Kitchen Garden Forum

A new rule is being introduced next year on the 27 Allotments in Cardiff-75% of your plot must be cultivated.It will be interesting to see what the plotholders with a 10-perch site and six 10ft by 4ft beds will do and will the councils Allotment Officer take action to ensure the rule is obeyed!

How are the beds arranged on the plot?

In a huddle, or, evenly dispersed?

Evening Peter,
On our site generally evenly spaced,6 to 8 per plot, but the one plot which I had in mind has one-third in lawn and six beds in the other two-thirds,small ones,two with veg. and the others planted with flowers.There is a small summer-house,slide and play frame for the kids and a barbecue area.It is immaculate and would not look out of place as the back garden of a house,and is used as such on a regular basis.

Good idea, the allotment next to mine (upwind) was a bane of my life with wind blown weed seeds, the holders used to appear, dig a strip and disappear for the rest of the year. Well done. Cheers, Tony.

Sounds very much like continental allotments, Snooky! Their sheds usually have running water, electricity, often main-drainage loos and you can plant and do what you want on them as long as you pay your rent.

I must admit, I prefer our type of allotment which is for growing mainly vegetables!

Allotments have taken on a different role though since they were first created. With many people now not having a space to call a garden I think it is reasonable for them to grow flowers and have a patch of lawn or a patio on which they can sit and have a coffee break or let children play whilst the parents garden.

On our site a third of a plot can be used for keeping chickens which again is allowed on many allotment sites.

We are also told to encourage biodiversity and some of the plot holders on our site have a wildlife pond or an area where grass is allowed to grow to provide additional habitats for beneficial wildlife

Then there is the term cultivated - this doesn't just relate to growing vegetable does it?

Maybe a more specific ruling about allotments being kept in such a way that they do not cause a nuisance to other plot holders would be more reasonable. I think the diverse way in which people choose to garden their allotment as long as it doesn't mean they just leave weeds to grow is something that shouldn't be discouraged.