WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE LIKELY PLOTTERS?

Back in 2018 The Potty Plotters (Elaine Crick and Julia Slater) of the Ashbourne Road and District Allotments in Derby came up with the hare-brained idea of creating starter plots for learner plot holders. So how has it gone? They tell all!

- Elaine Crick and Julia Slater

It seemed like a good idea at the time - turning a disused corner of the 9.5-acre city centre site into small plots which could be used on an annual basis for people who wanted to learn about allotmenting without committing to a full-sized plot. A sort of grounding for beginners. An area of learning where mistakes could be made but where support would be offered and new adventures secured for those who wanted to 'try' to grow but who would be safely nurtured along the way in the safe hands of The Potty Plotters.

Through months of wallowing in mud, shovelling stones and clearing years' worth of thick brambles and rubbish, the hard slog paid off. As the site volunteers grappled with the weather and all that goes with winter projects, in May 2019 the beautifully manicured six small plots (each measuring 3 x 7m/10 x 23ft) were levelled, paved, dug over, fenced off and each allocated their own tool shed containing essential tools too. A perfect place for would-be allotmenteers to 'have a go' at growing their own (looking very telly gardening programme like') with not a weed in sight and literally 'good to grow'.

The Potty Plotters introduced the starter plotters to growing plants from seeds in the Growing Academy - a community polytunnel on site which was turned into a classroom arena each weekend for two hours to teach all the basics, including planning, pricking out and protection of plants on the plots. A new experience for the starters but which The Potty Plotters hoped would be a sound investment of their time.