Page 55 - ALG Issue 1 2023

Exmouth Allotments vegetable growing course for beginners
“I am a total beginner; I have never grown anything before but have managed to keep some house plants alive for a couple of years!” So read one application for our Vegetable Growing Course for Beginners, which is now in its third year.
The original aim of the Course was to provide tuition in growing a dozen basic vegetables, such as lettuces, beans and potatoes. Each student has a bench
in the communal polytunnel for seed sowing and potting their seedlings,
and their own mini-plot (25m2 in size) for planting out their crops. We meet weekly on Sunday mornings, but students are free to visit their mini-plots at any time. Due to the enthusiasm
of both the leaders and students, we have increased our list to 25 vegetables including celeriac, sweetcorn and peppers.
Our team of leaders has a great enthusiasm for allotment gardening, and we all embrace the no-dig approach popularised by Charles Dowding. Simply put, we don’t dig the soil, but add muck and compost to the surface, thereby encouraging soil life to develop below with minimal disturbance. We encourage organic gardening, with the emphasis on feeding and improving the soil structure. We feed the soil, which will feed the plants, which will feed us.
As part of our organic approach, we avoid the use of chemical fertilizers, weedkillers and insecticides. There
was some discussion about whether
to use slug pellets when the students were frustrated by the loss of some early plantings to slugs, but one of the leaders suggested sowing back-ups and this has worked well for us.
Much has been written about the benefits of allotment growing in terms of physical and mental health, but
the Course has shown not only these benefits but also the camaraderie brought about by working together
to a common purpose. Although each student has a dedicated area to garden, we have found that they are using
their particular skills and interests
for the benefit of all and this includes propagating the more difficult seeds, developing the polytunnel area for indoor crops, and building a scarecrow!
The leadership team, including two graduates from the Course, has
a variety of experience, skills, and interests so we have added a range
of extra activities such as cookery demonstrations on making rémoulade and sauerkraut from our own celeriac and cabbage, and a Christmas wreath- making workshop, as well as converting a derelict plot to a usable growing space, making compost and comfrey tea, and visiting last year’s graduates on their own plots.
We advertise the course in the autumn to Exmouth residents who are on the allotment waiting list. The course
runs from late February until the end
We encourage organic gardening, with the emphasis on feeding and improving the soil structure
of October. I am sure that all those who have graduated would not now classify themselves as expert growers, as there is always so much to learn. However, they do feel confident about progressing to looking after their own allotments next season.
The end of year highlight was a graduation ceremony where we were presented with a certificate, designed by the daughter of one of the students, and we celebrated the great success of our growing season.
You can find out more about the course here - https://www.exmouthallotments. co.uk/index.php/more-info/veg- course-2023
John Singleton johnsingleton47@gmail .com
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 55