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Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own

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tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45709
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 04 10:57 am Post subject: Allotments
Remember even if you can't afford lots of land allotments are a very cheap and often under-utilised resource, it doesn't cost much to grow your own. Anybody got one?

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28251
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 04 11:07 am Post subject:
I was amazed when I heard how cheap they can be Though I confess I don't maintain one despite having no space here. jema

mrutty

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 1578

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 04 1:59 pm Post subject:
�15 a year and you could pop over whilst dropping the wife off to work. In fact it's that close you could fit a network point

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45709
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 04 2:00 pm Post subject:
Sounds like you'd better sign up Jema, no excuses

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28251
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 04 2:07 pm Post subject:
What's the procedure then, contact good old council? jema

mrutty

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 1578

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 04 2:15 pm Post subject:
Walk to the parish office before 12:00 and ask Sue to put you on the waiting list. Simple

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28251
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 04 2:17 pm Post subject:
How much work do you find it to be? I am worried about having the time jema

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45709
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 04 2:24 pm Post subject:
There's plenty of low maintenance stuff you could grow

mrutty

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 1578

Posted: Fri Oct 29, 04 3:31 pm Post subject:

I used to go down for two hours every Sunday when I first took it on. That was to clear the weed and dig over. At this time of year most things are in so once every two weeks for swede.

In the summer longer and nicer days I might go two or three evening for an hour and then Sat afternoon. If you plant really close then there's little weeding. Spring is the worst time as you have to get things planted. Clearly the greenhouse makes this a bit easier now.

I'm really thinking of getting a second plot. Remember our plots are very small compared to some of the ones like FSC has.

Fruiting a 1/4 of the plot with currents, strawberries, etc will make it easier.

Lindsay

Joined: 03 Nov 2004
Posts: 61
Location: Stuck in the suburbs

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 04 10:08 am Post subject:
I've had mine for a month but haven't been able to really crack on with it due to work, bad weather, no car, etc. Also I'm supposed to be digging it with a friend but her finding the time is also a problem at the moment. Still, once I get on with it there'll be no stopping me. And yes, I will be putting permanent fruit bushes in.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45709
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 04 10:40 am Post subject:

Lindsay wrote:

I will be putting permanent fruit bushes in.

Excellent

You know how I feel about fruit, if you're after gooseberries there's a place in Niorflok with an amazing selectio, I think I put it in Web Links, if not I'll do it ASAP

Lindsay

Joined: 03 Nov 2004
Posts: 61
Location: Stuck in the suburbs

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 04 11:23 am Post subject:
Great idea, except for my practically zero budget so will have to make do with what I already have, or can beg or steal (no point borrowing )

mrutty

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 1578

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 04 12:38 pm Post subject:
Let me see what I can do on the Gooseberry, Blackcurrent and Red Current front.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 04 1:04 pm Post subject:

We've just got a new one. The council has converted a field which has been fallow since the dawn of time. We're therefore starting completely from scratch, and any advice would be appreciated. There are no facilities on site, though we are allowed to erect sheds, cold frames, composters etc. One of the local farmers is going to spray it and mow it, then we're on our own. I'll post what we're up to as stuff happens, but if anyone wants to stick in their oar about the best way to do stuff it would be appreciated. We're going to have to fence it because it abutts the common, which has more rabbits than you can shake a stick at.
Cheers, Sean

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45709
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 04 1:23 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

it abutts the common, which has more rabbits than you can shake a stick at

Have you tried?

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