My name's come up!

[matjam]

Hi there,

I put my name down for an allotment in Rugby about a year ago and last night I got a call saying my name's come up!

The site is this one : Clifton Road Allotments - Local Allotment Information - Rugby Borough Council

So I'm seeing the chap next week to pick one - the lady on the phone said I may be offered to choose between 3 or 4 of various sizes.

So I'm after any advice on what to look for/avoid in a plot so I can at least make some kind of informed decision when choosing!
I have no idea as to what condition they'll be in.

I'm thinking half-a-plot may be ok size-wise. We're a family of four but won't be able to spend every waking hour down there!
We just want to grow the stuff we eat a lot of really - potatoes, broccoli, onions, carrots, the usual!

I have a greenhouse in the garden for getting things started.

Any and all advice welcome!

Thanks,
Matt

[Pies]

I'd check how far the plot is from a water tap and how good access is to get manure etc to the plot

I'd check for weeds like bindweed,some is not too much of a problem but if its riddled with it pick another.Most weeds are not too much of a poroblem but IMHO bindweed is the devils spawn

Do any have sheds,greenhouses on

If all things are equal take one bigger than you think you will need.I.e the largest one.You can always hand back half a plot or spread out your planting.You will be kicking yourself if in a years time you wish you had a bigger plot and had the chance

Best of luck

[matjam]

Hi Pies,
thanks for that - I'll keep a look out for the pesky bindweed!

I see other people have had plots that are covered in grass, is this the normal state of a 'new' plot? I've got some old cardboard in the garage that I was about to take to the dump - I may hold on to it for a bit until I know what I'm dealing with ...

Thanks again!
Matt

[piskieinboots]

whooop whooooooop - excellent and what a fantastic first post Matt Welcome to the club

[Snadger]

I remember when I was first told I had an allotment.............it was like winning the lottery!

Congratulations Matt!

[Burnzie]

Great news Matt.

Take a full size plot if you can.

And good luck

Burnzie

[matjam]

Thanks

Thanks for all the support and advice! Very kind.

So I think I've got it: Full size plot, Near a tap, Good access, No bindweed ... should be a piece of cake!

I've got a feeling that I'll be spending a lot of time on both the plot and here!

Thanks again,
Matt

[Dane End Dolly]

You will love it, well done, by the way check to see if anything on your plot is worthwhile keeping, you could have fruit bushes or rhubarb that you do not want to dig up.

[Nicos]

Hi there- and welcome to the Vine!!

your life will never be the same!

..I was actually meaning about the effect of the lottie on you...but I suppose that could also relate to being a Grape on here too!!!!

[Two_Sheds]

I have no idea as to what condition they'll be in.

the usual standard is: covered in weeds & rubbish

I'm thinking half-a-plot may be ok size-wise. We're a family of four

no way. Take a full plot. Hand back half if you can't cope. Spuds will take up a quarter plot easy, if you like them a lot.

I have a greenhouse in the garden for getting things started.

Brilliant, you can start some onion seed right now then

[Paulottie]

Great News,

I don't necessarily agree. You can perfectly well feed a family of four from half a plot, especially if you are using an intensive raised bed method and have a good supply of raised plants from you greenhouse at home. (Says the Bloke with 2 plots, a potager at home and 3 greenhouses!)

Many of the old hands here are totally mad gardeners and have seen sites change from 1/2 empty to waiting lists. It is true you can easily expand to fill up a large plot if your keen and spend hours there..but equally I have seen many folk become demoralised if they take on too much. Better to do a smaller patch well.

Don't worry about a few weeds... all part of it and it shows fertile land...you won't see the bind weed at this time of year anyway. OK if its neck high in brambles or Jap knot weed think again.

Water, aspect and access all worth considering. Good luck!

[Two_Sheds]

You can perfectly well feed a family of four from half a plot

You can, but I'd say it's more work than a whole plot, because you have to be super-cunning with what goes in, where, and when.

And it depends how much sweetcorn your family eats. You can't stagger sowings of that, and it takes up a lotta room if you eat 4 cobs a day and want to fill the freezer too

Perhaps he could work half his plot this year and keep the other half covered, and see how he gets on with just the half.

[chriscross1966]

If you have spare land throw a sheet of weedmulch over it, punch holes through and plant squashes, sweetcorn or potatoes through it. Squashes especially take well to it.

chrisc

[stupot]

A fella down my allotment who helps maintain some of the allotments in the area says that next door in Reading newly set up allotments are being measured in metric instead of rods which means that a full alotment is closer to half a traditional. Don't think that has any relevence but interesting if that's how councils are going in future.

[chriscross1966]

TBF the standard plot was defined at a time when it was expected that the people tending them were trying to feed a family of about 6 with nearly all their basic vegetable requirements (plus probably eggs and the odd chicken)..... these days the family size of the average plotholder is probably nearer 3 or 4 and as we're used to being able to eat fresh (if useless) tomatoes adn peppers all year round a lot of people won't really want one of those monster old plots....

I've realised that I've given away a significant quantity of what I grew this year (courgette glut was followed by squash glut, my brothers had a lot of spuds and onions from me as I knew neither of them would keep too well (wet harvest for the summer, warm autumn for the spuds).....Maybe a smaller plot would be a more sensible choice for me but ATM I'm still experimenting with varieties on a grand scale (especially squashes) so having a plot and a half for the coming year suits me, though once I've settled on the squash I want to grow in future (and the spuds etc, there's a lot of varieties of them getting grown this year) then I'd probably be happy with half what I've got now.

chrisc