Fruit trees - allotment 'not cultivated'?

[singleseeder]

Evicted for growing only fruit trees


Discuss .........

[Alison]

It's the Daily Mail, it's unlikely to be the full story.

[Thelma Sanders]

IMO It's his own fault if he didn't sow something once he was warned of the rule changes.
Nothing to stop him sowing large beds of mustard, or maybe rampant squash/pumpkins through black fabric.
He could have helped himself instead of being stubborn and trying to make a point.

Leaving it to grass is not cultivation is it?

[SarzWix]

He used to grow veg., but always had too much, and the fruit from the trees is to make jam to give to pensioners? I feel sorry for him that he's losing his allotment, but it does sound like he doesn't really need it. I can see the case for people wanting a plot if they don't have a garden, but unless they're specified as such ('leisure garden' as opposed to 'allotment') their purpose is to grow food to feed your family. I think I'm mostly on the council's side here, unless it's shown that they aren't getting rid of other plot-holders that aren't cultivating their plots.

[Thelma Sanders]

It's the Daily Mail, it's unlikely to be the full story.

Is that so?

Local newspaper has this
Allotment wrangle is bearing bitter fruit - Letters - Hastings and St. Leonards Observer
and this
Allotment holder loses his fight for an injunction - Local News - Hastings and St. Leonards Observer

[binley100]

It would've been better to have planted fruit bushes, strawberries and rhubarb ........a sort of a permaculture thing .

[zazen999]

11 dwarf fruit trees on 250 square m? Complete waste of space.

Much as I love fruit trees, they are easily underplanted with other fruit and veg.

[SarzWix]

Discuss .........

I must say though, I'm not overly impressed with this style of post. Not quite sure if you're ordering us to entertain you, or you want to kick off an argument or what? If you have an opinion on this, then perhaps you could begin a discussion yourself?

[PyreneesPlot]

The article says:
The council, however, changed the regulations covering its allotments in April this year stating that ‘the soil underneath trees must be planted with productive crops or other plants’

What is grass, then, if not a plant?
Whatever the arguments about space, surely he's obeying the letter (if not spirit) of the rule?

[singleseeder]

I must say though, I'm not overly impressed with this style of post. Not quite sure if you're ordering us to entertain you, or you want to kick off an argument or what? If you have an opinion on this, then perhaps you could begin a discussion yourself?

Ooops. Sorry Sarz. Nothing untoward was intended, it was just a poor style of post. I hope all who 'know' me will agree I am normally very measured with my comments, even in a 'discussion'.

My excuse? - being very short of time to spend here at the moment.
My views? - being someone who is trying to be upgraded to a whole plot and knowing a few who have rather a lot of grass and fruit, I am largely on the council's side.

Head now hung in shame and off to the norty step.

[Florence Fennel]

I have mixed feelings about this. (Not about SS, I'm sure she just didn't think when she set the exam ) I seem to remember there is a chap in my neck of the woods who grows only flowers on his allotment. If there's a queue of people wanting to grow food then it does seem a waste of space, couldn't he share the land with someone who could put beds under his trees?

[alldigging]

Is that his plot in the photo? The twigs look like they've been planted very recently.


We're not supposed to have trees. Mainly I think because the roots cause problems, the tops cause shade and that can lead to issues.

"when the fruit was picked he intended to make jam and ‘give it to pensioners’ in the area."

Well that's not what an allotment is for - the wording of allotment acts escapes me at the moment but it should be for your own use.

[SarzWix]

I didn't think it was your usual style SS

There's a plot on our site which has a number of very mature fruit trees on it, but the people who've recently taken it over are doing great things with a permaculture style of planting. It's definitely possible to utilise more of the ground than this fella is doing.

[binley100]

I've been planting most of mine as cordons down the side . Our site has a lot of mature trees on it anyway but most are kept well pruned .

[Sarico]

i'm on the council side... they shoud di that law nationwide... the fact they said that 75% of the land must be cultivated in 2 years time...i've seen some allotment with couple of bed and the rest just left like that.. some people are so selfish because even if they don't use they allotment proprerly but they don't want to lost what they have even if they don't need...11 trees for 250 square of land that mean more then 30 square metre per trees... my back garden is not even 20 sqm and i have lot of stuff... i think with that land they can make happy 3 or 4 people on the waiting list...plus as other grape said why been so stubborn? just put something to grow and that's all... i don't think 11 trees need a 24/7 care....