Allotment etiquette

[kirsty b]

Must second what HappyMouffe says Mrs D.
One way of getting to the point without rudeness or raised voices.

[nick the grief]

.....or you could spray all her stuff with round up when she's not looking Ok bit extreme. If she's encroaching on to your plot report her to the committee if a "gentle" word doesn't work.

[rustylady]

Crikey, this seems to have touched a few nerves! I have a lottie neighbour who used to share her plot and gradually encroached by planting all her stuff on her fellow alloter's space. She eventually drove her away and acquired the whole plot. Now, I'm having a similar problem. She keeps planting seeds on pieces of ground that I have cleared with specific plans in mind. I only notice when strange things start sprouting and I'm scratching my head and wondering if I'm developing Alzheimers. She will admit to it, without any sense of embarrassment or idea that she has done anything wrong. I have had a gentle word but I'll just have to see what she gets up to next Spring. i think one cannot just ignore this sort of stuff, it has to be tackled one way or another.

Cheers everyone.

Big Fiona

Why not just dig up the stuff that's sprouting, then if she asks where it is, play innocent and say "I haven't planted anything there, and was just clearing ground for another crop"

[big fiona]

Hi Folks,

Sorry about the tardiness - been away. What I did was engage her, asked her opinion on what was growing (being a novice, it was easy to act the 'daft lassie'), feigned surprise at her answer, stated that I hadn't planted anything on that spot as I was in the process of preparing the soil for part of my Great Plan and that I couldn't understand how these things came to be growing. She (without even a hint of embarrassment), told me that she had planted them! I was dumbstruck and proceeded to just pull the plants up. It did vex me to pull up viable plants but I felt justified as I had prepared the ground for my own stuff and just made sure I got it all in tout-suite. She hasn't mentioned the lack of her own produce growing there, but she has had a go on other parts of my plot. Unfortunately, she seems to be there almost all the time and as my time is very precious, It's a bit annoying having to engage with her when I have so much to do in such a short time (particularly when I have to keep checking for unexpected surprises). I remain strong in heart and intention. We'll see what transpires in the Spring......

Big Fiona

[Peter]

Surely you have site or landlord rules?

Our landlords include a catch all about causing nuiscance to fellow plot holders and neighbours of the site. If the site agent cannot sort it with a quiet word then it escalates to a warning to desist or you'll be kicked out.

The growing popularity of allotments is making this process much much easier. Waiting list!

[supersprout]

A bit late into this convo, I had a similar problem with the old boy next door. He'd used my allotment for years to store overflow rubbish from his plot, which is like a shanty town. He'd effectively blockaded himself in and had made an exit via the middle of my plot. He's a dear old boy, Ukranian and in poor health. We chat a bit, I didn't want to offend him (he has a sharp tongue!) but it would drive me nuts to have people tread on cultivated ground.

I asked the site rep to have a quiet word and help him shift his 'stuff'. Then made a bed up one side of the plot, mulched heavily and covered it in stinking raw compost and manure. Then planted a hedge of globe artichokes, protected in the early days with a metal frame. He hasn't been on my plot since!

If you think someone is stealing your veggies, how about a show of going into the shed, coming out with a bucket, and watering them with fresh urine when you know they're watching

[pigletwillie]

I have never had this problem as being intent on utilising all of my plot the sides are post and wired and planted with cordon top fruit. This acts additionally as a windbreak and fence.

All of our sites plots have paths between but over time many of these have been "claimed" by plots either side leaving no buffer between plots.

As part of our site rules nobody can go onto anybody else's plot without permission. This prevents acusations of damage, crop theft etc from arising which can happen occasionally.

As your people are will fully walking over your plot, well, as mentioned before gently tell them that you find it annoying without being confrontational, otherwise put up some posts and wires and plant trees.

[NOG]

Big pit covered with thin twigs and sharpened spikes at the bottom should stop them. Or put up a string line from the top of the plot the the bottom (to help you mark out the beds). Put it at waist height so they have to limbo under or clime over. If they break it challenge them and put it backup.

[number 1 suspect]

Hi folks.
Been away for a while and just got back. No! I didnt get caught nailing my neighbours to a tree!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have had a word with the local police and they have taken my problem on board..... They are busy building a brand new 27 cell police station next door to the allotments..... Now the only problem i'll have is them bloody great flat foots stopmping everywhere..........

[number 1 suspect]

by the way
They ARE building a new police station next to my allotment........ God help us all

Police to the east, graveyard to the west, road of poor repute to the south and a coulcil yard to the north....... Somehow i think the problems wont come from the west............

[dexterdoglancashire]

We used to live next to a graveyard - dead quiet it was! LOL! Dexterdog

[Mrs Dobby]

Groan! DDL!!! Lol!

[nick the grief]

We used to live next to a graveyard - dead quiet it was! LOL! Dexterdog

I think I know that one DDL ..... Dead centre of Preston isn't it

[Benacre]

Why not speak to your allotment rep?
failing that ask them if they would mind not walking over your plot it may even break the ice.
We have the Grumpy old git, The know all know nothing and the collector who just uses his plot to dump wood and other paraphanalia but does nothing with it.
.

[dexterdoglancashire]

I think I know that one DDL ..... Dead centre of Preston isn't it

Very funny Nick! (actually its when we lived over t'border in yorkshire). Dexterdog

PS On a serious note, looking forward to meeting my new chums on my new lottie site.