Covid-19 Update
We have had to make adjustments to this year’s series of events and activities. You’ll find specific details next to each listing in the calendar below.
The annual October Celebration of Allotments at St. Margaret’s Church in Pollokshaws will be cancelled, although we’re looking to collate an online gallery celebrating Glasgow’s allotments.
We’re therefore inviting all of you to send us your thoughts and feelings about being on your plot, so read our guidelines and send us your photos and sketches!
We have not yet cancelled the November AGM.
The GAF Programme
Everyone who is a plotholder in Glasgow can come along to our meetings and events.
We usually have 6 core meetings a year at Garnethill Multicultural Centre (next to the Glasgow Film Theatre in the city centre), usually on the evening of the first Thursday of the month in January, March, May, July, September and November.
We also have special events – more on these below the timetable.
The first 5 core meetings consist of a discussion or talk about a topic that members have suggested would be of interest, followed by a break for coffee and tea. After the break there is a business meeting. You’re welcome to come just for the discussion part, the business meeting, or both!
November is host to core meeting number 6: our Annual General Meeting.
| Event | Date | Time | Venue (click for map) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting 1: Starting the Season – Rearing your Own Plants | 9 Jan | 7-9pm | Garnethill Multicultural Centre, Rose St, City Centre, G3 6RE |
| Potato Day – details below | 23 Feb | 11-3pm | Reidvale Neighbourhood Centre G31 1QW |
| Meeting 2: Managing Your Allotment Site (more details) | 5 Mar | 7-9pm | Garnethill Multicultural Centre, Rose St, City Centre, G3 6RE |
| Community Learning Exchange Visit | TBA | 10-4pm | Visits to Allotments |
| Meeting 3: Bugs to Love! (more details) | cancelled | ||
| Meeting 4: Permaculture & Forest Gardening (more details) | 7-8pm | Online – click for details | |
| Meeting 5: COP26 – The Climate Change Conference (more details) | cancelled | ||
| GAF Workshop | cancelled | ||
| Annual Celebration of Allotments | 3 Oct | moved online – click here to contribute | |
| Special Guest Talk from Charles Dowding – ‘No-Dig: Allow Soil Life to Do The Work’ | 19 October | 7-8pm | Online – click for details |
| Meeting 6: AGM | 12 Nov | 7-9pm | Garnethill Multicultural Centre, Rose St, City Centre, G3 6RE |
More detail on each event
Potato Day
Sun 23 Feb 11am-3pm Reidvale Neighbourhood Centre
The concept of Potato Day is simple – armed with a list, a pencil & some bags, choose as little as just one tuber of any number of the 50 or more varieties of the certified seed potatoes on offer or buy larger bags of single varieties. To be honest, it’s not about
volume, but about variety.
Potato Day 2020 will be on Sunday Feb 23rd.
Check out full details here, and we’ve also got a guide to the best way to reach Reidvale Centre by public transport.
With its vibrant atmosphere, Glasgow Potato Day has become the event to get everyone excited at the prospect of a new growing season!
Meeting 2: Managing Your Allotment Site
March 5th 7-8pm Garnethill Multicultural Centre
New Guidelines on Regulations and the Delegation of Management on allotments are coming into force soon. A discussion about how associations manage things now, the relationship between them and the local authority and what they’d like to see happen in the future.
A business meeting will follow 8-9pm – all welcome.
Meeting 3: Bugs to Love
Cancelled due to Covid-19 lockdown
Joanna Lindsay from Buglife will be talking about insects etc. which are helpful on the plot as pollinators, carnivores feeding on pests or have a role to play in keeping soil healthy.
Meeting 4: Permaculture & Forest Gardening
Meeting took place online
Graham Bell, author of The Permaculture Garden, who has been using permaculture principles in his garden at Coldstream for many years, will talk about his work and his observations.
Meeting 5: COP26 – The Climate Change Conference
Thu 3 Sep 7-8pm Garnethill Multicultural Centre
An outline of what’s happening during the conference. A discussion about what allotmenteers and their associations can do to contribute lessening the effects of climate change and making sure their practice helps to preserve the environment.
Cancelled due to Covid-19 lockdown
Celebration of Allotments
Timing details to follow
This event is usually held in the autumn each year on a Saturday afternoon. Instead of our typical event, which would usually involve various stalls with opportunities to buy seeds and sets ready for the next gardening season, we will host an online celebration this year. You can start getting involved already – read up on how to contribute to our gallery as the season progresses!
We typically also have Plotholders’ Question Time and the presentation of our New Plotholder Awards and Allotment Development Awards. This year, we have decided only to run the Allotment Development Awards. For details on timing and how to submit, see our awards page.