Deployment plot?

[bearded bloke]

Potential numbers would be a good start,whats the budget ?

[piskieinboots]

15m x 5m is quite big, at least if it's only for six months. How many plots are there? Would each one have to be individually funded? If I've read it right at least some of that space wouldsurely be better used for a community garden, swings for the kids etc, with maybe a few bits for keen growers. Or is there a park/playground area already?

On the allotment site we have 14 x full plots (as per the size above) and 7 half size plots. Most are taken by people such as me. This communal plot idea is part of station welfare.

We have a BBQ area and a large communal sitting area on the allotment plot. We will shortly have a pile of fruit trees, which I am sourcing.

There is already parks/play areas right by the allotment site.

Thanks all, your ideas and thoughts are really helpful. I guess I was a bit daunted by the project but it will slowly come together in my fuzzled brain

[piskieinboots]

Potential numbers would be a good start,whats the budget ?

Numbers is the biggest unknown. I guess, having talked it through with you guys, the first thing I need to do is design a communal plot and then price it up.

Oh yes, and the quote needs to be in by the end of March - so no pressure then

[Hazel at the Hill]

Depending on how your take up it, why don't you have one session a week where all are encouraged to join in with the work - suggest you lock the kettle & biccies away until everyone has done their bit. It would make sense that harvesting is done at this time, so eveyone can see the goods are divvyed up fairly.

Then anyone can come down to work on the area at their leisure at other times - you could have a weekly list of jobs that need doing up on a board where people can tick off the jobs when they've done them.

Also a plan of the plot to show what is where at all times and LABELS in the ground too. This will stop someone e.g. digging up and ditching half a dozen newly planted asparagus crowns which they didn't know where there because some daft bugger didn't say what they'd done or where they'd done it.

Also you put an bit aside for competitions - the tallest sunflower, or the most potatoes grown from a bag or something

[bearded bloke]

Could you do a couple of beds of flowers,one for cutting & another for drying,then mug someone to do flower arranging classes ? Might be a good alternative to BBQ on bad weather days

[Feral007]

All good ideas so far. I'm just thinking if people are feeling very 'left behind' especially if they have kids then it would be good to have some flowers or veg that will be flowering, fruiting when their loved one comes home. Something to look forward to.

Having just been at the community gardens meeting I am remembering someone commenting on the Multicultural group who have a garden, but are not necessarily gardeners at heart. One turns up in super high spiky heels. She does get involved, but turns a few heads. We are thinking of hiring her out to anyone who wants their lawns aerated! Other people were talking of several gardeners in the communal part digging potatoes and going 'That's MY potato' and relieving someone else of their bounty.

Could be interesting........you might need to have some guards on duty for harvest?

I do feel for people who never get a chance to settle long enough to enjoy a garden. Could they maybe have a section of potted plants and you could take one when you moved on, a little continuity in their lives?

[piskieinboots]

Thanks so much for your input all - it's given me much to work on for my meeting today

[alldigging]

You could look at different themes
- a dye garden, (Lots of interesting plants and fun to play at dyeing)
- a jam garden (jam stores)
- a pickle garden (pickles also store)
- ornamental kitchen garden - so only growing pretty things.