[Kim50]

Does anyone’s site use trial plots?

One of the plot holders has asked to give up half his plot because of health issues from next April. Initially the committee (apart from me) said he would have to give the plot up, but I have suggested that he be allowed to move to a smaller plot, or the other half of his current plot, be used as a trial plot. 

The idea being, that as people near the top of the list, they are asked, if they would like to try a small trial plot for a year to see if they really want and are committed to the time, as we are having new people start who get daunted and let their plots become weed infested. 

Our waiting list is dropping quite quickly, because people give up, either waiting for their piece of ground or their plots once allocated and I thought this might be one way of keeping fellow plot holders especially the new ones (I only have a 5 pole and find it a struggle sometimes)   Then if the trialers are happy, they could be offered the next bigger plot that comes along.

Any ideas, comments gratefully received

[Yorkie]

We don't, because I can't get my head round how it would work on a practical basis.

Say a trial plot came free at the start of year 1.  Waiting list person #1 (WL1) takes it.  The plot is about 50-75 sq yards but they get a decent crop going.

What then happens when a proper plot comes free at a later point in the year? 
Does WL1 get offered it, and therefore have to give up the trial plot - and most of the veggies which won't transplant? 
Or do you offer it to WL2, who takes it and therefore immediately has a decent sized plot to get going on, whilst WL1 looks on enviously?

And what happens if there isn't a plot free for WL1 at a time they want to upgrade, i.e. after a year?

Nice idea but could get really messy (at least on a site the size of ours, with 150ish plots of different sizes).

What we do with the quarter plots (up to 75 sq yards), is to let them permanently, but to say that if people want to upgrade to a half plot at any point once they've gardened successfully for a full season, we'll put them back on the waiting list at the top.

This is combined with the fact that nobody is forced to take a small plot - people always get the offer of 3 plots, so chances are that the other two offers will be the standard half plot (150 sq yards).

[BabbyAnn]

At my site we have a communal garden plot which is equivalent to 3 full size plots which is divided up into sections with a mix of level and raised beds, a huge polytunnel, fruit trees, bee hives and a huge pond.  People of all ages and abilities (and disabilities such as wheelchair users) can join in to learn and gain skills in various things without the worry of taking on a full or half size plot.  Some share, some look after a single bed.  If they decide to carry on they can ask for a plot (or half plot) on the site.



   

[allotmentann]

At my site we have a communal garden plot which is equivalent to 3 full size plots which is divided up into sections with a mix of level and raised beds, a huge polytunnel, fruit trees, bee hives and a huge pond.  People of all ages and abilities (and disabilities such as wheelchair users) can join in to learn and gain skills in various things without the worry of taking on a full or half size plot.  Some share, some look after a single bed.  If they decide to carry on they can ask for a plot (or half plot) on the site.



   

That sounds like a good idea. I think it is something that needs to be thought about, so many people have no idea at all of the work load involved in looking after a plot, and it comes as a nasty shock! It has to be better all round if people taking on a plot at least have an idea of what will be involved, both time and energy wise. It is very hard to work out a way of doing it so that people don't have to start all over again with a different plot if they want to take on more. There is a community plot on our site (although strangely not owned by the local community!) and nobody does anything there, or hadn't for nearly three years until they got an eviction notice. Then they came and watered the three year old blighted potatoes! They won't be four year old potatoes anyway! It is really sad as it is a lovely plot that had a lot of money spent on it for the community.

[Yorkie]

I agree that many people haven't got any idea of how much time and effort it takes to get on top of a plot, particularly one which has been neglected.

I'd assume that trial plots will almost always be in decent condition, because they are always being used and people know they're on trial themselves, so that particular challenge won't often be encountered?

[allotmentann]

I agree that many people haven't got any idea of how much time and effort it takes to get on top of a plot, particularly one which has been neglected.

I'd assume that trial plots will almost always be in decent condition, because they are always being used and people know they're on trial themselves, so that particular challenge won't often be encountered?

That is a very good point. I guess the only solution is small first plots. My only worry with all these smaller plots now, that eventually there will be no big ones left!

[flopsy]

Hi, yes we have a similar scheme on our site, we give newcomers half a plot and 6 weeks to show they are interested, they don't have to grow anything in that time, just show they are activley doing something, they then get the half plot for 6 mths, again they don't have to grow anything (most do depending on time of the year)

At the end of this period they get offered the plot for as long as they pay the rent or if there is a full available and they wont to take on a full plot they will be offered that.

This system does weed out the people who take a plot and leave it to become weed bound and a nuisence to other allotmenteers and it works well.

We did find that some people take on a plot not knowing how much work was involved especially in the early days with all the prep work needed and the expence of buying new equipment

[Kim50]

Thanks Flopsy, very usefull and gives me something to take back to the committee. 

I take your point Allotment man about the possibility of losing bigger plots and it's one of the things the committee is worried about, bit I am hoping that if we can get a 'trial' up and running, this might not happen

Nice idea BabbyAnn

Yorkie, always worth considering as a way to go

thanks all

[Yorkie]

Interesting way of doing it.

Unfortunately it would probably mean re-writing the tenancy agreements city-wide so unlikely to happen.

[Madame Cholet]

I suggested to a commitee member that we had some 5 pole plots for people who don't want a 10 pole one and he said it would be hard to manage? Not sure why as I have 15 poles split some in half.

[Yorkie]

Just call them A & B.  That's what we do when we divide full plots (most are divided if they come free, before being re-let as 2 half plots).

The only complicated bits are a) access - not always a problem, and b) remembering which is which.  I have a method but it's not the easiest to follow, and if I was doing it again I'd always make sure that plot A was the north or eastern one (or similar).

[Madame Cholet]

they aren't even numbered they just have a drawing with names on.

[angelavdavis]

I am keen on the idea of introducing this at our site and am running it past the other members informally before raising it formally at the AGM.

My thought was to have purpose made trial plots which new members would be allocated, with the understanding that they will be placed back on the list to get a plot allocated when they reach the top, provided they have managed to maintain the trial plot (in our case it would be a half plot allocated at the end of the time).  During this time, new plotholders would be given the option of having an informal mentor (another experienced member) and they would be expected to keep the plot fully cultivated.  The new plot would be held open for them until the new allotment year (ie rent renewal) when the plotholder would be expected to hand over the trial plot.

If the plot isn't cultivated, plotholders will only be given one warning letter after 6 weeks then lose their trial plot.  The trial plots will share a shed which contains basic tools.

We have been finding that new plotholders have been allocated 5 rod plots waist high in weeds and no one has even checked if they have a) ever gardened before or b) own any tools!  No everyone knows what to do with a plot in this type of state. 

The general consensus seems to be that we are setting some plotholders up to fail with the existing process and I have run this idea past other members to get their feedback, so far it has been positive.

I like the idea of what is happening at BabbyAnn's site.  It is this type of supported plot allocation that I think seems to be missing on our site.  People simply don't appreciate the amount of work required to maintain a plot.

As Yorkie points out, it will need careful management and require a complete rewrite of the tenancy agreement, but as we are self-managed, as long as people are happy to do so, then it won't be such a problem as if we were Council managed. 

It is an interesting situation though.  Our site has quarter plots (2.5 rods) which nobody wants because they are told they can wait to get a bigger plot if they want to!  Yet we also have half plots (the majority of the remainder) that aren't being worked at all!

[Yorkie]

I still don't understand 

Angela, how long is your waiting list?  Are you suggesting that as soon as someone signs up on the list, they get a trial plot until they reach the top of the waiting list?  And at that point, they get offered the first proper plot and have until the end of the season to give up the old plot?

What happens once your waiting list is longer than the numbers of trial plots?

What happens if a proper plot comes free as soon as someone has taken up a trial plot?  Do they get offered it immediately?

I'm not being critical or deliberately asking awkward questions; I'm probably just being dense but I just cannot see how it would work.  :blink:

[Kirpi]

Some of our full plots have been divided into four starter plots for people who want to have a go or just want to get started while waiting for a full plot.

In our case, the starter holds onto their miniplot until a full plot comes up and they often are able to harvest most of what they have growing or are happy to leave seedlings to benefit the next starter. They are most often quite happy to leave a few seedlings behind when they have the prospect of a new full plot to plant out on.

It works well because you don't get newcomers coming on and finding they can't cope with a full plot and the committee get a chance to quietly watch newcomers to make sure they are capable before offering a full plot to them and without breathing down peoples' necks in their first year.