Improvement notice issued

[bikermike]

which I am royally p*ssed off about.

I had a half plot and took over the rest this time last year.

I've left the front to grass. and ok it is a bit untidy, but the small person does like running about on it.

I've got potatoes in and c40% marked out as raised beds.
apparently this isn't good enough.

and I've got 6 weeks to do something (of which I'm already committed for 3 weekends).

I am proposing to offer to put down membrane and wood chip over border-shapes on the rest of the grass bit.

what really hacks me off is I was compared unfavourably to the plot next to me that was rotivated all over at the start of the year and the marestail has gone mad on it and he's dosed it with various weedkillers to no avail. he's put in some flowers and that's it.

the back half plot is fine

I'm even more hacked off as there was no warning and the survey was done in my absence with no right to make observations and comments.

I was going to get a fruit tree or two over the winter, not sure I will now.

any thoughts?

[SarrissUK]

My advice would be to cool off for a day or two, then write down what your plans are for the next year. Explain how you use the plot and how often you are able to visit, to show that you have a steady activity.
Good luck

[Baldy]

Depends on how the Committee operates I suppose.
We rubbed someone up the wrong way but they disappeared on holiday for a month without letting anyone know. First letter from us isn't very formal, mostly to check the old folk are still alive / people haven't given up the plot.
Unless you know them to be an overbearing lot I'd be inclined to take it on the chin.
Maybe write back making your plans clear with a throwaway comment about next doors maretail.
Write it.
Read it back the next day.
Don't send it in anger...

[veggiechicken]

I don't have a plot and know very little about these notices - so you can ignore me if you like.
My question is - are you required to have a % of the plot cultivated - that is, not left to grass ?

[Thelma Sanders]

Here 75% has to cultivated according to the rule book. Luckily nobody has worked out yet, that all the grass paths (on the big plot I took over this spring) add up to more area than the cultivated beds.

I'll hoping to sort that out a bit over winter, though.

Site inspections usually take place during the day, when not many plot-holders are around - your chance/time to explain is now, but please be polite when explaining, or things can escalate quickly.

Good luck sorting it out Mike.

[Chestnut]

What, if anything, does your tenancy say about % cultivation? And % veg/fruit/flowers/
Wildlife areas?

I would strim the grass area to make it look tidy.
Rest depends on your plans and tenancy requirements.

Maybe mark/ dig turf out of a couple of circles where fruit trees will go, mark out and cover whatever % will need to be veg long term. If you have easy access to cheap manure then a couple of loads placed on bed-areas Charles Dowding style, on top of sheets of cardboard, will look ‘tidy’ for a couple of weekends work, and the worms can get busy whilst you’re otherwise comitted ;-)

[Logunner]

Seems bloody harsh to me...

I took over an abandoned plot in may that was totally covered marestail, I've planted maybe 25%, the rest is bare from killing the weeds. The commitee have been very supportive as they can see some work and know it is improving.

Talk to em, they have a choice of a tenant they know (doing things slowly) or an unknown quantity...

[Jay-ell]

which I am royally p*ssed off about.

I had a half plot and took over the rest this time last year.

I've left the front to grass. and ok it is a bit untidy, but the small person does like running about on it.

I've got potatoes in and c40% marked out as raised beds.
apparently this isn't good enough.

and I've got 6 weeks to do something (of which I'm already committed for 3 weekends).

I am proposing to offer to put down membrane and wood chip over border-shapes on the rest of the grass bit.

what really hacks me off is I was compared unfavourably to the plot next to me that was rotivated all over at the start of the year and the marestail has gone mad on it and he's dosed it with various weedkillers to no avail. he's put in some flowers and that's it.

the back half plot is fine

I'm even more hacked off as there was no warning and the survey was done in my absence with no right to make observations and comments.

I was going to get a fruit tree or two over the winter, not sure I will now.

any thoughts?

Did the letter mention the specific points that needed working on - was it just the grass area? As you had the plot over a year you'd have gone past any grace period.

I'm afraid it all comes down to the tenancy agreement and to what percentage min/max per usage. For example it may state a minimum of 75% be cultivated and a maximum of 25% of the plot on structure (sheds, compost bins, greenhouses. etc).

Paths are usually included in "cultivation" but within limits (e.g. less than 3 foot wide and necessary for access and maintenance). The terms may state what "cultivation" means, or they may be defined in auxiliary docs, e.g. the definition might be

• The plot is in readiness for growing
• The plot is well stocked with growing produce relevant to the time of year
• The plot is in the process of being prepared for the following crops or season

If the grass was planted as green manure then that's the third point. If it's couch grass then they probably wouldn't buy that.

Your agreement may also state that the plot is for veg, flowers and fruit (or a variation) so a lawn isn't allowed. A wild life area would be more than a bit of the plot gone wild.

Unfortunately saying that you shouldn't have gotten the letter because of the state of the plot next door isn't a valid argument - you don't know if they've sent others improvement notices as well and if your plot isn't hitting the mark it's not hitting the mark no matter who else is failing as well.

If the entire site was is a similar state you might have a chance, but then again everyone might have had letters.

It comes down to the committee - sometimes committee members are flexible and informal, sometimes they follow a set procedure. In the end - they have to show that they've followed the correct procedure (which plot holders should be aware of) if any appeal should happen.

[bario1]

50% grass does seem a bit excessive - the way they might see it is that you’ve taken a half plot that someone else could have used to grow lots of fruit and veg, and effectively decommissioned it. With waiting lists far outstripping available plots (here at least), this could be seen as against the spirit of allotmenteering. I’m planning a grassy area for my little one to enjoy while I work, but it’ll probably only be about 15% of the entire plot.
Isn’t there more stuff you’d like to grow? Fruit bushes are low maintenance, or even something like a large asparagus bed? Digging over half the grassy area would probably satisfy them.

[bikermike]

Hi Barrio

take your points
The %age thing is a bit involved. I have two "half" plots together (say 30% and 50% respectively). The discrepancy being a path between them. the 30% plot is doing well and is not problem.
Of the 50% plot, say 10% is sheds and compost heap, 25% is rhubarb and potatoes (and the spuds are in process of being turned into raised beds), so the grass is c50% of the bit you see from the path, but add it all up and take it away, and it's much less.

We'd love to plant fruit trees (see threads passim asking about them), but it's not the right time to do it now (and the plot was waterlogged at that time last year).

there are about 4 unused/abandoned plots that I can see from my plot.

the "digging half of it" is part of the problem - I don't want to dig it as I'm no-dig, and we have marestail. The plot next door (which was cited with approval) was rotivated all over at the beginning of the year and is now knee-deep in 100% marestail all over, except when he doses it with weed-killer. I've got the same or more veg out of my 50% plot that he has over the year.

Does that make more sense?

The timing is annoying too (although I see why), if they serve it now, I've got holiday and visiting my dad (who is undergoing cancer treatment) blocking up my weekends. Even if I didn't, I'm not going to plant anything now, so digging will just give the marestail a head start.

Also (and this is what reminded me about this thread), the plot was thick with buried plastic that I've been slowly pulling out.

Likewise, talk is cheap, so I can see why they expect something to be done. any suggestions? If I put the above to a committee, is that likely to be viewed sympathetically?

[bikermike]

Jay-ell
thanks for your points. My comment about next door's plot is that it was cited with approval by the surveyor. I think I can show that my plot is actually at least as well cultivated in terms of outputs and weed control

[bario1]

If I put the above to a committee, is that likely to be viewed sympathetically?

I'm sure it would be, family commitments should always come first. Is it a committee that runs the site, or a council? Usually councils have a very strict set of parameters to work to, and are sympathetic to any 'special circumstances' such as illness, or caring for dependants. A committee, on the other hand may have it's own rules which can be skewed by dominant members.

I'm still not sure what % of the entire plot is grassed...

[1Bee]

I'd also make the point that you took on a plot not fit for cultivation (all that plastic) and have been improving it. State your case without emotional emphasis, say what you intend to do (i.e strim the grass, cover the planned beds, mark out fruit tree areas...) this season and avoid making comparisons with other plots....

I don't think the notice should have

If we had strict rules on our site I'd probably have had a handful of notices by now. But I took on a plot not fit for growing, I clearly have productive crops on about 60% of the total area, and I turn up and graft.

I'm sorry this has happened - it sucks. Hugs!

[Jay-ell]

Targeting the bit's theyve complained about and tackle them - for example strimming and covering the grassy bit with newspaper/cardboard/weed fabric to kill it off over winter (that would point 3 in the cultivated list). I'm not sure that covering it with membrane and bark would count as it's the same area not in cultivation - it'll depend on whether their issue is with the amount under cultivation or the amount of weeds.

Next year you could look at growing a green manure like alfalfa to crop for use as a compost feed which would then classed as being under cultivation, reduce the weeds and give the little un something to run through.



Explaining you current circumstances might help, if coupled with a plan and you can show some progress.

It comes down to whoever issues the letters and what type of person they are. On our site you wouldn't have gotten a letter. You might have been questioned about your lack of a picknick area.

[bikermike]

thanks all

What's annoying is that there has been nothing from the committee this year, this has just come out of the blue. And they've been complimentary on the top bit before.

the %age thing is vague - I'd say about 50% of what you see from the path is grass (which makes it look worse - the cultivated bit is behind the shed), which equates to about 25-30% of the plot.


I can't do much until the notice arrives.