2 questions. Poison and Ditches

[Rosendula]

I have tried extraordinarily hard to be friendly to, and keep on the right side of my next-plot neighbour. No-body likes him, and with good reason. I don't like him, but he has the plots on both sides of me, and the double one opposite me, so being surrounded by him, I am putting in a lot of effort. Also, the last lady who got on the wrong side of him went into her greenhouse one day to find her seedlings had been poisoned. The people who had my plot before me told me he poisoned their potatoes one year and they didn't get any. These are just two of many examples. He's a bad man.

Anyway, he said to me the other day that he's going to pour some Round-Up on 'this bit'. I walked over to see what bit he was talking about, and it was a part of mine that I hadn't managed to get dug and is a bit weedy. He said it will help me out. There are no plants in it yet, but I was hoping to get something in there soon. Of course, I've told him I want to do things organically and don't want chemicals on my plot. But I really believe he will do it anyway. To 'help'.

So, question 1: if he does poison my weeds, how long before I can plant on that bit?

This has all made me realise that I need to dig a ditch along the edge of my plot. This will serve several purposes; help with drainage, help prevent the spread of weeds from his plot to mine, stop him accusing me of allowing my weeds to spread to his plot, he won't be able to just reach over with his Round Up... you get the drift.

So, question 2: any advice on digging a ditch? How deep, how wide? How do I stop the sides sliding in and filling it up again? Anything else?

Thanks in advance for any help

editing to add a picture so you can see what I mean about being surrounded by him.
He has plots 1, 4, 5 & 6. Plot 2 has been mine for the last 18 months or so, plot 3 is what I took over last winter.

[Clara]

could you get some black plastic to cover the area? might not be the cheapest option but it would stop weeds spreading, protect your soil and be non-confrontational.

[Rosendula]

That's a good idea. I have a huge piece of carpet that I inherited with the plot. If I just put that there for now until I get something else sorted.... I'll do that tomorrow.

I forgot to mention, in the picture, the double plot to the right of no.6 belongs to the bloke's nephew, but it's my neighbour who uses that one as well. How many plots does a single guy need?

[Millymollymandy]

If he has plots 1 and 4, they are just overgrown jungles, whilst your two look beautifully cultivated. So shouldn't he be worrying about HIS weeds coming onto your plots?

Have to say I glyphosated a strip of the field just next to my veg patch this year because I'm sick of the cleavers that climb up and through and swamp everything, and now my veg patch is infested with their seedlings - as well as 4-5 foot high nettles that come through my wire fence and I have to rip them out or they sting me, plus they too self seed all over the place and their rotten roots spread into my patch.

It's only the 2 foot wide field margin which isn't cultivated and only about 6" of that that I sprayed. Naughty me but it is so much easier working my veg patch at the moment - they'll be back though!

[Rosendula]

The picture was taken about a year ago, before I took over no. 3. The people who had it then were always complaining about the weeds spreading from his plot - and rightly so, I had it on my side too. But he was always complaining that the weeds were spreading ONTO his plot, from no. 3. Before I moved onto it, there was a low fence, about 12 inches high, around the edge of plot 3. It was an attempt to stop some of the spread, but it didn't work. All that happened was that he started using the path between plots as part of his plot. As I was taking over I noticed that he had some cauliflowers growing on what I thought should be the path, but thought perhaps he had planted them too close to the edge by mistake and let that one go. Recently, though, he has poured poison on a part of his plot and then blasted it with a flame-thrower, right up to the edge of my plot. That means he has taken over the pathway. Now if I say anything to him, it will get me on the wrong side of him, and if I say anything to the council it will be obvious I've reported him because who else would? I don't really care about the path, I can use the one at the other side, but it's the fact that he's getting closer and closer. I do feel that he's trying to push me into saying something to get on his wrong side. He really enjoys not liking people.

Oh I don't know. Reading back this all sounds so muddled I obviously don't know what to make of him or the situation I'd just like to create some kind of physical barrier between me and him. If I could build a massive brick wall I would.

[Clara]

i think the above just confirms what i was thinking about the ditch idea...that he'd probably fill it in and claim the land. i think you do need to create a good physical barrier and if he says anything, be all sweetness and light - after all you're doing it to protect him from your weeds aren't you.

i was reading the other day about people being kicked off their plots if a certain percentage was left uncultivated, because there is a huge waiting list etc. perhaps if that is part of your agreement and he is in dereliction of his duty, then you could anonymously suggest that all plots be reviewed.

[teetee]

would he swop his 2 plots (4 and 5) for yours ? then he could have all his plots together. i know it would be a lot of work to start again but might be worth it if it means your away from him. not this season but maybe in the autumn.

just a thought

[Milims]

I think I'd speak to whoever owns the allotments and tell them that he's known to be a bit of a g*t and ask why he has so many plots!

[Green Aura]

Is there no waiting list for allotments in your area?

If you could find out, maybe they could put pressure on the council to make him give up some of his plots - especially if he's not tending them.

But what does he do with them? No dope hidden amongst the high weeds is there Why is he spending time and money to weedkiller round the edge of plots that appear to be completely overgrown. Weird, huh?

[CyberPaddy66]

Depending on the direction of the sun and the lay of the land you could put up a trellis and grow a vine of some sort, that way you won't have to see his ugly plot

[contadino]

Roundup is a bitch. It stays in the soil (and subsequent crops) for years - contrary to what the manufacturers claim. There was a muffled scandal about it about 6 months ago. What's really annoying about the stuff is that in trace amounts it's harmful to wildlife and your health, but won't stop new weeds coming up. It's an agrochemical company's dream.

Protecting your soil is the best approach, as (reading between the lines) it sounds like matey's planning on spraying whatever. Cover the spot with something non-porous (plastic, light-excluding membrane would be best.) When the weeds have died down and your man has had his toxic fun, you'll have a fresh new bed to use come Autumn.

If you see him spraying, and it's not a perfectly calm day, complain first to him, then to the committee. If you explain that you follow organic principles, it shouldn't cause any major problems. IME, people don't tend to bear grudges if they understand your intentions.

[Rosendula]

Thanks for the understanding everyone

would he swop his 2 plots (4 and 5) for yours ? then he could have all his plots together.

Other people have asked him this in the past and he won't. He has a shed on each plot jammed full of stuff, so I think it's too much hassle for him. I saw him today though and he has told me he is giving up plot no. 1 which is a bit of a relief. Rather than putting up the rent, the council introduced a water charge of £5 per plot with no subsidies, so I think that helped make his mind up for him.

I think I'd speak to whoever owns the allotments and tell them that he's known to be a bit of a g*t and ask why he has so many plots!

It's the council who own it, and they know all about him. I've mentioned it 'in passing' to a lady in the department and she told me they get a lot of complaints about the state of his plots. All they ever do is send him letters threatening to evict him. They never actually DO anything. I heard the other day that the guy who's in charge of Parks & Gardens (and therefore the allotments) department actually has an allotment on our site! I don't know what he looks like, but I'm thinking of asking my friend to introduce us one day when we're all there. Not sure that he'll do anything though. My friend has complained to the big boss man about Mr Poison and all he did was sympathise. That's no help.

Is there no waiting list for allotments in your area?

If you could find out, maybe they could put pressure on the council to make him give up some of his plots - especially if he's not tending them.

Last I heard the waiting list in our city was about 500, and for our particular site it was well over 100. That's why they are 'getting tough' and sending letters. Not sure which smiley applies here: , , or

Depending on the direction of the sun and the lay of the land you could put up a trellis and grow a vine of some sort, that way you won't have to see his ugly plot

I had thought of that and have it all plotted out on my Excel document (sad, eh?). I just didn't manage to get on as well with it during the winter as I had hoped due to a rat problem in my shed and not wanting to take my little girl until it was sorted out and everything was cleaned It's all sorted now, and the grape vines I bought are in tubs at home, so hopefully next winter I'll get them in.

Roundup is a bitch. It stays in the soil (and subsequent crops) for years - contrary to what the manufacturers claim.....
IME, people don't tend to bear grudges if they understand your intentions.

Thanks for the info, Contadino. I was hoping you would say it would be fine after a few weeks I've moved the huge carpet that was covering what was meant to be a compost heap when I took the plot over, so it looks like I'm trying not to let my weeds spread onto his patch. I had a walk about it first and it didn't look like he'd done anything yet. Nothing was dying off and it was all dry.

Most people I know don't bear grudges, but this guy's different. He loves bearing grudges. I get to hear about them all

I think next time I talk to him I'll tell him I've put the carpet there for now and that I'm going to dig that bit first so that my weeds don't spread onto his plot like Clara suggests. That way I'll stay in his good books and he won't have a reason to poison my patch. And the grapes will go in this winter. Glad CyberPaddy mentioned trellis. I'd forgotten they need a frame to climb up

[Rosendula]

And then it suddenly dawns on me: if I do make a 'fence' with the grapes and things, can I really have a ditch as well? I don't think having both would work. Until CyberPaddy mentioned it, I'd forgotten all about it other than watering the plants in their pots. If I dig a ditch, the 'fence' would have to be on my side of it. Hmm. I think I'll ditch the ditch.

[Brij]

I think you should build a castle. With a moat around it

Good luck on getting rid of this guy! He sounds like an ass