Quick tour
Here's an outline of how it all works...
The first thing you get when you join Down The Allotment is your own plot
This provides:
Your own blog where you can upload text and pictures of your allotment
Details of which allotment you belong to, how long you've been gardening etc
Alerts of private messages to you from other allotmenteers
Details of what groups you're in and how many groats you've earned
Next - join a group or start your own
About groups:
Your group will usually be your real-life allotment and the group members are the plot-holders
But you can start a group about anything you like. For example, you could start a group for allotmenteers around the country who are interested in bringing back old Victorian varieties of apples
You can be a member of as many groups as you like - or none at all if you prefer
Your Group page shows all the posts from other members of your group
This means you can see at a glance: Any announcements about your allotment - committee meetings, site inspections etc; Classified ads from plot-holders on your allotment; Forum posts and general chit-chat
Earn groats and barter them with other allotmenteers
About groats:
Groats are a virtual currency used for bartering on the site
How you get groats
You are given groats when you register and then earn more as you perform actions on the site like posting forum topics, starting groups, adding blog entries, uploading pictures, inviting new users and more.
How you use them
Use them to barter with other allotmenteers in the classified ads section. Seeds, plants, excess vegetables and fruit, tools, sheds, greenhouses - the sky's the limit!
But don't spend them all at once
Once the site's well-established, we'll be seeking deals with online gardening retailers so that allotmenteers can swap their groats for discounts and goods.
Use the forum for advice and classified ads
On the forum you can:
Give and receive advice on all aspects of growing fruit and vegetables
Use the search facility to make the most of this treasure trove of knowledge
Barter seeds, plants, tools etc in the classified ads section
Offer or ask for services such as digging, trips to the recycling centre etc
Full length 'how to' articles on all aspects of allotment life
Articles:
All articles are written by allotmenteers from their own experience
All allotmenteers can write articles - but they need to apply first
Click on the link below to register for Down The Allotment
