[Crabapple75]

Hello and thanks for the add.

We moved up here last autumn and we're clearing an old kitchen garden that hasn't been used for about 10 years. We aren't beginners to growing our own veg but we are completely new to growing in these conditions. I've been busy clearing the garden in the recent good weather and found a couple of rhubarb crowns and gooseberry bushes - so at least we'll have something this year! We're half a mile away from the sea and the kitchen garden was created in an old ruined building: three low sides (4-6ft high) and a wire fence that is sheltered by wild roses and willows.

Any advice for gardening in the Outer Hebrides will be gratefully received - vegetables and flowers. I love roses so any tips on how to do it here will be especially welcome.

Thanks!

[New shoot]

Well I am about as far away from you as I could be, so I have no growing advice for you I'm afraid 

Hi anyway and welcome to the forum 

[Growster...]

Hi Crabapple - welcome!

I've sometimes mused about gardening so far North, and as tomatoes are in the news here at the moment, I wonder whether you have almost perfect conditions (shelter, lots of light etc), to pop some plants in under some glass/plastic! John, the 'Boss' here, knows all about greenhouses in exposed conditions...

Toms don't need a lot of heat, but as you will soon have endless daylight, a bit of research into keeping them happy as well as warmish might be one answer, and you have time to do this too!

[snowdrops]

Hi there, I’m sorry I’ve never gardened that far north & I think you’ll find there won’t be many on here that have☹️ But don’t let that put you off joining in with the fun & games on here. 😊 my advice would be to take a look what grows well nearby & emulate that if you like it. If it is very windy think about wind breaks, John the site owner has done just that to protect his greenhouse after a couple of disastrous storms, look on his blog. Most of all enjoy the learning process 😄

[Crabapple75]

Thanks for the welcome! I'm sorry I've been a bit slow in replying but I've been out in the garden - and I've been trying to work out how to reply! I'm not sure even now if I'm doing it right but I'll learn.

Yes, wind breaks are very important here...we're lucky in that previous residents have planted willows and rosa rugosa so there is something in place, we're hoping to do more. I'm going to get some bare root trees and shrubs in in the spring - it will give the plants time to establish themselves a bit before the onslaught of the winds in winter. I'll definitely take a look at John's blog. I'm actually going to use a spare room to grow some tomatoes! That's my version of growing under glass this year!

[New shoot]

I'm actually going to use a spare room to grow some tomatoes! That's my version of growing under glass this year!

Gardeners have a knack of 'finding a way' Crabapple 

We have got/have had a few members out your way.  If you put Hebrides into the search box when you are in a board like Grow Your Own, quite a lot of posts come up.  Some are pretty old, but I am sure the topics discussed will be much the same as the issues you face