The Allotment Book

Product Information

Regular exercise is just as vital, and working in the open air on your own piece of ground can be a more agreeable and productive way of keeping fit than going to the gym. Encompassing the oral recordings of plot-holders alongside descriptions of regional variations on the plot itself, such as pigeon-fancying, seed collecting or leek competitions, it looks at British society and history through the prism of allotments.

The word ‘allotment’ means portion, in this context a rented allocation of ground, together with conditions of tenure and use that will vary depending on the owner or the culture. However, with colourful photos and an easy-to-read layout, it’s a book that certainly makes managing a vegetable garden less daunting. If you love spending time on your allotment or ‘Grow Your Own’, we’re sure you’ll love this inspirational allotment guide… full of allotment tips, allotment advice and a fantastic reference point if you’re new to allotments, starting a new allotment or just looking for allotment ideas… Its been four years in the development, two years in the writing, 172 pages. This book testifies to the new vibrancy of allotment culture, aiming both to inspire the next generation of plot-holders and to provide all the practical knowledge needed to turn a patch of soil into a lifelong adventure.Loads of helpful information - advice, planting/harvest schedule, how to grow all kinds of produce and treatment of pests and diseases. A wonderfully illustrated celebration of the blood, sweat and joy to be had ‘growing your own’ in an allotment – with the in-depth, practical gardening know-how for which Collins is renowned. The campaign may not have been as dramatic as the Battle of Britain but was just as vital to the eventual victory. Medwyn Williams, Chairman of the National Vegetable Society and member of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society.

With the cost of living so high, cultivating a plot on an allotment is an ideal source of organic fruit and veg. From the 1950s onwards, enthusiasm for allotments began to wane in the UK as a result of greater affluence, higher employment and the wider availability of food supplies, and many plots, even whole sites, were under-used, neglected or abandoned. Agenda 21 of the 1997 Kyoto Agreement imposes a moral obligation on governments to commit themselves to support sustainable development, fight poverty and avoid destroying the resources of future generations. These days, urban allotments are just as likely to sport barbecue sites, wildlife sanctuaries, heritage seed collections, forest gardens, sculpture, beehives and ponds as once-derided rows of yellowing Brussels sprouts. He also demystifies gardening terminology and gives good basic down-to-earth information on dealing with pests and diseases, making this book relevant for both the novice and the connoisseur.What I love about this book is that it gives you something that many others have missed and that is what you need to do BEFORE you get your allotment. This book deals with growing food on an allotment, how to find an allotment, how much does it cost to rent and how to plan what you want to grow etc. How you go about finding an allotment depends to a great extent on where you live, but in the UK you should first contact your local authority because most allotments are council-owned.

Grow fresh, seasonal produce in your allotment or kitchen garden all year round with the bestselling guide from Alan Buckingham. Elsewhere in the world similar sequences of necessity and challenge or confrontation can be traced, often leading to land seizure or allocation, events that are usually driven by the same tensions of inequality between landowners and landless. To access your ebook(s) after purchasing, you can download the free Glose app or read instantly on your browser by logging into Glose. This book testifies to the vibrancy of allotment culture, aiming both to inspire the next generation of plot-holders and to provide all the practical knowledge needed to turn a patch of soil into a lifelong adventure. Daily work is often far removed from the basic satisfaction of making or producing something, while increasing pressure on the use of land results in gardens becoming ever smaller.

Winstanley and the Diggers would probably recognize the modern threats to land rights and our ‘common treasury’, and his crusading spirit might be welcome back in many site offices. Elsewhere stable, thriving sites are regenerated by introducing projects that involve other local residents or improve interaction with the wider community. This was most prevalent at harvest time when she made jellies, jams and chutneys, which we used throughout the winter months and which she also gave as Christmas presents to friends and family. Kurdish strains of coriander, South American arugula, Ethiopian teff and dengi for Bangladeshi curries have joined the carrots and cabbages in narrow, neatly edged organic or no-dig beds as well as in the contoured meanders of permaculture plots (see page 31). Full of images, advice and tips for both the wise and the new, the book illustrates how to achieve suc