How to... get an allotment
Jane Moore and Lizzy Gayton share an organic allotment in Bristol. Here’s their essential guide for allotment beginners
Getting an allotment is often easier said than done. They tend to be in hot demand and you might have to join a waiting list for a site. Having said that, people give up every year, so it’s worth phoning your local council to check.
If you don’t have a particular plot in mind ask the council for a map of sites in your area – there might be one near your work. And if the waiting lists are huge, ask the council about parish council or church sites.
Location, geography, site rules and water supply are your first considerations when choosing a site; an existing shed, site shop and allotment association are worth looking for too.
Choose your plot
The plot we selected is level with plentiful water taps, with one on the corner of the plot. The site also has a lovely allotment shop. It was also worked for years up to a year before so, although weedy, it was relatively straightforward to get it back under control.
The only downside is the lack of a shed. The site itself lies slap bang between our homes and has a nice pub a stroll away – perfect for planning sessions after labouring on the plot.
Plot sizes
A full-size allotment is commonly 10 rod, pole, perch or lug. These are historic names for an ancient land measurement and each is equivalent to 25.3 sq m or 30 ¼ sq yds. An average plot is 10 rods, which is about 250 sq m (302½ sq yds).
Essential tool kit
You only need a handful of tools to get your plot up and running, so don’t go mad and buy every gadget in the garden centre. It’s worth investing in a decent spade and fork; secondhand ones will do to get started as long as they’re solid.
A flat rake is a must to get a seedbed to a good consistency and a hoe is handy for a quick weed through in the summer. Hand tools such as trowels and secateurs range hugely in price but you get what you pay for, so spend as much as you can once you’re a committed allotmenteer.
Down to earth
A good soil is pure gold to allotmenteers, especially one that has been nurtured and cultivated for years. Lush swathes of nettles, docks and chickweed indicate a fertile soil. Worms are a good sign, too, and ideally you should be digging up one or two with every spadeful.
As for pH, a test kit (available from garden centres) is very helpful; anything from 6.0-8.0 is ideal for growing most fruit and veg. If your soil is below 6.0 it’s acidic so add lime in the autumn. If above 8.0 it’s alkaline, and regular addition of manure or compost will lower the pH.
Soil falls roughly into three types based on its texture: sandy soil is gritty and dusty, clay soil is sticky and silt is silky. The perfect soil has a dark, crumbly texture and is a mix of all three types.
Clay soil is sticky and difficult to dig in winter and slow to warm up in spring, but then tends to be dry and baked in summer. On the plus side it’s easy to improve with organic matter such as manure and compost and it contains plenty of nutrients.
Sandy soil is easy to work and warms up quickly in spring. It’s also free draining – often a bit too free and can lose valuable nutrients. Keep it covered in winter and add organic matter when digging in spring to help bind it together.
The soil on our allotment is pretty close to perfect, mainly through the hard work of our predecessor. By regular cultivation, incorporating manure and compost he improved the clay soil no end and Lizzy and I intend to keep up the good work!
This feature originally appeared on the Gardeners' World website.
To find out how to grow brassicas in your allotment, as well as more general gardening tips and advice, visit Gardeners World - Blog - Growing Brassicas.
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