Allotments 4 All

Hi
I am a total beginner seeking advice for my first foray into my plot (birthday present from my wife! :-*).
My plot is in Dundee, south facing and has an unheated greenhouse (of sorts) and I really want to experiment and see what works and what doesn't this year.
I hope to (try to) grow all the usual suspects, but wonder if I should be using my greenhouse to start off some seedlings, such as beans (broad, french, runner), cabbage, sprouting broccoli, celeriac, leeks.
I have constructed an inner "tent" of bubblewrap in the greenhouse and the max/min thermometer is still recording -2 C
Read a number of books and magazines, but usually end up more confused :'( Do I add on a month to planting times living in Bonnie Dundee  ???
ALL and ANY advice VERY welcome ;D
Pete

Hi Pete,welcome to the site,I think its to earlr for french,runners might be to late for broad beans .As for the rest I,d give it a go and see what happens you,ll still have time to replant if you have to .Good luck

Hi Pete,

I would wait until your max/min dosn't drop below 8C it should be safe then for most plants.  Also welcome to the site.

Hi Pete, great name and welcome to the forum ;D.
Brrrrr! I put another log on the fire after reading your post ;)
Ages ago A4a member aquilegia posted this handy list of seed germination temperatures
http://www.adrians.utvinternet.com/GoodEarth/vegseed.htm
Someone recently posted a graph showing how it's only worth sowing when the soil is close to the optimum germination temperature, so I am sitting on my hands until it's warmer :-\ and starting to think about getting a soil thermometer!
Since I stumbled into A4a gardening has been so much more fun and productive, hope you enjoy it too! :D

Hi Pete
I am in Dundee too and my greenhouse is also unheated. I sowed cabbage, cauli and leeks the other day and they are in the greenhouse. Some of them on my plot have tomatoes in their unheated greenhouses but they started them at home first, they also have leeks well underway,I'm later as I was getting a new greenhouse built. I also have tomatoes in a propogator in the house.
Let me know how you get on.

Hi Pete a warm welcome to you, bit to early for runner beans just yet, i should think another 6wks in Bonnie Scotland. ;D ;D

;D
Thanks to everyone so far.
Looks like I'd better get a move on with some things.
Good to "meet" another Dundee plotter too. :)
Great Forum
Pete

Quote from: supersprout on March 21, 2006, 21:43:45
Someone recently posted a graph showing how it's only worth sowing when the soil is close to the optimum

Do you mind I'm not a someone I'm a nobody my wife told me ;D ;D ;D

There is quite a comprehensive list of seed germinating temperatures in the wiki.

Oh the shame! Sorry mike :-[ should have said Someone Very Special, am sure OH would agree :D and should have checked to see if you DID post these on the wiki.
Can't get away with anything on these threads :P ;D ;D ;D

Hi Pete,

welcome to the site - its a great place,helpful and friendly.

I'm in Fife - and am itching to get started when the soil warms up a bit - ( or defrosts !!)

I've sown some leeks, tomatoes,cabbage indoors yesterday and plan to sow broad beans and potatoes outdoors in the next couple of weeks.

Trial and error at this time of year - good luck

Gail

Hi Pete,
welcome to the forum and to allotments, I'm also new this year and live a little bit south in ayrshire good luck and keep us posted... ;)

Welcome to the site Pete, we are in Edinburgh so not too far away weatherwise!  Our greenhouse (you may know the sort - made of old windows!!) isn't "heated" either but we use paraffin heaters.  Only things in there just now tho are potatoes chitting and some tomatoes which were started off at home on propagators.  Disaster struck last week tho as one wick in a heater was faulty and it went out - lost quite a few tomato seedlings so have resown..... Life is always a learning curve for us  ;)

Quote from: MikeB on March 22, 2006, 10:03:23

There is quite a comprehensive list of seed germinating temperatures in the wiki.

??? Where is this wiki? What is it called? Is there a link? ???

Hi Pete and welcome! The wiki is at the top of the page with a globe icon.
I'm in Edinburgh. I have potatoes chitting and broad beans, carrots and tomatoes germinating on windowsills. Onions and garlic growing on my plot since the autumn. Still have some savoys and purple sprouting broccoli left. Rhubarb is showing. I intended to sow lettuce and leeks in my cold greenhouse but it's been too cold and too much snow.