Time outside
Make a simple plan for a community garden plot
A plot plan that ignores the site's rules or the local season often has to be redone. Give the assistant the plot size, what the site allows, your region and how much time you have each week.
A text to start with
I've been allocated a five-by-three-metre plot at a community garden in the West Midlands. The site rules ban permanent structures, and communal watering is available only on Tuesday and Friday mornings. It's early March. I can spend about two hours each weekend. I want vegetables I'll actually eat, mostly salad, beans and something for autumn. Draft a basic layout and a rough growing calendar.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.What to check in the answer
Planting dates depend on your local conditions and this year's weather, so compare any calendar with seed-packet instructions or your local allotment association. Ask what spacing the layout assumes: a plan spaced for full-grown plants can look bare in spring. If you know your soil type, check that suggested varieties suit it. The Tuesday and Friday watering limit should shape the plan, so ask how it affects crop choice.
Your next step
Take the calendar to your first visit and note what neighboring plots are growing. If your plot has weeds or compacted soil, tell the assistant and ask how that changes the March priorities.