Find Allotment Near Me | try these 7 routes …

“How can I find an allotment near me!?”

We’re not all lucky enough to have gardens at home that are big enough to grow our own fruit and vegetables.

Finding an allotment is an amazing way of increasing your growing space and being able to produce and enjoy more of your own crops.

Unfortunately, finding an allotment nearby is not as simple as googling ‘find allotment near me’.

It can be difficult to find allotments online and if you are successful the waiting lists can be long.

There are a few other ways to find an allotment near you that might just be more successful that asking google.

How To Find An Allotment Near Me

1. Ask Your Local Council

If you’re looking for an allotment nearby the best place to start is asking your local council.

You can find your Local Council here www.gov.uk/apply-allotment 

Find their phone number and give them a call. There will probably be information on their website about it but a phone call will likely get you more information.

2. Speak to the Site Manager

If you already know the location of some local allotments then nothing beats making contact with the allotmdnt the idea is to find the location and contact details for the Site Manager.

There may be long waiting lists but it goes a long way if they know thst you’re keen.

3. Parish Council

Church owned allotments are another route to explore. Ask your local parish council if they run any nearby allotments.

4. Ask On Social Media

If you can find the right places to ask then Social Media can provide a wealth of information.

Use Facebook to ask on local selling or smallholder pages. Locals will know where the nearest allotments are and may even know of privately owned allotments that are nearby.

5. Ordnance Survey

The OS Open Greenspace map of Great Britain shows 12,107 allotments and community growing spaces!

To find an allotment near you open the OS map. Allotments are marked in a beige colour.

6. The Local Library

Check library noticeboards and ask the librarian if he or she has any information about local allotments.

Librarians have a wealth of information to share and will either know the answer or be able to point you in the right direction.

7. Try a plot share

Visit a local allotment and ask around. If you can find someone who is struggling to maintain their plot then offering to help out in return for a share of the produce may be the ideal situation.

How much is an allotment near me?

A full allotment plot is uusually around 250sqm (300sq yd). You can often ask for a half sized plot if you’d prefer.

A full- sized allotment costs anything up to around £45 a year.

What should I consider when looking for an allotment near me?

If you’re lucky enough to have more than one allotment plot to choose from then consider:

• The available facilities – look for toilets, running water, electricity on-site.

• Are there any restrictions? – find out if you are allowed a greenhouse or storage shed.
• Is it suitable for kids? – if you have children then they’ll likely be with you on the allotment sometimes. Some allotments have lovely areas for kids to congregate which can make things much easier for parents to get gardening.
• Don’t be too concerned about clearing – freshly tilled soil may look tidy but a messy plot may actually be easier to clear long-term. Within a few weeks the weeds will return with vigour. It would be better to clear persistant weeds properly and cover the rest with cardboard or build raised beds. (We’ve put together a quick guide to filling raised beds cheaply).
• Ask around – it’s a good idea to ask other allotment owners about their experiences. Some allotments suffer from vandalism or other issues so it’s better to know it sooner rather than later.

We really hope that this post helps you to find an allotment near you. How exciting!

Feel free to join our lovely Beginner Gardener Tips – Gardening Chat group and our Beginner Gardener Tips page on Facebook.

We hope you’ve found “Find An Allotment Near Me” helpful. Remember to take a look at our other posts.