Allotments and growing veg

[Rachel_C]

This is a non-nappy thread, woo!

We live in a flat on the first floor so all we have is a teeny little balcony. I really miss the big garden at my mum's where I used to grow some veg and lots of herbs and stuff.

I was thinking of applying for an allotment because there are some about 5 mins walk from where we live. The waiting list is at least 6 months so it's something to plan ahead for. If I apply now, the baby would be 6 months or older when I got it. By then I'll probably be back at work but only for 12-15 hours a week.

Do you think it's reasonable to try starting an allotment from scratch with a 6 month old and working part-time? If we had a garden, I would just do what I could with it but I'd feel guilty if I got an allotment and then didn't use it properly.

 

[kirsten1985]

I don't know, I guess it depends on how much you want to do it at the time! You could take your 6 month old with you, would be good for her to be outside. And it would be spring, so nice time for planting stuff, and you would have veg ready for your baby to eat. All sounds good!

I was thinking about getting an allotment too, I made a tiny vegetable garden earlier on this year but my chickens messed it up and ate everything so its wrecked. I would like to have somewhere where I could grow stuff properly! There are some near me,about 20 mins walk.

I think if you put the time and effort in it would turn out great and be really fun, I think would be hard work though.

We could have a gardening section on here!

 

[K477uk]

I've got an allotment - but I share it with my mum, which is great! We took it over in August and it was covered in weeds, so we only dug over about 1/2 of it. I then feel pregnant and couldn't do as much during the summer as I wanted.

I would say that on the whole you need to spend at least a whole day a week working on it to keep on top - but this can be spread out - which does make it easier!! We have now organised the space so that we are having a grassed and fenced area for the LO when s/he is born/older so that I can work up the allotment and not worry as much about LO.

I would recommend trying to share it at first, because if you have a bad week, so have someone else who can help you out! Also I find working with someone else even if they are not doing anything (in these last few weeks I have just been up the allotment with my mum, doing a little weeding, but mainly talking and we've/she's got loads done!)

I love the veg that you get out of it, and can't wait to make my own baby food from it next year!!

 

[kirsten1985]

I'm on the waiting list for an allotment now

They're a third of an acre, this sounds fairly big to me? Although I could grass a bit like k477 said and just have some of it for veg.

I'm all excited now! I have always had a veg garden but not on such a big scale!

 

[saraendepity]

i'm so tempted to get one too cant wait to hear how you get on

sara

xxxxxxx

 

[Rachel_C]

Ooh I'd not thought of grassing a bit of it over! The flats we're in have lots of grass around but they're not very child friendly because people throw litter and walk their dogs here etc. The council keeps it pretty tidy but you never know what might be lurking. I'd love to make a bit for the baby to play on where I know she'd be nice and safe.

I'm not sure how allotments usually are when you get them... does anybody know? I'm hoping that I'd get one that the previous owner had looked after and I could just change little bits here and there to start with. Or does the council flatten the lot so you start with a clean slate?

I'm going to talk to hubby about it tonight and get my name down on a list. I can always say no thanks if they give it me too early. I think the allotments here are normally pretty big but I've read that you can request a half size one so might do that.

 

[kirsten1985]

Yeah I could have a half size one if I wanted, I'm going to go see them so I can decide. I don't think the ones here are owned by the council, I think they're private. Cheaper than I thought though, it's only a tenner a year!

 

[Rachel_C]

Wow that is cheap! I think it's about £50 a year here for an average size plot so still not bad. I thought it'd be really expensive. The bad news is that I last looked at the council website before I knew I was pregnant. Then there was a 6 month wait for the site I want but now it's gone up to a year There are a few round here though and you can apply for three at once so I hope I get lucky.

 

[kirsten1985]

I hope you get one, my waiting list is a few months I think.

 

[claire-lou]

There is nothing to stop you just using half of it for now and using it all as the LO gets older. I grow my own veg but in the garden and I work ful time, I just added it into my rountine and it only takes a couple of minutes each day. The benefit of giving Jack home grow veg will be well worth it

 

[polo_princess]

Just a thought ... while you are waiting can you not grow some little bits and bobs in pots on the balcony? My grandad's garden is completely paved and he grows 99% of his stuff in pots, esp potatoes

 

[Rachel_C]

Unfortunately the balcony is tiny - about 2m x 0.5m deep. It's also covered (kind of set into the building) so the light isn't great and it gets no rain. Nice for standing on but useless for growing anything more than a few flowers in little pots

 

[colsy]

Yes, I think it's reasonable. Put your name on the waiting list. Then, when an allotment finally comes up (which you say may not be for six months), you can think again at that point - and if you really think it's not possible, you can always turn down the offer, which isn't a prob as the allotment society will then simply offer it to the next person on the list.

I am a member of the very recently formed allotments society in our village. The only problem? There aren't any allotments yet! However, we are campaigning to get some, and I am hoping that by next summer we will have a little plot. Like you, by that point our baby (currently still in my tum) will probably be over six months old and I will have returned to work. (I run my own business and work from home, so maybe that's a bit different from you.)

If you think of working on the allotment as time outside with your baby, rather than as digging veggies, it might help to put it into perspective. So, for example, you probably wouldn't be querying on here whether we think it's practical to go for a walk in the woods with your baby. So, rather than going for that walk in the woods, you can walk to your allotment and sow some seeds, getting you and baby out in the fresh air, helping to reduce your carbon footprint by growing your own veg, and introducing baby to a healthier, more inspiring way of eating.

Good luck - and hope you get the plot ASAP

 

[colsy]

I'm on the waiting list for an allotment now

They're a third of an acre, this sounds fairly big to me?

Gosh, that sounds HUGE. Our allotment society is pushing for an acre and a half, which will include about 20 plots. If you're wondering how to fill all that space, think a bit more laterally than the usual salad potatoes - try bigger things, especially things that you plant just once and then keep coming back each year, such as fruit bushes (blackcurrants, raspberries, goosies, etc.), Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, rhubarb, possibly even a couple of small fruit trees.

 

[Rachel_C]

Good luck getting some allotments sorted!

I work for my husband's uncle so it's actually quite like working from home because it's only 5 mins down the road and I'll be taking the baby to work with me. Not sure how it'll work but I'll give it a try!

It'll be great to be able to teach the baby about plants and stuff. I remember spending nearly all of my time in the garden when I was little but living in a flat ruins that idea. I don't think any child should be without their first experience of eating soil!

I can't wait to start planning what I want to plant where. I've got loads of gardening/vegetable growing books and my mum did let me use her garden but I obviously couldn't rearrange the whole garden like I will be able to do with an allotment. I love the idea of having fruit bushes - I loved sneaking a handful of redcurrants in the garden when I was young. Think the juice around my mouth probably gave me away though!

 

[K477uk]

Goodluck in finding allotments everyone!

Mine was in a right state when I got it, the weeds were about 2/3 foot high and covered all of it. It does, however depend on how long it has been vacant for - they sometimes have problems throwing people off for not using it, so they have to allow it to get like that. Others I have know have had nicely tended allotments that are pretty much ready to go...

I can't wait for my LO to be big enough to be digging with me - my plan is for them to have a tiny plot near the grassed area that they can dig and grow things in - I am also hoping that by allowing them to grow the veg they will not be fussy eaters!!

 

[Babyshambelle]

Hi all! Glad you are on the waiting list for an allotment Kirsten! Sounds like you will have loads of fun with your little one!

Sorry to hijack, but since you greenfingered folk are all lurking round here somewhere I thought this would be a good place to ask.

We live in a flat in a house with a shared garden which we can't plant things in however, outside our back door there is a very small (maybe 1.5m X 2m) area of paving which nobody uses because it is nowhere near their flat. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a few things I could try growing in pots or those compost bag things you can buy. Is it too late now with the weather? Or are there things that are good to grow in the autumn? Any other tips?

Thankyou! And sorry once again to hijack! xxx

 

[K477uk]

You can grow winter lettuces quite easily in pots... other veg to grow include purple sprouting, peas and broad beans - however these may not be as easy in pots.

Carrots can also be planted in Autumn so long as the area is fairly well protected or you can put protection over the top - carrots in pots are really easy to grow! That is all I can think of this early!!

 

[Babyshambelle]

Oooh...thankyou so much!! I might give the carrots a go!!

 

[Rachel_C]

My gardening book says you can plant spring cabbage, endive, winter lettuce and the last sowings of radish and winter spinach about now. Not sure which ones would be good in pots though.

Under cover, it says you can plant mini cauliflowers and Japanese bunching onions, whatever they are, as well as cress, sugar loaf chicory, kale, lettuce, mustard, pak choi, salad rape and salad rocket. On the patio at my mums, we used to have one of those mini greenhouses... it was about £20 from home bargains or wilkinsons. Maybe you could try that? It was like a green framed see through thing about 5 feet high with shelves, about 3 feet wide and two feet deep. Always seemed nice and warm in there!