@celcius_kkw Yeah exactly, I’m more fussed about the things that would hit me hard emotionally to lose than monetary value. It’s why I haven’t taken any plants until they’re ready to put in the ground. Anything potted could just be pinched, like my roses.
I think I’ll get more trusting again over time.
Sorry about your wheelbarrow and fork! Has this happened at your current allotment? I didn’t think you’d been there very long.
Ive been putting the barrow into the shed just before locking up, since the polytunnel incident. I have taken tools back to keep there though, I bought some cheap ones from Wilko, as if I’m always having to cart tools there every time we go it would be a major inconvenience and would make walking or biking there impractical.
While I say they’re cheap tools, they’re actually very good. I really rate the bypass pruners and the pruning knife I bought there is sharper and a more useful shape than the far more expensive branded one I bought from a GC.
Not long back from the plots, got a bed of lettuce planted just before the latest thunderstorm hit. Retreated to the greenhouse and put the tomatoes in their grow pots. At least I have made some space in the cold frame so hopefully I can move some more plants out. One advantage of the cold is no black fly on the Broad beans-YET.
I've been on a waiting list for 7 different allotments sites since late last year (a lot of sites declined to place on the waiting list due to it already being too long).
Has there been a surge of interest since the pandemic, or has it always been like this?
@Greenbird, exactly as @Mr. Vine Eye says, a lot depends upon where you are. There was a big surge in interest in grow your own last year, but as someone who has been involved with Allotments since I was a child I have seen this come & go many times. We have big waiting lists here, but after a while , things will change again. People's lives change and they give up, or move away etc, many who have been watching on TV don't appreciate how big a commitment it can be & underestimate the work involved. If you're keen try getting to know people on a local site, volunteer to help a person who may be struggling to keep up their plot, it's not strictly in the rules but it can be a faster way in if the local committee can see you are serious about getting a plot.
I put my name down for an allotment in March after a lot of consideration knowing the commitment it takes. I started 40th on the list for a 12 plot site 😖 but I've recently moved up to 36th...I'm guessing there's people who've applied and either moved away or reconsidered it. I still reckon I've got quite a few years to wait but that gives me plenty of time to sort out the garden at home and learn more so maybe I'll know what I'm doing by then 😂
Our site had to stop letting plots due to the pandemic until a month ago. I reckon that 50% of new allotmenteers don't last more than 12 months and yet it takes another 12 months before they relet the plot unless an existing plot holder wants it, it's quite common that a plot holder has 2 or even 3 plots but never completely use all of the ground to grow things preferring to extend sheds and seating areas, erect kids swings and store materials, not fair on anyone who genuinely wants a plot.
@barry island , do agree , our committee has suggested to a couple of people to cut there plots in half as they where struggling and it has seemed to work and new people have taken on the other half’s As far as I can see there is only 2 plots with junk , however I realise somebodies junk is another person’s treasure but they have started to tidy up having been issued with warnings I have noticed that people give up when they try and do it all in one go , instead of a section at a time and treat it has a long term hobby
@Mr. Vine Eye So far I have lost a wheelbarrow - but I think overall ‘theft’ is still relatively under control here. I’ve since left out my plants and bags of compost in the poly tunnel and they’ve not been pinched so far. I do chain my whelelbarrow and tools to the broken shed that I’ve got on the plot though. I don’t have a proper shed that I could lock things in but when I first collected my key the site rep basically told me don’t bother locking anything as that would serve more of an incentive for an opportunistic thief to break into.. I think there’s a reason why some sites have got more vacant plots than others.. a well run site with good facilities and on site CCTV is obviously going to be much more popular and thus a longer waiting list.
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I think I’ll get more trusting again over time.
Sorry about your wheelbarrow and fork! Has this happened at your current allotment? I didn’t think you’d been there very long.
Ive been putting the barrow into the shed just before locking up, since the polytunnel incident. I have taken tools back to keep there though, I bought some cheap ones from Wilko, as if I’m always having to cart tools there every time we go it would be a major inconvenience and would make walking or biking there impractical.
While I say they’re cheap tools, they’re actually very good. I really rate the bypass pruners and the pruning knife I bought there is sharper and a more useful shape than the far more expensive branded one I bought from a GC.
At least I have made some space in the cold frame so hopefully I can move some more plants out. One advantage of the cold is no black fly on the Broad beans-YET.
Has there been a surge of interest since the pandemic, or has it always been like this?
But in many places you have to wait years.
We were lucky with the weather this weekend and managed quite a lot of time at the plot.
I bought some more raspberries from Morrisons: 2 all gold, 1 more autumn bliss and 2 Tayberries.
If you're keen try getting to know people on a local site, volunteer to help a person who may be struggling to keep up their plot, it's not strictly in the rules but it can be a faster way in if the local committee can see you are serious about getting a plot.
The allotment committee are also asking other to improve there’s
As far as I can see there is only 2 plots with junk , however I realise somebodies junk is another person’s treasure but they have started to tidy up having been issued with warnings
I have noticed that people give up when they try and do it all in one go , instead of a section at a time and treat it has a long term hobby