Raab Cima di rapa

[Sweet_Pea_Pod]

Hi squirrel! Thanks for the welcome! I've literally just planted the Raab - I was ill all weekend with a cold (typical - the first bit of decent weather in ages and I'm laid up in bed!) so I didn't get chance then. Hopefully I'll have some seedlings in a few days though *fingers crossed*

[maranne]

My husband and I planted these seeds straight outdoors the month they arrived with the magazine. We have already had two dinners with this veg. - delicious. Simply break off bunches near the leaves (including the little heads of mini broc before they flower), and steam for a few minutes. Extremely nutritious. They are so quick-growing, the slugs (or anything else) didn't get a chance to get at them.

maranne, Cork City, Ireland.

[hils]

My husband and I planted these seeds straight outdoors the month they arrived with the magazine. We have already had two dinners with this veg. - delicious. Simply break off bunches near the leaves (including the little heads of mini broc before they flower), and steam for a few minutes. Extremely nutritious. They are so quick-growing, the slugs (or anything else) didn't get a chance to get at them.

maranne, Cork City, Ireland.

Thanks for the reminder Maranne; mine are ripe for the picking and eating. I think a little smear of oyster sauce should go quite well with them a la Chinese greens.

[leona]

mine are doing well but i just found an aphid one on of them and the compost is full of what appear to be eggs so ive just had to shake all the compost off and repot them.

[adam connor]

this is a fab crop and a great GYO give-away. Perfect to get kids to sow as they germinate so fast!

[blackkitty]

I've been eating the thinnings in salad and they're great.

[Birdie Wife]

Sorry p999, you're in the top 5 but me, CaithnessGardener and Sewer Rat are all north of you. Top 5's still a pretty good position though!

Haven't sown my Raab yet but encouraged by all you who've got great germinating times out of yours - I'm waiting for my leatherjackets to fly first! Always on the look for fast harvesting veg for our short season. I haven't got a poly tunnel like Jennie or CaithnessGardner either, so does that mean I'm the furthest north trying all my veg outside? Probably not, can someone put me right?

[JennieAtkinson]

I do grow some things outside - chard, spinach, carrots, swede, parsnip, potatoes and brassicas. And this year I have been encouraged by a friend to try and grow lettuce outside. He lives in Uyeasound on the most notherly island of Unst and grows all his lettuce outside. Mind you his site is a fair bit sheltered than mine. My problem is the wind as our house and garden, being located at the head of a loch and between the valleys is always windy. We very rarely have a day without any wind, although if you go a quarter of mile from the house it can be quite calm.

Polytunnel is good though!

[sewer rat]

Birdiewife
I think that you are probably the most northerly to grow all your veg outside - at least currently - but membership of the 'vine is rising daily so you never know. All my veg are outside though some are started in an unheated greenhouse, which will also house my toms, cukes and this year - peppers.

There are another couple of grapes who may be further north than p999- Eileandubher and Mucky Liz who are from the Black Isle - though haven't heard from them for a month or so now.

[Alice]

This is really a techie question but i'll put it here. Would it be possible to incorporate a map into the site where we could all click on to show where we are and would pop up as we rolled over the map. Think that would be cool.

[Lesley Jay]

Well Alice I will ask our marvellous web designer but this is something that I have never seen before so who knows??

[JennieAtkinson]

A map would be really great as I hardly know where alot of places are - just, sadly, a vague idea.

Is it also possible to search on members to find others in your own area?

I think anyone who grows anything outside in north Scotland is doing well. The differences sometimes between day and night time temperature can be pretty huge compared with south. I do find that I tend to grow things that I know will grow. Lots of things tried in the past (more exotic veg) that probably didn't stand a chance even inside. I think BirdieWife if you hit the nail on the head by mentioning short season. That seems to be the crux of many problems experienced up here. Perhaps we should start a thread for nothern climes and short season varieties ?

[Alice]

That's a good idea Jennie Sure we've all tried things that never had a chance. It would be good to know how far North some things will grow and which varieties do best and how others cicumvent the short season

Have sent PM to L J re the map idea as I have seen it done on another site and it's really cool. Sure L J will do her best for us on that one.

[Gryfon]

I haven't planted mine yet!

However being right down south I hope they won't mind! Just got to find out where I've put the packet now...and move the carrots, onions etc!

No rest

[notmilk]

This is really a techie question but i'll put it here. Would it be possible to incorporate a map into the site where we could all click on to show where we are and would pop up as we rolled over the map. Think that would be cool

I've done something like this for a website i put up a few years ago:
http://www.radicalroutes.org.uk/britainmap.html

The script was free from Dynamic Drive (see link) but I'm not sure about use of this on a commercial site...