How long? How far?

[piskieinboots]

I'm just trying to decide whether to get a lottie in Benson, it seems there are some becoming available in January.

Why 'trying to decide' I hear you ask - well, with Snowdrop being RAF I just don't know how long we will be here for, most likely it could be for around four years. Would that give me enough time to develop/reap rewards?

How long do you spend on lottie?
How far do you have to travel to get there?
Is a full size too big for family of two?

[Snadger]

I think that as long as you get an allotment that doesn't need a lot of work and can be fully planted in the first season, everything should be hunky dory!

A full size allotment isn't too big for a family of two, I have two allotments and there's only two of us!
I travel about seven mile to mine, solely because it was the only one available and during the Summer I'm there One full weekend day and probably 3 or 4 nights each week after work. During the winter this drops to just the one weekend day on average, depends on what needs doing!

[piskieinboots]

Thanks Snadger, that inspires me loads

[Nicos]

I'd go for it, just don't spend much on fencing,fruit trees ( bushes you can easily move and pop into tubs if needed).
The pleasure you'll both get even in one year will be wonderful!!

We guess 7hrs per week max (for a full lottie ) in spring and autumn when most of the work is needed ( easily done at weekend - ie 3 1/2 hrs on one day with 2 people) down to hardly at all between December and March ( just to collect the crops)

But there again-it does get addictive and you'll end up wanting to spend longer down there!

My lottie is only 5 mins in the car but I would travel further without a doubt!

[Hazel at the Hill]

Deffo go for it Piskie!! No contest! Do it, do it, do it, do it!!!!

Even if I knew that I was only going to have one or two seasons, I would still have taken on our plot - although I might not think that if I had a plot like Seahorses and some of the others where its a huge job to clear.

Timewise, I'm at the Hill for about 4 hours each weekend, then perhaps 3 evenings after work for an hour or so in the summer.

Think about a half plot if you're daunted by a full one - I would have thought that you'd still get enough veg for two.

[Seahorse]

I would say if you can get one that you can plant at least some stuff in pretty soon, you should definitely go for it. In fact even though I'm expecting mine to take me at least a year to clear fully, I'd probably have taken it anyway! I can't spend as much time there as I'd like just yet (my littlest boy seems strangely unimpressed with hanging around in the cold!) but I think there are ways to tailor your crop choices to the amount of hours you have available to tend them. Mine is about a 40 minute walk away which is fine but I intend getting a bike once my son is at nursery (haven't ridden one for 30 years, so that'll be fun! ).

Even though I haven't even sown anything yet, I've already got such joy from mine. I'm sure you won't regret it if you go for it!

[moggssue]

I only got mine last weekend so cant help with the time element, but I would say definitely go for it. Even if it's only a season or two you;ll get sooo much enjoyment from it as well as some yummy crops - just, as others have said, try to get one thats as ready to go as possible so you dont need to spend time and effort clearing it and be prudent in spending on 'peripherals' in case you do end up having to leave it in a hurry.

Good luck Piskie, let us know how you get on ....

[Hazel at the Hill]

Where's your piccies, moggssue....???

[moggssue]

They'll arrive Hazel, honest they will! Got the keys on Friday (with promises not to go on until Saturday!!!) then went off to Lille for the weekend in the van so havent been able to get down there in daylight to take pics!! Watch this space over the weekend .....

It actually looks in fine fettle, much better than yours seemed to be, with one big bare patch (the previous owner took out all the fruit bushes ) and the rest covered in annual weeds so I feel very very lucky

[piskieinboots]

you guys are just sooooo inspiring - thanks in bucket loads

[Steve(spt)]

just for the record, I got my allotment at the end of October 2007, I have been on the waiting list for a while. It was overgrown and not been used for a while, but its the best thing I have ever done! Its just a 5 min bike ride away at the other side of the village. I spend about a day a week over there, but I do not have to go ver far to get there. I've put to gether a some photo's see the "My Plot" link below.

So go for it!

[SarzWix]

Welcome to the 'Vine Steve
Had a look at your pics - you've put a lot of work in there! It looks great Plan looks pretty good too. Good luck for 2008 season, it will be my first full year with my lottie, hope we get a better year for weather than the last one!

[Two_Sheds]

My allotment is a 20min cycle ride, or a 40 min cycle ride, depending on whether I'm staying at mine or my man's. Its a drag to get there in the winter, but such an oasis on warm sunny days ... worth every pedal

[piskieinboots]

that's fabulous Steve - really is! I like pics 3 & 4 bestest, the trees in each show just how beautiful trees are with or without leaves

[rustylady]

Go for it Piskie. You don't have to clear it all at once. Clear bits (or beds) and plant with fast-growing crops. Salad stuff, peas, beans, onions, potatoes, squash etc. Keep the rest either covered up or cut back. I wouldn't bother with planting fruit bushes/trees but if they're already there that would be a bonus.