ALLOTMENTS AVAILABLE IN WANSTEAD, LONDON E11

[fruitfeller]

OUR SITE IN WANSTEAD, LONDON E11 HAS A FEW 5 & 10 ROD PLOTS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE VISIT THE SITE AT :

RODING FARM ALLOTMENTS, NUTTER LANE, WANSTEAD, LONDON E11 2JA

ON A SUNDAY MORNING BETWEEN 10AM AND 12 NOON

FIRST TO TURN UP WILL TAKE THEM. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE.

[Westi]

What no waiting list?? Actually saying that I was talking to someone on our committee who says our waiting list is nearly in single figures!

Westi

[fruitfeller]

We have a very small waiting list and currently more plots vacant than those on the list.

COME AND JOIN US.

[Motherwoman]

I get the feeling that the fashionable element may be dropping out of allotmenting, perhaps people are realising what hard work it is and the time commitment involved.
We seem to have 'empties' on our site at the moment since the September invoicing.

MW

[fruitfeller]

I agree, we do seem to have a larger number than could be expected that either do not renew their tenancy or just let the plot get overgrown with weeds and little planting, then are surprised when they get moaned at. I always say that a small plot of 5 rods can take up to 20 hours a week to do it justice, a larger one much more. There are a lot of people that think having a plot is a good idea and fashionable but do not know or do not even ask how much work is involved. Some even seem to think that they can plant something or sow seeds then come back weeks or months later to harvest produce, some hopes !
Having a plot may become even more popular early next year, I have read that the BBC has already filmed and will screen a Great British Bake Off type of show early next year. It is about pairs of people growing on allotments, tending, harvesting and eating their crops, pairs will be knocked out until there is one pair left. We will have to see how many trendies this attracts.
One reason to try to get our vacancies filled before then.
Regards
Fruitfeller

[Motherwoman]

Oh no! Even allotmenting has become a competition.... What ever happened to TV shows that demonstrated how to do things without people bursting into tears.

Hope you manage to fill your plots fruitfeller.

MW

[Stephen]

Until recently, I thought we had a waiting list but a half-plot adjacent to mine has been neglected for a couple of years. The previous occupants were making a success but firstly swapped plots then gave up, in consequence of child-bearing. Since then two couples have arrived, one swapped to another plot, the second just disappeared.
It is, to a certain extent, problematic because of the shade cast from the magnificent trees on the southern border (my plot suffers too).
Being a half-plot, occupiers can not move stuff into sunnier parts. I think the managers made a minor error in splitting the plots, although they are long plots, splitting lengthwise would have created more equal plots. Spltting top and bottom creates a more desirable and less desirable choice.
A part of me would love to extend but my head tells me I have enough to do on a single plot.

[Motherwoman]

Could try a bit of fruit Stephen if you took on the shadier plot. I have the top half of a split plot as well as my 10 rod plot and it's about 15ft or so from a 3 storey block of flats on the southern side. It see's no sun on the top half all winter and about half a day in summer. I put redcurrants and gooseberries on the very top and I get tremendous crops. Blackcurrants and Loganberries further down and some veg at the bottom. So it can be useful.

MW

[Stephen]

Hi MW
Yes, that is just what I do on mine too, the currants and gooseberries manage very well in the shade as does the rhubarb and the Jerusalem artichokes.
You are right that these are good choices as they are all low maintenance too. Raspberries would also suit the area well (I have as many of these as I can cope with!
P.S. I found that the birds attacked the redcurrants but not the white ones on the adjacent bush.

[Motherwoman]

I always net the redcurrants and gooseberries or I lose them to birds, blackcurrants I can leave uncovered and they don't get touched. I don't grow the whites, are they a worthwhile crop? Do they taste any different to the red?
MW

[glallotments]

I always net the redcurrants and gooseberries or I lose them to birds, blackcurrants I can leave uncovered and they don't get touched. I don't grow the whites, are they a worthwhile crop? Do they taste any different to the red?
MW

We have whitecurrants but they don't fruit as well as the red and I don't think they are as useful. We did inherit the whites so I've no idea of variety so we may have just not got a good cropping variety. We are digging ours out and replacing with honeyberries. Anyone grow them?

[Stephen]

I always net the redcurrants and gooseberries or I lose them to birds, blackcurrants I can leave uncovered and they don't get touched. I don't grow the whites, are they a worthwhile crop? Do they taste any different to the red?
MW

Hi MW
I'm sorry, this is my first crop and they all went in the freezer because so much else was in fruit at the time. I thought them worth trying as I already have half a dozen redcurrant bushes and I can see that there is decorative value in having whites available.