RENT Details of Rents are available on the RENT page.

SITE SECURITY – THE GATE All members of the Watnall Allotment Association must close the gates upon entry and exit to the site. If they are the last person on site or if there is any doubt anyone else is on site, they must lock the gate with the padlock.

All members are issued a key and this must be carried at all times to avoid being locked in.  Do not enter the allotments without a gate key.   If you ask anyone to water or collect crops during the summer, make sure that they have a key.

Gate keys are available from Gregor Rauch for a refundable deposit.

‘SAFETY FIRST’ SPEEDING Please drive slowly through the allotments. Speeding vehicles of all types could pose a major danger especially to small children that could suddenly appear from behind fences. In the hot summer months, clouds of dust can spoil a lovely crop. Speeding vehicles also cause some damage to the surface of the track

HEDGES Members must ensure that there are no gaps in the boundary hedge/fence. For some reason trespassers are still climbing through any small gap with intent to cause damage. Keep all hedges tidy and well-trimmed. Hedge bottoms must be kept clean and tidy.

BOUNDARIES Please ensure that boundaries next to the track are kept secure and fastened back. If they are barbed please keep them cut back. There have been reports of cars being scratched. Ideally boundaries should be well back from the track to allow for vehicles to pass with ease. We recommend 1.8 metres from the centre of the track. If you organize a delivery of manure from the farmer your fence must be removed in order to facilitate a delivery without damage to neighboring boundary fences.

TRESPASS Please refrain from venturing onto other members’ allotments without permission. Unauthorised removal of vegetables or equipment from other allotments will be reported to the Police.

RUBBISH Please do not dump scrap metal, rotting vegetables or rubbish of any type in the car parks. Keep hedge bottoms free of rubbish. This will harbour rats and rabbits, giving ideal conditions for breeding and subsequent infestation.

BONFIRES Whilst there is no known restriction on bonfires please do not burn plastics, rubber, fibre glass or painted timber on bonfires as these will cause toxic fumes and damage the soil. We would not wish to be reported for unsociable behaviour. Please also consider weather conditions and wind direction before lighting fires. Ideally the wind direction should be away from the main road and residential areas.

TRACK should be kept in reasonable repair in front of every allotment. It is your responsibility to keep the central grassed strip cut down. Please help to fill the pot holes with stone provided. The stone is for use to repair the track and not for personal use. Please do not fill the holes with bonfire ash as this could contain nails. Keep the road adjacent to the allotment in good repair.

PARKING During the busy period, March – August, would members please take care when parking and use the minimum space so that as many members as possible can park near their allotment. To make everyone’s experience safe and happy, please consider parking tidily and as close to each other as possible to maximise the space.

INSPECTIONS Plots are inspected for cultivation and rubbish three times a year in late April, June and September. If plots are identified as lacking in cultivation, a committee member will make informal contact with the plot holder to ascertain if there are extenuating circumstances that have led to the lack of cultivation. In the event that there are extenuating circumstances the committee will determine a grace period before improvement is expected. If there are no extenuating circumstances, the secretary will issue a Cultivation Improvement Letter, giving the plot holder 4 weeks to improve cultivation. After four weeks the plot will be inspected again. If there has been no or little progress the secretary will issue a termination letter. In the event that this is the third Cultivation Improvement Letter in three years, the secretary will not issue a cultivation improvement letter. Instead they will issue a Termination Letter.

Cultivation Termination Flow Chart
Plot Inspection Cultivation Termination Flow Chart

Plot Inspections for Cultivation Flow Chart

CULTIVATION Keep allotment well cultivated and free from noxious plants and weeds. Keep path straight, tidy and to a minimum width. Cultivation is considered to be the working of the allotment for the growing of crops and raising plants.

Depending on the time of year, during inspections, the evidence of cultivation is different:

Spring

  • Preparation of the Ground
  • Raising of Seedlings
  • Planting and sowing in the ground

Summer

  • Crops growing in the soil and/or Greenhouse
  • Crops being harvested

Autumn

  • Crops growing and being harvested

Winter

  • Preparation of soil
  • Tidy up for next season

(Please see separate notes on action to be taken in the event of non-cultivation).
Please note: Covering over the ground with black plastic is one way to keep the soil warm in cooler seasons before the crops go in. However, an allotment that is still covered over in the height of summer is not cultivated.
Strimming of weeds is not considered cultivation.

We strongly discourage the use of carpets and underlays on our allotment site, even for short term weed suppression. Carpets contain synthetic fibres or foam which break down and release plastic and other contaminants into the soil. Carpets may have been treated with various chemicals as flame retardants or stain repellents for instance and these can leach into the soil. Also, many tough weeds such as bindweed and couch grass are not deterred by a layer of carpet and start to grow through it, making future removal of this material very difficult. Anyone who has taken on a plot with old carpet embedded in the soil or paths will know how difficult it is to remove and dispose of. For these reasons, the use of carpets is banned on many allotment sites. There are environmentally friendly alternatives for use as weed suppressants, such as green manure, permeable weed suppressant membrane, a layer of cardboard covered with compost or manure etc. We would ask that you use these methods if you wish to cover any part of your allotment.

WATER There is no mains water supply to the allotments and rainwater harvesting is essential in order to maintain adequate supply to get you through a growing season.

PEST CONTROL Sometimes we do allow local game controllers to deal with rabbits. Notices will be posted in the event of rabbit control being required, please make it known if you are opposed to this form of pest control treatment taking place on your plot.

CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES If during the year, there are personal difficulties for health reasons or other problems which make it difficult for your allotment to be cultivated please drop a short note to the Committee. This usually removes the need for any other correspondence about lack of cultivation. If you find that gardening is not for you please give up your plot. It’s OK to change your mind! We have a long list of people waiting for spaces.

TERMINATION It is a requirement that new members make visible progress in clearing and/or cultivating their plot within 3 months of taking over the tenancy, and further progress at each successive inspection during the first year. By the end of the first year, you are required to have cultivated at least 50% of your plot. If your plot remains uncultivated for a period of time this will be picked up during regular inspections. You can read about the steps taken in the inspections and cultivation sections above. You will be notified by letter unless you have written to us explaining any temporary change in circumstances as above. If for any reason you decide to give up the Allotment during the year, please inform the Secretary so that it can be re-let before it gets overgrown.

You will be required to remove any rubbish or personal belongings.

GENERAL

  • Keep your allotment numbered to aid identification.
  • Huts and sheds must be kept off the ground so they do not harbour vermin.
  • Dogs are welcome and must be kept on a lead!
  • Firearms are not permitted in the allotments.
  • Building waste, hardcore and items not related to gardening must not be stored on allotments.
  • Clearance following vacation is costly and as per termination above you will be asked to remove any rubbish.

BEES:

A designated area on Plot 85 is the Beekeeping site for the Allotments.

All Bee Hives are to be kept on Plot 85.

Any Plot Holders wishing to keep Bee Hives at the Allotments will do so on Plot 85 under the Watnall Allotments Beekeeping Policy which is agreed by the committee.