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Wet Scottish Garden Abs Beginner

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  • #1

    Wet Scottish Garden Abs Beginner

    Hi all,

    I have a very waterlogged at times new build garden in the west of Scotland...with two collie's who like to make it even more water logged!

    I am desperate to start to grow some veggies and fruit this year, I have been looking at raised beds and I bought some "first earlies: potatoes three weeks ago that I have had in egg cartons on my windowsill which are sprouting now.

    I wanted to ask....

    I think I am going to go and buy some pots or bags first of all this year now instead of the raised beds and concentrate on making a perimiter round the fence for the dogs first before decide on an area for raised beds...do you have a suggestion for types of pots / bags or just personal preference?

    Due to the timings and the current fabulous weather we have been having...am i too late? Do i have time to do seeds or do i buy ready started plugs / plants? I have been looking and many packs say sow in february / March but since I have snow today obviously therefore too cold so am I missing the boat?

    Apologies for the absolute rank beginner questions, I will learn I promise...just desperate to get started the right way this year :-)
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  • #2
    Welcome to the forum ,not to late for most things,the best advice i can give is,look and see what other Scots are growing times,as they do differ form further down,raised beds sound just the job,other advice will be along shortly
    sigpicAnother nutter ,wife,mother, nan and nanan,love my growing places,seed collection and sharing,also one of these

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    • #3
      Welcome along.
      Even though you are in Scotland its not too late for most things. Might struggle with chillies but probably just about ok for toms on a south facing window sill. Beans and peas fine etc etc. For a lot of things sowing a little later won't matter - they'll just catch up with those that were planted earlier - especially with the weather we are having at the moment.

      https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/pdfs/vegplanner.pdf

      I grew some spuds fine last year using Mossison flower buckets (MFB) - other supermarket flower buckets are available... Cost £1 for 10 last year. Bigger the better is probably true but these were ok for a couple of seed spud first earlies. You could also take a compost bag and cut it in half (on the vertical) giving you a couple of half bags that should stnd up o and be fine for spuds.

      As LD said - look to see what other local growers are doing - right now North Devon doesn't feel too different to the last time I was properly up North but the season here will tend to be wet and warm and somewhat longer than yours...
      Last edited by Baldy; 18-03-2018, 12:58 PM.
      sigpic
      1574 gin and tonics please Monica, large ones.

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      • #4
        Hello and welcome to the vine Dogs and Veg like the others have said you're only really late to sow peppers, as for every thing else I've only sown my toms, broad beans, spring onions, kale and sprouts this past week so you've got plenty of time for things to catch up.
        I grow my veg in a mix of pots, buckets, boxes and none-raised beds in my back garden.
        Location....East Midlands.

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        • #5
          Hi and welcome, I'm on the drier(slightly) and colder east side, so far I have sown Onion seeds in December inside in a propagator and now some chillies. Also have sweetpeas and my tatties are chitting(not in direct sunlight). Once this mini beast has gone(maybe Wednesday) I shall look at planting more seeds. Because we get longer days up here in the summer(I have been known to be still out in the garden at midnight and it is still fairly light) most things will catch up just fine. I have found if I am too early I loose stuff, I don't lose stuff because it's late.

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          • #6
            My raised beds are made from railway sleeper sized timber
            https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...es-cauliis.jpg

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            • #7
              Personally I'm a total cheapskate when it comes to veggie gardening, so I go for containers which are free or low cost - currently I have a few potatoes in bags which either held compost or wild bird seed (the 25Kg ones) and I invested 99p in 10 plastic buckets from Morrison's, which I think they sell off after keeping cut flowers in them.

              When you get a view on what you want to grow don't forget to add in some soft fruit, if you like it. It represents a good saving on bought stuff and is relatively easy to grow - existing gardeners might let you have some off-sets from raspberries or some black-currant cuttings for example, also the supermarkets often have a few offerings like loganberries for under £2 at this time of year. You can grow them on in containers for a bit - then plant them out when you decide on a final position.

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              • #8
                Hello

                I'm pretty new here too, but have noticed that people often refer to each other using initials rather than typing out full names. I suggest nobody does this for you

                I am also a fairly novice gardener. Apart from the odd thing here and there, my gardening endeavours only really started last year. However, I do now have a year's experience of growing in containers. I'm also in North Derbyshire, so not (even remotely) as far North as you, but I did learn last year to take what the seed packets and southern experts (most established professional gardeners in the public eye seem to be down south) with a pinch of salt. I sowed my tomatoes in April last year and they did fine.

                In terms of containers, I have a real variety. Unless you can get freebies or repurpose something you already have (e.g. old storage boxes/bins etc.), the cheapest large volume containers seem to be the bag types (£1.50 per bag full-price, and sometimes they have special offers). I bought variations on these from Wilko last year. They served me very well and remain in good shape for this year, despite having been left outside the whole time. I grew tomatoes, beetroot, turnips, and carrots in them last year. I'm adding some tall potato bags of the same type this year. I also have various traditional plastic plant-pots and troughs, but they are more expensive, heavier, take up more storage space, etc.

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                • #9
                  Welcome to the Vine D&V what area do you come from the West of Scotland covers a number of different growing conditions at present I have nothing in planted in the garden I have covered a bed with black poly to heat up the soil and once it's a bit warmer will plant out onions, which will get covered with fleece, I have planted potatoes in several pots in the greenhouse, but will be several weeks before I plant any outside, again it will be several week before sowing any seeds, there are always ways the seed sowing can be brought forward, with warming the soil and providing protection, the dates on the seed packets are only a guild and I think more for the southern parts of Britain, join a local garden club if you can, the knowledge that locals have is invaluable.
                  it may be a struggle to reach the top, but once your over the hill your problems start.

                  Member of the Nutters Club but I think I am just there to make up the numbers

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                  • #10
                    Hey there! I'm near Glasgow, will be growing in containers, and know absolutely nothing about gardening. Since we're in the same boat, it would be brilliant to compare notes every now and then!

                    This is my first year planting so I'm treating it as one big experiment. Currently bought far too many seeds.. a pile of fold-up raised beds, fold-up carrot/potato planters, some pots from b&q, a random selection of troughs, and intend to get a stack of these Morrisons flower pots everyone keeps talking about.

                    Within the past few days I've sewn some lettuce, brussels sprouts, and flower seeds. These are on windowsills in cheap propagator trays or covered in bubble wrap. Some have already popped their heads up! Got a few potatoes and trying to chit them too. It may be getting late for tomato, pepper, and chilli. But I'm going to sew them anyway! (in a couple of days when I buy more trays)..
                    Last edited by mysteryduck; 18-03-2018, 02:36 PM.

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                    • #11
                      I don't know if I'm allowed to post this, so mods please remove if its a rule..

                      .. but if you nip out and buy a copy of Grow your Own and Kitchen Gardener magazine, you'll end up with 10 packs of seed! and some casual reading to tide you over until the snow melts. I discovered this after developing a mild case of seed acquisition disorder.. which didn't stop me buying more seeds..

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                      • #12
                        D&V!

                        - took Rary's post for the penny to drop about the potential issue with shortening your username to initials...
                        What can I say, its Sunday, my brain is relaxing...
                        Last edited by Baldy; 18-03-2018, 04:14 PM.
                        sigpic
                        1574 gin and tonics please Monica, large ones.

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                        • #13
                          Should have said, Welcome to the Vine mysteryduck

                          Originally posted by mysteryduck View Post
                          Hey there! I, know absolutely nothing about gardening.
                          And also, welcome to the club
                          it may be a struggle to reach the top, but once your over the hill your problems start.

                          Member of the Nutters Club but I think I am just there to make up the numbers

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                          • #14
                            Thank you everyone for all your advice and friendly welcome - very much appreciated!

                            I never thought about the shortening to initials...oops

                            Well tomorrow (Sunday) is the day for purchasing the bags & containers i’ve Had my eye on and getting tore in, especially after the glorious day we had today!

                            I’m really concerned about the potatoes i’ve had chitting...i’ll Try and do a se-a rate post with a picture if i’m allowed to upload at this point

                            I too am just outside Glasgow, in Hamilton but I have no terms of reference of what the soil is like...most people have said since it is a new build property it would be pretty poor ~ so until get garden sorted a little it’ll be containers and compost to start with

                            Thanks you again everyone and i’ll try do a potato post to see whether they are fit for the bin or a bag to try them...

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                            • #15
                              [QUOTE=mysteryduck;1585004]Hey there! I'm near Glasgow, will be growing in containers, and know absolutely nothing about gardening. Since we're in the same boat, it would be brilliant to compare notes every now and then!

                              Yeah this would be great - however, honestly, there are beginners, rank beginners then there’s a whole new sub level that I am at

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