Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Welcome => Welcome to the Forums => Topic started by: alcudia60 on May 09, 2016, 18:52

Title: Another Newbie. Highlands
Post by: alcudia60 on May 09, 2016, 18:52
Hi all. We just got our first allotment. I'm not very green fingered. My Grandfather was head Gardner for Pilkington glass and my Dad is an obsessive veg and flower grower.
I'm rebelled and now regret it.
Anyway. Most sites offer Great advice. However, they are aimed at the borders and southern regions.
Its a virgin plot in reclaimed woodland.
Apart from Tatties, what would be best to grow this far north. The soil has a little clay and is 100m2.
Cant wait to get started but I don't want my girls disappointed when things fail.
Thanks.
Title: Re: Another Newbie. Highlands
Post by: New shoot on May 09, 2016, 19:45
Hello and welcome  :)

I can't offer you much growing advice being a long, long way south of you, but I'm sure someone closer will be along to offer advice.
Title: Re: Another Newbie. Highlands
Post by: alcudia60 on May 09, 2016, 19:51
Hello and welcome  :)

I can't offer you much growing advice being a long, long way south of you, but I'm sure someone closer will be along to offer advice.
Thankyou. I hope someone can offer some advice. I'm doing it for my family really. I'm fed up with tec gadgets. My girls and partner are born and bred up here. I'm originally from the north west of England. Dads advice is fantastic, but all his experience is based down there.
The best bit of advice so far. Buy a tiller. Check. Collect seaweed. Not checked.
Title: Re: Another Newbie. Highlands
Post by: Yorkie on May 09, 2016, 21:36
Welcome to the site and congrats on your new allotment.  If you add your general location to your forum profile, people will remember whereabouts you are, and it helps when comparing / discussing growing conditions.

Have you looked at your neighbours' plots and chatted to them?  They are likely to be your best source of information about what works and doesn't.

Aim for varieties of things that are branded as early, because they are likely to have the shortest growing season and so you'll probably still get a harvest if you sow/plant when safe to do so in your temperatures.

You're unlikely to be able to grow anything too tropical in origin, as you may not have the heat.

Also consider whether you'll need a windbreak if you get cold winds across the site.

NB.  It is not legal to collect seaweed from the sea shore unless you have the landowner's permission:
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=86170.0
Title: Re: Another Newbie. Highlands
Post by: alcudia60 on May 10, 2016, 09:17
Once again thankyou.
As were in a very rural location. 50 miles north of inverness. We are quite restricted on what we can grow. No pineapple up here.
A local farm has donated seed potatoes for us along with a mound of well rotted manure.
As the ground was originally a pine forest, the first year for me will be ground preparation for next year.
As the tatties are available I'll probably make use of a few of these.
At the moment the " allotments " are just a cleared field. No water etc. No amenities at all.
Not even a fence in sight.
I'll be up today with the tiller, clearing rocks and roots and digging the manure in.
Title: Re: Another Newbie. Highlands
Post by: Yorkie on May 16, 2016, 18:27
If you plan on growing anything that prefers alkaline soil (e.g. brassicas), it might be worth checking the pH of the soil across the plot first.  Pine needles are commonly added to make soil more acidic, so over time they may well have had this effect.
Title: Re: Another Newbie. Highlands
Post by: sunshineband on May 16, 2016, 23:01
Hi there and welcome!

Like New Shoot I am a long way to the south of you, but the crops I think of as "northern" are leeks, brassicas including swede (neeps), parsnips, carrots and broad beans, plus of course salad leaves in the Summer.  My MUm was brought up in Kilwinning and those are veg she mentioned growing as a child.

There are quite  few Scottish growers on here who no doubt will be able to help you further.

If you add your locality into your profile so it shows under your name, it will mean other members realise your northern position when responding to any queries you may have.

Oh, forgot raspberries and gooseberries too!
Title: Re: Another Newbie. Highlands
Post by: alcudia60 on May 17, 2016, 20:38
When I get the chance to pry the laptop from our 16 year old I'll update my profile location

For now. I'm in a little village named Embo, 3 miles north of Dornoch. Dornoch is famed as the last site for hanging witches in Scotland and the fact that Madonna had one of her kids christened here. Possibly a link between the two.
Unfortunately the weather isn't good for the rest of the week.
I' ll have to put up with my fantastic crop of rocks for another week. Don't want to break the tiller on its first outing from the garden. :D
Title: Re: Another Newbie. Highlands
Post by: micou on May 25, 2016, 13:11
Hi from even further north  :D