Cleveleys Avenue Allotments Society

Spring Inspections

2012-03-04T19:42:00.000Z

A gentle reminder to old hands and newer plotholders that the 2012 spring inspection will take place towards the end of March this year.

The inspection team will be looking to see that you have at least made a start on clearing your plot of last year's dead vegetation and preparing the ground for this year's crops by digging/hoeing and perhaps adding compost and/or manure to the beds.

They will also be checking that weeds (particularly perennial weeds, such as dandelions, dock, brambles, couch grass, ground elder, goosegrass, thistles, bindweed and mare's tail) are under control so that you have the maximum amount of land available to grow crops.

In addition they will be looking to see that the boundaries between your plot and those of your neighbours are largely weed-free with none of your weeds invading a neighbour's land. Remember that weeds are now about to explode!

Finally we are also required by the council to make sure that all plots are hazard-free in so far as that is possible. So, no pieces of broken glass please.

Best wishes

CAAS Committee Chairman

A new season arising

2012-03-03T12:33:00.002Z

Hi All

Although the South seems to be suffering from drought, there are (as yet) no such worries up here. Nature, in fact, seems to be treating us to a bit of premature spring.

It's good to see how many people have been busy on their plots recently as now is the perfect time to get rid of those weeds, dig over what needs digging, start building any redesigned beds etc., make your sowing and planting plans, order seeds and get in seed potatoes, set up that water-collection system you've always promised yourself, get yourself some composters if you don't already have some, winter prune your fruit trees (before growth starts), harvest the last of those leeks, cabbages etc. and get ready for a busy 2012.

So, we need to take nature's hint and get on with things and, as ever, if you are having problems, please let us know - we will do our best to help.

Best wishes from Cleveleys Avenue Allotments Committee.

Cat Alert!

2012-03-03T12:32:00.000Z

We've had a bit of a panic this last couple of days. That little, ginger cat that's so friendly was trapped in a shed overnight, and, as the plotholder is now away on holiday, it took some time to get a key to release it, fortunately apparently none the worse for its experience.

However, this could have been very unpleasant, or even fatal, for the animal if no-one had noticed its mewing, so can I please ask plotholders to check their sheds very carefully before locking up, especially if this particular cat is around and you're not planning to return for a few days. I'm sure none of us would want to be responsible for causing an animal distress or harm, so a little care last thing could make all the difference.

CAAS Committee Chairman

Our spare land

2012-02-22T18:11:00.000Z

At the last committee meeting (Feb 7th) we discussed what ought to be done about the wildlife area and the area of new land on the other side of the old (grey) metal fence. The wildlife area has become a wilderness, temporarily tamed by the efforts of the council's tree team, while that part of the newly-acquired land not infested with Japanese knotweed (which is being dealt with, but may cause the land it is occupying to remain unusable for 2-3 years) has become similarly wild and heavily overgrown.

With the current long waiting list and increasing demand for allotments it seems a terrible waste that this land is not being put to any use.

The consensus view was that at least a part of these areas should be turned into new allotments. One suggestion was that the parts of the wildlife area and new land furthest from the shop (and from the Japanese knotweed) be cleared, the stumps of the trees recently cut down being grubbed up, and marked out as new allotment land. A suggestion much favoured by the council is to produce a set of "starter plots", each equivalent to half a standard half-plot (ie a quarter-plot), which people at the top of the waiting list would be expected to take and cultivate satisfactorily before being offered a half-plot. As these would be smaller than present plots, provision would be made for paths to be left between the plots with, maybe, a communal shed for tools.

A new wildlife area could be created from the land immediately to the left of the container, on both sides of the present fence (which will, we are promised, be removed soon), but this will be successful only if a group of people guarantee to maintain it for a set period. The present state of the wildlife area indicates what happens when no-one is made responsible for maintenance and care.

What we need, therefore, is a group of plotholders willing to take responsibility for drawing up a plan to create, manage and maintain a wildlife area and to put that plan into action.

If you wish to be involved in this project, please let me know as soon as possible.

Best wishes

CAAS Committee Chairman

Water butts

2012-02-12T08:22:00.001Z

With the increased emphasis by the Council on reducing mains water use and its steadily increasing cost (as well as the very real possibility that water restrictions might be in force should our coming summers actually turn out to be dry ones) it has become more important than ever that plotholders should collect and store rainwater falling upon sheds and greenhouses.

At November's AGM the suggestion was made that we might be able to purchase water butts at lower prices by buying in bulk to enable those plotholders who have not yet started to collect water from their buildings to do so.

One of the plotholders has spent a good deal of time researching this and has discovered that we are unable to gain a discount from any supplier with the number of orders we could manage to raise. However, he has found that Wilkinson's in the Stretford Mall is by far the most competitive supplier by price of butts and fittings.

So, if you have a shed and/or greenhouse and do not yet collect rainwater from it, please get yourself a butt or two, together with the guttering, pipes etc. you need to start collecting, and possibly save a precious crop from disaster.

Best wishes

CAAS Committee Chairman

Farewell, thou good and faithful skip

2012-01-25T21:06:00.000Z

At long last the skip has been removed, and sadly there will be no more skips. Unfortunately, there is quite a lot of rubbish left behind which we need to get rid of before we can use the site for storage of wheelbarrows. If you live close to the allotments or have transport, we would be very grateful if you could help by removing some of this rubbish and disposing of it either by taking it to the tip or by putting it in your regular rubbish bin at home.

If you now have anything on your plot you need to get rid of, then there are several ways to do so.

If it is compostable (and this includes paper and cardboard) you can compost it on your own plot, which is the best option, or, if this is not possible, put it into one of the communal composters.

Any burnable material, such as prunings, raspberry canes, brambles, twigs, branches, old wooden stakes, bed-edges etc. should be put on the wood pile in the middle of the wildlife area; we will have a regular bonfire to get rid of it, and there will probably be some good wood-ash to use afterwards.

If you have any materials, plants etc. which you no longer need and which you think other plotholders might be able to make use of, please send me an email with details and leave the stuff at the end of your plot next to the path. I will send out a general email letting others know it is there. If, after a reasonable time, no-one else wants it then please dispose of it yourself.

Please do not put any more rubbish on the skip site from now on.

Best wishes

CAAS Committee Chairman

Intruders and security

2012-01-15T21:28:00.000Z

A couple of plotholders have noticed this week that a lot of shed doors had been left open, presumably by trespassers on the site, but nothing appears to have been disturbed or taken, except for one shed whose lock was forced.

Would you please check your sheds when you can and, if anything is damaged or missing, it would help if you were to contact the local police to report it, as any report has to be made by the person directly affected. The committee cannot do this on your behalf. The police are unlikely to increase their surveillance unless several people report problems, so your report might help to increase the eventual police presence.

The police email is chorlton.apt@gmp.police.uk, or telephone 0161-856-4784.

We had hoped that the new fence might stop this sort of thing and, certainly, there has been no sign that any intruders have been able to gain access directly from the alleyway, but we will take steps to close any other weak points.

Not a good start to the new year but we'll try to do something about it.

New fence in glorious colour

2012-01-13T16:19:00.000Z

One new fence :) As you can see, at the moment it looks rather spick'n'spartan but, come the Spring, all the cut-back trees and shrubs should sprout back bushier than before to fill in the spaces and green it up beautifully.

Happy New Year

2012-01-08T19:11:00.001Z

A very happy new year to everyone on the allotments.

It was good to see so many people working on their plots today, despite the way the weather went all seasonal on us later. We need to make full use of every opportunity we get between deluges to get our plots as ready as possible for when things start to happen in spring - and spring seems to come earlier and earlier these days. We had a good helping from our purple-sprouting broccoli today, at least a month earlier than usual - and it was delicious!

I think we should congratulate ourselves, as everyone paid their rent before the year end, something I don't think we've achieved before. Our hard-working and totally indispensible treasurer won't have to spend most of the spring chasing people for money, which will let him spend more time on his plot.

Let's make this a good year (if the weather lets us).

Best wishes

CAAS Chair

Wind damage

2012-01-06T12:23:00.000Z

One of the Committee members has had a look around the site and noticed that the recent storms have caused damage to some of the sheds and greenhouses on the plots.

There are roughly half a dozen greenhouses with broken glass, and one of the new plot holders looks to be missing one of the roof struts from their greenhouse. More pressingly the Communal Plot shed has had its roof blown partly off. It has been blown over to sandwich the other side of the shed roof leaving the interior open to the elements. Elsewhere, part of a corrugated shed canopy has been part blown off its base and it is now resting against the perimeter fence. All other sheds looked to be ok, but there may be some small damage.

It might be worth checking your plot for any damage and making things safe.

The new fence is up and running!

2011-12-19T21:30:00.002Z

By now you've probably noticed that the new fence has been installed, and we believe that this will greatly increase the security of the allotments.

Various passers-by have already commented favourably upon the improved appearance and we hope that the improvement to the alley will also help the local community to feel safer.

We would be very grateful if people with plots bordering the alley could remove the litter that has been previously thrown from the alley into the bushes and which might otherwise spoil the first impression of the allotments.

The addition to the gate is a temporary fix which will be replaced in the new year with one which matches the top of the new fencing.

Security Update

2011-12-11T20:18:00.000Z

You'll see that the privet hedge along the alley to the right of the gate has been topped and trimmed. This was done, at our expense, mainly to encourage the hedge to thicken to deter possible vandals from trying to enter through it, but also to allow plotholders on adjoining plots to gain access to trim their side of the hedge.

The work to replace the fence along the edge to the left of the gates is likely to be starting on Tuesday 13-Dec or Wednesday 14-Dec, and should take about a week. A few panels will be replaced each day and no gaps will be left in the fence overnight. The trees and bushes behind the fence will have those branches that protrude through the fence clipped back. Only the very few self-seeded trees that are actually rooted in the public path will be taken down. The contractors will not need to come onto anyone's plot.

There might be slight parking and access problems during the work, but we'll try to keep them to the minimum possible.

Don't forget: the allotment side of any hedge on the plots is still the responsibility of the plotholders to trim and maintain.

An update: rents; structures policy; manure; lost, found and free

2011-11-26T16:00:00.001Z

Rent

Please remember that 01-Dec-2011 is the last date for 2011-2012 rent payments. If you haven't been able to pay to date then please pay at the shop on Sunday 27-Nov 11:00-12:00, catch the Committee Chair (plot 37) or Treasurer (plot 25) some other time, or email the Committee at cleveleys.allotments@yahoo.co.uk to make other arrangements.

Policy - Sheds, Greenhouses and Polytunnels

The Committee has updated this policy, giving more details on permissible sizes. You can read the update by following the "Policies and Procedures" link under Essential Information.

Manure

We have had some wonderful horse manure delivered recently: very well-rotted and with minimal rubbish in it. An email has gone out with the supplier's contact details but if you didn't receive or can't find it then please have a word with a committee member down on the plot or email cleveleys.allotments@yahoo.co.uk.

Lost, Found and Free

We seem to have accumulated quite an assortment of tools, mainly spades, which have been left near the shop/composters by accident. They will be on display at the shop on Sunday between 11 and 12.

The shop also has back copies of Kitchen Garden and Garden News magazines going free to interested allotmonauts.

September inspection results and policy for sheds, greenhouses and polytunnels

2011-10-07T19:58:00.000+01:00

The new policy has been added to the side section. Please do take a moment to read it through.

The table below now includes the results of the September plot inspections.

Criterion	Apr 2011	Jul 2011	Sep 2011
Meet current health and safety guidelines	98%	100%	100%
Mainly under cultivation	92%	94%	98%
Weeds under control, with very few established perennials	80%	64%	81%
Edges maintained and mainly weed-free	60%	63%	65%
Plots receiving full marks	33%	27%	20%

Winter water shut-off Oct-2011 to Mar-2012

2011-09-13T17:02:00.002+01:00

Two members of the committee went to an AMAS (Association of Manchester Allotments Societies) meeting last week and were informed of a new Council policy regarding water supply.

The water supply to the site will be shut off during the second week of October and will not be switched on again until the second week of March 2012.

We understand that the meter will be read at/after the shut-off and again in March, and that, if any water has been used between these two dates, the Council will send a bill for all plotholders to pay.

If you feel that you might need water between these dates, it might be a good idea to top up your water-butts before the shut-off.

Extended absence from your plot

2011-09-12T21:56:00.000+01:00

If you are lucky enough to be planning an extended holiday away from your plot (we're talking months, not weeks, here), then you need to contact a member of the committee in order to discuss how your plot is to be cared for in your absence, so as to cause the minimum inconvenience to the holders of adjoining plots and to ensure that your plot is in good condition for you when you return.

The policy is now included in "Policies and Procedures" under Essential Information.

So, if you plan to be away from your plot for more than, say, eight weeks, do, please, let us know.

More art on the allotments! Sunday 11-Sep-2011, 10:30-17:30

2011-09-10T20:06:00.000+01:00

A CAAS member has kindly forwarded an invitation to an Open Shed Event: an open studio and exhibition at Bradley Fold Allotments, Manchester.

Come down to Bradley Fold Allotments to see a series of works in progress showcased by artists: Liz Wewiora, Tasha Whittle (TXLW), Jay Yung, Tracey Eastham, Claire Tindale and Simon Jones

There will be a produce sale (all created by Bradley Fold members) with tea and cake from 14:30 onwards.

Directions

Bradley Fold Allotments is situated at the bottom of Ford Lane off Dean Road, off Wilmslow Road in Didsbury, Manchester: googlemaps link

Annual General Meeting: Saturday 05-Nov-2011, 14:00, Chorlton Library

2011-09-10T19:55:00.001+01:00

The annual get-together for discussion of matters affecting CAAS, future plans and allotmenting in general.

We have booked the meeting room at Chorlton Library: just come along to the reception desk and staff will point you in the right direction.

Autumn Clear-Up Day: Sunday 18-Sep-2011, 10:30 onwards

2011-09-10T19:51:00.003+01:00

It's been a great year for weeds, so it's time to reduce their numbers a bit and improve the appearance of the site.

We need volunteers to clear the weeds from the main path and from the communal areas, i.e. the shop, the skip, the container and the composter bays.

We'll bring the refreshments; you only need to bring your trusty hoe or trowel!

So, if you can spare an hour (or so) on Sunday 18th September, we'd be delighted to see you.

Let's hope the weather is kind to us!

Art Fusion on the Allotments

2011-08-12T22:13:00.001+01:00

Art Fusion is a Manchester based group of artists who paint for pleasure. Their website contains a gallery of images, contact details and an events diary - well worth a look.

In early July, they met at the allotments for a bit of inspiration and one of the members has kindly given us permission to post his work: a lovely watercolour of one of the plots. As usual, please click on the image to enlarge it.

Inspection Policy and Procedures

2011-08-12T22:06:00.000+01:00

The policy and procedures for inspections of established plots are now listed in the their own separate page on the sidebar.

Greenery and purplery

2011-07-31T19:38:00.001+01:00

I do hope that everyone is enjoying the courgettes and beans as they come on!

We've also got brambles in the hedge and on a few plot boundaries. As I type, I've got a batch of the beautiful berries simmering on the hob with a couple of sliced apples, some nutmeg and sugar. Custard? Crumble? Crumble with custard? Fruit tarts? With lashings of custard? I'll think of something :)

2011 Inspections - Spring and Summer

2011-07-24T19:03:00.001+01:00

The committee carried out the July inspection a few days ago and the table below shows this year's overall results to date.

Criterion	April 2011	July 2011
Meet current health and safety guidelines	98%	100%
Mainly under cultivation	92%	94%
Weeds under control, with very few established perennials	80%	64%
Edges maintained and mainly weed-free	60%	63%
Plots receiving full marks	33%	27%

Shed recommendation

2011-07-23T23:23:00.000+01:00

The allotmonaut of 51A put up his new shed today...

If you're thinking of getting a new shed and only need a wee bit of space for a few essential tools and a shelter from sudden downpours, then you might want to consider getting one of these.

As you can see, it sits neatly on a pallet for drainage and 51A says that it took only an hour or two to erect.

If you're interested then they're £60 from B&Q - get them while they're (probably) going like hot cakes!

CAAS Plots of the Year 2011 - Most Promising New Plot winner and runner up in glorious colour!

2011-07-23T22:32:00.000+01:00

This year, both the winnng and runner up (running up?) plot in the Most Promising New Plot category were in the reclaimed land on the southern edge of the site.

It was a wasteland a year ago. Bricks, needles, broken glass, weeds of all descriptions, odds and ends of plastic, tree stumps (and how!), bits of rotting cloth and string... if it was grim then it was on this piece of land.

Here's a "before" picture. It gives only the smallest hint of the scale of the task! (Click on the picture for a larger version.)

To see what two sets of new plotholders have accomplished, click on the "read more here" link below - I hope you'll agree that these awards are very well-deserved!

Most Promising New Plot - Winner

The lovely curving path made from bricks found in the ground.

The wonderful reclaimed corner-bath pond!
It has a pathway of stones across the middle for frogs and birds,
and the edges will soften as the ferns grow up and out.

A close-up of the beautiful marigolds and courgettes.

Lilies and whirligigs :)

Most Promising New Plot - Runner Up

This is the communal plot, hence the size!

The communal allotmonaut in its native habitat!

The greenhouse is a thing of splendour.
So much colour, shape and texture in one place.

White rot

2011-07-23T17:29:00.000+01:00

A plot neighbour popped over yesterday evening to say that several people have found their onions and garlic infected with white rot - check your alliums while you can!

Symptoms (from the RHS site):

the first symptom is yellowing and wilting of the foliage, especially in dry weather;
under wetter conditions the plants may not wilt but will become loose in the soil;
below ground, the pathogen rots the roots and then invades the bulb;
white fluffy fungus growth appears on the base of the bulb and later this becomes covered in small, round, black structures.

Gardening Which? has produced a handy document on the problem, and Down Garden Services suggests spreading garlic powder through the soil once every four years in a rotation plan.

Most importantly, if you do find it then please DO NOT put infected plants in the communal compost heaps - the spores will simply live on in the compost and spread the grief around. Instead, bag them up tightly and put them in the bin.

In happier news, I hope to post pictures of the winning plots in the Plots of the Year 2011 competition over the next couple of days. I just need to get permission from the plotholders :) In the meantime, here's a slightly dodgy picture of my wee shed laden with sweetpeas and nasturtiums...

Plots of the Year 2011

2011-07-19T21:52:00.000+01:00

Best-Kept Established Plot

There have been allotments at Cleveleys Avenue in Chorlton for just over 100 years and this year an old tradition was revived with the Plots of the Year Awards. Competition was fierce for the best-kept established plot category as there were 64 individual plots to choose from (Committee members' plots were not included).

Winner Plot 36B

The plotholder has had this plot for only two years after waiting a long time for one. She had never grown much herself but her mother is a keen grower and she was used to eating home-grown produce in her childhood. Her mother's practical help and advice proved invaluable when she first got her plot but now she is flying solo and her mother comes just as an honoured guest.

This small plot is brimming with over 20 different varieties of vegetables, herbs and fruit mainly in raised beds (of which the plotholder is a big fan) surrounded by paths, covered with woodchip to suppress weeds. She makes her own compost, grows comfrey to make liquid fertiliser and is currently planning how best to collect rainwater from her shed roof.

She is very keen on companion planting and would particularly recommend planting French marigolds with broad beans. She has had no blackfly on her broad beans this year although neighbouring plots have!

Another top tip is to plant potatoes through black membrane which keeps in moisture, suppresses weeds and avoids the need to earth up the potatoes.

A neighbouring plotholder grew scorzonera last year and, after tasting it, the plotholder liked it so much she decided to give it a go herself this year. In fact, the single best thing about the allotments is, she says, "Chatting to other plotholders, swapping ideas and getting advice."

Runner-Up Plot 5/6A

Three friends with three adjoining half plots made a big decision a few years ago and decided to cultivate their plots as one large plot, sharing the work and the produce. They say that a particular advantage is that it makes it so much easier to rotate crops.

They grow a wide range of fruit and vegetables and have on-site composting. They already collect rainwater and are hoping to set up a system to collect run-off from their greenhouse soon. An outstanding feature of their plot this year is the very large bean arch - made (in the best allotment tradition) from an old child's swing.

Naturally, if you are thinking of following suit you would need to get on really well with your allotment partners. It certainly helped that the plotholders already knew each other before they got their individual allotments way back in the days when the waiting list, if not exactly non-existent, was much shorter than it is today. But sharing has certainly worked well for them and they would recommend it to others.

Most Promising New Plot

2011 was a very good year for people on our waiting list with an exceptionally high number of new plots available, thanks largely to the newly reclaimed area which provided six individual plots (as well as the communal plot) out of the grand total of 13 new plots. The standard too was exceptionally high, so much so that the committee felt it was a great pity each of the newcomers could not be awarded a prize.

Winner Plot 51A

The single most amazing thing about this plot is that the plotholder has only had it for a little over four months. In that time, mostly single-handed, he has taken an overgrown piece of wasteland and created an allotment which is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach!

He was so pleased to get the plot that he started digging the very next day. He says that he has enjoyed every minute of it so far, despite it being back-breaking work at times. One day he dug out more than 60 house bricks, most of which now form his signature winding path.

His parents were part of "The Good Life" generation and he grew up with goats, chickens and growing all their own fruit and vegetables. But, he says, "I never thought I’d have a chance to cultivate my own plot in the city until recently."

Four months later almost all the plot is now under cultivation. In a shady corner at the top of the plot is the latest addition - a salvaged corner bath which is now a wildlife pond. The next step, he says, is to install a shed with rainwater collection facilities and to plant some fruit trees on dwarf-rooting stock.

Runner up: The Communal Plot

In just under 9 months an enthusiastic and energetic group of 13 people have transformed their share of the wilderness which was the newly-reclaimed area into a productive model allotment producing over 30 varieties of vegetables, fruit and herbs.

In the autumn and through the depths of the winter they laboured hard removing rubble, bricks, plastic and glass, some of which had been buried there years before. One of the group estimated that they removed over 100 barrow loads of rubble. And not all went to the skip as they were keen to recycle as much as they could so, for example, all their paths use bricks dug up on the site.

As well as all the usual plants, they have also experimented with less common varieties such as winter purslane and asparagus peas. They have installed a shed and a greenhouse (now full of tomatoes, aubergines and peppers). They have added water collection systems to the shed and greenhouse and have set up their own composting facilities.

So enjoyable has the experience been that all the group plan to stay on for a second year!

Everything's coming up edible!

2011-07-15T20:38:00.000+01:00

After starting the blog up again, I managed to lose the log-in details! I'm a dab hand with onions... not so good with blogging, it seems :)

Still, the site looks glorious now, bursting with colour, shape and scent. Roses, marigolds, sweet peas and nasturtiums brighten the borders and beds, and we're harvesting potatoes, calabrese, salady affairs, kale, raspberries, peas, beetroot, cherries, onions, cauliflowers, courgettes... and many, many more! The plum trees along our southern border are starting to bend with fruit.

Swifts, squirrels, ducks and wee chookie birdies are everywhere. Wandering down to pick lettuce yesterday morning, I stopped to say hello to a blackbird perched high on a stake on my neighbour's plot. There he sat, chucking away to himself, bright-eyed and glossy-feathered against a blue sky.

We've made a good start on clearing the Himalayan balsam from the wildlife area. The stuff was spreading fast, but the flowering tops got lopped off and I've started to pull the stems for the communal compost bays. The stuff grows very tall - taller than me - but has quite shallow roots, which are fairly easy to drag up. It's triffid-tastic, though, with thick, juicy stems and roots that spread out in sprays of scarlet.

Open Gardens Day

After a slightly damp start, the weather brightened up and we welcomed around fifty people through the gates. This wasn't bad, considering that we were one of the outlying sites involved in the day. We had several visitors from other allotment sites, and there was much talk of toilets - everybody wants one but few want to be in charge of cleaning, it seems! - and lots of interest in our large communal plot.

CAAS Plots of the Year 2011

The results for Most Promising New Plotholder(s) and Best-kept Established Plot have just been announced. I shan't name names here in public, but well done to the winners and to the runners-up! The committee has put the plot numbers up on the notice-board - do go along and look at these plots when you can. They show what can be achieved and, who knows, next year we could all be coming to look at your plot :)

New life in the old blog

2011-06-15T22:46:00.001+01:00

This blog has been dormant for a while now - since the first post waaay back in 2008, in fact. We're going to try to dust it off, spruce it up and make it a resource for members of CAAS and for those interested in allotmenting.

Please bear with us - content will follow :)

Cleveleys Avenue Allotments Society

2008-05-23T17:17:00.000+01:00

Why get a plot?

Allotments provide the opportunity to grow a huge range of fruits and vegetables affordably, and with careful planning plots can be productive throughout much of the year. However, keeping a plot in good order takes a lot of time. Before applying for a plot, think carefully about whether you are able to commit to at least ten hours a week during the growing season.

All plot holders at Cleveleys Avenue are expected to:

Clear at least one third of a new plot within three months
Clear the full plot within 12 months
Keep plots as weed free as possible and to a good level of cultivation throughout the year
Use plots for the production of fruits, vegetable, herbs and flowers - wild garden areas are not permitted!

Our Site Facilities

Site shop - a wide range of products at a discount price, including compost, organic fertilisers, soil conditioners and bamboo canes. Open every Sunday morning throughout the spring and summer months.

Skips - four skips are provided per year for the disposal of pernicious weeds and non-recyclable site waste. They are not for green waste from plots - this must be composted!

Taps - provided at various points around the site.

Equipment - wheelbarrows and hoses for communal use, stored outside the shop.

Regular Socials and Events

Spring and Autumn Clear Up Days -help us to keep the site tidy and enjoy a well-earned piece of cake!

Late Summer BBQ - A fantastic opportunity to socialise, share produce and celebrate the success of the growing year!