Allotment Gardening Research Articles

On the irrelevance of (peat-free) substrates - Qualitative insights into the social practices of hobby gardeners in Germany

Reducing peat consumption in hobby gardening offers considerable potential for reducing CO2 emissions, since peatlands are one of the most important natural carbon sinks. While existing research focuses on the products and their diffusion, we focus on people and their practices of gardening. So we conducted 44 interviews with hobby gardeners in Germany from three different contexts: gardening at home, in an allotment garden, and in an urban gardening initiative. Our findings show that substrates are not a major part of gardeners' social interactions. Purchasing substrates is a utility-driven process with, compared to gardening itself, mostly passive information behavior. Although (basic) knowledge about peat is widespread among hobby gardeners, price is the dominant purchase criterion for substrates; sustainability does not play an important role. Our results suggest that communication campaigns by governments and companies should convey substrate-related messages in those places where gardeners go to seek information, e.g. gardening-related publications. Communication should focus on the functional value of peat-free substrates and not just explain environmental benefits. Lastly, campaigns should target home gardeners rather than urban gardeners and allotment gardeners who rarely buy any substrates but rely on their own production.

Quantifying the relationship between gardening and health and well-being in the UK: a survey during the covid-19 pandemic

BackgroundRates of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, are high and rising in the urbanising world. Gardening could improve both mental and physical health and help prevent a range of conditions by increasing fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption, promoting physical activity, and reducing stress. However, good quality quantitative research in the area is scarce, and our understanding of the role of allotments and home gardens, and the effects of the level of engagement in gardening and involvement with food production has thus far been limited.MethodsWe quantitatively assess the relationship between home and allotment gardening and various indicators and predictors of health and well-being using an online survey of gardeners (n = 203) and non-gardeners (n = 71) in the UK. The survey was composed of multiple validated questionnaires (including the Short Form Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFFQ), the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), the Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and the Self-Rated Health question (SRH)) and self-defined questions relating to participants’ involvement with gardening and food production, and relevant demographic and lifestyle factors. Data were analysed using a series of hierarchical logistic and multiple linear regression models adjusting for socio-demographic variables.ResultsAfter adjusting for relevant socio-demographic factors, gardening related variables were associated with better self-rated health, higher mental well-being, increased F&V consumption. Higher F&V intake was in turn also associated with better self-rated health and decreased odds of obesity. Thus, gardening had a positive association with four different aspects of health and well-being, directly or indirectly via increased F&V consumption.ConclusionsOur results suggest that gardening in UK allotments and domestic gardens may promote different aspects of health and well-being via multiple mechanisms. Improving access to growing space and promoting regular gardening could provide a range of benefits to public health. More research on how socio-economic factors influence the health and well-being benefits of gardening will help policymakers devise strategies to maximise these benefits.

Will Allotment Gardening Save Us Again? Allotment Gardens during a COVID-19 Pandemic in a City with a Shortage of Plots

Allotment gardening as element of green infrastructure and integral part of urban agriculture supports the city’s sustainable development and builds urban resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to revisit allotment gardening in a situation of unprecedented health crisis. Therefore, this study aims to recognise the importance of allotment gardens during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poznań (Poland), a city with a ‘famine of plots’ observed for years. A survey was conducted among allotment holders who had acquired plots during the course of the pandemic and in-depth interviews were conducted with the president of the Polish Allotment Federation of Poznań and the managers of the allotment gardens wherein we had identified the highest proportion of new allotment holders. Information was collected during field research, also using available statistical data. The methods used included desk research and a case study, interviews and a survey. The results of the study show that the pandemic caused a renaissance in allotment gardening. The increased interest in allotments triggered an increase in their price, thus further restricting access. A generational change in the allotment community was also noted, with young people appearing on allotments. However, the survey showed no change in the use of allotments: recreation is still their dominant function, with allotment holders focusing on cleaning and renovation work. For new allotment holders, the plot was a green refuge in times of isolation, a place for contact with nature, loved ones and family, and a safe space for relaxation. Our research indicates that allotment holders also appreciated its positive impact on their physical and mental health.. Moreover, the study indicates that despite the long-standing shortage of allotments in the city, only restorative allotment gardens are being created.

Leaks and pees: How women allotment gardeners manage bodily mess and the remains of early loss

Leaks and pees: How women allotment gardeners manage bodily mess and the remains of early loss

Cultivating thirdspace: Community, conflict and place in small-city urban gardens

Over the past 15 years, there has been an increased interest in urban gardening. Queues for getting a gardening spot have grown, as many urban citizens seek a spot to cultivate vegetables, and studies have stressed how urban gardens can be one ingredient in creating more sustainable cities. Following the work of urban theorists Henry Lefebvre and Edward Soja, this study explores urban gardens as thirdspaces. Interviewing allotment gardeners and community gardeners in small Swedish cities, we explore allotments as ‘lived places’, where experiences, meanings and a sense of place are developed. Thirdspace suggests us to think beyond binary constructions of space and analysing narratives of urban gardening through that lens shows that allotment spots can be understood as places where certain dualisms have, if not a transgressed, at least a more flexible and expansive logic. The result illuminates how allotment gardens are a kind of nature-human crossing point and a practice connecting city residents with countryside life and non-landowners with the land.

Allotment Garden Products as Contribution to Sustainable and Resilient Cities: An Analysis in Leipzig, Germany

The food supply and the consumption of resources are already central challenges for the growing world population and increasing demands. Urban areas in particular face problems of resilience and sustainability. The development of alternative food systems by, e.g., urban gardening, can contribute to meet targets of sustainable consumption, inclusive economy, and resilient food systems of cities. Our research presents insights into the available harvest of products from allotments. In addition, the interest and motivation of gardeners to distribute products from their allotments was investigated. The analysis was based on a structured and standardized questionnaire with more than 90 allotment gardeners in Leipzig. Data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics. Our results showed that especially zucchinis, tomatoes, berries, and apples could be distributed to consumers; however, the greatest obstacle involves the legal framework to economically distribute products from these allotments. On the other hand, some respondents showed that income generation from allotment products is less important than the enjoyment of the garden and the charitable goal of action. They suggested an organized distribution system of surplus from allotments to particularly disadvantaged people. This paper encourages re-examination of the conventional urban–rural relations, the production–consumption relationships, and the norms of economic activity.

Towards an integrated garden. Gardeners of all types, unite!

Urban gardens are focal in metropolitan social-ecological infrastructure and yet they are spaces often threatened by urban development. In Berlin and Warsaw, major urban changes have prompted citizens to alter their attitudes toward the use of existing garden areas. This study tackles the socio-spatial phenomena of emerging grassroots projects and practices jointly implemented by groups of allotment and community gardeners, which are instrumental in envisioning new forms of common management and protection of garden spaces along urban transformations. The article investigates how cooperation between gardeners of different backgrounds influences allotments’ patterns of property and public accessibility. The focus is on a possible change of perspective regarding the use of closed allotment structures and the conceptualisation of a new form of hybrid urban landscape: an integrated garden. Our findings fit into the general debate on gardens as commons and new forms of green space selfgovernance.

The Role of Allotments and Community Gardens and the Challenges Facing Their Development in Urban Environments—A Literature Review

Current research largely focuses on the role of allotment gardens, the challenges facing them, and the direction of their future development in urban environments. The main idea behind the introduction of allotment gardens was to improve the living conditions and food supply of workers and the underprivileged. The impact of allotment gardening does not only concern the allotment gardeners but also the general public and the environment. It is important to emphasise that allotments have impacts not only on food production and outdoor physical activity, but also on the reuse of idle or neglected land, community development, therapeutic and nutritional benefits, and psychological benefits for allotment holders and residents. For this reason, this study captures six broad themes related to allotments: (1) community participation and cohesion, (2) health and well-being, (3) economic opportunities, (4) pollution, (5) urban planning and development, and (6) sustainable environment. The research is a systematic review in which steps were taken to minimise bias in the identification, selection, and summarisation of studies. The initial literature selection was based on a keyword search (title, abstract, and keywords) of the comprehensive literature databases Web of Science (all years) and Scopus (all years). The total scientific literature on which this review is based includes 162 research articles published between 1978 and July 2022. This work aims to fill these gaps and analyse existing knowledge by providing a detailed review of the academic literature, focusing not only on the benefits of community gardens and allotments in urban areas, but also on the existing problems related to allotments and urban gardening. Possible directions of development are also analysed based on the legal regulations in each country.

Perceived functions of allotment gardens and their importance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland

Abstract This article describes the changes taking place in the functions of allotment gardens, their perceived value, reasons for purchasing allotments and subjective (self-reported) assessments of their importance during the pandemic. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 203 owners of allotment gardens located in three highly urbanised cities in the Silesian Voivodeship (Southern Poland). Semi-structured questionnaires and non-standardised questionnaires were used to collect the data. The results demonstrate that the respondents aged above 61 years (38.5%) have observed a generational change in the function of allotments, from cultivating fruits and vegetables to recreational purposes. Regardless of age, the owners of allotment gardens did not notice any technological progress or new crops. The young respondents (21–30 years) treated allotment gardens as an investment (36.7%), while the respondents aged below 20 years and over 61 years declared that the greatest benefits of allotment gardening are improved health and growing one’s own fruits and vegetables. The respondents aged over 41 years (25.9%) also pointed out the importance of growing their own produce. Allotments were especially important during the pandemic as a private space free from COVID-related restrictions. Extended interviews with the respondents revealed that allotment gardening was perceived as a coping strategy for the stress generated during the lockdown. This study showed that allotment gardens are important sites not only for food production but also for maintaining mental health, social capital and environmental engagement.

Valuing the Benefits and Enhancing Access: Community and Allotment Gardens in Urban Melbourne, Australia

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of the benefits and challenges experienced by community and allotment gardens utilising a broad theoretical analysis, pertaining to the case study of Melbourne, a city in Australia that until recently has been experiencing significant population growth and urban densification. The study involved qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 23 participants from six urban community and allotment gardens. Interviews identified the perceived benefits of community and allotment gardening, perceived demographic patterns of engagement, challenges faced in relation to secure land access, and the potential offered by community and allotment gardens for social and environmental wellbeing. Findings revealed a range of perceived benefits, perceived demographic patterns, highlighted challenges posed to participation due to insecurity around ongoing land access, and detailed the perceived capacity community and allotment gardens have to contribute to social and environmental wellbeing. This study contributes to existing literature focused on the benefits and potential of community and allotment gardening for personal, social and environmental wellbeing, by offering an original theoretical contribution through carrying out an analysis informed by urban geography, phenomenology, political economy and ecology, and to literature focused on issues of access to land for these amenities.

Contemporary trends in urban allotment gardening: The example of family plots in Warsaw

The study aims to gain an insight into current trends in the use of four selected allotment gardens (rodzinne ogrody działkowe – RODs) in Warsaw (Poland): ROD ‘Pratulińska’, ROD ‘Obrońców Pokoju’, ROD ‘Kolejarz’ and ROD ‘Zelmot’. The main method used in the research was a survey of plot holders (structured interviews, n = 210). The findings suggest that holders are mainly older, retired people, but the number of younger plot holders has been increasing in recent years. Most live on huge estates in close proximity to the allotment gardens. The main motivations for having a plot are relaxation, gardening as a hobby and connection with the natural environment. Food production itself was not mentioned as a prior motivation. The meaning of having a plot corresponds with motivations. Some plot holders emphasize having their own, private place (a kind of second home, refuge, respite from city life). Most of the respondents have positive opinions regarding opening allotment gardens to local communities, although they are not very eager to participate in integrational events and activities organized by the Polish Association of Allotment Gardens (PZD) or others. The findings are in line with global trends presented in research exploring allotment garden recreational space in Poland and abroad.

Public versus private: Juxtaposing urban allotment gardens as multifunctional Nature-based Solutions. Insights from Seville

Many European countries witness growing interest in allotment gardening. Thus, private allotment gardens (AGs) have been created in some countries, including Spain. As a result, there are places where non-consumptive and commodified allotment gardens coexist. The paper presents an in-depth comparison of public and private AGs through the lens of the nature-based solutions (NBS) concept. First, we assess the importance that gardeners attribute to the spectrum of environmental and socio-economic impacts provided by both types of AGs; we identify differences and similarities in their development and management, and assess the demographic and socioeconomic profile of gardeners. Subsequently, we discuss gardeners’ and other stakeholders’ opinions on both types of AGs and explore the roles that they can play as solutions for urban policy challenges. Our results show that both types of AGs are nature-based solutions with particularly positive impacts on the health and well-being of their users. These gardens do not compete but complement each other, fostered by their role as multifunctional nature-based solutions. Moreover, the option of cultivating a private or a public AG seems to be more linked to the freedom of cultivation and the freedom of access rather than economic reasons. We conclude that in the current complex scenario, public and private AGs must have territorial, legal and institutional frameworks within all urban policies that explore NBS.

We Reap What We Sow, embodiment and urban allotment gardening. Part 1: autumn- late winter, October- January.

This research investigates the inquiry: how is embodiment illuminated by a relationship with the land, earth, and plants, specifically in the context of an urban allotment gardening practice? It reveals the act of writing from the body, the relationship between a movement practice and gardening, the ancient ritual of growing and nurturing plants, and notions of gardening as a somatic practice. The research project was carried out over the space of a year, from 2019-2020, and in this exposition the activities and interventions that were carried out during part I of the research are revealed. The work shared here is part of an on-going long-term project instigated in 2017 ‘And so we Sow’ which looks at the relationship between dance and gardening.

Constructing Organic Food through Urban Agriculture, Community Gardens in Seville

The growing presence of community or allotment gardens seeks to respond to the challenges of today’s urban societies in terms of sustainability. The food dimension of this phenomenon is one of its most important aspects, with clear repercussions on improving the quality of life of the allotment gardeners and their families. Through observation and qualitative analysis of some community urban gardens in southern Spain (Andalusia), this paper notes that the people who cultivate allotments within these community gardens attribute a wide variety of different meanings to their practices. One essential contribution of this research is the finding that this plurality of meanings moves beyond the rational-technical dimension of the act of growing, while at the same time redefining the act of consuming organic food, because of its connection with productive and social activities.

An assessment of urban horticultural soil quality in the United Kingdom and its contribution to carbon storage.

As participation in urban horticulture grows, understanding the quality of urban horticultural soils is of increasing importance. Until now, case studies of individual cities or gardens have limited the potential of such studies to draw generalised conclusions. Here, we present the first national scale assessment of soil quality in allotments, a dominant form of urban horticulture in the United Kingdom. We sampled soils in 200 allotments in 10 urban areas across Great Britain. We assessed a range of soil quality indicators (carbon and nitrogen concentration, C:N ratio, bulk density, carbon density, pH) comparing them to the quality of soils in rural arable and horticultural land. We present the first estimate of nationwide carbon storage on allotments. We found that allotment gardeners consistently employ management practices conducive to high soil quality. Allotment soil quality differed significantly between soil types but in general soils were of a high quality: low bulk density (0.92gcm-3) and high soil organic carbon concentration and density (58.2mgg-1 and 58.1mgcm-3 respectively). Allotment soil organic carbon concentration was 250% higher than in the surrounding arable and horticultural land. Covering only 0.0006% of Great Britain, allotments contribute a disproportionate 0.05-0.14% of nationwide total organic carbon stocks. This national-scale study provides compelling evidence that small-scale urban horticultural production, unlike conventional horticulture, does not degrade soil quality. Indeed, allotments hold a small but previously unaccounted for carbon stock nationally. Urban horticultural land is a vital part of the urban landscape with effectively functioning soils that should be protected. As public demand for urban horticultural land rises and policy-makers from local to trans-national levels of governance advocate for urban food production, our findings demonstrate that urban horticulture can protect or enhance the ecosystem services provided by soils in cities and towns where the majority of people live.

Assessing the Direct Resource Requirements of Urban Horticulture in the United Kingdom: A Citizen Science Approach

Interest in urban food production is growing; recent research has highlighted its potential to increase food security and reduce the environmental impact of food production. However, resource demands of urban horticulture are poorly understood. Here, we use allotment gardens in the United Kingdom to investigate resource demands of urban horticultural production across the country. We conducted a nationwide citizen science project using year-long allotment ‘diaries’ with allotment gardeners (n = 163). We analysed a variety of resources: transportation; time; water use; inputs of compost, manure and topsoil; and inputs of fertilisers, pest control and weed control. We found that, overall, an allotment demands 87 annual visits, travelling 139 km to and from the plot; 7 fertiliser additions; 4 pest control additions; and 2 weed control additions. On average, each kilogram of food produced used 0.4 hours’ labour, 16.9 L of water, 0.2 L of topsoil, 2.2 L of manure, and 1.9 L of compost. As interest in urban horticultural production grows, and policy makers build urban horticultural spaces into future sustainable cities, it is of key importance that this is carried out in a way that minimises resource requirements, and we demonstrate here that avenues exist for the diversion of municipal compostable waste and household-level city food waste for this purpose.

Connections in the garden: opportunities for wellbeing

ABSTRACT This study aimed to gain an insight into the ways in which community and allotment gardening may enhance wellbeing for people and place, within urban Melbourne, Australia. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants representing six community/allotment gardens. The findings suggest that community and allotment gardening enhance people’s wellbeing on a personal level mentally and physically, through social connectedness and community, and finally through connecting with the natural environment through the gardens themselves. These findings contribute to existing literature exploring community and allotment gardening predominantly based in North America and Europe by offering an exploration of an Australian context. Theoretically, these findings provide support for conceptualisations which acknowledge the interconnectedness and reciprocity of the wellbeing of people and place. Practically, these findings support the call for local government to ensure continuing access to land for facilitating community and allotment gardening.

“My little piece of the planet”: the multiplicity of well-being benefits from allotment gardening

PurposeParticipation in urban horticulture (UH) is increasing in popularity, and evidence is emerging about the wide range of social and environmental benefits “grow your own” can also provide. UH can increase mental and physical well-being, as well as improve nature connectedness, social capital and community cohesion.Design/methodology/approachThis study focusses on allotments, which is one of the dominant forms of UH that takes place in the United Kingdom. 163 volunteers in England and Wales participated in keeping a year-long allotment diary as part of a citizen science project investigating activities on allotment gardens. This study examines the unprompted comments that 96 of these gardeners offered as observations when visiting their allotment plots.FindingsParticipants recorded high levels of social and community activities including the sharing of surplus food produce, knowledge exchange, awareness and interaction with wildlife, emotional connection to their allotment, appreciation of time spent outside and aesthetic delight in the natural world around them.Originality/valueAt a time when waiting lists for allotment plots in the United Kingdom are on the rise, and allotment land is subject to multiple pressures from other forms of development, this study demonstrates that these spaces are important sites not only for food production but also health, social capital and environmental engagement.

Allotment gardening in Poland – new practices and changes in recreational space

Abstract Allotment gardening in Europe, including in Poland, is a century-long tradition that has been cultivated by each new generation. The idea derived from the rapid industrialization of large cities and is currently gaining new meaning. Apart from the economic and recreational roles played by allotment gardens (AGs), emphasis is increasingly being placed on their function as community, social, ecological and even creative and entertainment spaces. AGs constitute an important place for inhabitants of cities to spend their free time. Hence, it has been postulated more and more often that AGs should be preserved as productive and ‘living’ spaces for leisure and social integration. The numerous initiatives of the Polish Allotment Association, whose aim is to protect AGs against liquidation, and to be used for public and non-public purposes, include the Open Social Programme of Allotment Gardens Development. Through pro-social, innovative activity, the programme helps to redefine and change the perception of AGs in Poland as well as contribute to their infrastructural development.

Legal regulations and the development of German and Polish allotment gardens in the context of the production function

Allotment gardens (AGs) serve various socio-cultural, ecological and economic functions, mostly for the urban community, and they also provide agricultural produce for their users. German and Polish legislation includes this function in the definitions regulating allotment gardening. The article aims to compare the legal regulations for allotment gardening in operation in Germany and Poland. This study analyses legal acts concerning the development and functioning of allotments, since they may greatly influence their production function. Moreover, field research and structured interviews were carried out and, as a result, the collected data were contrasted with the actual state of development of selected allotments. The study shows that some of the provisions of legal acts, both German and Polish, are not strictly adhered to by the users. Also, the analysis of use of allotments in both countries reveals the strong influence of the present legal norms. The regulations concerning allotment gardening in Germany are conducive to preserving plant cultivation, while in Poland unclear provisions on the way in which crop cultivation is to be developed have led to a replacement of the farming function by recreational and residential uses. It is necessary, then, to maintain and observe the existing regulations in Germany. In Poland, on the other hand, there is a strong need for a regulation at the national level which would specify the principles regarding the obligatory use of part of a plot for food production.