Grow Your Own needs your help!

[RuthC]

We're keen to hear from people about how they make the most of being an allotmenteer. What are the best things about growing your own on an allotment site as opposed to a private garden? Do you belong to an association and, if so, what are the benefits? Do you do seed swaps? Share tools with others? Help your fellow plot holders with gardening tasks or dispense/receive advice? Have you set up any innovative allotment-related schemes? Please mention anything not covered here, too!

[HeyWayne]

For me, my garden is a place to relax and entertain people - the look of it and the layout is designed to a purpose.

The allotment is a little more "free-hand" and as a result allows me to be a little more Heath Robinson than I would in the garden.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I have a smallish back garden in which I grow a mixture of ornamentals, salad veg and soft fruit, the sorts of things that like regular attention. In addition to this, I have a small plot on a private allotment site, where I grow the bulk of my veg and some perrenials like Rhubarb and Horseradish.
Being a small site, I rarely see other plotholders, but I enjoy the solitude - though I did get a surprise when Vic Reeves and his family walked past and said good afternoon to me the other day!!

We were the first plot to set up raised beds, and this caused quite a stir amongst the traditionalists, but new plot holders have since arrived and done the same. It makes sense as we are on a heavy clay/chalk mix.

We are not allowed sheds, so collecting rainwater could have proved problematic, however, we bought a wheeliebin, detached the lid and drilled some 1" holes in it, then put it back on but upside down (so its like a saucer), and voila! a self contained, waterbutt.

I'm a member of the village garden society, and recently joined the commitee, but sadly there is currently no connection with the allotment holders (except for me). I'd like to change that situation if I can. I'm also considering introducing a seed swap to our regular shows, I think it would be a great addition.

[Alison]

I only have a relatively small garden which is shaded by various trees, fences, other properties etc. There is no way I could afford to buy the sort of house that had a garden the size of my allotment as round here big gardens seem to come with big houses and we don't need the extra house space anyway. I love the freedom of the allotment and the space and openess about it all. Although I probably have my mobile with me I rarely get contacted and am free to do as I want in my own space. It's a small site with few rules which I see as a real benefit. There is no committee or anything like that and nobody competes with anybody else which makes it much more relaxed although I like the fact that the other plot holders are friendly if they see you. Although it suits some people I am pleased that it is suitably informal as I want to grow for my own needs and not for showing. The times I go up there are often when nobody else is there and the peace is wonderful (especially if I've had a hard week at work) with no distractions from other people to stop me achieving what I set out to do.

[RedThorn]

As I literally just got my lottie, I cannot say too much. I've grown now for 2 years and have outgrown what I can use in my garden I did not want to get a lottie until I was sure it was not just a passing fad. Chooks and 2 glass greenhouses later, I feel comfortable taking on the repsonsiblity of a lottie. The space I'm currently using in my garden is about the same as my new lottie (about 4 square rods) So am looking forward to being able to produce more of the staples like tatties, onions and brassicas which take either more space or need longer in the ground

[Two_Sheds]

My garden is too small & shaded to grow veggies, or to have more than one compost bin.

On my allotment I have 3 Daleks and a compost heap, so I'm able to compost all our suitable waste, including newspapers and pet bedding (guinea pigs and parrots).

It's also my "getting away from it" space where nobody will come and ask me what's for tea, or where is this, or please tell me that... (I turn my phone off)

[Bex]

I've not got a garden as I live in a flat so my allotment is invaluable to me, it's my only outdoor space. I had to wait 8 months for my allotment which I know is not alot compared to what some people have to wait. The site I'm on is really friendly with everyone willing to offer advice and help.

We have a shop, a kitchen and an informal seed swap ( a box in the kitchen with packs of seeds in), allotmenteers also give away any extra plants that they have. I've gained some strawberry plants and a couple of rhubarb crowns, obviously I will recipricate when I can. We have regular deliveries of manure, leaves and woodchips. I love being with like minded people, turn my phone off and just potter.

[snuffer]

I have been growing my own veg. in the garden at home since we moved into the village. In February 2008 I decided to take on a lottie as well. The best thing about growing on an allotment site is the opportunity to meet like minded people. It is always good to visit the lottie and meet up with other plot holders. We can swop hints and tips, swop produce, swop surplus seeds, help one another out and just stand about chatting.

[Flummery]

I have a plot on a small site with only 11 allotments, all smaller than the standard allotment. However, the characters are what makes the site. Everyone is friendly, people swap seeds, spare produce, advice (even conflicting!) and several plot holders leave tools or watering cans in hidden away but well know (to the rest of us) places if you forget something. Good fresh air, exercise for the back and the jaw and fresh produce are the great benefts. It's on the edge of a country village with the church and churchyard on one side and a field of heifers on the other. It doesn't get better than that.

[krazy_krok]

Being only 26 and in my second year growing fruit and veg it's the 'Old Boys' that make being an allotment holder worth the while for me. Just show them that little enthusiastic interest and they'll spend hours with you imparting their knowledge. At the start of the year my 3 year old son wouldn't eat hardly any fruit and veg. So I decided to get him involved, I let him sow some seeds and help watering and before the end of summer he wanted to try everything he had seen grow. He now begs me to go go to the allotment, everyone makes such a fuss of him and he helps to feed their chickens, sheep and goats. I believe the whole idea of allotmenteering is the passage of knowledge from generation to generation.

Krazy_krok

[Snadger]

Think 'Last of the Summer Wine' with old codgers in huts with three piece suites and greenhouses with deck chairs.............. and woodburning stoves ...........and comaraderie and............ now and again...............but just sometimes...........you may get the odd guy like myself actually doing a bit of pottering around, gardening, sowing seeds and growing stuff!

[JimmerG]

I adore my allotment - as it gives one a chance to 'get out'.......I'll grab my family, go for a bit of a walk - let the children run riot, there's lot's of other kids on the site. I can potter around doing whatever. It almost feels like a day out. There's loads of friendly people there, some need advice, some are only too willing to impart it! Lots of veg swapping goes on, so we end up trying all sorts of things we'd never consider eating or growing.

Our garden is lawn and borders, carefully designed, maintained and manicured (sort of) under the watchful eye of Mrs G. The allotment is more my domain, its a more functional, constantly changing production line.

There'd be a big hole in my life without it....

[JamesR]

On my lottie site ive done some veg trialling with other growers. About 5 or6 of us get together in the spring and decide on different varieties of veg to grow. This helps us narrow down what we'll bother growing again in future years and what we wont. We make a record of the type each of us is trialing and sow them roughly at the same time. Then we split the harvests, so each of us takes five or six different varieities home and eat it or cook it and compare notes. This year along with our normal lots of crops we're going to try lots of different tomatoes - old varieties and some modern hybrids aswell

[Ladybird2618]

My lottie is my little haven. My garden at home is tiny, I live on a newish estate and I work full time. I have a wonderful husband who classes my time on the lottie as one of the chores so he does alot at home freeing me to enjoy my peace down there.
He does enjoy the fruits though!!
I find it so theraputic down there and miss it so much now that it's dark after work. There are about 40 allotments on my site and we are church owned so don't have any facilities but there are some great people who are there for advice. My neighbour has watered my tomatoes every day for me this year.
I'm spending some fab time learning over this winter including on this site.

[MKPoshfan]

my haven......

I finally got my hands on an allotment at the end of October and started digging it over but the damp in November has put a stop to most of that; however I did get some sprouting broccoli and spinach in before the frost set in and I've started laying brick paths; my husband doesn't see why I want it and offered to dig me a fresh bed in the middle of the lawn if I wanted extra space for growing veg - but that just isn't the point is it? The site I have got this plot on - I used to have one 10 years ago but had to give it up due to family needs, but they're all grown up now - is in a lovely place, plenty of birds, people walking their dogs down the lane and a riding stables close bylenty of useful manure <g>. It's not just the extra space - it's the feeling that the plot is MY space.......I don't have to share it with anyone.