Allotment in the garden or a real allotment?

[MrsC]

I'm lucky in that I have a fairly decent size garden (south facing) and have grown a fair bit at home, but I now have an allotment and it's nice to get away from the noise of cars, the phone and general life. I have just over 300 sq mtrs of growing space at my plot. I grow loads and loads of herbs (which I love) outside my kitchen door as well as toms, cukes, chillis etc etc etc in the greenhouse/outdoors but I also have the space to have the lawn and the playhouse and 2 large deck areas, the swing in the trees and hammock plus the flower beds etc

[Joe]

Ta, food for thought there guys and gals. I'm probably going to go for an allotment rather try to cultivate some of the garden for food purposes. Some of the above has helped me reach the decision. The garden does not have a very sunny aspect. The topsoil is not very deep and judging from the poor grass growth not very fertile. Prior to housing being here there had been some old garages on the site, I have dug up numerous car parts over the years. Other half is not keen on me digging up the garden for veg growing but wouldn't mind some chooks running wild on it.

Cheers

[helen1962]

I work full time and shifts so I just don't have time for an allotment (my OH would file for divorce if I got one as in summer he never sees me anyway!) I have a modest 80ft long garden so have split it into three parts, one patio (hot hot hot!!) two, ornamental garden with flower beds statues and pond and three, kitchen garden with shed three raised beds and hens to one side. Can't grow very much but then I have only just started so learning by trial and error! I absolutely love it and am always there for the family. Neighbours are all keen gardeners as well so I really do have best of both worlds as we share each others gardens just like a lottie! Go for it try at home while you wait for an allotment.

[mrbadexample]

Garden for me, I think.

Firstly there's the convenience. It's right by my house. When I want a carrot, I walk out the back door and get a carrot. When I decide at 2230 that perhaps I should have fleeced that vulnerable-looking bean plant after all, I haven't got to make a trip to do it. I can keep decent tools in a decent shed, with relatively little fear of theft or vandalism. No-one tells me what I can and can't have. If I want a permanent structure, I'll have one. Finally, whether it's lawn or veg beds, the annual cost to me is the same.

Having said that, I would like a bit of banter. As I live on my own, there's no-one to have a laugh with, tell me I've missed a weed, and I can't take the mick out of the neighbouring plot-holders tiny, slug-eaten, misshapen turnips.

There are some really good points on this thread. Some of the most important (to me) pros and cons:

As for the social side, I love this forum, its interesting, funny, informative, and most importantly WARM!!!!

You might get some great neighbours at an allotment - or you might get some horrors.

My Lottie is all fenced off from others and my neighbours are quite unsociable...The best thing and the reason i recomend a lottie is that it's your own private space away from home to unwind.

It's good to swap ideas, get advice and give advice if asked,help is always at hand for lifting etc, seed and plant swapping is common place and even a little bit of competition in some areas.

I work full time so it's ideal for me to be able to work in the garden while the washing's on and fit in the other chores!

Attached are pictures of my garden in February 2010, and today. I know which I prefer.



Oh, one more thing:

- our lottie is full of grumpy blokes

Why would I want to add to that?

[chengjing]

Very nice garden. It looks so much better with some veg beds not just have lawns.

[mrbadexample]

Very nice garden. It looks so much better with some veg beds not just have lawns.

Thank you. I need to squeeze in one more bed (probably), a pond, a fruit tree and a bench to sit on. Then I'm done.

[SarzWix]

I would just love to have the amount of space I have with my allotments right outside the back door... But as I have a small, north-east-facing back garden, which is surrounded by trees and boggy in the winter, I guess I'll stick with my 2 plots with 2 sheds and 2 greenhouses... Until I win the lottery

[Alison]

I love getting away from the house up to the lottie which is about 2 miles away. I don't feel guilty about not doing house jobs and I have loads of space to grow things as I want without worrying about it doing as decorative as I would want it if I could see it from my kitchen window.

However, what I'm more shocked about is how somebody managed to find this old thread when you consider that the search function is down - very impressive

[chris]

I would just love to have the amount of space I have with my allotments right outside the back door... But as I have a small, north-east-facing back garden, which is surrounded by trees and boggy in the winter, I guess I'll stick with my 2 plots with 2 sheds and 2 greenhouses... Until I win the lottery

Blueberry mini farm ?

[SarzWix]

However, what I'm more shocked about is how somebody managed to find this old thread when you consider that the search function is down - very impressive

Google search still works though I managed to find the Curried Parsnip Soup recipe on here the other day, by Googling the recipe title and the name of the OP!

[blue411]

Im lucky that my landlord is happy for me to dig up as much of the garden as i want...so i did!! i'l love an allotment but the waiting lists as everyone knows are long, so my garden is my allotment, my neighbour has also dug half of his garden over and it is an allotment, plot rotation, bits and bobs used to grow his peas up etc..... i'll often come home to a box of toms or a bundle of beetroot left over the fence for me