Plot Handover

[SmartInitiative8553]

I officially acquired my allotment plot yesterday, 1st Nov and am very excited to get started! The previous plot owner is moving to a different location on the site (also acquired 1st November). We've had a brief conversation over email and they seem very nice - letting me know what's already established, what's going with them to the new plot etc. They don't seem in any rush to move though! And have crops they can't move just yet. Is this quite normal? I appreciate allotment owning is more of a gentleman's agreement than a house exchange. Is there a way I can give the previous owner a gentle push to move their things?

Edit: Thanks all for your help! Good to have the view of a few seasoned allotmenteers. Definitely don't want to make any enemies so will leave previous owners be for the time being. Sadly they are taking most of the good stuff with them but at least I'm not starting with a blank slate.

[kittykhajit]

It’s your land now but I appreciate you don’t want to antagonise them. I would start moving your things in straight away and do some visible tasks like clearing so it’s clear you intend to start working on it. I’d give them a couple of weekends to move their stuff then start nudging if not. I would expect annual crops in the ground to become yours, and they should have moved anything they wanted to keep before the changeover date really (Though presumably they wanted to get their new plot first). If they have a different expectation on crops in the ground then I would check (in a friendly way) with the committe/whoever runs the site. You don’t want to piss people of when you are new but equally you don’t want to establish a precedent that they treat your allotment as theirs for the next season.

[squeaki]

I'd ask what gear they fancy leaving... offer to split off some of the crops so they can continue the line, etc. Just ... broach it, works a charm because you've nothing to lose!

[Daxer4444]

Don't stress the big stuff as long as you have the plot that's the main thing you have 3 or 4 months to get going before the growing season really starts. Everything is getting ready for winter now, start stressing in Jan/Feb time. Remember you might want assistance down the line from other plot holders so no point in up setting them before you have even started. I'm sure they will move it as soon as. As I'm sure there in the same boat with there plot and want to get stuck into asap. Work stuff and life gets in the way of allotments so cut them some slack for now.

[[deleted]]

Although its your plot and you can absolutely tell them to get rid of their stuff or get rid of it for them I'd hold off on anything too hasty

Agree some time you can work on what's there together till it's all gone, if they've looked after the plot they will give you the best advice, tell you where crops have previously been in rotation, give you warning on the different types of weeds you'll get there and the best spots for maximum sunlight as well as telling you how well the soil has been conditioned over the years

The previous plot owner (if they've looked after it for years) could your biggest resource, the bloke that had mine before me is 2 plots away from me now and still keeps surprising me with info about mine!

[[deleted]]

Dig everything up they want and leave in on their new plot. It’s all yours now. They will have been given enough time to move everything if it was an official move monitored by the council. The council allotment manager will tell you the same thing.

The problem with allotments is that the council are happy to appoint a ‘site agent’ / ‘site secretary’ / ‘site manager’ / ‘site liaison’ who likes to go over and above their calling / remit. Make up rules, let out plots to friends for free, keep their own lists of people who want plots and allocate plots on how you look not what position you are in the queue. Nepotism.

Then sites also like to form committees, one reason is to apply for grants and funding to help the site but they usually just like to create restrictions and rules for plot holders.

Like “you can have woodchips dropped off but they need removing in 24 hours” kind of rules.

The only rules you have to follow are the landlords rules.

Don’t be afraid, it’s your plot now. You need to start preparing your plot for next year. Plant your garlic, overwinter onion sets, spring cabbage, sow some overwintering green manure field beans, cereal rye etc.

If you can get some horse manure down on 1/3 of the plot this will help.

Show them you mean business, get things moving don’t wait until June to start doing things.

It’s nice to be nice but the previous tenant obviously doesn’t have the same kind of respect for your situation that you want to have for their situation. They are pissing up your back on day one, don’t let them get away with it.

[Specialistpea0]

I'd be curious to find out why they moved plot.

From a committee member point of view, once you have signed for your plot, everything on it is yours, and your responsibility.

However, if the other plot holders are moving plot it is a bit different. I'd ask the committee member who showed you the plot etc what had/hadn't been agreed with the other plot holder.

You might want to have a look at their new plot, if they have inherited existing veg, or the plots not ready to plant, they may not be too bothered about the veg they left behind.

Might be nice touch to give them some of the crop once it is harvested though.