Acquiring a New PLot

Acquiring a New Plot

It’s that time of year again. The bills are going out to allotment holders for the coming year and many will look at the bill, consider what they have achieved on their plots in the last year – or not - and how they can better use their money and their time. As my daughter always tells me ‘You get out what you put in!’ This, of course does not mean the financial commitment [well! perhaps a little]. It mostly refers to the effort/ energy/ work/ time. Of course, when some people decide that the plot is not longer a viable venture, this is an opportunity for others, who have been on waiting lists for – perhaps years, to achieve their first plot. How exciting!

The plots I rent cost me, in the region of, £200 each year. This includes the rent for my plot, the shed and the seeds and, a contribution for my ploy-tunnel. It doesn’t include lorry loads of manure, canes, nets, fleece, environmesh and all sorts of other little items I think might be worth having but are not essential and most of them I can persuade my family to buy me as Christmas and birthday presents.You can also save on seeds by saving your own. Also, I know that, even in a poor performing year [in the last two bitterly cold winters, when I had to buy many of my vegetables] I, more than, covered those costs against what I would have bought in the shops of fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers, by a long way! Of course, my allotment association is definitely one of the cheaper ones and – if I dare say it – one of the better organised [though I have seen a better one!]

I do still have to buy mushrooms, citrus fruit, potatoes and onions [the latter two after about February until the new season starts in April] but, apart from that, I have preserved - frozen fruit and vegetables to use on those occasions when the ground is too frozen to harvest in winter. This may not always give me the vegetables I want to eat at any given time and it does result in gluts which must be dealt with but, all-in-all, financially, a plot is worth having.

But, and there is a BIG ‘but’, for the plot to be productive, it really needs to be planned and it is most important to put in the effort, time and work. This is difficult when people have commitments to, perhaps, a young family or a demanding job. Little children are not usually welcome if they are allowed to impose on other plot holders [similarly with dogs, unless well under control] though, most plot holders are happy to see children and young people getting involved and becoming interested in the whole process.

Do think about the time involved. If you have a demanding job and can, really, only come to the plot at week-ends or less often, remember that as your plants are growing, so are the weeds [and as it is their natural environment, the weeds will take over!]

Okay! Let’s assume you feel you can take over a plot and make it successful, productive and life enhancing. First of all you must plan what you will grow. Lots of plot holders only grow for the late spring, summer and early autumn months, which is fine, if that is what you want to do. Some plot holders are only interested in growing fruit – eating it, freezing it, preserving it. This is also great and is a really very low maintenance model though, do look at the rules of your plot membership. Usually trees are not acceptable, unless fruit trees are on dwarf rootstock. Talk to your field rep. about this. [ I have to admit to planting fruit trees on my plot without asking but, having since read the Tenancy Agreement more carefully, I’m now careful about keeping my little trees under control so that they don’t impinge on my neighbour’s plots]. Of course, fruit trees are not the only fruit to impinge on your neighbour’s plots. Raspberries produce runners which will appear up to a metre away from the parent plant and can be very irritating for your neighbours. Similarly, blackberries, loganberries, tayberries can put out long branches which grow across footpaths and neighbours plots.

Right! This is an excellent time to look at what the seedhouses have to offer. [In the UK, the main ones are Dobies, Thompson and Morgan, Marshalls, Suttons, Unwins – they can all be accessed on-line. If you prefer heritage or organic seeds, I do recommend The Real Seed Catalogue] Of course they will set out their stalls for you to choose from and you will feel tempted to buy far too much – I always do, even though I should know better though, many types of seed will keep for several years if you do buy too many. I also share with my children who each now have their own plots [as they share with me!]. check out will keep and what must be used in the year of buying.

If you have been allocated a full plot you might have lots of room to try out and grow a wide variety of produce. But, probably, in these days of long waiting lists you have only been allocated a half or even a quarter plot [and this might well be enough for you]. Even then it might have been untended for some time before your predecessor decided to give it up [very irritating for lots of people and a headache for the allotment’s organisation]. It might take you some time to bring it back. Pests, such as slugs, and many perennial weeds will have become established. It will take time and patience to eradicate them. [Actually, they will never be eradicated but, they can be controlled to a level where you control them rather than them controlling you].

Do plan! Think about:

·          what you like to eat

·         what you can grow all year

·         what you can grow easily in your conditions – soil, 

      weather, temperature, etc, check them out!

·         how much room do you have?

·    what tools do you need? – spade, fork, rake, dutch hoe, 

  trowel, watering can? – buy only what you need when you need it 

  you may find to don’t need some of this stuff and that there other 

  tools essential for you [eg secatuers]  – but, do buy the best quality you can afford.

·         how long will the crop be in the ground which might prevent you growing another crop?

·         when do you need to buy seed? when do you need to sow? when do you need to transplant? what are the care considerations [watering, staking, etc]? when do you harvest? what do you do with the crop when you have harvested? what are the pests/diseases which must be watched for and treated to ensure a good crop? what do you have to do to achieve optimum results?

There are lots of sites on-line available to help you with this information. Do check with the seed houses you buy from and do Google!

It sounds so complicated but, of course, you don’t need to do all of this stuff in one sitting. You can also, until you get the hang of it, buy young plants from your local garden centre or from the main seed houses. This can be a brilliant way to get started and is very encouraging. Even well experienced gardeners do this as it means they don’t have to go through the process of propagating and growing on when they don’t have [and don’t find it economic to provide] the conditions for ‘growing on’. It has to be said that there have been occasions when my seeds have failed or I have not been able to transplant my seedlings as at the right time, when I have had to buy young plants, plugs, mini plugs, etc.

If you have been lucky enough to acquire a new plot this new year, good luck and - most of all - enjoy it!.