Scottish growing season

[Lesley Jay]

Oh Eskymo! Those pictures are great! Such lovely looking plants and vegetables. You have such a lot in a small space. It really looks lovely.

[bramble]

Wow, you certainly made the best of the space you had. I feel put to shame when i see what i could do with the space i have.

[eskymo]

I know what you mean - I looked at these photo's today and then looked out of the window at the garden I have now - the veg plot is practically empty and looks so boring.

I realised how productive and determined I was to grow everything in such a small space when I lived in Edinburgh - It was a fantastic time. My OH and I were living in his tiny 1 bedroom flat - both working from home and I'm so suprised we didn't kill each other or argue all the time, but I now realise that it was the garden that saved us, as I spent so much time out there - it was like another room for me.

I'm so determined to get into a more seasonal growing schedule as I would like something in the plot through out the year, even if it's just green manure, so as to keep it looking busy.

[PJB]

Jennie,

you're house sounds like mine, its an old manse too, which at one stage was also part of a butcher's workshop/shop! Odd I know, but it kind of expains why they're are all of two sunny windows. You'd definitely not want sun and raw meat together. It's all farily horrible to my veggie preferences! Have planted up some courgette seeds and put them on one of the windows, so here's hoping!

PJB

[PJB]

Eskimo,

Do you know, I think I have some clear plastic in the garage, I'll just go get it....ta,

PJB
PS - love the pics by the way, sometimes its far easier to be focused when there's a fight for space.

[eskymo]

Start a lot of seeds indoors, in pots, trays, in anything you can find - yoghurt pots and margarine tubs are good. Keep them on window sills in the light. You can also plant stuff in pots and trays outdoors and cover with polythene - or go to the supermarkets and swipe a load of those small clear bags that people put their vegetables in.

I think I started around this time of year and concentrated on clearing the soil in the plot and digging it over and adding compost/manure to make the soil better. I cleared a lod of weeds and started a compost bin - got one free from Leep on newhaven Road - you could try them out as they might still be giving them out. Give them a ring as they will be able to tell you where to get compost bins for free if they don;t have any.

I also planted tons and tons of seeds in trays and covered them all in plastic and then got a growhouse from B&Q which helped alot.

And then it's a matter of waiting. Warm up the soil by covering it in poylthene and then when your seedlings are big enough plant them in the ground and protect them with cloches or mini polytunnels.

And then just keep planting stuff in trays and keep planting things out.

[nick the grief]

Who's the youngster in the foto Esky

[eskymo]

Youngster??!! That's my OH...I think he was about 33 at the time the photo was taken - he doesn't know I've posted that pic up and I'm keeping quiet about it or else I'll get my hands slapped!

[eskymo]

PJB - I hope you caught tonights episode of the beechgrove garden!

Visit their website for their useful factsheets, but also if you click on the weather button on the top right of the site you get up-to-date weather info - Ok so their in Aberdeen but that's still Scotland and will give you a good indication of what's on the way.

[Berr]

Youngster??!! That's my OH...I think he was about 33 at the time the photo was taken - he doesn't know I've posted that pic up and I'm keeping quiet about it or else I'll get my hands slapped!

You should worry? Just tell him it's no more of that soup unless he behaves himself. That would be enough to bring a strong man to heel.

Berr (drooling smiley).

[eskymo]

too true!!!

I'll have to post some more soup recipes this weekend - I've got some more good ones that I found at the bottom of the pile!