gil
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allotment societies and new allotment holdersThose of you with allotments : what advice or help does your allotment association provide you with when you take on a plot ? What info / advice would you have liked to have been provided with ?
Been talking to one association that wants to increase the chances of new folk not giving up in the early stages by providing them with an information pack on
a) how to clear a plot,
b) what weeds they will find and how to deal with them effectively
I also suggested info on
c) crop rotation etc. to avoid / minimise club root etc
d) what kind of soil it is and how best to work it
e) when and how to apply manure / leaf mould / compost
f) how to make good compost / use the composters the council provide
They're also thinking of having a weekly (Sunday) 'surgery', where someone sits in the 'shop'/portacabin to answer questions / advise in person / on plot.
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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we don't have an association on ours at all. There's a site manager that we pay rent to but that's it. There's no hut or communal thing at all. Advice is gleaned by gossiping with the old timers on there.
As to what an association should provide, I've no experience of one so can't really say but I'd have thought a seed discount scheme would be good or communal tools like a rotavator or strimmer is I think what some sites offer.
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bernie-woman
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We have an association with ours and when you join you get a welcome pack with a list of all plot holders, a free pack of seeds and a list of events. Explanation of the seed buying scheme, the rotovator hire and info on when you will receive the shared magazine from the National allotments association.
I didn't get any information on what to do in clearing and growing terms but the first visit down there two of the people who introduced themselves to me gave me some onion sets and some garlic to plant. I think it would be very difficult to get a definitive idea of what to do on your allotment written down as the plots on our bit of land differ hugely to water content, drainage, soil type but some general info would be a nice welcome for real novices.
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Lisa
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No association here either - but then we only pay £3 per year rent, so who's complaining?!
It would be lovely to have things like rotavators available to borrow and, yes, nice to know who all the other plot holders are. A communal seed-buying scheme would be fantastic. But I've only been there once without seeing the old boys who are friendly and full of advice (even if that advice is where I should buy industrial quantities of glyphophate - it's *not* that bad!) so I think it will be OK.
Lx
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LynneA
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Nothing on site - our Site Secretary is notorious for turning half his plot into a Greek social club and for thinking he has first dibs on any good produce.
However, when you sign the tenancy contract with the council, you get a little booklet on how to manage your plot, on top of the Rules & Regs booklet. The council with cut down weeds and rotovate to start the plot if you request it.
When we first started, a lot of the old boys took an interest, most giving encouragement rather than advice. A few came past saying nothing would ever grow on that plot, but I soon realised that I'd picked one with a near perfect aspect, and they were jealous.
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gil
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Interesting variations in facilities.
I think the allotment society organiser who spoke to me was worried about having a high turnover of new plotholders who haven't really done much growing before, putting a lot of effort in (and chopping up perennial weed roots and spreading them in the process), then getting discouraged and abandoning the plot. Not entirely altruistic, as an empty plot grows weeds and spreads their seeds (e.g.thistles).
There may not be enough 'old timers' involved in this instance.
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freyaluck
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Hi
New to the boards, we do have a society, but get very little info, bar the quarterly newsletters, It would be lovely to have a bit more info including where to get manure and who to contact to hire the rotavator- which i only found out this morning we could do- but no information on who to contact 
Once I get my printer going am hoping to offer my services as assistant secretary, and will hopefully be able to see if we can offer a bit more to newbies like myself. I am lucky to be part of another fantastic forum who have helped me along so far.
Frey
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