny thorns that stick in your skin if you don't wear gloves - they also produce lovely hips for colour and also wine, or horses love them.

[evie2]

We inherited hedges, all planted to keep cats out, Blackthorn, Blackberries, Hawthorn, Holly and the beast that is Rosa Rugosa, evil

[Junie]

Again - not edible but the bees love it, which may be a way of helping your plot is Mahonia - I had one to cover a gap in the hedge - It would be pretty haphazard as a hedge, but nobody is goind to argue with it!