Is it cold up North?

Hello, All,
Advice, please. I'm soon moving to the north of Scotland, on the east coast (Dornoch - great golf course!) and intend to continue my vegetable gardening. I live near Chester at the moment and understand things will be very different up there: shorter season, cold, wet, frosty. But l o n g daylight in summer. I'll grow the hardy varieties of brassicas and try for courgettes and runner and french beans when frost has passed. But what about fruit trees - which varieties of apples, pears, plums and soft fruit canes can I expect to be successful? We'll have a large greenhouse to offset some of the cold. Finally, I believe we'll be north of the "aphid line" - that would be good - is that true?

 

North of the aphid line???? Some hopes Also you definitely won't be north of the midgie line. They are fearsome wee beasties :D :D :D

Long summer daylight and relatively dry on the east coast. Round about the midsummer solstice you only get a twighlight if the night sky is clear. The actual climate depends a lot on just how far away from the coast you are - a few miles makes a lot of difference. Main problems are haar (fret or sea fog) coming in off the North Sea for days at a time and biting cold easterly winds in spring. Raspberries and strawberries do well, so do the usual root crops. Not so sure about apples and plums that far north. Look around other established gardens and see what has survived. Dahlias and begonias etc. should be OK but lifting and overwintering somewhere frost free would be a must. I don't think there's much in the way of limestone round that area so soil is likely to be peaty and acid - perfect for rhodes etc.

Gives some idea of what can be grown and looks as if it could be worth a visit. Burghfield House Hotel, Dornoch

[ 11. November 2005, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: frogesque ]

 

Brrr! Sounds chilly already and I'm not even there! However, I've found it a bit of a culture shock here in Wearside. Dread to think of Scotland .... !

 

Thanks frogesque,
Midgies not a problem right on the east coast. Am encouraged by the Burghfield Hotel info (I've had a few pints in there over the last few years but never got as far as the gardens!).
Will look around as you suggest and use my 20 years' experience here to allow for the changed conditions up there.
Cheers.

 

There are a lot of apple trees made for our cold Scottish climate. See this thread and the links. You'd be as well getting the right kind of apple or pear to start with rather than a fruitless crop year after year.

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=12;t=000111;p=1#000003

 

I am north east of england although i have an enclosed balcony i still get the wind and i am growing a grape vine on an arch which appears to be ok, also have got a redcurrant which is fine a fig tree. I grew some beans from seed put them out and the wind lashed at them some of the leaves have died but it is still growing. iff this is any help to you or maybe you can find out from other residents in scotland what will grow in that environment
from new member rosa good luck

 

I am new here but I live in Caithness and you dont get further north than that, as long as you grow in shelter and have early fruiting varieties you can grow the same here as anywhere. I inherited apple trees and plums so dont know the variety but Butterworths will advise of the early fruiting ones. the winters are milder its the wind that is the problem though I wouldn't think you would get much in Dornoch you are almost tropical.