Found this on the BBC news website. Organic allotment site is 'first.' Scotland's first organic allotment is being created in Edinburgh A new council site due to open in Edinburgh is believed to be Scotland's first official organic allotment. Bridgend in the city's Craigmillar is being transformed into a pesticide-free area with 60 individual plots, due to open in June. The 1.43 hectares site on an old disused farm replaces Hawkhill allotment near Easter Road. The move comes after concerns over the risk of chemical spray drift onto organic plots at traditional sites. Edinburgh currently has 20 council-run allotments and around 1,100 plot-holders. The Bridgend site will be ground-breaking in terms of supporting and promoting organic cultivation and sustainability within the allotment community But more than 600 people are currently on the waiting list and the council is struggling to find enough traditional allotment plots to satisfy the city's green-fingered population. Cllr Ricky Henderson, the city's leisure head said all allotment holders would be bound to adopt only organic cultivation techniques. "The Bridgend site will be ground-breaking in terms of supporting and promoting organic cultivation and sustainability within the allotment community. The accessible nature of the site is also a very positive move." The site lies within the Craigmillar Castle Park, which is listed as a Site of Importance of Nature Conservation. The unique allotment site will even have an organic composting toilet, raised beds for disabled gardeners and a rainwater collection system to be used for watering plots. George Sutherland, Federation of Edinburgh and District Allotments and Gardens Association trading secretary, said an organic workshop in April would help people to learn techniques about growing crops without using pesticides. "I am not aware of any other allotment site in Scotland where it is solely organic. "I welcome the move because there are already about 10% of allotment owners who are organic. Organic is definitely growing. "It is harder to grow organically because the number of weapons against pesticides is very much reduced as well as the low availability of organic fertilisers. "It is very exciting and I will be very interested to see how it develops." Organic growers need to use soap based pesticides to keep greenfly at bay as well as regularly remove rotting vegetation to prevent slugs from being attracted to the area as well as practice strict crop rotation to stop disease.
That's a great idea, will be very interesting to see how it progresses. You must be chuffed at the thought of this Eileen?
Yes I am Frank especially when it's happening not too far away from me. Might take a trip down there in the summer to have a nosey around. Maybe give them a few of my organic gardening tips too eh?
