Hello and welcome to my online blog ,an allotment keeper’s journal.

Three weeks ago i applied to my local council for an allotment a piece of ground that lawfully has to be provided to residents in that area for cultivation.

I received a phone call from the Town council and had to meet a lady called Sally up at merry vale allotments which is about 10 minutes walk from me ,so of to a good start with some exercise.

I arrived at the allotments and had to wait at the gate as all allotment owners get a key to enter the premises ,once i had entered she show me four plots but said that i had to wait because a man called Robert was in front of me,much to my surprise he picked the ground that had a pear tree,apple tree,plum tree and a sycamore tree plus an underground water well and left me to choice the better plot which already had a shed on it with lean to greenhouse.

I soon got started the next day after i collected my key and signed the tenant’s agreement and only £14 per year what a bonus,as i walked up to the allotment my mind was already racing with ideas of what to grow and being no expert was excited at the prospect of learning new things.

When i got there the lady that had the plot next to me was the landlady from a local pub who i already knew so of to a good start and she was a novice to,then there was Jack the old man net to me who was 77 and had an amazing plot with rows of vegetables already set out and looking great ,obviously the expert i have to know and respect with his wealth of knowledge .

The shed looked tired and tatty and the door was hanging of and the floor covered in mud but some good shelving and cupboards,so this was my first task to secure the shed and give it a good paint but seeing as i had no tools or equipment with me except for my fork and spade i got to work on the task of digging all the weeds out which  covered the plot.