Have you ever been inspired by a neighbouring plot?

[Nikki Arnold]

Have you ever been inspired by a neighbouring plot? This month we'd love to hear what are the best ideas and gyo tips you've you gleened from your fellow lottie-holders!




*Please note your comments may be edited and published in the June issue of Grow Your Own

[Dynamo]

I think that what inspired me from a very young age and even to this day was my parents and grandparents plots. They all kept their lotties in a pretty fixed three year cycle, Brassicas, Root veg and Others.

What I tend to find is that I see what other people do on their plots and think to myself, I won't do that and I won't do that. I don't know if my mind set is too firmly entrenched in the way I do things, but I know that what I do works. However, if I do come across a problem, like for instance Carrots on my plot that have trouble germinating and also get hammered by Carrot Fly, I take steps to avoid the problem, ie; the carrots are now grown in upturned plastic bottles with their bottoms cut off and filled with compost rather than soil, I saw that idea on Gardeners world many years ago, and all the plants are protected by a mesh cover.

I am always on the lookout for new ideas, whether its on TV shows or in magazines or from fellow gardeners, but in truth, not that much has changed over the years. Its all basically the same as what it was like when I first learned what to do.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Plot next to mind is wondrous to behold and the tenant is on the same wavelength as me. His methods are exactly the same as mine and would you believe, his scheme of rotation even fits in with mine. p.s. I'm the tenant of that un as well

[rustylady]

Nope. The plots on our site are much of a muchness. However I was inspired by East Ruston Old Vicarage. Fantastic day out, and their potagers are wonderful.

[Snadger]

Inspired by Bob Flowerdew and Geoff Hamilton. Deffo not by the derelict plots or brown deserts around me!

[Alison]

I tend to be inspired more by nature or my own imagination although have found some authors quite interesting. Never felt the need to copy those around me as I'm pretty sure of the way I want to take.

[Piggle]

Yes they have inspired me not to grow brussel sprouts! Seriously that is all they grow , they must have mountains of them ( never offered me any though!).

[Kaiya]

I appear to be fairly alone in my lottie in my approach (no dig etc.) and tend to be inspired more by online folks like Two_Sheds and Snadger here rather than the more traditionally managed plots around me. I don't dislike them, but I don't want to be them

[binley100]

I tend to do my own thing inspired by info picked up from many on here .....which has inspired my lottie neighbour to try something new

[Newton]

Most of the plots on our site are well cultivated. Each and every one provides me with inspiration in one way or another. Whether its how to tie your canes together or how to best compost your waste. Everyone is there to lend a hand and offer a tip or two. Its a real micro community with shared goals aspirations.....not just for growing our veggies.....

[shona_b]

one plot on our site is designed more like a garden with winding paths, pergolas and a pond. She plants veg with architectural and colour properties and I am always impressed with the effect. Bizarrely this has inspired me to incorporate a few flowers in with the veggies to brighten the plot up a bit! Of course as my rule is "don't grow anything you won't eat" I've gone for edible flowers

[Jelliebabe]

All the plots around me inspire me to some degree - normally to do better! My plot is quite untidy compared to the others as I work all week and the other alottmenteers tend to be retired

Am doing better this year though already

[susieq100]

My one neighbour grew his carrots in a large builders' bag - the sort that gravel is delivered in. The carrots were humungous and did not get attacked by carrot fly. I promptly copied him last year - very successful; my best carrot year ever. So I am doing the same again this year.

I have another neighbour who is massively inspiring - he has two plots and he is 88, 89 in October. His mobility isn't what it was, but he can still garden... and does! His son (who is only 60) comes and helps him out occasionally.

[dominic10]

For the last four years I have shared a third of a half of a plot with others whilst waiting on the waiting list. We now have our own half plot and I was inspired by the way two others cleared the plot next to my existing shared plot. This neighbouring allotment had been organised as a 'garden' by a teacher who planted grass, and any number of ornamental plants some of which had grown over time to be really quite large including a monkey puzzle tree. As he moved out of the area for the years I was a neighbour I saw that he visited the plot twice a year to do a bit of strimming but I had a lovely crop of nettle, thistle and grass seeds but grateful for having a small plot to tend so it was worth the weeding. It was really quite amazing how the plot was cleared last year and the guys are now well into production. I have just inherited a seriously overgrown half plot but have seen what can be achieved. The larger plants similar in size to a huge New Zealand flax were pulled out by a land rover - not the usual sort of activity I have seen on the site but very effective. I think people were offered some of the plants. Lots of manure, carpets and other bit s and pieces were used to cover the site over winter. Half of our new allotment will be rotavated, then covered in black sheeting but we are manually digging the other side being inspired to get things going this season.

[Farmer_Gyles]

Have you ever been inspired by a neighbouring plot?

yep .... i thought "i can grow better weeds than them" .... and i did ....