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A space to ‘grow your own roots’ is coming to south Bristol
Roots allotments are opening a new patch in south Bristol early next year.
The Bath-based company was launched in response to lengthy waiting lists for allotments and out of a belief that everyone should be able to grow their own produce.
Founder Ed Morrison first came up with the idea after moving to Devon – the pandemic hit and he started to grow food in his grandparents’ house.
is needed now More than ever
Fast forward to 2022 and Roots has become a successful initiative with some 50 people on the waiting list and new sites opening next year all across the country.
“We’re opening one in south Bristol, and we’re hoping to open another one later in 2023,” said William Gay, CEO at Roots, referring to their exponential growth.
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Roots works by getting people to choose from patch sizes according to their projects, with micro patches that are great for beginners or a bigger patch for families or groups of friends.
Why did they chose Bristol as their next location?
“We were originally based in Bath, the intention was always to expand, so Bristol makes sense geographically speaking,” said Gay.
Morrison adds that the city has one of the highest waiting lists in the UK for council allotments.
The Roots founder adds that the public response has been “overwhelming”, saying: “It has been amazing to see how it has impacted people’s mental and physical health.”
The team is hoping to launch sites in other cities besides Bristol, including Reading, Southampton and London.
What is the ‘no dig technique’ used by Roots?
Roots proposes “ditching the traditional techniques”. No dig is a principle of using a layer covered in compost to suppress weeds and plants on the surface but keep the microbial allies in the soil alive, creating the least amount of soil damage.
This piece of independent journalism is supported by NatWest and the Bristol24/7 public and business membership
Main photo: Roots Allotments
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