Worth moving plot?

[WendyC]

I wondered if anyone had moved plot within their site. I know a plot is coming up very close to mine. My main reasons for for considering a move are:
1. closer to the water tank
2. one of my neighbours has put up a tall tool shed ( just within permitted size)so my soft fruit is now in shade especially the strawberries.
3. the path behind me is so narrow it is almost impossible to mow it or work from it
4. the other plot is on the main path so access is slightly easier.
However having spent the last 7/8 years working the soil manuring etc is it worth the possible benefits? The soil in the other plot is not bad but has not been looked after in the same way that I have. Also I wouldn't want to leave the crops I have growing (broccoli / onions/ shallots) I also have established fruit bushes which would need moving. I guess if I could keep both on in the short term I could move in stages, having completed the move by the end of the year.
Rent are up for renewal 1st April so I need think about what to do. I'm on the committee (and probably going to be chair ) so there should be some perks!

[Newton]

I suppose the decision is yours

You seem unsure.....you have used the following words
Almost
Slightly
Possible
Guess
Probably.

Stay put and ask your neighbour to move his shed!

[Snadger]

I moved plots about 4 years ago and haven't regretted it. Mine was in a frost pocket, close to the local dene, which meant I got a lot of trespass by kids and it was just too small.

I now have two plots next to each ither across the way, nearer to the main gate and in a sunnier spot. (Good neighbours too)

[chris]

I want to move, despite working my plot hard last year...

[Aberdeenplotter]

Spending eight years knocking a plot into shape is a long time and I guess the acid question really is whether your existing plot has become a good plot as a result of your efforts. If the answer is that your plot really isn't any better than the one you are contemplating moving to, then you have to look at the other factors. You say that access to the other plot will be slightly easier but you don't say that access will be easy. You say you will be closer to the water tank but you don't say how much closer.

It's a question of degrees of improvement really and what you personally find acceptable is what needs to drive your decision making.

The narrow path being too narrow to mow or work from must mean it is less than a foot wide? That's not insurmountable because you could easily widen the path along the inside edge of your plot by building up the ground adjacent and putting down grass seed .

The difficult bit is the shed on the neighbouring plot. Positioning of sheds by Inconsiderate neighbours can lead to problems and I'm assuming there are no site rules dealing with this aspect. It won't help you but it's maybe something you can address for the future from your position in the committee to have the rules state that positioning of sheds must be approved by the committee after discussion with adjoining plot holders.

The amount of work involved in moving fruit bushes wouldn't deter me and again it's a question of how much time and effort you are prepared to invest compared to the perceived benefits.

Personally, I'm completely anti to the concept that Committee Members should have any perks unless these are enshrined in the constitution/rules. If that is not the case it can very quickly lead to resentment from ordinary members and accusations that Committee Members are abusing their position.

[WendyC]

I was being tongue in cheek when I mentioned committee perks and I would agree with you about resentments.
I'm reluctant to make the path wider by losing some of my plot. It's only 2.5 rods (6mX10m in new money) and it's a squeeze to fit everything in as it is. Unfortunately I never see the neighbour with the tall shed. I don't think it was done with any intent- just didn't think about the direction of the sun and shade. We're not actually allowed sheds only tool chests with a maximum height of 4'6". This one is 5' but he's dug down 6" to get round the rule. Unfortunately is very wide too.
The water tank would be about 3m away compared to the 15m I current carry water. Not a great distance but it is when when you've carried quite a few of them. Good for the old arm muscles.
Will raise the issue at tomorrows meeting and see what happens.

[binley100]

gosh that is small ......when you say he's dug down is the shed sunk into the ground ?

[WendyC]

Yes the paving slabs are about 6" below the soil level with the shed on top. I think it will fill with water if we get heavy rain as the water will run into it.

[binley100]

Shame the water tanks so far away .....(oops hush my mouth) or perhaps he's hoping it will double up as a water tank ......

[veggiechicken]

Is the other plot larger? Yours sounds like a quarter plot and I can understand that every inch is precious. Can you have and manage both plots for a year? That might give you time to decide which plot you prefer.

[veggiechicken]

Shame the water tanks so far away .....(oops hush my mouth) or perhaps he's hoping it will double up as a water tank ......

If the owner is not around often, maybe a little watering to help it "grow" is required.

[binley100]

I had two plots last year whilst in the process of moving ......it can be a bit of a pain cos you can guarantee that whatever tool you need is on the wrong plot .......

[WendyC]

I'm off to committee meeting shortly and am going to ask if I can have two plots for a short while. The plots are the same size so nothing to be gained there and are very close to each other not to make walking to and fro a nuisance. Memories of carrying heavy watering cans last spring and summer make me long for being closer to the tank.
I have considered all sorts of untimely ends to the shed... None of them permissible under allotment rules!
We'll see what happens.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm reluctant to make the path wider by losing some of my plot. It's only 2.5 rods

I can understand that. I sacrificed my border/boundary paths and just have one central one. Most plotholders have paths up each side of their plot, I don't have any.

the neighbour with the tall shed.... just didn't think about the direction of the sun and shade.

That's typical. I think everyone on the site should now have a letter, explaining exactly how & why to site structures in a responsible way, ie not so they cast shade on neighbouring plots.

Memories of carrying heavy watering cans last spring and summer make me long for being closer to the tank.

Last spring's drought went on for about two months, just as all my seedlings went into the lotty. I nearly gave up, I watered and watered, but it didn't seem to help. I lost all my parsnips.

You can help to conserve water on your plot in other ways (mulching is superb). I never water the soil surface as it wastes a lot, so I use sunken plastic bottles which direct water straight to the roots that need it. No evaporation that way, and much less water needed overall.

You can see how well these lettuces are doing from it. I got about 30 one gallon water bottles from freegle. Morrisons buckets are very good too, but not milk bottles, they tend to fracture and disintegrate after a season.

[Two_Sheds]

Oh yeah, the main point.

Wendy, I get the feeling from your posts that you want to move. So move. The shed will only annoy you otherwise.
I moved all my fruit bushes 8 miles to my new plot, they did just fine.
Strawbs need renewing every 3-4 years, so you'd have been moving them sometime anyway.