8 Reasons You Should Have an Allotment

Allotments used to be considered the domain of old guys in corduroy pants, cardigans and caps but now they’re actually quite cool. So much so that there’s usually a waiting list to get one.

If you’re living in a flat with no outdoor space, or you’ve got a tiny terrace or a garden that doesn’t get the sun, you might want to consider getting an allotment.

Here’s 8 reasons to help plant the seed.  

1. You can grow amazing, delicious food and show-off to your mates that they’re eating things you grew with your own (slightly muddy) hands.
2. It’s healthy. Better than the gym in fact. All that digging, weeding, hoeing, and planting in the fresh air has got to be better for you than working out in a sweaty gym.
3. There’s a great sense of community. Forget old men in sheds, these days most allotments are full of vibrant, sociable, friendly people willing to share good crack, coffee and cake.
4. They’re cheap. The average allotment can cost anything from about £20 to £200 a year! According to the National Allotment Society (NAS), with careful planning you could grow enough veg to feed your family for a year.
5. It’s peaceful. Many people use their allotments to escape from the normal day-to-day stuff, and just pootle (that’s an official allotment term!) around on their own. Very good for mental health.
6. You can grow giant vegetables and enter them in competitions.
7. The garden can be kept as family space. Toddlers can run around, kids can kick footballs, cats can do what cats do, without any risk of ruining your prized potatoes.
8. It’s not only fruit and veg that thrive on allotments, you could grow flowers, keep bees, get chickens … live the good life basically.

If the idea of an allotment has now grown on you, contact your local council to apply for one near you. They will either allocate you a plot or, in many cases, add your name to a waiting list.