Allotment users - how quickly has your council demanded that you clear your plot?

[Tinker]

We've only had access to our plot since start of 2009. Completely overrun with weeds. We both work full-time and so can only do anything, at the moment, at weekends. Also have 2 kids so have all the other stuff that needs to be done at weekends. But have just recieved teh snottiest email from the council re our plot! And we've cleared about a 1/3 of it already (it's about 20 metres square so biggish plot?)

What are other councils like? There are still other plots on this site untouched by the way. Are allotments only for child-free non-workers realistically?

Anyone?

Sounds ott to me. Might be just acceptable if you hadn't made any start at all and they have a long waiting list, though round here they seem to allow around 3 months to make a start. Perhaps they muddled you in with the untouched ones by mistake? I'd reply stating what you've done and what you're planning to do & outline the difficulties at this time of year with light levels in the evenings & limited time at weekends and not wanting to use pesticides (if that's true). I should think so long as they see you are making progress and have a plan they'll be fine about it.

Alternatively can you strim & cover the uncleared area so it looks as though you're doing more even though you're not?

Thanks snorkle

Your post is a long the lines of the reply my partner has sent back to them. Far calmer than mine would have been! He stated that we're going for an organic approach and, since the council had forbad the use of a rotavator, we would have to dig out the weeds properly and cover the ground as we go. We could, of course, simply do the cosmentic approach if that would please the council more. We await their reply.

Ahem, note the use of "we" a lot...

Actually, what a horrible thought - we might have been clearing the wrong plot!

Hi Tinker, our allotments are managed by the parish council and as long as you are doing "something", ie digging action, they are happy. What you have done would keep our lot happy. It is way more than most plotholders do in the time that you have had. Not my DH - he has his first plot and has dug drains, made plans for raised beds and dug about 2/3 of the plot in 2 days . I am so shocked, lets have the emoticon again . He is probably in competition with my allotment plot - mine is a womanly wonderfulness of neat and tidy. Sorry that what you have done is not enough for your lot - what do you have to do - die of exhaustion on the plot

Thanks Blissed

There was some more activity at teh site this weekend - all had had The Email. No reply yet from her but we've decided she just has no people skills and sends out brusque emails willy-nilly.

How awful! My friend and I have the worst allotment in the known universe and little time but they seem to give us points for trying at least because we've never been sent a terrible email. She must be a meanie.

Sounds very snotty. We are just starting out, well started clearing it last year and have just got it looking ok. I think allotment officers around here leave them for 6 months until they write to you.