I'm being brought down to earth

the trouble is, folk pay for it for a year, if they don't keep it up that means someone who really wants one has to wait for that year till it comes up again.

 

When I took mine over back in the early 80s it was every bit as bad as what you see there, I spent about 3 months digging by hand and removing all the weed roots.
Not sure I could do it now, my back is not what it was.

But everyone seems to think there is a mechanical solution these days and cant wait to do the planting and cropping.
To me, there is a chemical solution followed by a mechanical solution, so its easier.
But most of those "interested"are too "green" to take the chemical solution.

So they give up.

 

But you don't seem to have even given these newcomers a chance, you must have been an enthusiastic newcomer yourself when you started. Did anyone offer you a friendly word or encouragement -if not it would have been harder for you I'm sure. Amongst all of these 20 people there will be at least one or two who would welcome your encouragement, be happy to learn from your experience AND help you out with some of that backbreaking heavy work as you get older and less able to do it yourself. You make it sound as if your allotment is your escape from the world, try letting someone in. You don't have to become their best buddy.

Motivators tell us that we get what we expect because subconsciously we work towards it; if we expect to fail we do likewise if we expect to succeed we do. If you put up personal as well as physical barriers of course no-one is going to invade your space and eventually they will go away and you can say "I told you so" but they may have gone away to another allotment area and been very successful. Smile, say welcome and hello and offer a helping hand, I bet you'll be rewarded a hundred times over.

This forum is exactly the example we all need, newcomers asking for help and getting it. Go for it and good luck.

 

Well westwales its not actually like that.
There are to my knowledge only three plots taken, by others.
No body wants the rest, its not a large site, so maybe another 5 plots overgrown.

Of the plots taken, I've not seen anyone cut the grass around their plot, not even the site rep. They expect it done for them by the Allotment association I guess. Who did come up and cut the path up the middle a few weeks ago.

I gave one lady three tomato plants a few weeks ago and she took them home, OK I'm not bothered by that, but I have tried to help.

I've actually looking after two and a half plots, they gave me the half earlier this year, as they cant get rid of them and its less for them to worry about.

Also, when I started, I was on my own, its never been the kind of Allotment site I see on the TV, all friends and so on.

On Saturday the hatchet bunch came around to tackle the weeds on the spare plots, they made a start, by attacking my hedge yet again, the rest of the place is still 5ft nettles and couch grass.

 

I thought there was a national allotment shortage too ... our village has a decent sized allotment "plot", probably room for 20 allotments. About 5 are taken. They've contacted the local Big Town (less than 10 minutes drive) and offered anyone out-of-area a plot if they want one. Nothing.

(I know 10 minutes drive might be a bit far for an allotment, but I would have expected some folk to take them up, so desperate seems to be the wait for allotments ...)

 

allotments round here are as rare as rocking horse poo

 

I wonder if, like me, you have a village near you with spares that is not actively advertising them out-of-area?

Might be worth a ring around (if you are looking for one, I mean)

 

Just reading, interesting, no opinion.

 

Years ago when I was working long hours putting food on the table,I tried an allotment 10min drive from the house and found it very hard keeping on top of weeding/watering crop picking.It easy in the autumn/winter a few hours here and there but being a self employed builder I worked longer hours I sometimes worked from 6.00 until 22.00 7 days a week,I gave up the lotty after the first year I couldn't compete with the pigeons they started at 3.00 and had backup teams!

 

Yup. At the very least an allotment that isn't in walking or short-cycling distance could really do with being on the route to/from work.

Mine's in the back garden, so I have NO excuse!

 

If your struggling to find a plot...have a look here...http://www.landshare.net/

Steve...

 

I imagine there a re a few in he next towns maybe but it's a case of not having transport to get to them and I'm holding out for a plot at the allotments I can see from the flat :WINK1:

 

Our local boys have even tried "serviced allotments" - all tilled, planted, and so on for you - you just have to turn up, in your Porsche, to harvest them Would have made some pin-money for the village, and the existing allotment holders would have been happy to plant-double, so to speak.

Still no takers ...

 

Steve...

 

Well ... or your Ferrari of course