I'm being brought down to earth

Well its finally happened, after about 12yrs of isolation I'm now being made to tow the line.
A short history of the allotment site, I started out in 1982, not many plot holders, it was just neighbours using a plot at the ends of their gardens.
Over the next few years some died, some moved on, but by 2000 I was the only one left on the site, vandalism became popular and I grew a bramble hedge, it reached 10ft high at one point.
So for 12 yrs or so I've been in isolation, nobody bothering me or wandering by.

Today that has all changed, the association is now getting things moving, its been like twenty people having fun, laughing joking as they tear down my bramble hedge.
And make me become part of their group, none of which I know, or really want to know.
I bet they all watch "gardeners world."

Its March, its the crazy season for "gardeners", I wonder how many will still be hanging in there come August.

Will I be regrowing my hedge in 2013, who knows.

I get very sceptical at this time of the year.

 

I agree with you in all respects, this fixation with "Bottled Enthusiasm" is a real 'turn off'. Everyone shall be seen to have an insane grin on their faces and be so naffin' jolly, jolly, jolly.

I am not a 'participant' either and I am pleased with you and your stand not to be 'One of the gang'. Cheers, Tony.

 

Its not exactly that I dont want to be one of the gang.

Its more that I want to do my own thing, and they can do theirs, but just dont bother me in the process.
They are, as far as I'm concerned, newcomers, but one asked me "how do you feel about having all this work done for you.?"

I couldn't actually think of a reply.

 

Love the enthusiasm, lets see what happens next year when there on there own, and they leave and the vandals come back, I can see it now " you know what Rupert, we should grow some brambles just over there, what do you think old chap" "well Sebastian, shall we put it before the committee before we do anything so rash"

 

We got so fed up with new tenants coming and going on a 20 pole plot between 2 of our 20 pole plots, who would stir it all up, let it get covered in weeds and give up, so we took it on ourselves. And despite having another block of six 10 poles plots it only took me less than 3 months last year to get the 1st overgrown, weed & rubbish covered 10 pole sorted, and the rest (currently just mowed) will be under cultivation by summer. 'Gardener's World' and the real world are two different things.

Pete - couldn't you have simply taken on another plot between yours and the others and 'grown blackberries' on it?

 

Only after carrying out the "FULL RISK ASSESSMENT" . Cheers, Tony.

 

Should have done that Scrungee,

 

Yup, come the cooler weather most will have gone, never to be seen again. I'n my short time involved with allotments I've seen it so many times already. You know if they will stick it out if they appear 3 or more times a week.

We have had created and let 9 new plots this year, not one of the new tennants has started any work yet, so we will have more plots free next year.

Pete, I do hope you get some great new plot neighbours.

Steve...

 

Just an update on the allotment front.
I've spoken to Dave the site rep and he told me he was going to get someone to rotavate the disused plots, I said it would be best to dose it with glyphosate first as its mostly bind weed and couch grass.

He's not come back to me on that, and nothing has happened.

I'm going back behind my bramble wall which is fast regrowing and they can get on with it.
I knew this would happen, they tore down my windbreak and security fence for no real reason, the site is a dump and no one is really interested.
This is how it looks now.

 

oh thats a shame, i would love to come and be your neighbour and you can grow your brambles anywhere you like

 

Next time someone burns an old matress out the back of Clare's gaff, get her to give you a shout & put the wire frame in the bramble's new growth.

That'll give them something to deal with if they try to cut it down again.

 

The football's finished now, so maybe the new tenants might have time for a quick pop in before the Olympics are on. Oh I forgot about Wimbledon, and then there's the football season after the Olympics + intervening summer/autumn hols.

Perhaps they'll have time to come back in the Spring? (seen this all before).

 

You are right scrungee, I've seen it before myself.

Spring enthusiasm quickly wanes.
It's just that why do they have to bother people who have been around for years and seen it all before.

 

same story over here , i had my allotment for 4 years , untill decided to give up because of the vandalism and change of work, but you are right they should stop tv program about growing your own , they will come , if the weather is good , cut the grass , then realise then is too late and don`t see them anymore , or you got the young couple from the flat , they will spend thousands , get all vandalised and realise that should move in a house with a garden .
Allotment it`s a really hard hard work and will take years before everything will be easy ....overall I`ve learned lots of treak .

 

I heard on the telly that there was a shortage of allotments and a huge waiting list, even the church was cashing in by renting out its spare land. Strange to see so much unatended ground.