Allotments

I had an allotment for thirteen years, and it is the best thing, gardening wise, I`ve ever done. For 11 of those years I was the association treasure. Even running the site shop. It was great fun, and I miss it very much.

 

So why did you stop, david?
If you dont mind me asking.

 

this year i have taken one on . david i tell you i have neaver felt better . my back is getting stronger im fealing fitter . i have a sence of finding more things out. and wots best is ive found new freinds . and wots even better im going to eat real propper fresh grub.

the only down side is, working a lotty is hard work but watching the telly can be hard work. ive given up watching the news because the telly just will not answer back . and yes we have all been there shouting at the news

 

Don't know if I am brave enough to take on an allotments unless it was right at the bottom of my garden.

I'm learning slowly and managing to get a better result out of the Veg patch each year so there is hope for me yet.

I already look after 2 gardens and that is hard enough work as it is although my Mum's garden needs a lot more attention from me.

 

Having an illness in the family and also having too much time on your hands you tend to dwell too much on what's going to happen in the near future. Keeping busy is the key and of course laughing, joking around helps too!:D

Bob and I are slowly getting our own three gardens into check and we can honestly see all the big jobs getting done this year so we really needed something else to work on and with the help of our 'lovely neighbour':rolleyes: and the nappy in our tiny veg patch our minds were quickly made up to see about an allotment of our very own.

Needless to say we have only had our allotment less than 2 weeks now and it's not the most brilliant on site in fact I think it's the worst one going it's sloping, has a line of 4 trees or so and it gets water logged at the bottom in winter not forgetting it was overgrown with 5ft tall nettles that just grew and grew each time you saw them...but as with most things in life we're up for the challenge!

I would recommend to anyone who has some spare time and whom would like to grow their own veg to go about and see if there are any allotments spare in their area, if not get a group of five like minded people and go and see your local council who are obliged to provide you with some land.Hel.xxx.

 

David,we have had plots for 28 years and started off with just ten pole,then when that got too small took on another 10 pole before ending up with another 10 pole so now have 30 pole in all

It is surprising just how much room all the vegetables take up when spacing them all out on the plots plus we have put in nine fruit trees and some soft fruit so we rae glad of the extra room:thumb:

For years we have been disheatened but fighting the rabbits, pigeons, slugs and snails etc but what keeps us carrying on is the sense of achievment at the end of a days work plus the taste of fresh fruit and vegetables,not like the shriveled up stuff that the likes ofTxxxx 's sells that have been in cold storage for months and which starts to go off the minute you get it home:rolleyes:

TM,I gave up watching the news and reading the papers years ago because of all the lies and depressing stories they all printed.The only good use for news papers is for using at the bottom of my Guneia Pigs hutch and for putting on the compost heap afterwards:D

Is it not possible to grow some vegetables in your mums garden or is that an impossiblity as like you say you already have two other gardens to look after? Any small ammount of fruit and veg that you could grow would be a help to the budget plus you would be out in the fresh air and on the plus side we now have this section in which to post piccy's and to talk allotments so that must be a bonus:thumb:

 

Helen,you must have posted while I was typing.I am sure that once you get some of the ground under control you will soon have it filled with lots of nice fruit and veg.Next year it will really pay dividends as long as the weather doesn't play uplike it has done this year and last year,though I think last years weather was exceptionally wet:rolleyes::D

 

My DH and I have just taken on our first little lotty, and so we are very busy getting it ready for our first planting. really glad there is this thread. I am looking forward to learning and sharing

Happy Digging
Gwen

 

Hi Willow/Gwen,the more the merrier,if you have any piccy's or want to know anything we will all try our best to help.Just start your own thread when you have any piccy's then they won't get jumbled up with everyone elses:thumb:

 

Pete, I only packed it in because I was working 10 hours a day, seven days a week in the garden centre.:D:thumb: With allotment gardening, it`s not just the gardening, it`s the social thing as well. Brilliant.

 

David,I know what you mean by working long days and weekends.Did that for eighteen months when me and Mr Kandy worked for a large electronics company.It nearly killed me even though I was a lot younger and stupid in those days but at leats it kept the roof over our heads:eek:

Shiney,never thought of that with the newspapers in the bottom of the runner bean trench.I use compost from my bins/bags and it seems to help.Thanks for that tip:thumb:

 

Only just seen this new thread, sort of sneaked in, so to speak. David, I like the idea of you being the association treasure all that time I bet you were. Anyone who can work full time AND keep a lottie on the go has got to be superhuman. It takes me all my time just to keep my garden and small veg patch in shape. Maybe when I retire...

 

It`s true, Terrier, I was the treasurer for 11 years, but that was BEFORE I started at the garden centre. When I was treasurer I was driving for a group of chemists. So it was, basically, job and finish. :D:thumb:

 

Since I took on allotment gardening my Asthma has got better I am also fitter than last year and also this year started to use the rotivator on my own. I get ticked off by some of the guys on the lottie but who cares if I can handle it I will . Mind you i wont over do it.

Made loads of friends and must not forget the gossip.