River Cottage Spring How to set up an allotment

Date Published:

28/05/2008

You've got your plot - now what can you actually do with it?

If I take on a wildly overgrown piece of land can I get stuck in and clear the lot of it?

In a word, no. There are several key things to consider, and in some cases it's illegal to ignore these ground rules. First of all, what looks like a daunting sea of impenetrable brambles to you, is undoubtedly home to an abundance of wildlife, especially birds. The ideal time to clear brambles is in the very late autumn / winter when the nesting season is over and it's easier to identify nests and signs of wildlife. If clearing a plot in the springtime, you should meticulously check each area for nests before you wade in there with loppers and clippers and only clear brambles that you can see right through, avoiding the thickest growth altogether. Knowingly disturbing or destroying birds' nests is illegal and you will be fined. If you want to be absolutely sure, ask your council to recommend an ecologist who will be able to advise you on the safest way to clear your land. You may be sharing your plot with badgers, slow worms, foxes, birds, among others and it's vital to make sure they are protected. After all, they were there first.

Can I grow whatever I want?

Pretty much. This is your chance to take over the earth but as you embark on creating your own gardeners' world, ask yourself: what's the point of my allotment? Before you sow, think about what you'd actually like to be reaping in the coming months. Work with the seasons, keep it simple to start with, and think about growing a variety of produce. How do you view your allotment? Are you looking to reap the crops you sow, or are you looking to create an oasis of colourful flowers, a place of beauty in which to escape and contemplate?

Can I blag any freebies to get me started?

Some of the more generous seed suppliers may offer you samples as an incentive and you can always look into joining your local Seed Exchange - a swap shop for seeds, seedlings and invaluable know-how between allotment keepers. Here are a few seed swap links:
www.seedypeople.co.uk
www.growfruitandveg.co.uk
www.overthegardengate.co.uk

Growing from seeds is the cheapest option by far, so invest or better still, construct a propagation heaven on your windowsill and you'll be amazed at what comes through in a matter of weeks.

In terms of materials, skips and builders' merchants' cast offs can provide some rich pickings when it comes to sourcing wood, materials, pallets, planks and stakes from which to make your raised beds and compost bins. Use the roof of your shed, some drainage pipes, old tarpaulins, old containers and a dose of ingenuity and you've got a bespoke water harnessing system for your allotment. Take one old metal flue, a pile of bricks and an old baking rack and you've got a brilliant allotment stove. Check out www.freecycle.org

Don't count your chickens

Until you've checked with the council whether you're allowed to keep them. On the whole, chickens are fine, but installing a lively cockerel into your neighbourhood is not the best way to make new friends and more to the point, is also not allowed by most councils. Talk to someone who knows about keeping poultry as you want to be sure you're creating the right environment for your birds and taking into account any welfare and security matters that might come up.

Can I really become a small holder in a city?

Generally with your council's permission you can keep chickens, rabbits and bees on your allotment but if you really fancy yourself as a smallholder then why not go the whole hog and get pigs? You'll need obtain a site holding number and contact the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) regarding your plans, so talk to people who have gone through the process before. City farms can be a great point of reference. Not every allotment site will allow you to keep animals, and the council's parks and allotments and smallholding teams may also be able to let you know which animals can be kept on your plot of choice. It's a good idea to check the quality of the ground for contamination levels, evidence of toxic waste and whether the land has been used as dumping ground in the past.

You could ask a vet to check over the ground and ascertain its suitability for keeping animals and to be doubly sure, you could employ an ecologist who can point out certain plants (such as digitalis, and certain ivy plants) that are poisonous to pigs. To find a vet in your area consult: www.rcvs.org.uk.

Do I get a complementary shed?

Sadly that's a myth. Allotment tenants are allowed to install a shed which can be a useful place to store tools as well as welcome shelter for those long wet English summers and essential tea-brewing facilities. Sheds should be no more than 6 x 4ft and tastefully and purposefully built. But for those who might choose to live as close to the land as is earthly possible, the bad news is that much as you'd like to, you're not actually allowed to live in your shed.

For inspiration take a look at these sheds.

And what happens when nature calls?

For the very lucky few, there will be a loo on site. If you're too shy to tap into the benefits of 'watering' your own crops with nature's own nitrate rich home-made fertilisers, as it were, then when it comes to waste management it's time to get creative. Necessity is the mother of invention - and allotment tenants before you have also felt the urge to come up with a solution. Introducing the latest word in allotment accessories: the compost toilet. From the outside it might look like an old shed on stilts, but inside it's a hot pot of ingenuity, and the designs and imagination of some people's out-houses are pretty impressive. Again, you'll need to submit a design plan to the council and seek permission to erect a shed. Before you pooh-pooh the idea, it's worth mentioning that compost loos don't actually smell. On the contrary, they provide a few moments to contemplate your plot, scribble down a few notes on your planting schedule, and most of all, they take recycling to a whole new level as you are providing your fellow allotment tenants with the richest of composts, ready to be spread right back on your plot. (Just make sure you wash your veg well). Read more about the compost toilet.

Don't lose the plot

Taking on an allotment is a commitment you need to consider carefully. Work out how much time and money you have to spend, and what other resources you may need. What might seem a good idea at the time could turn out to be more than you bargained for. If you allow your plot to become overgrown, or even abandon it altogether, you could risk losing the plot altogether, and that's not something we'd want you to do.

Some useful links

www.soilassociation.org
permaculture.org.uk
transitiontowns.org