The rental terms of allotment gardens 2026

Renting a plot

An allotment is rented for either one (1) growing season or five (5) seasons at a time. An exception applies to the Utra plots, for which written lease agreements are made for five (5) or ten (10) years. A person who cultivated a plot in the previous season has the primary right to renew the lease for the following season, provided they pay the plot rent by the end of February 2026. New reference numbers for payment will be sent to cultivators at the beginning of the year.

Reservations can be renewed starting from January 1, 2026. From the beginning of April, any unpaid plots will be released for rent to everyone without separate notice. Updated information on plot availability will be published on the association’s website starting in March.

The lease agreement is personal

The lease agreement is personal, and the plot may not be transferred to a third party. Lease agreements are not inheritable; plots are always rented through the association. The plot must be used exclusively for gardening. If cultivation is discontinued during the lease period, the tenant must notify the association by terminating the lease.

Waste management

The tenant is responsible for maintaining the plot and its edges (boundaries, ditches, lawns). There is no shared compost available at the plots (except in Utra), so each tenant must arrange composting of their own garden waste. One compost may be built on the plot, with a maximum base area of 5 m² and a height of 1 meter. Compost must not cause inconvenience to other cultivators. Compost bins made from old freezers are not allowed.

At the Utra plot area, there is a properly constructed shared compost that cultivators are allowed to use. It is intended strictly for garden waste. The tenant is responsible for ensuring that only appropriate biodegradable waste is placed there.

Tenants must personally take mixed waste, plastics, wooden structures, and metal scrap to appropriate recycling points. There are no trash bins in the plot areas. The plots are not to be used as disposal sites for metal, plastic, or other household waste.

Invasive specieses

Non-native invasive plant species must be removed from the plots with their roots and placed in separate waste bags, and the association must be notified. Up-to-date information on invasive species and their removal is available at www.vieraslajit.fi. The most common invasive species include lupine, Himalayan balsam, rugosa rose, and Spanish slug. Cultivators must also monitor non-invasive plants that spread easily and ensure they do not spread beyond their own plot.

Water points

Water points are intended only for cultivation use on the plots. Cultivators are asked to immediately report leaking water points or taps to Joensuu Water.

Washing cars at water points is prohibited.

Structures

If desired, the plot may be fenced with a fence under one meter high to prevent damage from hares or rabbits. However, tenants are asked to use discretion and primarily consider other control methods, as hares can also jump over the permitted fence height. The fence must be lightweight and maintained annually, neat, and straight. It must not cause inconvenience to other cultivators, and access routes must be considered. Vegetation under the fence must be kept tidy and not allowed to overgrow.

A toolbox under 1 meter in height may be placed on the plot for storing tools. It must be positioned so as not to cause inconvenience to neighboring plots.

A lightweight greenhouse that is dismantled in autumn may be built for the growing season. No plastic structures may be left on the plot during winter; they must be removed. Carefully consider the use of plastic and plan how you will remove and dispose of damaged plastic after use.

Please be considerate of other cultivators and respect their work and property. Entering another person’s plot without permission is not allowed. Pay attention to your routes—do not take shortcuts through other plots.

Ending the rental contract

When the lease ends, the tenant must remove any cultivation boxes, composts, or other structures they have built on the plot.

A cleaning fee of €350 will be charged for any inappropriate structures or items left on the plot.

If it is found that the tenant has left the plot uncultivated or otherwise violated the lease terms, the association has the right to terminate the agreement. Fixed-term leases may also be terminated for valid reasons.

If you have any questions or need to report anything related to the cultivation plots, feel free to contact the association.

Joensuun 4H-yhdistys  |  joensuu@4h.fi  |   phone. 040 731  9701