Hello all,

My partner and I are thinking of having an allotment, as we are feeling very restricted by our poky back yard..
What sort of things do we need to be thinking about before getting a plot? What should you consider when choosing a plot etc?
And any issues on allotments in the S6 area that we need to be aware of?

Any comments greatly received. We are complete novices!

:|

Hello and welcome Picasso303! :wave: :bigsmile:

First stop is looking at the council webpage (http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/parks-woodlands--countryside/allotments) for allotments, which has a downloadable list of what sites have free plots.

Look for ones near you, and even if there aren't free plots, go and have a look anyway, there is usually a waiting list which can be anything from a few months to years long.

Have a look at the sites that interest you, take some photos of any particular ones that look uncultivated.

Ring the council to see if any of the ones you wanted are free. If not, sign up for which site takes your fancy.

Things to look for: what direction the plot faces; are there any trees that could be a problem; does it have any kind of building on it and is it in reasonable condition.

We looked at loads, but none were actually free (even if they were jungles!). When we finally registered for any plot on Hagg Lane/Stephen Hill, we ended up with a pretty neglected one, but it did come with a breeze block shed, which has been a godsend.

Oh, and good luck :thumbsup:

Hi picasso303:wave:

The allotment office should be able to send you out a map of the site(s) you are interested and a list of the available plots on the site.

You are likely to end up starting with an over grown plot, but don't despair - you could always organise a allotment clearing party :partyhat: A good few volunteers could get the site cleared pretty quickly.

Don't just strim and rotivate - you'll end up just chopping up all the roots and have even more weeds!

Good luck

also handy to find out whether you will have access to water or not (if not, you'll need lots of rain butts).

Security is something else to think about - both from vandal point of view, but also from people stealing your lovely veg (pumpkins are particularly vulnerable come halloween time)

New allotments take a huge amount of time and effort, you need to be pretty committed in your first year - but they are hugely satisfying.

As soon as you've found your dream plot :D you need to make a couple of beds and think about what you'll grow this season (most seeds are sown around March / April)

Dont be put off by overgrown jungle like plots! My plot was 6ft high weeds when I took it in June 05, however having cleared it and grown some crops on it during the last season in November 06 my husband took on a jungle type plot, you dont have to be insane to tackle a jungle plot but it does help!! However I found it very rewarding.
As mc55 suggests clear a bit at a time and then plant it up as you go along, once you see your first crops coming up it spurs you on to clear some more, and dont forget that there are plenty of later crops you can put in towards the end of the year for overwintering. For example kale, swede, purple sprouting, some cabbages and onions etc.
Good luck with your allotment hunting and if you have any problems with the Allotments Office let me know and I will see if we can help, as I am President of the Sheffield Allotment Federation.

Consider how much spare time you have. They do take up a lot of it, especially if you take over a jungle, which they often are. We took ours on at the end of August, and might just about get it all cleared in time for the planting season, but that's a result of going pretty much every weekend (sometimes both days), plus numerous evenings.

Also if you get offered one, try and work out how much sun it will get, check whether you can have bonfires (if it needs a lot of clearing), and if it's got loads of crap on it (ours has concrete, old wheels, loads of broken glass, rusty iron fence posts, several old kitchens and god knows what else on it), can you get a car to it to cart it away, or do they have regular 'skip days'?

Consider how much spare time you have. They do take up a lot of it, especially if you take over a jungle, which they often are. We took ours on at the end of August, and might just about get it all cleared in time for the planting season, but that's a result of going pretty much every weekend (sometimes both days), plus numerous evenings.

Also if you get offered one, try and work out how much sun it will get, check whether you can have bonfires (if it needs a lot of clearing), and if it's got loads of crap on it (ours has concrete, old wheels, loads of broken glass, rusty iron fence posts, several old kitchens and god knows what else on it), can you get a car to it to cart it away, or do they have regular 'skip days'?

Well said TeaFan, it can take up a lot of time. Ours was an absolute jungle when we took it on and should be in ship shape for the growing season, but this is largely a huge thanks to the retired friends who we share it with.

It's always worth seeing if you can share the plot, at least helps you get through any gluts of veg as well!