Is it a fad?

[Peter]

Are you sure you aren't talking about me? This describes my plot! But along with the enormous amount of weeds, I do get quite a few crops out of the the thing, thank you very much. All the allotments are surrounded by grass, so it's not the grass that's growing on my plot that causes anyone else a problem.
If people expect a perfect plot, with no weeds, tended 6-7 days out of the week, there would be all of 2 plots in use where I am. It's especially a lot to expect of someone new to gardening. So what if there are weeds? If they keep working at it, eventually they will win the weed battle and better someone there part of the time than an empty plot going to waste.

Only if your plot also has a wonderful full crop of dandelions in spring, gently wafting their seeds across neighbouring plots, to be followed later in the year by the thistledown, dock, etc.

Grass, ha, IF ONLY.

How about a 4 rod plot containing mixed weeds to knee height and two four foot by two foot raised beds containing unharvested blighted tomatoes, various other smothered unharvested crops and sundry weeds, together with buttercup and couch burrowing into the neighbouring plot, no path between them.

There are weeds and there is grass.
Being as our rules say that "plots must be cultivated to the satisfaction of the site agent." I demand that all tenants at least strim or mow their weeds so they don't bugger up their neighbours carefully tended plot with wind borne seeds.

[Growem]

Well, there are dandelions too, but I pull their heads before they do too much carnage. And it is couch grass. But I understand what you are saying - when it starts to interfere with others' plots, then it's been neglected too long.

[miffy]

I had my first patch in my Grandad's veggie garden, i must confess i was more interested in the wildlife in it than the veg! I then helped mum and dad on our family lottie when i was about 6-10. I always wanted to grow veg but life kept getting in the way, growing things has been there all my life at different phases. I love the feeling of the soil, the fresh air and the physical graft. I come away after a couple of hours digging listening to Radio 4 and it is the only thing that really relaxes me. For me it isn't a fad it's in my blood. My Great Grandad was a gardener to a big house in Hinckley in Leciestershire so i guess it is genetics.. Like alot of you have said, if this 'fad' means some people continue after the Joe Swift's of this world have moved onto their next project then that is all well to the good.