Allotment Gardener

Allotment Gardener Nurture your love affair with the great outdoors with an allotment , grow your own healthy food

06/09/2026

Grow your own veg - buy quality vegetable seeds online from SimplySeed.co.uk. We select the best seed varieties - so you don't have to.

06/09/2026

Grow your own veg - buy quality vegetable seeds online from SimplySeed.co.uk. We select the best seed varieties - so you don't have to.

16/08/2026

Can we afford to build new communities without allotments?

For , Tim Foreman from LRG looks at allotments from a different angle – as an important part of the infrastructure that helps turn new housing developments into thriving communities.

With allotment waiting lists remaining high, homes becoming smaller and many people having little or no private outdoor space, Tim argues that allotments deserve greater consideration when new developments are planned.

Beyond growing food, they provide space to learn, connect with neighbours, share skills and build stronger communities.

So, should allotments be seen as a ‘nice-to-have’ – or valuable community infrastructure worth fighting for?

👉 Read Tim’s full blog here: https://www.lrg.co.uk/news-and-insights/grow-to-learn-why-new-developments-should-make-room-for-allotments/

16/08/2026

Allotment law is primarily civil, revolving around tenancy agreements, local council rules, and land management.
However, certain specific acts—such as vandalism, theft of crops, or possessing prohibited items on site—cross over into the criminal justice system.

Civil Aspects of Allotment LawTenancy Agreements: Leases and rules managed by local authorities or associations are governed by contract and property law.

Disputes: Evictions, rent increases, notice periods (e.g., under the Allotments Act 1922), and cultivation percentages are handled via civil framework or mediation.
Compensation: Claims for crops left behind or structural improvements are resolved through civil compensation rules.

Criminal Aspects Related to AllotmentsProperty Damage: Causing malicious damage to an allotment plot, crops, or fences can constitute a summary criminal offense under specific historical statutes and the Criminal Justice Act System
Theft and Pilfering: Stealing produce or tools from a plot is regular theft under criminal law.
Unlawful Items/Behavior: Bringing prohibited weapons, dealing drugs, or committing anti-social acts on site involves police intervention and criminal charges.

For official guidance and support on tenancy rights or site disputes, you can reach out to the National Allotment Society.

Criminal offences and breaches of the general law by allotment-holders actually committed in connection with their allotments may be treated as breaches of criminal law

allotment holders should enjoy
Security of tenure * Compensation * Access * Fair rents * Peaceful enjoyment

09/08/2026

The Right to Grow movement is making headlines – but what do you think?

Campaigns across the UK are calling for more opportunities for people to grow their own food by creating community gardens, orchards and new growing spaces.
At the National Allotment Society, we welcome anything that encourages more people to grow.

We also believe it's vital to protect statutory allotments – the only community growing spaces protected in law – giving plot holders the confidence to invest in their plots for the long term.

Could the answer be both? More community growing spaces and more protected allotments?

We've explored this in our latest blog.
👉 Read it here: https://thenas.org.uk/Right-To-Grow

What do you think?
Should every community have a Right to Grow? And how can we ensure statutory allotments remain protected for future generations?
We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

09/08/2026

Pruning in August
In August, gardening experts advise focusing on lavender, climbing hydrangeas, wisteria, rambling roses, and certain fruit trees. Pruning these specific plants now encourages healthy growth through the autumn and improves next season’s blooms.
1. Lavender
Why: Prevents the plant from becoming woody and keeps it compact.
How: Remove faded flower stalks and roughly an inch of leaf growth. Never cut into the old woody base.
2. Climbing Hydrangea
Why: This is the only type of hydrangea suited for summer pruning.
How: Prune immediately after flowering so it has time to develop next year's flowering wood. Shorten overly long new shoots.
3. Wisteria
Why: Improves air circulation and sunlight exposure to help the wood ripen and form flower buds.
How: Cut back long, "whippy" green shoots from the current season's growth to about five leaves from the main framework.

4. Rambling Roses
Why: Tones down uninhibited growth once their summer flowering has completely finished.
How: Thin out the congested framework by cutting back side shoots that have flowered by about two-thirds.

5. Fruit Trees (Apple and Pear)
Why: Thinning out the canopy improves airflow and allows sunlight to reach ripening fruit.
How: Conduct summer pruning on trained fruit trees (like espaliers or cordons) by cutting back new green shoots to clear the canopy

09/08/2026

Grow your own veg - buy quality vegetable seeds online from SimplySeed.co.uk. We select the best seed varieties - so you don't have to.

02/08/2026

August and September are ideal months to plant cool-season and overwintering crops like lettuce, spinach, and turnips. Warm late-summer soil helps seeds sprout quickly while cooler autumn air prevents them from bolting.Leafy Greens and SaladsLettuce and rocket (arugula): Sow fast-growing varieties for fresh autumn salads.Spinach: Plant perpetual or true spinach for heavy autumn and winter harvests.Asian greens: Sow pak choi, mizuna, and mibuna in late August or September.Swiss chard and kale: Direct sow or transplant for sturdy greens through the frost.Root Vegetables and BrassicasTurnips and radishes: Quick root crops that thrive and taste sweeter in cooler weather.Spring cabbage and spring onions: Sow in late August or September for an early harvest next year.Winter cabbages: Plant young plants early in the season so roots establish before cold weather arrives.
Veg To Plant By Month - Kohl rabi. Tomatoes. Lettuce. Turnips. Marrow. August. Plant out another batch of lettuce and salad leaves and you'll have plenty to keep you going through to the end of the season

What to Plant in August | BBC Gardeners World MagazineOther vegetables to plant in August include: * **Cabbages** Sow winter cabbages for harvests from November. * **Chard** Sow in shallow drills or in pots

30/07/2026

Q does allotment law have powers over association rules
A Yes, statutory allotment law always overrules local association rules. Any private rule or tenancy condition made by an allotment association or local council must comply with national legislation (such as the Allotments Acts) and general UK law.Legal Hierarchy and ComplianceStatutory Supremacy: Public legislation—including the Allotments Acts of 1908, 1922, and 1950—holds higher legal authority than any internal association constitution, committee guideline, or site-specific rulebook.Nullification of Invalid Rules: If an association rule contradicts a statutory right or requirement (such as notice periods for termination or fairness under equality laws), that specific rule is legally void and unenforceable.Natural Justice and Legality: Association rules must align with the laws of natural justice and statutory frameworks; committees cannot arbitrarily strip a tenancy or impose discipline outside of lawful due process.Are There Laws Governing Allotments?Discover the key laws that govern allotments across the UK,

including tenant rights and council duties. Learn more with the National Allotment Society.The National Allotment SocietyPowers | Start an AssociationIt MUST be fair to everyone, MUST follow the requirements of all equality legislation, MUST follow the laws of natural justice
Association must Understand Allotment Rules and Legal GuidlinesThe Allotments Act 1922 provides allotment holders with some security of tenure. Landlords can only end a tenancy by giving the allotment holder: * A minimum of
minimum notice to leave an allotment
The minimum notice to leave an allotment depends on whether you are giving up the plot yourself or your landlord is asking you to leave, typically ranging from 1 to 12 months.When You Leave (Tenant Notice)Check your agreement: Look at your specific tenancy agreement or council rules, as most local authorities or associations ask for between 1 to 3 months' written notice.No strict law: UK law does not set a fixed statutory notice period for a tenant handing back a plot, but sticking to your local site's rules is standard practice.
When the Land Owner Asks You to Leave (Landlord Notice)12 months' notice: Under the Allotments Act 1950, a council or landlord generally must give you at least 12 months' notice to quit, expiring on or before 6 April or on or after 29 September3 months' notice: This shorter period can apply if the land is urgently needed for specific industrial, building, or mining purposes1 month's notice: You can be given just 1 month's notice if you break the rules of your tenancy agreement or fall significantly behind on your rentTermination of tenancy
Allotment RulesAt any time giving at least twelve months written Notice to Quit; By giving three months written Notice to Quit
Councils DirectUnderstand Allotment Rules and Legal GuidlinesThe Allotments Act 1922 provides allotment holders with some security of tenure. Landlords can only end a tenancy by giving the allotment holder:Allotment Online Allotments Act 1950 - Legislation.gov.uk(1)Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section one of the M1Allotments Act, 1922 (which specifies, as the only kind of notice to quit that may be given by the Land Owner

15/07/2026

Allotment War still rages on
Unbelievable news today, Bronfair Allotments in Garth Maesteg have employed security guards to keep the tenants out, and the Police have been called because they have been informed that there could be a potential breach of the peace !
Gardening is a stimulating experience, its good for your mental health, doctors recommend it, nothing more peacefull than tending to your plants and watch them grow, allegedly

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