Tatsfield Allotments
Enquiries: Please contact Alan Armitage on 07899725944.
Tatsfield allotments are located on Approach Road just West of the village centre.
There are over 60 plots and, nearly all are rented by local people. A small plot is 4.5m x 4.5m and a large one is 10m x 10m.
If you are interested in renting a plot, when one becomes available, please contact Alan Armitage (07899725944.).
Click here if you would like to access the allotment blog written by Peter Maynard
Allotments were an important part of the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign in WW2; back then Tatsfield Allotments were sited directly opposite the present site in what is now part of the gardens of Crane Cottage. Parish Council records show that it was Tom Rushen who rented a large number of the allotments producing mainly vegetables for the local community. Tom was a regular exhibitor at our shows and won many prizes; he is remembered by THS in the annual award of the Tom Rushen Cup. These allotments fell into disuse and were abandoned in the early 1960’s.
So we all know home grown fruit and vegetables is a lot fresher tastier and better for you than anything you can buy that has probably already been previously frozen. But there are also limitations to what you can grow in a small garden or even smaller window boxes or pots and grow bags. So the answer is to find yourself an allotment, autumn is the time when finding one should be easier as this is the time when people have come to the conclusion that it is not for them and the plots are released and ready to be re-let. Although it is known that the waiting lists nationally grow longer as some allotments are lost to the much needed housing it is still worth getting on to any list that you can if you are really determined.
Did you know that a “standard allotment” is 10 rods (the land is still measured in old terminology?) which equates to a sixteenth of an acre. You do not have to take a full plot: you could either take a smaller plot or of course share the load with some other person or neighbour to share the load, but of course, that will mean sharing the produce.
Rents vary all over the nation and you can expect to pay anything between £20 and £ 100 per year. But for this you will get the use of the plot for growing whatever fruit, vegetables, salads or flowers that you can use to decorate your house with.
They can be planted up in any way that you want, like little gardens that you may not have at home or just in the traditional row format there may also be opportunities to even grow vines for home brewing. You can see that the Tatsfield in Bloom volunteers have successfully grown grapes for a few years now on the Bakery bed, so it is an option in Tatsfield.
When starting out don’t leave it too late to start work, and definitely before spring. If the plot has been left vacant you may have to do a good thorough weed or at least a good clean up. But if you are lucky you may be allocated a plot that has been regularly turned and composted and will be easy to get ready quickly. If not dig the ground over take out all the roots you find then invest in lots of well-rotted manure or compost from the compost site and start to work it in. As you do this perhaps over time go back with your hoe to remove any new growth that you do not want.
If you can only prepare half the plot then start with vegetables in the first year and then sow the rest with a green manure crop such as Lucerne or red clover in April and cut it regularly. This way you will improve the soil and reduce the weeds that you will have to deal with next year.
Remember allotments need to be done on a much bigger scale than what you could do in your garden , you do not have to plant close together, and you should also think about staggering your planting so that they do not all “fruit” at the same time or choose crops that can be frozen. Also
Don’t forget that when you remove your summer crop you can then start planting your winter crop in the same plot with a little preparation beforehand.
We are lucky that we have an allotment site in the village which is located on Approach Road just West of the village centre. There are over 60 plots and, nearly all are rented by local people. A small plot is 4.5m x 4.5m and a large one is 10m x 10m. If you are interested in renting a plot when one becomes available please contact Alan Armitage ( 07899725944.).
Remember the benefits of where the Allotments are sited is the fact that the Compost site is on the same site so only a wheelbarrow ride away to your plot, so why not take advantage of the outdoor life, some physical work but fresher , tastier and better crops. Also when normality returns you can exhibit your crops through the two Shows that the Horticultural Society puts on, with every hope that September may be allowed to go ahead this year.