[kinsey5156]

Hi Everyone

We have just joined your forum. We have recently relocated to Shetland and have chickens and one and half acres of land.

We are also very new to gardening and need lots of advice re creating a vegetable plot.

We already have an area that used to be a vegetable plot but it has not been touched for a year or so.

Where to begin and what to do are big questions for us!

 

[kinsey5156]

Hi

We have just moved to Shetland and are new to gardening. We have one and half acres and a large area which was once a vegetable plot but it hasn't been touched for over a year.

We also have a geodesic dome greenhouse and a poly tunnel in a bad state of repair.

We have chickens.

We would like to get started on our vegetable plot but do not know what to do first.

Any basic advice really appreciated.
Apologies for our lack of knowledge but we are keen to learn and get growing.

 

[mumofstig]

Hi there and Welcome  
There's lot of info here
http://www.allotment-garden.org/growing_information.php
and clearing the plot here
http://www.allotment-garden.org/articles/Clearing_a_New_Allotment.php

I'll move this to the Grow Your Own section where more people will see it  


I have, as you can see, merged it with your other post already in GYO 

[BabbyAnn]

hi kinsey - what a great move, and all that space too! 

At this time of year especially when the ground is frozen or waterlogged, there's not a lot you can do out on the veg plot.  Most sensible people have already dug over the beds in autumn and then stay indoors and plan their crop rotations and buy seeds, maybe start a few seeds off early such as onions or maybe some basil on the windowsill just to be feeling they are doing something.

If I was you, I'd be repairing the polytunnel and getting the greenhouse ready for the coming months.  I don't know anything about growing conditions in Shetland but I imagine those 2 will get a lot more use than the outdoor plot in the early part of spring.  They'll be warmer so extend the season by allowing you to start seeds off/grow on under cover until it is warm enough to start moving them outdoors.

The veg plot - there's plenty of advice (http://www.allotment-garden.org/garden_month.php)  Usually it is clearing the weeds, digging to break up the soil, adding manure/compost and planning where things are going to go.  Good luck with the plot - it sounds idyllic 

[engineer]

Hi Kinsey, sounds OK to me, it has already been said but carry out any repair and restoration work in winter/spring in rediness for the coming year

Just had a quick look at Google and it gives your Summer daylight hours as up to 19hrs per day what a fantastic oppurtunity to extend the growing period, and warmed by the gulf stream as well.   

Good luck

[shoozie]

I've only visited Shetland, and it seemed to have a variety of micro climates.  So depending on where you are,  I'd guess wind, salt spray and soil type would need consideration in terms of what would be most successful to grow - either inside or out.

This fairly new website (doesnt seem to have much recent activity, but that might change as days get longer) might be a starting point for you to track down people growing on the islands - I see one of the forum topics gives contact details of some experienced local growers who opened their plots to the public last spring

http://www.growshetland.co.uk/index.html

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site 

It will help us advise you in the future if we can remember where you are - if you click your username you can edit your forum profile to show your location.  Ta 

[solway cropper]

Many of the islanders grow fantastic crops on Shetland by adding copious amounts of seaweed to the thin soil. I know this is a contentious topic on the forum but you shouldn't have any trouble gathering it up there.

[sunshineband]

Hi Kinsey and welcome to the forum 

Be great to hear how you get on in Shetland