Allotment Site Inspection Checklist

[Cadalot]

Anyone out there that undertakes cultivation site inspections on allotments care to share their check list ?

[Thelma Sanders]

Ours are along these lines..
Spring, Has cultivation started yet? Bearing in mind bad weather around the time of inspecton
Is it free of seeding weeds?
Are grass paths being cut/strimmed?
Are plot numbers clearly visible?
Is there anything potentially dangerous on the plot?

Summer. Is plot still being cultivated?
How much is being worked? Does it meet quantity to be worked, are there too many flowers, too much grass (paths or otherwise) too many empty beds -according to any rules?
Are any fruit trees within any size limits.
Is it free of seeding weeds?
Are grass paths being cut ?
Is there anything potentially dangerous on the plot?



Autumn, Is it free of seeding weeds?
Are grass paths being cut/strimmed?
Is there anything potentially dangerous on the plot?


Winter, Has plot been cultivated at all?
Is it free of seeding weeds.
Grass may not be cut because of bad weather!
Is there anything potentially dangerous on the plot?

[Baldy]

We do monthly checks from Spring to the end of Autumn - much in line with Thelma's list.
2/3rds in cultivation, fruit trees under 8ft, paths cut, hedges under control for those on the outside plots, no glass (windows) on plot, no weeds in seed etc

We were a little informal in our approach - e.g giving people a little more time to get things right if they were at least communicating with us, and taking illness and personal problems into consideration. However this backfired as one person complained to the Council that they were being treated differently to others. So - illness somewhat excepting - everyone will now be treated the same.

If plot is neglected or otherwise showing signs of problems they will get an informal letter or text message. No improvement in a month leads to formal 21 days notice unless committee agrees that progress has been made.

Then formal letter of termination.

[Snadger]

A bottle of Famous Grouse usually induces temporary blindness for the committee!

[Chestnut]

http://http://www.fareham.gov.uk/PDF/leisure/allotment_judging2013.pdf
http://https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/sites/default/files/Allotments%20competition%20judging%20criteria.pdf

I’m not on any panels, but I found a couple of example marking schemes on t’interweb which may help?

[veggiechicken]

I "think" they're ^^^^ for judging Best Plot rather than site inspections. Gives everyone summat to aspire to though.

Glad I don't have a plot now as I'd fail at every inspection!

[Snadger]

Its a bit of a financial thing with us. If we can keep every plot let, it means we can keep prices down for all. If we start hassling punters and drop below a fully let site the prices will rise. So basically the bad or dirty gardeners are subsidising the good gardeners!

[Thelma Sanders]

Its a bit of a financial thing with us. If we can keep every plot let, it means we can keep prices down for all. If we start hassling punters and drop below a fully let site the prices will rise. So basically the bad or dirty gardeners are subsidising the good gardeners!

Luckily we've got quite a long waiting list so can afford to let some idlers go if they don't get with the program by Spring Mwhahahaha!

[Snadger]

Luckily we've got quite a long waiting list so can afford to let some idlers go if they don't get with the program by Spring Mwhahahaha!

Fair comment Thelma. Can i ask how may plots you have and how many are on the waiting list?
We have 39 plots and about six on the waiting list. We usually lose 3 to 4 plot holders each year and not all punters who are on the waiting list still want a plot when contacted.

Its a bit of a juggling act keeping all plots let and if we are left with even one or two which are not let, that's roughly 5% of our budget lost!

btw can i just apologise to Cads for tangetising his thread!

[Bex2012]

Our list is very simple “worked”, “not worked” and “monitor”, with any concerns over rubbish etc noted in the comments section. The inspections are shared with all of the committee. If its something that is hazardous or is affecting other plotholders, the tenant will be spoken to informally. Our inspections are every three months, and if things havent inproved since the last inspection, a letter is written to the tenant.

We moved away from a excellent - very good - satisfactory -poor list as there was some concerns that the committee could be accused of favouritism, and quite frankly we could do without that type of hassle.

[Thelma Sanders]

For the whole of the Ashford area, I think there is a waiting list of about 150. Those waiting specifically for one of the 40 plots on 'my' site, was 15 last time I checked.
The bills went out at the end of Sept, alongside a few non-cult letters, I saw today one weedy plot has suddenly been completely rotovated! Use it or lose it, as they say LOL.

It is true what you say about people on the waiting list though

[Cadalot]

btw can i just apologise to Cads for tangetising his thread!

No apology required Snadger. The reason I asked is that I'm producing some guidance as to the practice and procedure of the inspections, non-cultivation and Notice to Quit so that both those doing the inspections and those receiving a non-cult notice know exactly what, why and how and there should be no misunderstanding.

One of the biggest problems we have is no clear definition of "what is cultivation" or non cultivation come to that.

I have downloaded quite a lot of material off the web and I'm using the council guidebook but it is quite open to interpretation.

Here is an example of a problem I have found when putting the guidance together

5. Cultivation and Wild-Life Areas

It is recognised that conserving wildlife is an important secondary function of allotments. However wildlife areas and features should be managed within a cultivation setting.

Assessment note

G) An uncultivated area just left to go wild is not acceptable as a legitimate wild-life area.


So what we actually need is to define what is acceptable!

[Thelma Sanders]

I believe it is fairly easy to recognise an area of wild grass/flowers on a plot that is otherwise cultivated, from a plot that has just been totally ignored tbh. Do your rules specify the size of 'wildlife area' allowed? That would make it a little easier to make a judgement.
Even wildflower meadows get strimmed at certain times of the year. We also have plots with small piles of logs.

The other difficulty, for some plot holders and maybe also some inspectors, is recognising an area of sown green manures from weed growth. (something I was warned about when I first started sowing them)

[veggiechicken]

No apology required Snadger. The reason I asked is that I'm producing some guidance as to the practice and procedure of the inspections, non-cultivation and Notice to Quit so that both those doing the inspections and those receiving a non-cult notice know exactly what, why and how and there should be no misunderstanding.

One of the biggest problems we have is no clear definition of "what is cultivation" or non cultivation come to that.

I have downloaded quite a lot of material off the web and I'm using the council guidebook but it is quite open to interpretation.

Here is an example of a problem I have found when putting the guidance together

5. Cultivation and Wild-Life Areas

It is recognised that conserving wildlife is an important secondary function of allotments. However wildlife areas and features should be managed within a cultivation setting.

Assessment note

G) An uncultivated area just left to go wild is not acceptable as a legitimate wild-life area.


So what we actually need is to define what is acceptable!

What you actually need is to NOT use the word "acceptable"! Remove it!

G) An uncultivated area just left to go wild is not a legitimate wild-life area.


Even clearer -

An uncultivated area left to go wild is not a managed wild-life area.

[Cadalot]

Thelma - I must admit I was considering what would be a reasonable wild life area on an allotment, but it goes back to the definition about Minimum cultivation level, and the Gardening Group will have to discuss and determine in a maximum area should be added into the official guideline.

Traditional allotment gardeners may want to cultivate the entire plot and plant rows of vegetables and flowers. Others may have a lawn with beds of produce. Some gardeners have made complete gardens with a lawn, flower borders, summerhouse, a bench in the sun, a vegetable patch and even a swing for the children. All these styles of gardening are acceptable and the Parks Service wants gardeners to cultivate their plots in whatever way they find suits their needs.

The London Allotment Officers’ Forum suggests that a plot that is less than 75% worked could be defined as an uncultivated plot. Allotment law stipulates that there should be evidence of at least 25% of the plot worked within the first 3 months, and at least 75% of the plot should be worked within the first year, and thereafter.


Thanks VC - I like it "An uncultivated area left to go wild is not a managed wild-life area." sometimes saying less is more I think perhaps I need to research more about what is a maintained wildlife area so that we can find guidance and reference material.