Allotments

[calebsmum]

Really fancy applying for an allotment, does anyone know how much it costs?? Also how often do you get up there? I'd only really be able to go at weekends, ds would enjoy it as well ( I hope)

Depends on where you live. Ours cost £18 for the year, plus £5 membership of the allotment society.

Some areas have huge waiting lists, others it's easier to get an allotment.

My husband goes once or twice week most of the year (not deepest winter!), but in peak growing or harvesting seasons he goes more frequently. We try to have family trips a few times a month, where we all go - the kids help sometimes, play sometimes and squabble sometimes!

We've found the little and often approach works best - it's seriously discouraging to leave it for a while then go and see all the weeds! So sometimes we'll go only for 20 minutes to water or pick things, other times it's an hour or two.

Well worth it though.

Ours is £13 for the year but they are in such demand that the waiting lists have now been closed. The time I spend there varies but last summer it was so hot I had to get there every day to water otherwise everything was just dying. At the moment I haven't got much going on as my cold frame etc was destroyed by the high winds, but I pop down a couple of times a week to put my kitchen waste in the compost bin and keep an eye on things.

Its not such a family activity for us (which I find sad as we had an allotment when I was little and I have fond memories) because ds has asd and just runs all over the other allotments which isn't fair on anyone. This means I'm quite limited to term-time or a quick watering trip in the evening after dh gets home from work. Even so it was surprising how much I managed to grow last year and I've already got big plans for this year!

Forgot to say my plot is a bit cheaper because it is slightly smaller than the others so the others are probably about the same price as Portonovo's. We are on the south coast.

12 quid each for 2 large plots together (per year). Weekends will be fine in the winter when you just need to keep an eye out, make repairs etc, but come the growing season you really need to commit to every other day I'd say for watering, harvesting, weeding and pest control.
We do go with the kids, they found it odd at first but like anything they get used to it. They have their own patch now as well which makes it easier.

Why don't you try container gardening at home for veg while you wait if there is a wait list? That way youll know whether you want to commit the time and effort required for certain fruit and veg, recognise what's easy to go for you, what is worthwhile, and whether ds will like it too.

Hi, I tried growing veg in our garden but there's lots of cats round here and alot of the veg got either sprayed or was dug up. There's some vacant plots at the local allotments and they also do half sized plots for beginners. I look after DS all day then work evenings but I could always go up in the day with him?? Sure in summer he would love it, winter might be a bit more difficult.

Really want to grow my own fruit and veg as it's healthy and cheap!

I'd love an allotment, there is a fantastic one opposite dd's school but someone has to literally die before the waiting list moves.it wouild be great as I could go on the way to/from school.

We make do with lots of pots growing instead