Garden Allotments

[jk103]

I watch garden youtube videos and most from the UK, the people are gardening from an allotment as opposed to their backyard. Is it because their yards are too small? Just wondering how this works over there from an interest point of view. Over here, if you live in the city they do have community gardens because some people don't have anything but concrete for yards so I'm wondering if it's the same thing.

From the pictures I see of some of your yards, here at TZ, you still have room for a garden maybe not so large like the allotments but enough. Yes, it's that time of year again so mind is on growing vegetables and flowers for the bees only right now.

[Man of Kent]

Not sure where you are, but here in the UK there is a large range of garden sizes, and generally urban areas have smaller gardens. During the industrial boom, houses were packed into small plots as they were designed to be functional, worker's accomodation. As a result local councils were obliged to free up communal areas for households to have a growing space. This developed into what we now call allotments because each house was alloted a measure of land. The plots were 10 rods in size, roughly 250 sqm.
The plots are rented and you hold your plot as long as you want but cannot pass it to your heirs. You also cannot grow commercially. Most plots have rules about what structures you can have or livestock you can keep. A lot of people keep chickens or bees on allotments.
I used to have an allotment when I lived in a small Victorian cottage but gave it up when I bought my current house which has a large garden and allows me to grow a decent amount of my own produce.
I love watching the veggie youtubers but have some favourites from other countries aswell.

[xellos99]

They are lucky enough to live near an allotment, there are none anywhere near me and the UK Gov dont give a monkeys about people growing their own food. Locals here have begged the Council for help and there are empty fields as far as the eye can see owned by farmers who do literally nothing with it.

Anyway, yes its generally because they dont have room at home or want to keep their garden as it is.

[Passenger]

They are lucky enough to live near an allotment, there are none anywhere near me and the UK Gov dont give a monkeys about people growing their own food. Locals here have begged the Council for help and there are empty fields as far as the eye can see owned by farmers who do literally nothing with it.

Anyway, yes its generally because they dont have room at home or want to keep their garden as it is.

Heard some UK farmers on the news recently saying much the same thing.

[MartynJC (UK)]

You can grow stuff on your windowsill or on a patio in troughs if you don’t have a garden. We moved house to get one with enough space to grow veggies in the UK because we used to have plots on a private allotment set up at the end of WWII but the owners were afraid of “squatters rights of ownership” so turfed us all off. The allotments became a mess of brambles and weeds in a year. So sad.

now I’ve moved country and have a different climate to deal with - which is interesting.

[Passenger]

Aye definitely agree as to climate.

[Neil.C]

We've got quite a few allotments around our way and they are pretty much used for fruit and veg cultivation.

I know a few people who have them that have nice gardens and don't want their back yards looking like a farm.

[stuie-t]

Personally I think there are better uses for the land. In cities land and open space is scarce, and more people could benefit from the space if they were converted to parks rather than the current situation where only a tiny proportion of the population get to utilise the space.


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[pugster]

rented an allotment from the local council for a few years (costs peanuts per yr ) - what was the big eye opener was the 'politics' from other allotment members (it was basically run like a cartel)

..those couple of yrs i saw punch ups, ppls plants mysteriously pulled up , all day drinking sessions and arguing between members on a weekly basis.

[oldoakknives]

Personally I think there are better uses for the land. In cities land and open space is scarce, and more people could benefit from the space if they were converted to parks rather than the current situation where only a tiny proportion of the population get to utilise the space.


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Surely it's a different section of the population that use each of the spaces. Why should one give up their space for the other? Can't we live and let live?

[blackal]

Not sure where you are, but here in the UK there is a large range of garden sizes, and generally urban areas have smaller gardens. During the industrial boom, houses were packed into small plots as they were designed to be functional, worker's accomodation. As a result local councils were obliged to free up communal areas for households to have a growing space. This developed into what we now call allotments because each house was alloted a measure of land. The plots were 10 rods in size, roughly 250 sqm.
The plots are rented and you hold your plot as long as you want but cannot pass it to your heirs. You also cannot grow commercially. Most plots have rules about what structures you can have or livestock you can keep. A lot of people keep chickens or bees on allotments.
I used to have an allotment when I lived in a small Victorian cottage but gave it up when I bought my current house which has a large garden and allows me to grow a decent amount of my own produce.
I love watching the veggie youtubers but have some favourites from other countries aswell.

250m2 - say 5m x 50m. I never realised they could be that size.

[Tatters]

It is worth noting that in the UK, the “garden” (next to a house) is what would be called the “yard” in the USA, and “gardening” is probably more about growing plants for display, and mowing the lawn, and relaxing in the garden after work, rather than growing food to eat, although people will do that too. However, the gardens for many modern houses are very small, and don’t have a lot of growing space, especially for food crops.

Allotments are usually the other way around - mostly growing to eat, with maybe a few ornamental plants, although some allotments have rules about not growing too many display plants.

I have an allotment, and I don’t think of working on it as “gardening”, mainly because it is not a garden (it is an allotment); I am not sure there is a single verb to describe working on the allotment.

[blackal]

It is worth noting that in the UK, the “garden” (next to a house) is what would be called the “yard” in the USA, and “gardening” is probably more about growing plants for display, and mowing the lawn, and relaxing in the garden after work, rather than growing food to eat, although people will do that too. Allotments are usually the other way around - mostly growing to eat, with maybe a few ornamental plants, although some allotments have rules about not growing too many display plants.

I have an allotment, and I don’t think of working on it as “gardening”, mainly because it is not a garden; I am not sure there is a single verb to describe working on the allotment.

3 words………. Avoiding the wife.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

3 words………. Avoiding the wife.

We have a large group of allotments to the rear of where we live - often entertaining (including the odd domestic/shouting episode).

[Tatters]

Personally I think there are better uses for the land. In cities land and open space is scarce, and more people could benefit from the space if they were converted to parks rather than the current situation where only a tiny proportion of the population get to utilise the space.

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Allotments are generally owned by local councils, and they are under a lot of financial pressure; they get some income from allotment rents, whereas parks are generally a cost, especially to create one from scratch. Councils are also under pressure to sell their allotments to housing developers.

So, you won’t see allotments being replaced by parks, but rather by more high density housing. And the people who will live in these houses will have even less open space, because it was used to build their homes. Just like a park, allotments are for the benefit of the local community - anyone in the community can apply to rent one.

[Kingstepper]

So, you won’t see allotments being replaced by parks, but rather by more high density housing. And the people who will live in these houses will have even less open space, because it was used to build their homes. Just like a park, allotments are for the benefit of the local community - anyone in the community can apply to rent one.

Being able to apply for an allotment isn't a great benefit TBF. In my area there's a waiting list (and I thought this was the norm).

[jk103]

Hopefully allotments can remain as open space as opposed to housing. It must be a pain to have to constantly lug all your materials back and forth though. I do like watching the garden videos on youtube so far and I like Eli & Kate they are based in Scotland.
There is one Rob's Allotment he wears what appears to be a Rolex on one wrist and an Apple watch on the other wonder if he is a member here. Learned what we call Zucchini you call Gourgette. I will have to take some pictures of my garden and post up here.

[Passenger]

Hopefully allotments can remain as open space as opposed to housing. It must be a pain to have to constantly lug all your materials back and forth though. I do like watching the garden videos on youtube so far and I like Eli & Kate they are based in Scotland.
There is one Rob's Allotment he wears what appears to be a Rolex on one wrist and an Apple watch on the other wonder if he is a member here. Learned what we call Zucchini you call Gourgette. I will have to take some pictures of my garden and post up here.

Sometimes allotment owners have a shed for tools and such on their plots...though where I'm from in Lincolnshire they do get targeted by thieves.

Yup you say zucchini, we say courgette. Eggplant and aubergine another.

[stuie-t]

Allotments are generally owned by local councils, and they are under a lot of financial pressure; they get some income from allotment rents, whereas parks are generally a cost, especially to create one from scratch. Councils are also under pressure to sell their allotments to housing developers.

So, you won’t see allotments being replaced by parks, but rather by more high density housing. And the people who will live in these houses will have even less open space, because it was used to build their homes. Just like a park, allotments are for the benefit of the local community - anyone in the community can apply to rent one.

But what proportion of the local population actually gets to benefit from allotments? Maybe 1%? Whereas something like a small green space or park can be used by anyone, anytime and not exclusively but a tiny fraction of the population


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[oldoakknives]

But what proportion of the local population actually gets to benefit from allotments? Maybe 1%? Whereas something like a small green space or park can be used by anyone, anytime and not exclusively but a tiny fraction of the population


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Same answer.

Surely it's a different section of the population that use each of the spaces. Why should one give up their space for the other? Can't we live and let live?

[Passenger]

I guess a complicating factor is that half of the land is owned by less than 1 per cent of the population. So the 99 per cent must try and make do with the other half.

[oldoakknives]

I guess a complicating factor is that half of the land is owned by less than 1 per cent of the population. So the 99 per cent must try and make do with the other half.

Not quite that simple.

https://abcfinance.co.uk/blog/who-owns-the-uk/

[Passenger]

Not quite that simple.

https://abcfinance.co.uk/blog/who-owns-the-uk/

Admittedly I gave it a quick read but I see nothing in there that contradicts the point, rather a large proportion the land is owned by a handful of people, entities... a somewhat unfair division of space, thus greater pressure on what is left...But as always happy to hear your, other views.

[blackal]

Took a train from Newcastle to Middlesburgh a lot of years ago and was amazed at the swaithes of allotments near the railway line.


More amazed at the amount of barbed wire around some of the allotment fences. Mentioned it to a lad from down there, and apparently - they can be serious leek breeders there, and protect their prize vegs from theft.

Changing to parks, would be the first step in redevelopment as building plots, I think

[oldoakknives]

Admittedly I gave it a quick read but I see nothing in there that contradicts the point, rather a large proportion the land is owned by a handful of people, entities... a somewhat unfair division of space, thus greater pressure on what is left...But as always happy to hear your, other views.

Yes. Interesting though that ‘charitable organisations and environmental interests’ are by far the largest landowners in the U.K. with c3.2 million acres while ‘British entrepreneurs and business owners’ appear in 6th position with c189,000 acres.

[Wimm]

One of the main drivers for the provision of allotments were the Enclosures of the 18th and 19th centuries. This website is a good read for those interested.

https://bkthisandthat.org.uk/brief-h...ts-in-england/

[JonRA]

I've had three allotments over the years. Two had vacant slots when I applied and the third needed a two week wait until one became available. I guess it depends where you live. As for size of the plot, mine have each been a quarter plot and plenty big enough for a us (a couple). I got my most recent plot in October and it's on a very small allotment of ten plots which is a bit of a shame because I hardly ever see anyone there - part of the fun is chatting to people and picking up tips. I'm hoping to see more allotmenteers as the growing season picks up.