been offered an allotment

[crisgal]

money is tight so it would be good to grow our own I have three children and a job. Do you think it would be too much to handle? (I haven't seen it so not sure of the size)

[Twenty20]

A standard allotment is actually quite big, you'll appreciate just how big when you come to dig it over!

The biggest problem we found was weeds. These grow twice as big and twice as quick as the one's in your garden! It's literally a full time job keeping on top of it all.

Also, with a full size allotment you will be overrun with vegetables etc at certain times of the year if you use all the space. Either that or you'll be leaving large areas empty.

In the summer we find we have to be down there at least every other day for a few hours or it quickly starts getting out of control.

My advice when starting off would be to see if you can get a half size allotment. It'll be plenty big enough for you. If they don't do them this size then see if you can get together with someone else and share one. Believe me, a full size one is a lot of work!

[carrust]

I took-on a full size allotment (400sq mts) last year, & it was comptetly overgrown. I decided to cultivate half of it & put-down carpet on the rest to suppress the weeds. I also decided to grow crops that I could store...spuds, onions, beans etc. I also put in lots of soft fruit...strawbs, rasps, blackcurrents etc.
As 20 says, its a lot of hard work...but worth it in the end.
BTW, this winter I'm going to raise all the beds, & put carpet down on all the paths to keep the weeds at bay.

[crisgal]

it certainly sounds like a lot of work! I might see if a couple of friends want to come in with me.

[bednobs]

in my experience it is no cheaper really, although the veg is nicer. Eg if you were to buy 10 carrots in the shop i guess it would cost you about �1.50
however, to grow your own, you would first have to buy the seeds, equipment you need on the allotment and then the hard work. They are not garunteed to grow, or not be eaten by rabbitts/carrot fly etc They taste much nicer, and theres no food miles etc but not cheaper

[crisgal]

i hear what you're saying there, bedknobs. I did try a little veg garden this year. It wasn't that successful really, and that was hard work.
I think I've just answered my own question!

[Ethel]

Watering is the problem - every morning and night in the summer, unless it rains heavily.

And everything seems to need doing when you are about to go on your summer holidays, so you'll somebody to water at least