Guide for new allotment tenants

In this section:

• New Gardeners - general information
  Welcome. Allotment sites are friendly places. Many gardeners come to their allotment to enjoy the peace and quiet, but if you are looking for gardening advice you’ll probably find someone who’s glad of a chat.
• The Allotments Team
  There are a number of people who help run each allotment site.
• Ground Rules for Allotment Gardening
  York allotments show a wide variety of garden styles. You can be as imaginative as you like with your allotment garden, but in planning your plot, there are several guidelines to bear in mind.
• Getting Started - top tips
  Top tips for new allotment gardeners.
• Tackling Weeds
  Identify your weeds. Annual weeds, such as chickweed, just need hoeing and they die, perennials such as docks, dandelions and bindweed will keep growing back unless you fork out the roots.
• Wildlife - Friend or Foe?
  Your new allotment may be home to many different kinds of wildlife
• Gardening with Children
  Many children enjoy helping with a family allotment garden or cultivating a small patch of their own.
• Safety and Security
  Allotments are generally safe and secure places but you may spot hazards that need attention
• Waste and Recycling
  A well-run allotment produces very little waste. Most weeds and crop residues can be composted.
• Keeping Livestock on Your Plot
  Once you have got a vegetable garden under way you may start to think about free-range eggs to go with your home-grown chips
• The Gardening Year
  Allotment gardening is a year-round activity. This list of jobs for each month of the year will help you plan your gardening.