Pressie for allotmenter?

[BuilderMammy]

I need a good present fr my allotmenting sister, but I don't know enough about it to know what she'd like or need. It's actually for her birthday rather than christmas but I figure in here we're all thinking about pressies anyway so it's a good place to ask.

What is your budget?

Gardener's Tool Belt?

Bought a newspaper pot maker for MIL a couple of years ago and shes used it lots. We bought a small one which she says are great for seeds but she'd like bigger pots too so we may well get her another this year.

They do those Gardner hand cream sets!
There's also a fabulous hardcover book on allotments.
A tool she needs for gardening
Good flask for taking tea or coffee to allotment
Seeds

I am an allotment. Father Christmas could bring me any of the following:

• timber for raised beds
• anti-butterfly netting/cage for my brassicas (scaffolding netting is excellent and cheap on eBay)
• more timber to make a frame for my brassica netting
• another compost bin
• a waterbutt and guttering for my shed
• a new camping stove for making tea at the lottie (mine is a but unpredictable)
• a box of those long life milk portion thingies to keep at the lottie for making tea
• weed control membrane; or a huge supply of cardboard boxes
• well rotted manure
• wood chips
• a nice folding chair for sitting in the sun
• new wellie socks

PS: I would not want anyone else to choose my seeds (other than a voucher from Sarah Raven) or tools (unless it's a copper fork from Implementations)

I would never choose seeds for someone else! We already got her a flask and a good book. She put in all the raised beds she could fit in the summer. Not sure about the newspaper pot maker, she doesn't buy papers. She has a favourite handcream; maybe a tube of that as part of a selection of things? The welly socks would go well in that, and the UHT milk.

Thanks folks, I have the seeds of a good plan now : )

Having allotmented for many years, one of the most useful items I had access to was my allotment partner's antique line and pins - they don't seem to be that easy to find but here's a modern one. They're the easiest way to get lovely straight lines of seeds.

Home bargains had a good selection of gifts for gardeners today - one of the things I noticed was a retro tin mug that you might be able to fill with socks and handcream etc.

@ "I am an allotment".

I stumbled across These recently which look rather sweet, although not being an allotment myself I can't comment on how good it would be!

I'd love it if someone would get a load of well rotted manure delivered to mine for me. It does all depend what she's already got in terms of seats, storage, tools etc and if she's got a shed to keep it all in. Garden gift vouchers are always welcome.

That tin tool holder is sweet, but looks heavy to carry to and from the allotment and too nice to leave out there if she hasn't a shed. Do you know if she drives or walks there? I nearly always walk to mine, about 1/2 a mile, so anything that goes to and fro needs to be light.

Part of my business is gardening and I really appreciate my tool belt as scurry suggested.

Another thing I'd like is a little radio. Maybe your sister would too?

How about a wheelbarrow (maybe a decorative plant holder type) filled with a couple allotment books, nice gardening gloves, handcream, a decent sun hat,flask and a knee pad

I have an allotment, and last year got fleece lined wellies- they are great in the winter. Mind you they are white with pink flowers! I get a few looks from some of the old timers . And I wear out good suede gloves all the time, so always needing new pairs

the well rotted manure is good too- where I am we have a local farmer who delivers it as well

That's what I need, the problem is although you can bring a car or truck on site, you then have to shift it all by wheelbarrow down to the actual plots, I imagine anyone who delivers it is going to want to dump and run (as it were!) not wait around for me to barrow it all to the plot. Can't really dump it all on the communal bit where cars can drive onto either. This has been my first year and my soil is badly in need of improving.

Ooh- not on our allotments! We have a long path/road with the plots on either side. We built our bin with old pallets at 90 degrees and next to the path. Our farmer drives up and past with his tractor and trailer, and very cleverly backs up and tips it in the open fronted bin! We are obviously spoiled :)

Yes, only about 12 plots out of about 60 have direct vehicle access on ours, the rest of us are along narrow grassy paths. They used to do a bulk delivery for the site that you could get a share of but that has stopped now. I'm going to be gathering as many sacks of leaves as I can in the next few weeks to take up there while they are dry and light to rot down into leaf mould.

How about coffee bags to go with the long life milk? Proper filter coffee in bags similar to a tea bag?

lyonscoffeeuk.com/products

I buy mine from Tescos or Waitrose for about 2:60 for 18 bags.