There are not many people who would dispute the fact that fresh fruit and vegetables should form the basis of a nutritionally balanced diet. There is direct correlation between eating sufficient fruit and vegetables and reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many other human illnesses. Furthermore, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests a reduction of meat consumption that is replaced by consumption of fruit, vegetables and grains will be required as part of the strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat human induced climate change. It could be argued that there have never been greater health and environmental motivators to encourage people in western countries to start growing their own food, and the length of allotment waiting lists in many parts of the UK seems to testify to this.
If you are growing in Scotland for the first time, there are climatic considerations that are not addressed in the plethora of food growing books that are available. Many of the books that are published in the UK are slanted towards growing in the southern parts of England and tend to specify sowing/planting times and varieties of plants that are not suitable this far north. This can lead to crop failures or poor harvests for the novice grower following this advice. This, in turn, can lead to disappointment and demotivation. Scotland has a suitable climate for many types of fruit and vegetables but the important things to know are what varieties to choose, when to sow and when to plant out.
There is barely enough room in a blog post to scratch the surface of growing food in the Scottish climate but a book I can recommend purchasing, or borrowing from your local library, is Fruit and Vegetable for Scotland by Kenneth Cox and Caroline Beaton. I am not on any commission. It is a straight up recommendation for a first-class book.
Jobs that can be carried out in the veg garden in February are:
- Sow broad beans and peas in modules and keep them in a frost-free place like a cold frame or unheated greenhouse
- Prepare your beds for sowing by removing any weeds and adding compost or well-rotted manure
- Use cloches or plastic over the soil to help warm it
- Weed your strawberry and fruit beds
- Chit your seed potatoes in the shed or somewhere frost-free but not in direct sunlight
- Plant Jerusalem artichokes and shallots (although, shallots will benefit from covering with a cloche or plastic for some protection)
- Tidy the shed and check your tools for damage