Are you a prospective plotholder? If you are keen to acquire an allotment in Edinburgh then your first step is to contact the City's Allotments Officer, by email at ian.woolard@edinburgh.gov.uk or by writing to him at:

The City of Edinburgh Council
5a Arboretum Place
Edinburgh EH3 5NY
(Tel. 0131 311 7072)

He will give you relevant information and application details. Also, find out which are the nearest sites to where you live, so that you can apply for a plot as close to home as possible.

Unfortunately you may have to wait a while to acquire a plot. Allotments are in great demand in Edinburgh and currently there are about 900 people on the waiting list. But don't despair - some sites have a higher turnover than others and you may be lucky enough to get placed relatively quickly.

In the meantime, however, you might like to consider what having an allotment entails:-

The satisfaction of growing your own fresh fruit and vegetables.

The chance to create your own garden and see it develop over the years.

The fun of gardening with other people.

The pleasure of gardening alone when everyone else has gone home!

There are many more positive aspects of taking on a plot. There is also a downside....

You may inherit an overgrown and neglected plot. If that is the case, you will need to spend a lot of time putting it in order. Once you have got it organised it will require a few hours every week during the growing season to keep it tidy. Plots that are not regularly tended are a serious problem on allotments. They look neglected or abandoned and they detract from the overall image of the site. Even more seriously, they can be used to support arguments for the disposal of allotments.
Sites are under threat, and FEDAGA hopes all plotholders will do their bit to maintain their plot in good condition.

Taking on a plot is a bigger commitment than many people realise, but it is worth the effort when you see your first seedlings emerge from the soil, or taste your first crop of new potatoes.

FEDAGA would like to hear from prospective plotholders. Even if you are waiting for a plot, you are still part of the allotment community, and your views matter, so tell us what you think.

The Flower Show is also worth attending.
Held in the Southside Community Centre it's a lovely afternoon out.

You might also like to do a bit of pottering on some Websites. Have a look at some allotments (you'll find a lot of links on the National Society of Allotments and Gardens Website.)