Grow Your Own needs your help!

[susieq100]

We live on a housing estate on the edge of the city. Growing space is at a premium - before I got the allotment I used to grow runner beans in a bed on the front lawn and had 3 raised beds in the back garden, used the conservatory as a greenhouse. Now I have dismantled the one raised bed and the greenhouse is in its place, 2 beds are for salady stuff and everything else is 'down the plot'. I like the camaraderie, the gossip, the helpfulness of the 'neighbours' - I planted my shallots in October and did not have enough netting to cover all the beds. As a result the birds came and pulled half of them out ... but two of my neighbouring plotholders put them back in for me.

We give each other excess produce - I must have had 10lbs of plums from one chap! Mind you I gave him some plum chutney back. You can crack on and work or you can go for a chat ... whatever you feel like. It's great.

[lottielady]

My plot is in the middle of a town but a little oasis of peace and calm, we use our garden a bit for growing but with kids all the normal stuff takes up most of the space. The allotment is my space but suited to all of us, we are really lucky to have a good committee and water on site, we have just started to allow the keeping of chickens and set up a bee hive area in the last year to provide honey for members in the future at reduced prices and to increase yields hopefully. Having an allotment frees your mind and keeps you in tune with the seasons everyone should have one!!!

[ladylottie]

I've had my lottie now for 2 years. I was very lucky because I only had to wait 3 months for it (so sorry all you peeps who are on massive waiting lists). There are about 50 plots altogether on this privately owned site and we have water laid on (one tap between two plots) , a "fire area" down at the bottom where stuff can be burnt. We have a "shop" where we can buy seeds, lime, canes etc. I am the only female on site to actually be registered for a lottie (other ladies come up to help their OH's) and they all call me "The Girl" despite the fact that I am over retirement age And because I'm "the girl", the committee gave me a half plot with two sheds on - they said I wouln't be able to knock up a shed by myself (quite right too!). One is almost like a greenhouse (I call it the glass shed) and the other one a small one (I keep a bucket in there)

It's so friendly, at first some of the men weren't sure about a lady taking on a lottie, so to start with everything I did was watched with interest. But I seem to have won them all over (probably because they saw how hard I worked and didn't give up) and I get lots of help and advice now. We share excess produce with one another, especially with the nearest neighbours.

I took on the lottie because I wanted to go back to growing my own veg so that I knew exactly what was being put on the produce. On the little estate where I live we aren't allowed to grow veg (but I do start most of my seeds off at home, grow tomatoes and cucumbers on the patio and some salad potatoes in potato bags and nothing has been said up to now).

At the lottie I'm surrounded by wildlife and it's such a peaceful place to work. I can go up there and just get on with my jobs or chat if I want to. Some people keep chickens and ducks but no one has mentioned keeping bees as yet.

Am talking nicely to the committee to try and get another half plot but not getting anywhere at the moment.

[screwbylil]

calming

This will be my 2nd year on our site, its a very large site, we have a large building for meetings and they sell seeds canes etc ,his and hers toilets, a large car parkWe are allowed sheds greenhouses and there is a water supply for every 2o or so plots.

For me its an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. sometimes there are lots of plot holders to chat to and other times its a solitary plave with just the sound of the birds for company.

I dont profess to being a good gardener but my plot keeps us fed for most of the year and the excercise is very good as well. in short its a bolt hole but a very productive one and wether you choose to spend just a couple of hours a week or 40 hours a week its your choice.

[Storming Norman]

I took on an allotment as a hobby. A minor disability had forced me to give up walking as a hobby and I needed something else I could still do.

I had always gardened and grown veg in a limited fashion but when I wanted to expand my time growing it was clear my garden was not big enough, and too shaded.

Not getting my weekly dose of the open air, and the pleasure that you get being outdoors all day, was making me very frustrated. Also I was not recovering from my injury.

To me the best thing about growing your own on an allotment site is the being out in the open. It was not why I took on the site but it has become the best benefit. Everyone says what a poor summer we have just had but I cannot agree. I spent a lot of 2009 outdoors in glorious weather - looking at blue and misty skies and seeing the birds and foxes.

Uniquely our site is also great for people watching. We are part of a council park - just the other side of the hedge are people out enjoying themselves completely oblivious to those of us on their plots who can hear them [and some of the funny things they say].

In the past year, since I have had a plot, I have met more of my local community via the other plot and park users than I have in the 20 years that I have lived here - another great benefit. Some people are so very generous.

My plot grows food differently to my home garden, it is more productive from being more open and sunny which of course is a great benefit. I have also enjoyed greatly giving away surplus produce to friends and neighbours who like fresh produce.

It's also made me a better cook.