Enjoy a slice of the good life

Not since the ‘dig for victory' days of the Second World War have allotments been so popular in the UK.

If you're one of the lucky 300,000 people across the country that already has access to one you'll know how rewarding it can be. Apart from being able to grow vegetables, fruit and flowers on a bigger scale than in your garden, allotments have an unexpected bonus.

‘It's a great way to boost your wellbeing,' says Donna McDaid of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG). ‘Knowing that you've produced something from seed creates a sense of achievement.'

However, demand for allotments is outstripping supply, so much so that before the election, the Government announced plans to help find more land for growing, including setting up a community land bank so people can lease or buy land from private and public sector landowners. Help put yourself at the top of the list for land with these ideas.

■ Contact your local council's allotments officer to find out about available sites and rates - the average annual cost is around £25.
■ There'll be a waiting list but, if you're open to plot-sharing or renovating a disused patch, you may be able to jump the queue. Allotments are measured in ‘rods' and a standard 10-rod plot is about 250 square metres, easily big enough to feed two large families, so sharing is a practical option.
■ Contact neighbouring councils as they may have more plots available.
■ Research privately run sites on www.googlemaps.com. You may discover allotments you didn't know about.
■ Pressure your council - if you can get at least six people to petition them, they're obliged to look into renting land for you.
■ Look for community growing projects in your area. Landshare.net puts people with spare land in touch with those looking for growing space.
■ The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners can help you set up an allotment association and give advice on renting and sub-letting land (visit www.nsalg.org.uk).

Once you've found an allotment visit the site before you sign up. Make sure there's parking, toilet facilities and adequate security. Some may even have an association that runs special events or a small shop selling seeds and tools.

Alan Titchmarsh's allotment advice

B&Q's Grow Your Own Expert Alan Titchmarsh shares his top tips for running a successful allotment 

■ Taking on a whole allotment can be daunting, especially on your own. For most people, starting with a half plot will be more than enough.
■ Grow what you fancy eating but avoid sowing everything at once or you'll end up with enough crops to feed the cast of Watership Down. Instead sow half rows so you have crops maturing in succession.
■ Talk to your fellow ‘allotmenteers'. They're an invaluable source of information on what will and won't grow. You'll always get the odd old
grump but don't be scared to ask questions.
■ I've never been a big planner, but on an allotment it's very important to keep track of what's been planted, when and where. Measure out your plot on paper and always use labels to remind you what you've done.
■ Don't be tempted to dig for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time - you'll only regret it in the morning! It's much better to build up to longer sessions over time.