Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Welcome => Welcome to the Forums => Topic started by: micou on May 25, 2016, 09:53

Title: Newbie glutton for punishment - in Orkney...
Post by: micou on May 25, 2016, 09:53
Hi there,

Been lurking for a while, lots of good advice on here. Thought I should finally say hi.

I live on one of the north isles of Orkney and my garden is right on the sea   :lol:

At the moment I have tatties, carrots and chard in and going reasonably well. OK, the carrots are a bit lacklustre. Then I have decided to make a rod for my own back and try beans, so there are runners, French and borlotti all out now, either with wind netting, glass, or the ubiquitous Orkney gardening accessory - fish boxes - as protection. I'm not expecting great things from them and what's for sure is they'll not grow in the packet, so let's see.  ::)

There are lettuce seedlings just planted out (in time for the wind to swing round to the north east for a week...  :unsure:) and rocket, radish and spring onion seeds planted out directly.

In the poly blowaway, there are tomato plants and cucumber (ha!), as well as sunflowers and some little herb seedlings coming on. And I'm trying sweet peppers but I'm not sure they've even germinated.

And that's that. Now let's see how much of it I can keep alive...
Title: Re: Newbie glutton for punishment - in Orkney...
Post by: New shoot on May 25, 2016, 10:57
Hi micou and welcome  :)

It sounds like you have quite a challenge of your hands, but as you say, they won't grow in the packet.  Looking  forward to hearing how you get on  :)
Title: Re: Newbie glutton for punishment - in Orkney...
Post by: Aunt Sally on May 25, 2016, 12:50
Good luck with that  :ohmy:

If you can provide some shelter from the wind your plants will stand a better chance of survival.
Title: Re: Newbie glutton for punishment - in Orkney...
Post by: micou on May 25, 2016, 13:10
Good luck with that  :ohmy:

If you can provide some shelter from the wind your plants will stand a better chance of survival.

Ah, you've visited then  :lol:

The beds are all on the non-sea side of the house, so that's a start. Then the main ones have small walls on either two or three sides. The beans are planted either in various containers next to the south-west facing wall of the house, and behind panes of glass at the moment, or behind wind netting and a wall. All the baby salad - having just been planted out - is still within little milk bottle cloches.

We'll see if any flowers manage to stay on long enough to turn into fruit...
Title: Re: Newbie glutton for punishment - in Orkney...
Post by: robinahood on May 25, 2016, 16:46
Welcome! You may find the sweet peppers difficult if not under cover, but you have long summer days so who knows! Do let us know how you get on, and best of luck!
Title: Re: Newbie glutton for punishment - in Orkney...
Post by: Yorkie on May 25, 2016, 19:19
Welcome to the site  :D
Title: Re: Newbie glutton for punishment - in Orkney...
Post by: Fairy Plotmother on May 25, 2016, 21:23
Hello and welcome!