Download e-book for kindle: Alex au pays des chiffres by Alex Bellos

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Check your tenancy agreement in case the allotments have rules regarding the storage of fuels, chemicals and fertilisers, so you comply with their demands. ✓ Clear rubbish safely. When clearing an allotment site, be wary of hazards such as broken glass, needles, sharp bits of metal and so on, and dispose of them in the correct and safe way, preferably in a sharps bin at your local council tip. ✓ Discourage rats. Rats carry the dangerous Weil’s disease in their urine. Your crops are a magnet to rodents, so be on the lookout for any signs of rodent damage.

Applications for allotments have really taken off in recent years, and long waiting lists aren’t unusual – 40 years in some London boroughs! The Allotments Act states that there should be 20 allotment sites per 1,000 residents, which should in theory be plenty to meet demand. But the simple fact is that there aren’t that many! Don’t despair though. The national average time on a waiting list is around three years and, as I mentioned before, far less in some areas. Local councils are trying to find new sites, and many are looking to private landowners to work together in offering new sites to meet demand.

Weed seeds can also remain dormant in the soil for years and years so by digging the soil you expose the buried seeds, which then spring quickly into life. Maintaining an allotment really is a constant battle! Chapter 7 covers what you need to do to keep your plants healthy. Sowing the seeds Seed sowing is by no means hard work but it does involve dedication and attention to detail. You need to adhere to a planting calendar as potting on and planting out all takes time. Also you have to prepare yourself for failures.