Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the coucil that we were away over winter on a
world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting list.

Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has been touched
since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the coucil requesting that they reasign the plot to us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this year's
growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the coucil have planted a load of cherry trees alongside
the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

David WE Roberts wrote:
I was far too honest and told the coucil that we were away over winter on a
world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting list.

It's not as if many people do anything with their allotment over winter.
It's hardly as if you're going to go away over winter and come back to it
being overgrown with weeds.

"David WE Roberts" wrote ...

Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the council that we were away over winter on
a world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting list.

Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has been touched
since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the council requesting that they reassign the plot to
us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this year's
growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the council have planted a load of cherry trees
alongside the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)


Probably was re-rented but the new people, full of enthusiasm, took it on in
ignorance of the work involved. Seen it a lot on our site, new gardeners
encouraged by how easy it all seems in all the modern magazines and TV get a
plot and then realise it is constant battle against weeds, lack of rain, too
much rain, physical hard work, and most of all time. If people are in full
time employment it is very difficult to keep an allotment up straight unless
you are totally committed year in and year out and prepared to change your
life style to accommodate that. That means being down on the plot every
weekend and most fine evenings in the summer. Few are prepared for or
understand that total commitment.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Bob Hobden wrote:
"David WE Roberts" wrote ...

Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the council that we were away over
winter on a world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting
list. Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has been
touched since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the council requesting that they reassign the plot
to us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this
year's growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the council have planted a load of cherry trees
alongside the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)


Probably was re-rented but the new people, full of enthusiasm, took
it on in ignorance of the work involved. Seen it a lot on our site,
new gardeners encouraged by how easy it all seems in all the modern
magazines and TV get a plot and then realise it is constant battle
against weeds, lack of rain, too much rain, physical hard work, and
most of all time. If people are in full time employment it is very
difficult to keep an allotment up straight unless you are totally
committed year in and year out and prepared to change your life style
to accommodate that. That means being down on the plot every weekend
and most fine evenings in the summer. Few are prepared for or
understand that total commitment.

I wonder if such promotion of, er, gardening as a "fashion" might be
creating an excess demand for allotments? Is there a greater churn of plot
allocations than there used to be?


Ian

"Martin" wrote ...

"Bob Hobden" wrote:

"David WE Roberts" wrote ...

Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the council that we were away over winter
on
a world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting
list.

Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has been
touched
since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the council requesting that they reassign the plot to
us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this
year's
growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the council have planted a load of cherry trees
alongside the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)


Probably was re-rented but the new people, full of enthusiasm, took it on
in
ignorance of the work involved. Seen it a lot on our site, new gardeners
encouraged by how easy it all seems in all the modern magazines and TV
get a
plot and then realise it is constant battle against weeds, lack of rain,
too
much rain, physical hard work, and most of all time. If people are in
full
time employment it is very difficult to keep an allotment up straight
unless
you are totally committed year in and year out and prepared to change
your
life style to accommodate that. That means being down on the plot every
weekend and most fine evenings in the summer. Few are prepared for or
understand that total commitment.

In your allotment do people have to pay a non refundable deposit which
they lose if they abandon the allotment leaving it in an overgrown
state?
In the allotments that my wife runs as secretary, the vast majority of
first timers drop out by this time of year leaving their allotment
full of weeds. The allotments are on the same site where they work.


Ours is a Council run site and you pay a years rental up front, so for
someone at work that is about £100.00, and you lose it all if you abandon
the plot or, more likely, get asked to leave because your plot is not
tended. We have Council inspections about 3 times a year, the next being
Thursday, which as allotment rep I also attend. Found out this week that
two plot holders are giving up at the end of this season, one young lady
only married a year ago husband not interested at all (always a problem),
and an older man with a double plot who has another plot nearer home
already.
So we should have three new gardeners next year, lets hope they know what
they are doing and what they are getting into and realise you need to put
goodness back into the soil if you want to keep cropping.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

"Ian B" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:
"David WE Roberts" wrote ...

Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the council that we were away over
winter on a world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting
list. Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has been
touched since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the council requesting that they reassign the plot
to us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this
year's growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the council have planted a load of cherry trees
alongside the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)


Probably was re-rented but the new people, full of enthusiasm, took
it on in ignorance of the work involved. Seen it a lot on our site,
new gardeners encouraged by how easy it all seems in all the modern
magazines and TV get a plot and then realise it is constant battle
against weeds, lack of rain, too much rain, physical hard work, and
most of all time. If people are in full time employment it is very
difficult to keep an allotment up straight unless you are totally
committed year in and year out and prepared to change your life style
to accommodate that. That means being down on the plot every weekend
and most fine evenings in the summer. Few are prepared for or
understand that total commitment.

I wonder if such promotion of, er, gardening as a "fashion" might be
creating an excess demand for allotments? Is there a greater churn of plot
allocations than there used to be?


A few years ago it was silly, there were 147 on the Council waiting list and
17 for our site alone which only has 30 plots. The situation now is there
isn't really a waiting list but no plots free either (yet) so it's about
balanced now.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

"Janet" wrote

"Bob Hobden" wrote:
Ours is a Council run site and you pay a years rental up front, so for
someone at work that is about £100.00, and you lose it all if you
abandon
the plot or, more likely, get asked to leave because your plot is not
tended. We have Council inspections about 3 times a year, the next being
Thursday, which as allotment rep I also attend. Found out this week
that
two plot holders are giving up at the end of this season, one young lady
only married a year ago husband not interested at all (always a
problem),
and an older man with a double plot who has another plot nearer home
already.
So we should have three new gardeners next year, lets hope they know
what
they are doing and what they are getting into and realise you need to
put
goodness back into the soil if you want to keep cropping.

IME the majority of allotment newbies underestimate how much time and
sweat it takes to keep on top of a sizeable veg garden, and easily get
discouraged by the tide of weeds. If they started out with a smaller
"beginners" plot they'd probably be more successful with everything they
grew, and more motivated to keep going.

Maybe you could say to three newbies; for the first year you will
all share one plot (and the rent). If you all last the first season, the
best kept section inherits the whole plot. The other two will share one
plot until they show they can cope with a whole one by themselves

That would be quite a good idea but considering the annoyance some plot
holders feel about others that do not keep on top of their weeds and let
them seed (big No No) I could imagine fists flying.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

"Martin" wrote ...

"Bob Hobden" wrote:

"Ian B" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:
"David WE Roberts" wrote ...

Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the council that we were away over
winter on a world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting
list. Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has
been
touched since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the council requesting that they reassign the plot
to us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this
year's growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the council have planted a load of cherry trees
alongside the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)


Probably was re-rented but the new people, full of enthusiasm, took
it on in ignorance of the work involved. Seen it a lot on our site,
new gardeners encouraged by how easy it all seems in all the modern
magazines and TV get a plot and then realise it is constant battle
against weeds, lack of rain, too much rain, physical hard work, and
most of all time. If people are in full time employment it is very
difficult to keep an allotment up straight unless you are totally
committed year in and year out and prepared to change your life style
to accommodate that. That means being down on the plot every weekend
and most fine evenings in the summer. Few are prepared for or
understand that total commitment.

I wonder if such promotion of, er, gardening as a "fashion" might be
creating an excess demand for allotments? Is there a greater churn of
plot
allocations than there used to be?


A few years ago it was silly, there were 147 on the Council waiting list
and
17 for our site alone which only has 30 plots. The situation now is there
isn't really a waiting list but no plots free either (yet) so it's about
balanced now.

The newbies all dream of free vegetables without having to do any
work. The strange ones are those who can't be bothered to pick what
they have grown. We had no end of strawberries from two abandoned
plots. The plots are only a ten minute walk from their offices and
five minutes from where they park their cars.

Amazing isn't it, you wonder why they have a plot, makes no sense at all.
But they often forget it takes time to crop stuff too, we have spend over 4
hours podding peas for the freezer in the last two weeks and a similar time
picking them beforehand besides all the other jobs.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 4 Jul 2011 16:29:47 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

"Ian B" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:
"David WE Roberts" wrote ...

Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the council that we were away over
winter on a world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting
list. Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has
been
touched since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the council requesting that they reassign the plot
to us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this
year's growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the council have planted a load of cherry trees
alongside the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)


Probably was re-rented but the new people, full of enthusiasm, took
it on in ignorance of the work involved. Seen it a lot on our site,
new gardeners encouraged by how easy it all seems in all the modern
magazines and TV get a plot and then realise it is constant battle
against weeds, lack of rain, too much rain, physical hard work, and
most of all time. If people are in full time employment it is very
difficult to keep an allotment up straight unless you are totally
committed year in and year out and prepared to change your life style
to accommodate that. That means being down on the plot every weekend
and most fine evenings in the summer. Few are prepared for or
understand that total commitment.

I wonder if such promotion of, er, gardening as a "fashion" might be
creating an excess demand for allotments? Is there a greater churn of
plot
allocations than there used to be?


A few years ago it was silly, there were 147 on the Council waiting list
and
17 for our site alone which only has 30 plots. The situation now is there
isn't really a waiting list but no plots free either (yet) so it's about
balanced now.

The newbies all dream of free vegetables without having to do any
work. The strange ones are those who can't be bothered to pick what
they have grown. We had no end of strawberries from two abandoned
plots. The plots are only a ten minute walk from their offices and
five minutes from where they park their cars.
--

Martin


Would it not be a good idea for all you 'learned ones' to give some form of
'instruction' or 'advice' to those contemplating an allotment instead of
knocking those who are 'un-learned'?

Would it not be a good idea for you all to impart your thousands of years of
knowledge into a new newsgroup/forum uk.rec.gardening.allotment advice from
those who know?

Oh how wonderful to be born with all the knowledge those who post on
uk.rec.gardening received at birth. Rather like those who were born with a
Driving Licence and have no tolerance for those with "L" Plates on their
vehicle.

NOT YOU? Of course not ;-)

As someone said to me, without my postings bringing this newsgroup/forum
down to Earth with a bang, it would be so "Po Faced"

Mike

--

....................................

Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive.

....................................

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

Amazing isn't it, you wonder why they have a plot, makes no sense at all.
But they often forget it takes time to crop stuff too, we have spend over
4 hours podding peas for the freezer in the last two weeks and a similar
time picking them beforehand besides all the other jobs.

My peas never make it to the kitchen, never mind the freezer, they get eaten
straight from the plants!

Alan



--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Janet wrote:
IME the majority of allotment newbies underestimate how much time and
sweat it takes to keep on top of a sizeable veg garden, and easily get
discouraged by the tide of weeds. If they started out with a smaller
"beginners" plot they'd probably be more successful with everything they
grew, and more motivated to keep going.

Maybe you could say to three newbies; for the first year you will
all share one plot (and the rent). If you all last the first season, the
best kept section inherits the whole plot. The other two will share one
plot until they show they can cope with a whole one by themselves

When we got our first, we wanted a whole one and they advised against and
gave us a half one. After a year and finding we had nowhere near enough
room to grow much more than enough potatoes and beans for the year, we asked
if we could have the rest of it, but they had already given it to someone
else.

In article , 'Mike'
writes yet again to demonstrate his total
****wittedness

--
regards andyw

"newsb" wrote in message
...
In article , 'Mike'
writes yet again to demonstrate his total
****wittedness

--
regards andyw

!PLONK!

In article , alan.holmes
writes

"newsb" wrote in message
...
In article , 'Mike'
writes yet again to demonstrate his total
****wittedness


!PLONK!


Devastated am I.

I already miss all your elegantly measured posts too - and its nothing
to do with me having a killfile.

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 4 Jul 2011 16:29:47 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

"Ian B" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:
"David WE Roberts" wrote ...

Just went for a nostalgic look at our old allotment.

I was far too honest and told the council that we were away over
winter on a world tour.
They said we couldn't keep the allotment as there was a long waiting
list. Surprise, surprise, there is no indication that the plot has
been
touched since we cleared it last autumn.

I have written to the council requesting that they reassign the plot
to us.

We shall see; even if we do get it back we have lost much of this
year's growing season.

Therefore.

Grumble...grumble...grumble....

On a positive note the council have planted a load of cherry trees
alongside the road and the tiny fruits are wonderful :-)


Probably was re-rented but the new people, full of enthusiasm, took
it on in ignorance of the work involved. Seen it a lot on our site,
new gardeners encouraged by how easy it all seems in all the modern
magazines and TV get a plot and then realise it is constant battle
against weeds, lack of rain, too much rain, physical hard work, and
most of all time. If people are in full time employment it is very
difficult to keep an allotment up straight unless you are totally
committed year in and year out and prepared to change your life style
to accommodate that. That means being down on the plot every weekend
and most fine evenings in the summer. Few are prepared for or
understand that total commitment.

I wonder if such promotion of, er, gardening as a "fashion" might be
creating an excess demand for allotments? Is there a greater churn of
plot
allocations than there used to be?


A few years ago it was silly, there were 147 on the Council waiting list
and
17 for our site alone which only has 30 plots. The situation now is there
isn't really a waiting list but no plots free either (yet) so it's about
balanced now.

The newbies all dream of free vegetables without having to do any
work. The strange ones are those who can't be bothered to pick what
they have grown. We had no end of strawberries from two abandoned
plots. The plots are only a ten minute walk from their offices and
five minutes from where they park their cars.
--

Martin


Would it not be a good idea for all you 'learned ones' to give some form
of 'instruction' or 'advice' to those contemplating an allotment instead
of knocking those who are 'un-learned'?

Would it not be a good idea for you all to impart your thousands of years
of knowledge into a new newsgroup/forum uk.rec.gardening.allotment advice
from those who know?

Oh how wonderful to be born with all the knowledge those who post on
uk.rec.gardening received at birth. Rather like those who were born with a
Driving Licence and have no tolerance for those with "L" Plates on their
vehicle.

NOT YOU? Of course not ;-)

As someone said to me, without my postings bringing this newsgroup/forum
down to Earth with a bang, it would be so "Po Faced"

Mik

Thank goodness for the Solent. From one who possesses little gardening
knwledge.

Bill