Allotments

[handeme]

I have just been offered an allotment by my local council. How many of you have allotments and use them for minding, does it work?

How much did it cost you to get started with them? I am thinking of having a veggie area ans also a play and muddy digging area.

C x

[Tatjana]

We had one for a couple of years and gave it up when I got pregnant, as hubby couldn't deal with that along with all my (pregnancy brain) requests for doing up this, that and the other.

They really are alot of work.

[JulieA]

I've taken one on this year which is horrendously overgrown so won't be able to take the littlies there just yet. The man on the plot next to me has just put in a pond too and overheard me talking to hubby requesting a small fence along one side to stop the littlies getting to the pond and he said not to worry about that cos as soon as he spotted my children he decided it would need to be covered and what sort of cover did I want - bless him, but he was very excited that I am encouraging the children to see where their food comes from and now he wants to get chickens (for the children of course!).

realistically I think next year the littlies will get more from it, but we are doing spuds and carrots in containers as well. I too am hoping to have a spot i can leave free for dirty play.

[handeme]

I have the choice of three different sites. I am going to go see them this weekend to see which would be the most suitable.

We already grow veggies and fruit at home but we are limited on space so would love to expand.

C x

[jayne]

we got one last year and the children love it we have started going to it and getting it ready for the seeds we have been growing at home even the littlies love being there with a spade and a wheelbarow in hand my parents think its great for there children to go there

[Gherkin]

I have had one for 4 years now and really its for me and my family but I do take mindees up there. Ours is a full plot and during the growing season we are up there every weekend for planting/weeding etc and then daily for watering. The mindees love it but I get sad when one child tends to use the veg for kicking practice. They all love harvet time though.

[mushpea]

I think ours is about £12 a year then what ever seeds and tools you need. we have put raised beds on ours as these are easier to look after so have paid out for some wood and other wood we have got off freecycle, also top soil we got off fecycle so didnt need as much compots to fill it.
ours is for family and mindees and I love spending time up there much to my own childrens disgust, having said that we spend 2hours over there saturday and they both helped with the making of a new bed and digging.
I tend to take the mindees there to plant seeds and plants and to water, I dont let the weed as they pull up the wrong plants! but they do like digging.
I also have a greenhouse in the back garden which we grow stuff in and they get mmore involved with this.