Increase in allotment waiting times

[magz.mccarthy]

I got a plot last year that was completely overgrown. I was absolutely delighted and roped in some mates, an industrial strimmers, some shovels and a load of beer, and we got it cleared over a few weekends. It's very weedy and needs a few hours of weeding every weekend before I can even start to think about planting new stuff, but we have successful crops growing on around 2/3 of it. Woohoo!

Next door to me is an evil fecker who steals anything not locked into the shed (took my chicken wire, several buckets and another neighbours tools, the arse) who i'd love to see kicked off, but in fairness he has put in a fair bit of work.

Next to him is a man who has 4 plots, on which he grows 4 crops - a plot of beans, one of something like okra, courgettes, and the 4th hasn't been planted yet. I thought that mono-cropping wasn't allowed on allotments? He must be growing stuff for a restaurant of shop.

[blackkitty]

Our allotments are now being let as half plots as we have a waiting list. We got our half plot a few months ago. I'm not sure if ours are standard size but half is more than big enough for us. Ours was one of two being half worked by one person, she was asked to give one up as more than two thirds was unused. There're several people struggling with one. There is one chap that has two but no-ones bothering about his as they're both fully cultivated.
As for schools involvement on allotment sites, we've started our own veg garden at school and we could easily expand to the size of our whole allotment site. Most schools have enough unused land in various places which I feel they should use instead of taking up a much needed allotment.

[NOG]

The only thing about schools is all the holidays when they come back all the plants will be dead due to lack of water.

[BumbleB]

The only thing about schools is all the holidays when they come back all the plants will be dead due to lack of water.

Sounds like a good reason to have holiday clubs. I am sure that parents would be happy for children to have a 2 hour slot once a week in the holidays - and also the produce grown has a financial and educational reward.
And it could be a parent, local plants person or a teacher who supervises.

[ckfe]

i went down to our local allotment last weekend and i was talking to the allotment secretary and she says the plot next to hers is owned by a man serving 5 years in prison, even with time off for good behaviour there's still no chance of him getting out for at least another 2 and half years, in the meantime it's just standing empty

[bluemoon]

Our allotment waiting time is 33 years.
We have 2 sites in our region (South Lanarkshire, near Glasgow) both with plots not being fully utilised.
Any advice on how we get our local council to take responsibility?
Margaret

Basically you have to nag them. Really nag them, then get something put in the tenancy agreements which states that any allotment not under cultivation will be repossessed. You'll have to have a time put on this, say six months, so that anyone who takes one on in December will have time to make a good start, even if the weather is difficult. By under cultivation, I don't mean a perfect, weed-free plot, but certainly a couple of beds with crops growing, more land either in the process of being dug, or covered to prevent further weed growth. Any plot which is in a very bad state might have this time verbally extended with agreement between the tenant and the allotments officer.
Site inspections will have to be increased and should be real inspections, with 'use it or lose it' letters going out to those who have allowed their plot to become jungles. A second inspection a month or so later should not concede that a couple of square metres of cleared land is sufficient, but should look for genuine signs that the plot is being properly worked. Anyone who has two warnings in consecutive years should lose their plot, no matter what their protest.
Many allotment officers are loath to kick a long term resident off the site though as they are worried that the bubble is going to burst and that having someone who pays the rent annually, regardless of how the plot is being used, is better than handing it over to someone who has seen something on T.V. then finds that the reality doesn't quite measure up and gives up after one season.

[NOG]

the plot next to hers is owned by a man serving 5 years in prison,<snip>it's just standing empty

How is he paying his rent??

[zazen999]

i went down to our local allotment last weekend and i was talking to the allotment secretary and she says the plot next to hers is owned by a man serving 5 years in prison, even with time off for good behaviour there's still no chance of him getting out for at least another 2 and half years, in the meantime it's just standing empty

Firstly, it's not owned, it is rented.

Surely to goodness, the allotment committee should have served notice as soon as it was known he had been jailed and if he wants another one, he goes to he end of the list when he is released.

I think you are up against it when this sort of thing is occurring.

[deannatrois]

I looked at my local council's website for allotments and it said they weren't accepting any new people on the waiting lists. Two weeks later I phoned and spoke to a very friendly gentleman who gave me all the names i needed to be put on waiting lists and so now I am on a waiting list. I was told it could be next year, but that's fine with me as I am developing my garden (mixed veg/flower planting) and experimenting with seedlings etc in containers/mini greenhouse. Its taken me a couple of years to get the garden ready for cultivating (it was very overgrown) because of having very limited free time (one of my children has special needs and its been time consuming sorting out schooling for him and dealing with other things).

I think some of you don't realise that having two young children does make working on gardens/allotments a bit difficult. Its taken me a while to get this far although I have desperately wanted to get into growing my own for the last few years. I was sad to read the comments about childminding etc. Some of us have little choice.., and its good for children to see how things are grown. However, it is difficult to 'get things done' sometimes.., takes enormous determination. It can be done but can also take time to put yourself in a position to do that. Not sure that such efforts, feeble tho they may seem to others should be belittled!!!!!! Please forgive me if my comments offend, but I can see through the comments made on here how my own gardening efforts may be viewed lol. Its taken me this long to get into a position where I am.., and its not been through a lack of effort and trial.

[flowerofshona]

We have a great system and allplots are inspected once a month any not being used are given a friendly warning by the site manager, if nothing is done i sendthe first letter warning the then they get the 14 day to clear your stuff off the plot letter and return your keys !
New plot holders are given a 3 month trial period and if they do not make a good start they lose their plot and it goes to the next on the list ! Council run sites need a good site manager to keep the council informed of plots not being done !
We are closing our waiting list as 72 translates to 14 years !! This in turn puts more pressure on the council !
Why not see if there are plot holders who donot want to give up but may like to share a plot ?? worth asking.

[ckfe]

i went down to our local allotment last weekend and i was talking to the allotment secretary and she says the plot next to hers is owned by a man serving 5 years in prison, even with time off for good behaviour there's still no chance of him getting out for at least another 2 and half years, in the meantime it's just standing empty

How is he paying his rent??

sewing mailbags??.. must make a nice change from sowing seeds

[SarzWix]

I think some of you don't realise that having two young children does make working on gardens/allotments a bit difficult. Its taken me a while to get this far although I have desperately wanted to get into growing my own for the last few years. I was sad to read the comments about childminding etc. Some of us have little choice.., and its good for children to see how things are grown. However, it is difficult to 'get things done' sometimes.., takes enormous determination. It can be done but can also take time to put yourself in a position to do that. Not sure that such efforts, feeble tho they may seem to others should be belittled!!!!!! Please forgive me if my comments offend, but I can see through the comments made on here how my own gardening efforts may be viewed lol. Its taken me this long to get into a position where I am.., and its not been through a lack of effort and trial.

The thing is, if it takes you a long time to sort your garden out because of other commitments, then that is no problem - it's your garden.
However, allotments do require a time commitment and if people don't have the available time to do it, they shouldn't get an allotment. That may seem harsh, but the reality is they do need a lot of hard work, even the ones that aren't like an over-grown jungle when you get them.

This is the reason that allotments used to be mostly occupied by retired men!

The plot next door to mine is held by a couple with 2 small children - he works long hours and she comes down with the kids in a pram, tries to do something for 10 minutes until they start whingeing and then goes away again... The plot hasn't produced any crops at all for nearly 3 years now How is that fair to the people on the waiting list who do have the time to commit to it?

When I first got my plot I was there almost all day, 5 days a week! Now it's all cultivated, it still takes; 1-2 hours a day 5 days a week to get it dug over & manured over winter ready for the summer crops, an hour a day watering & harvesting over the summer, plus extra time for weeding. And not forgetting the hours & hours of sowing seeds and planting plants in the spring...

[louisesgarden]

i agree with sarzwix and deannatrios both, on the above, alltoments are hard work, at my old house i had a veg patch in my garden, but got offered, straight away which shocked me an allotment plot, i turned it down as i knew i couldnt commit to it and it would be a waste. i m lucky now my new house has a big enough garden to accomodate my own allotment, but i have to admit if mine wasnt in my back garden, i would struggle to keep up with it, maybe its just me but after a long day at work to come home sort tea the kid dog and OH out then do his books, i know if i had a allotment 2 mile down the road it would suffer x