WHEN the going gets tough, it appears the tough turn to gardening.

As the price of food in supermarkets begins to rise, and the quest for fresh, local organic food becomes more popular, more and more people are turning to growing their own produce.

One of the ways to do this is to get an allotment and now has never been a more popular time to rent one.

Local authorities across the country are reporting soaring demand for allotments and many now have long waiting lists for plots.

Bexley has 1,547 allotment plots, scattered across 36 sites all over the borough.

Of these, 28 are managed by the council and the other eight are delegated sites, run by a committee of the allotment holders.

Within the council-run sites, there are now only 33 vacant plots spread across six sites.

In addition there are 67 people on waiting lists for a specific plot or site.

Bill Row, chairman of the Bexley Federation of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (BFALG), says food prices and the quest for fresh food has had a huge impact on the popularity of allotments.

He said: "The flavour is nothing like produce bought from supermarkets.

"Last weekend all the veg for our Sunday lunch; broad beans, peas, cabbage and potatoes, were grown on my allotment and boiling in the pot within half an hour of being picked."

He added: "You know what has gone onto the food and there are no supermarket road miles."

Mr Row says there has been a big turnaround in the profile of plotholders.

He said: "There are many more women and families. Retired people now account for less than 50 per cent of plotholders.

"Gardening is one of the most enjoyable things a family can do together.

"The children can tend their own little patch and sites can build a really good community, working as families and sharing their produce."

BFALG has been working with nursery schools, encouraging very young children to grow their own veg.

And it won an Awards for All £5,000 grant to promote allotment gardening in the borough.

BFALG will have a stall at the Danson Show in July and in Bexleyheath Broadway the following month for Allotment Week.

For more information, call 020 8294 6494 or email parks&openspaces@bexley.gov.uk