should plot holders have more than 1 plot?

[wulf]

It sounds to me that there is a distinct need for more land to be set aside for allotments! Is there a central allotment holders organisation that has data on how much land is set aside across the country, where there are vacancies and where there are waiting lists?

Wulf

[newbiemum05]

There are some allotments locally that had such a slow take up, one family we know has 10 plots !
They keep chickens and ducks on some, as do some other folk down there.
There are still some vacant which we are trying to take up (we had to wait til hubby finished his MSC as didn't have the time before with a toddler and one due in the next couple of weeks).
I guess it just seemed a shame to leave them empty. They run a couple for local school children to help with and do regular open classes for people new to veg growing.

If they were in demand then several well looked after plots would no doubt become available.

[Bluemoon]

I can understand the frustrations of someone on what seems like an interminable waiting list, but many people who have more than one plot initially took the second one on to try and keep their sites viable in the days when allotments were unpopular ( a mere four or five years ago). If it weren't for these people the land would have been sold to developers and there wouldn't be a site to have a waiting list for.

[Rosendula]

The plots at my site were halved many years ago (long before I got mine). So although mine is called a single plot, it is actually only a half plot - 187sq.m. With a family of 5, this is not big enough to provide for us. I am on the waiting list, which I believe goes in chronological order, so I will be offered another one ahead of someone else who doesn't have a plot and who joined the list later than me. I think this is fair. What isn't fair is that there's one bloke in particular who has three (half) plots. He is a single bloke with no family to keep, and he doesn't even bother cultivating more than a few metres square. He only keeps the plots for the shed space. As a pensioner, he also gets a discount. So I'm not convinced that I, as an active plot holder, should not be prevented from joining the waiting list for another when there are people like this spreading their weed seeds and being generally greedy. I don't think I am being greedy, just trying to fulfill my family's needs and willing to pay full rent for it.

I think one other thing that needs to be taken into account is living conditions. If people have a big garden, no plot. If they have no garden or a small garden, at least one plot.

Then there are family sizes. Why should a single person have multiple plots when a large family only has one small plot?

[prison break fan]

Fully agree with Bluemoon (would that be once in a?) Our allotment site was about to be reclaimed by the land owner, and it was only due to hard work that we managed to keep them open. We needed 11 tenants and could only get 8 so 3 of us had 2 plots. they are only 10 metres by 12 metres, not very big, when you fill them up with potatoes and pumpkins etc. This was 3 years ago, and now we have a waiting list of 2, and as the secretary, I have no intention of asking people to give up their second plot. They did the community a service! pbf

[Merry]

Our site has several members with four - five - in one case six plots. This happened for a variety of reasons. Firstly, because not long ago nobody wanted them so people took on multiple plots to keep the site going. Then, there was a crazy rumour that the site was going to be taken for building and plot holders were going to get massive compensation payouts. That made people hang on to plots when they had no intention of tending them.
We`ve got a waiting list now, and a more robust committee, but it`s still hard to get people to give up their little weedy domains without a fight.

[confused]

Well plots are like gold dust, in my neck of the woods, i was "given" one at the start of the season (may) the story was that the guy who had it only wanted to keep his pigeon loft on it ,so i talked it over with him and he said he was delighted for me to have the remainder as it would keep it tidy and it would help to keep his pigeons safe with someone else being round about the place,we discussed paths etc, and all was fine , i turned up the following saturday 6.am. and got stuck in planted 4 row of spuds, cleared a bit and dug it over for onions ,and leeks, spoke to some neighbours who promised plants etc, my wife arrived with a pot of coffee and we sat down ,to enjoy and plan, (11.30) ENTER THE PIGEON MAN !!!!!
me :- "hi nice morning"
P.MAN :- "oh a change of plan"
me :- "eh?? "
p MAN :- " change of plan"
me :- "eh??? how ?? why ????"
p MAN " OOT NOW!!" NO GID FOR THE DOO'S
result = i now dont have an allotment ,my name is on the council list but they say it will be years, p.s. i hope the pigeon man enjoyed the tatties.
On the same plots some folk have 4 plots and sell the veg???? dont seem right to me.

[Green Aura]

I thought you weren't supposed to grow commercially on allotments. I'm sure I've read it somewhere.
And for my tuppenceworth - so many new plot holders seem to come and go these days (people who like the idea but can't hack the work, creepy crawlies etc, that 2nd plots should be allowed for those with a good track record/big family etc.
Maggie

[Rosendula]

I thought you weren't supposed to grow commercially on allotments. I'm sure I've read it somewhere.
And for my tuppenceworth - so many new plot holders seem to come and go these days (people who like the idea but can't hack the work, creepy crawlies etc, that 2nd plots should be allowed for those with a good track record/big family etc.
Maggie

It says in my tenancy agreement "the said land is not let and shall not be treated as a market garden". So no growing things to sell, but I guess if you have a surplus and accept a small payment from friends and family no-one's going to be bothered. Personally, if I ever manage to grow more than I eat (unlikely - I like eating ), I think I would rather give it to people.

I think the point about people liking the idea but not being able to hack it is a very good point. Perhaps they should be allowed a single plot for the first year, and then be allowed to join the waiting list for an extension if they prove they are dedicated. If they can't manage to get it up to scratch in the first year, that doesn't necessarily exclude them from the waiting list for ever, but they can join it after they have maintained a certain standard on their plot for a year.

[Merry]

Some of our plot holders have got multiple plots by going on the list as individuals, not as a family. So Dad has one, Mum has one then the kids go on the waiting list as they each get old enough.
(14 yrs on our site)
Fair enough I think.

[Flo]

I've thought about going on the waiting list for a second plot but have managed to produce slightly more than the family can manage to eat this season (and kids are on holiday at moment so am giving away some of their share). And it's a double one. We'll see if we can get production organised for freezing stuff next summer (peas and runner beans at least). If we can then it will be worth asking for another one. Don't fink there will be any spares though as Duke of Northumberland has just sold off a big area of what was allotments for housing so there is now a waiting list.

[sadie]

I think it depends how big they are...

When I first went on the waiting list for an allotment I was told that there was a choice between a 10 rod plot or a 5 rod plot. When, 2 years or so later I was eventually offered a plot they had all become 5 rod plots (any large ones being cut in half if they came up). I immediately put my name down for another but recently (6 months on) had a letter telling me that those without a plot will have priority (read: you won't get another one).

As I feel I only have a half plot already, I find this very annoying, especialy when so many of the plots are not kept up.

I've decided in principle to get around this by "guerilla gardening" next year. A quick dig over, then plant out cheap unfussy staples (spuds, cougettes etc.) on some of the plots not being used. If, during the growing season, someone takes on the plot & gets stuck in, they will inherit the crops. If not, the ground will have been worked and I will have more produce without paying any extra rent!



I even mentioned it to the chairman who seemed to think it was a reasonable thing to do...

[Merry]

Guerrilla gardening - brilliant idea - hope it works for you.
Several plot holders on our big site put `easy crops` in odd places around the site - `just to keep it looking tidy you know.`
One woman has even put stuff in a disused greenhouse that`s waiting to be sold. `Shame to waste it.`

[Cheezy]

We apparently now have 47 on the waiting list. This time last year it was 42, some people have been kicked off , and 3 new plots created. So it's getting worse.

Our plots are all half plots (120 in total), they've started to half these! (5x 10m)

Initially I thought this was crazy, but what they apparently do is if you look after your quarter plot, but want more you can trade up to a half plot, by giving up your quarter. This has just happend for one couple, they have taken over a right weed infested patch, however because they have some experience they are less likely to fail. I guess they'll be given this new plot free until the new season (March) when they'll move out of the quarter.

One plot next to mine was turned into quarters, one is very well kept and very productive (older chap), the other quarter is only half in use and they hardly ever turn up.(young couple)
So they obviously would have had a major problem with a half plot.

Apparently they are in negotiation with the council to get a little more land for 4 new plots.

Since we double dug and made raised beds, which are now dig free....I miss digging!
So decided to turn over a quarter of a bed (the lowest wettest bit) into a pond.

Just started the digging

[sadie]

Perhaps it could work like this... If after 2 years (for instance), your plot is well kept & productive you could "earn" the right to a second plot...?

I wouldn't want to move from mine to get a bigger one, (not that there are any) as I've built a substantial fruit cage & planted a number of fruit trees which will not be at their best for a few years (or want to move).


I remember how I felt while on the waiting list, trying to grow stuff in pots in a 3M square yard...