Allotment gardening IS ALLOWED!

[Trouvere]

I've provided a few bottles of Virkon disinfectant solution for people to use on locks, bolts, taps or whatever common areas they think of. Of course, now everyone will be touching the Virkon bottles, so I hope they think to wipe those down when they're done....

[Greenleaves]

Our council is not turning the water back on and the toilets have been locked, i dont rely on the water troughs so no real impact for me.

[Voglen]

I've decided to not go to my allotment at all. My friend is a doctor who has covid patients, I have taken the advice to stay indoors. There are a lot of cases here, and I don't fancy using the padlock, chain and gate, or the tap, if it gets turned on. The entry path is too narrow, and i'm bang in the middle so if any fellow plot holders were about I would be worried the whole time. However I am still seed sowing in the hope that things will get better

Hopefully we will be allowed out in June, so there will be time to plant things out. For now with great sadness I'm letting my plot to go wild...

[ameno]

I just realised I don't actually know what's happening with the water on my site.
I assume they turned it off for the winter, so the pipes didn't freeze, but I don't know when it's usually turned back on, or whether the coronavirus business will make them decide to delay turning it on.
We each have out own water key, so in theory there isn't much risk of cross-contamination as we are not all touching one tap, but who knows that the council will decide... I shall have to check.

[mcdood]

Shared water butts on our plot. I might just pay a quick visit and cover up what beds i can to try and restrict weed growth until superman saves the world

[bikermike]

it's pretty easy too keep social distancing on our plot.

Our water is on (but although we are council-owned, we are self-managed).

I went down yesterday and saw some people about. Got my third compost bin going...

[Snadger]

There is no water on our site but I have a 1000 litre IBC linked to my shed gutter and a couple of large containers fed from my greenhouse roof.
It depends very much on what type of summer we have as to whether this will do, but I do like to let my plants fend for themselves after an initial watering. Mainly use IBC water for greenhouse plants.

[ameno]

I took my water key today, and it turns out the water is on.
I don't know whether it was on all winter or whether it was turned on some time in March, but either way it's a relief to know I'll have water.

[veggiechicken]

Advice from the NSALG https://www.nsalg.org.uk/news/covid1...HoTj3XhOUE5abg

[Mark_Riga]

A tissue can be used when using a tap to prevent contact and can be composted after. Gloves can be used for opening locks may be.

[veggiechicken]

Advice from the NSALG https://www.nsalg.org.uk/news/covid1...HoTj3XhOUE5abg

An update on the NSALG page.


Driving to the plot, we are aware that in recent days there has been conflicting statements from police forces about driving to your plot. A briefing has now been issued from the College of Policing and the National Police Chief’s Council that advises forces to :-

Use your judgement and common sense; for example, people will want to exercise locally and may need to travel to do so, we don’t want the public sanctioned for travelling a reasonable distance to exercise. ………………….. We should reserve enforcement only for individuals who have not responded to Engage, Explain, and Encourage, where public health is at risk.

If you need to drive a reasonable distance to get to your plot then this guidance would suggest that it is permissible to do so. However, please walk to the plot if at all possible

Any plot-holder who is self isolating because a household member is ill with corona-virus should not be visiting the site.

[Snadger]

An update on the NSALG page.


Driving to the plot, we are aware that in recent days there has been conflicting statements from police forces about driving to your plot. A briefing has now been issued from the College of Policing and the National Police Chief’s Council that advises forces to :-

Use your judgement and common sense; for example, people will want to exercise locally and may need to travel to do so, we don’t want the public sanctioned for travelling a reasonable distance to exercise. ………………….. We should reserve enforcement only for individuals who have not responded to Engage, Explain, and Encourage, where public health is at risk.

If you need to drive a reasonable distance to get to your plot then this guidance would suggest that it is permissible to do so. However, please walk to the plot if at all possible

Any plot-holder who is self isolating because a household member is ill with corona-virus should not be visiting the site.

Nice to see there are some sensible people in the world. I won't have to hide my car in a nearby street anymore.

[Plot12c]

Nice to see there are some sensible people in the world. I won't have to hide my car in a nearby street anymore.

The trouble is though people aren’t being sensible. I have stopped going to my plot for the time being mainly because every time I go our allotments are busier than I have ever seen them, people still chatting having cups of tea together, I am sure they think they are invincible and the scary thing is most are in their 70’s and in the at risk category.

.

[Snadger]

The trouble is though people aren’t being sensible. I have stopped going to my plot for the time being mainly because every time I go our allotments are busier than I have ever seen them, people still chatting having cups of tea together, I am sure they think they are invincible and the scary thing is most are in their 70’s and in the at risk category.

Yes have spoken to them and notified the local parish council but all we got was oh it’s something about nothing, abuse on line and a general we don’t care attitude. Even had one say we have to die from something����. It is this attitude that will close allotments but even then the same people will go.

They will only learn when some one becomes ill or god forbid dies, but you can’t tell them.

A few have probably been through a depression and World War 2 when bombs were flying whilst at allotment so have adopted a 'stiff upper lip' attitude.


Each time I have visited our site (approximately once per week) I have been the only one on site?.

As long as they are 2 metres apart ,being sociable is part of allotment life.

Have you stopped talking to your neighbours either side of you at home if they are in the garden?

[Greenleaves]

We have a guy of 95 who visits the plots 3 times a day every day, I have no doubt that if he didn't visit he would quickly start to suffer the fate of isolation, on our site people are well spread and as Snadger suggests still talk but respect social distancing.

The worse thing that has come out of this is those hell bent on snitching on people, this will be why they close allotments and thats not to mention those who take non live in family over with them.

We have a curtian twitcher in our road, who is always moaning about people walking dogs more than once a day, yet he goes shopping every day?

Rant over!