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by Jane Moore

One of the greatest pleasures of allotment life is getting to know my neighbours. Ron, Beryl, Vic and Tony are a lovely bunch, although we disagree on quite a few things.

Allotment expert, Jane MooreOne of the greatest pleasures of allotment life is getting to know my neighbours. Ron, Beryl, Vic and Tony are a lovely bunch, although we disagree on quite a few things. Vic doesn't like my raised beds, which he regards as a waste of space and a 'folly of youth'.

We always take the time to pop to each other's plots to survey crops and see how we're all getting on. They're retired, so my plot tends to let the side down, but they're understanding of the fact that work gets in the way of allotment gardening. They're also a tough bunch of critics, always ready with a word of advice - whether I need it or not.

We all enjoy a good chat about the merits of one fruit or vegetable variety over another. Our latest debate has been about varieties of early potato. Vic and I were raving about 'Charlotte', a fantastic second-early variety, which is firm, tasty and a prolific grower. Tony hadn't tried it before, so I dug up a few tubers for him to take home. He's offered me some courgettes and some herbs by way of exchange, which will come in handy for making a nice ratatouille.

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Gardeners' World Web User 14/07/2009 at 21:43

i have raised beds on my plot and there great for growing all your salad stuff.

Gardeners' World Web User 16/07/2009 at 16:32

Advice Please, anyone. We have just taken over a neglected allotment. All the nettles, waywind and grass have died from the weedkiller. We have now dug two good plots with a dividing path. Self set potatoes have been very nice thank you on the one cultivated patch. Plans for two raised beds and a compost frame. Is there anything we can put in to bring us a return before Christmas? What is your advice please for planting Aug/Sept/Oct. We have plans to rough dig again to let the frost do it's work over winter. Advice please on pruning a huge flowering currant and a sorry lilac. I look forward to hearing any advice you can give us.

Gardeners' World Web User 29/07/2009 at 14:31

i started an allotment in northwood kirkby last year nr liverpool it is run by four girls well it was then they got shrubs which cost alot of money so for every one they got i took about ten cuttings four them and they have a 30ft pollytunel so i put them in it allso i done trays of plants fore them i spent alot of time in ther in the winter taken care of them i gave them a grape to grow in the polltunel which has trays of plants fore them but when the sumer came no one came only me they might of cume once a month if that the plants in the pollytunel dride up the toms dride up all the plants dide sume cutting was allwright so i took them andput them in twocold frams on my plot i am on my owen most the time i wish they was sume one else ther to grow plants with and help one and other that wood be grate but no ther is more land next to the allotment i wont moure allotments they dont they wont swings fore kids to play on ther is an two year waighting list fore an allotment hear sothat land wood help to bring that list down ther is allredyswings here it is sad thers anoter allotment up the road from hear on brookhey drive and they wont me to go ther but i have put alot of time swet and money in to it idont no if sume one cumes to see the allotment they bring them or tell them to cume when i am not ther they get the lokel rag to take pichers of them not on ther plot but on mine not on thers becouse i am not ther so they get a false picher thats sad becose it may be a very good thing fore kirkby fore a change and not sumthing bad i wish the council wood see that than a false picher may be that will change you never no

Gardeners' World Web User 09/10/2009 at 06:41

this year for the first time i used protection against carrot fly,anazing results what a crop.i now need to know the best way to keep them over winter can anyone advise

Gardeners' World Web User 28/11/2011 at 18:39

I like the idea of raised beds as the grass cannot invade the plot whilst you are not looking, and for people that have trouble bending to plant seeds it makes sence.