Hello to all!
I'm new to this site and am looking forward to learning all that I can
from you, as well as giving opinions, if I feel qualified to do so! ;o)
I am an American, in America and will be moving to England sometime
this year... I love to garden - flowers, herbs and lately, veggies! My
hubby is from there (Lincoln)... and about all the gardening he had
done was growing bamboo!
Now, I need to know how things work over there... Are there any sites
I can go to to learn how the zones work there? What can be grown there?
Are your zones numbered the same as ours? What kind of growing seasons
do you have? Yadda, yadda... Also, I've been reading the thread about
greenhouses... Are these houses just to start seeds and transfer out or
are the seasons so short that they might as well be left to do their
thing in a greenhouse? Can these greenhouses be used for a winter
garden?
I don't want to offend anyone, so please let me know if there is
something I had said that was out of line... I know all to well that
there is a slight difference between my version of English and yours.
;o) Thank you!
I'd appreciate all your help!


Erin

wrote:
:: Hello to all!
:: I'm new to this site and am looking forward to learning all that I
:: can from you, as well as giving opinions, if I feel qualified to
:: do so! ;o) I am an American, in America and will be moving to
:: England sometime this year... I love to garden - flowers, herbs
:: and lately, veggies! My hubby is from there (Lincoln)... and about
:: all the gardening he had done was growing bamboo!
:: Now, I need to know how things work over there... Are there any
:: sites I can go to to learn how the zones work there? What can be
:: grown there? Are your zones numbered the same as ours? What kind
:: of growing seasons do you have? Yadda, yadda... Also, I've been
:: reading the thread about greenhouses... Are these houses just to
:: start seeds and transfer out or are the seasons so short that they
:: might as well be left to do their thing in a greenhouse? Can these
:: greenhouses be used for a winter garden?
:: I don't want to offend anyone, so please let me know if there is
:: something I had said that was out of line... I know all to well
:: that there is a slight difference between my version of English
:: and yours. ;o) Thank you!
:: I'd appreciate all your help!

Zones?

It's fairly cold in Britain, we need the greenhouses for most plants native
to warmer countries like tomatoes, grapes, melons, cucumbers etc...these
don't grow well outdoors over here, most seeds are started off in
greenhouses too, to give them an earlier start.

I can't figure out what you could mean by 'zones'...unless you mean like
timezones? and that kind of thing? - your 'zones' - some are hot while
others are cool?....I'm afraid we don't have those over here, it's just cold
everywhere, slightly less so in the south.

Living in a massive place like America I suppose you assume Britain is
similarly huge?...I've heard it will fit snugly into the state of Oregon,
both are approx 95,000 sq miles.

Phil L wrote:
wrote:
Hello to all!
I'm new to this site and am looking forward to learning all that
I
can from you, as well as giving opinions, if I feel qualified to
do so! ;o) I am an American, in America and will be moving to
England sometime this year... I love to garden - flowers, herbs
and lately, veggies! [...]


Zones?

Welcome aboard, Missus C! (We're not formal round he can I call
you C?) No, as this is a group of islands in the North Atlantic, the
climates are a bit too unpredictable for us to use anything precise
like the USDA Zone system. There are climate maps, but people don't
use them for ordinary gardening. It's roughly what you'd expect,
though: wetter in the west, drier in the east, cooler in the north,
warmer in the south, with few real extremes. Most temperate crops
grow in most places, you'll find.

We love answering questions in uk.rec.gardening, but you'll want to
have a good book, too. Reader's Digest put out an excellent
_Encyclopedia of Gardening_ for our conditions, and it's one of the
best bargains you'll ever get (I'm on my second copy, having worn out
the first one!).

You can trust the notes on the backs of seed packets, too.

It's fairly cold in Britain, we need the greenhouses for most
plants
native to warmer countries like tomatoes, grapes, melons, cucumbers
etc...these don't grow well outdoors over here, most seeds are
started off in greenhouses too, to give them an earlier start.
[...]

Not wanting to argue with Phil, but even most keen gardeners here
don't own greenhouses: seeds which need starting off under cover
usually give birth on the windowsills of the house!

He's right about these crops which want extra warmth, except that
there are special outdoor varieties: tomatoes in particular do fine
if sheltered by a south-facing wall.

Look forward to hearing from you again.

--
Mike.

Are your zones numbered the same as ours?

Most of the UK falls into three hardiness Zones: 7, 8 & 9.

Zone 7 is the coldest and if you live in Scotland, you will know what it
feels like. In Winter the average temperature can go down to between -12.3C
and -17.7C (10 and 0F) which is cold

Zone 8 covers most of England apart from a small bit in the Midlands and a
strip around the coast. Here the Winter temperature can drop to -6.7C
and -12.2C

Zone 9 includes a strip all round the West, South and East Coast where the
average Winter temperatures are between -1.2C and -6.6C

Zone 10, yes I know its not listed above, but Zone 10 is the very tip of
Cornwall and the Scilly Isles which can expect to stay free of frost with
temperatures of +4.4C and -1.1C

If you are joining your husband in Lincoln, you can expect Zone 8, BUT,
English weather can be snow in one place and lovely warm sunshine not too
far away. 20 - 30 miles

Hope that helps a little

Mike
In the Isle of Wight which is just off the bottom near Portsmouth and
Southampton

Mike
In the Isle of Wight which is just off the bottom near Portsmouth and
Southampton

Zone 9

In article , Mike wrote:
Are your zones numbered the same as ours?

Most of the UK falls into three hardiness Zones: 7, 8 & 9.

No. Three USDA hardiness zones, and don't even dream of assuming
that a plant's USDA hardiness rating will indicate that it will
survive in the same zone here. I have sent a copy of the weather
FAQ, where I explain why.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Two important zones in the UK are divided by the Tees Exe line. North of
this line the soil in usually acid and south it is alkaline, So if you want
to grow blueberries live north of the line.
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello to all!
I'm new to this site and am looking forward to learning all that I can
from you, as well as giving opinions, if I feel qualified to do so! ;o)
I am an American, in America and will be moving to England sometime
this year... I love to garden - flowers, herbs and lately, veggies! My
hubby is from there (Lincoln)... and about all the gardening he had
done was growing bamboo!
Now, I need to know how things work over there... Are there any sites
I can go to to learn how the zones work there? What can be grown there?
Are your zones numbered the same as ours? What kind of growing seasons
do you have? Yadda, yadda... Also, I've been reading the thread about
greenhouses... Are these houses just to start seeds and transfer out or
are the seasons so short that they might as well be left to do their
thing in a greenhouse? Can these greenhouses be used for a winter
garden?
I don't want to offend anyone, so please let me know if there is
something I had said that was out of line... I know all to well that
there is a slight difference between my version of English and yours.
;o) Thank you!
I'd appreciate all your help!


Erin

In article .com,
writes
Hello to all!
I'm new to this site and am looking forward to learning all that I can
from you, as well as giving opinions, if I feel qualified to do so! ;o)
I am an American, in America and will be moving to England sometime
this year... I love to garden - flowers, herbs and lately, veggies! My
hubby is from there (Lincoln)... and about all the gardening he had
done was growing bamboo!
Now, I need to know how things work over there... Are there any sites
I can go to to learn how the zones work there? What can be grown there?
Are your zones numbered the same as ours? What kind of growing seasons
do you have? Yadda, yadda... Also, I've been reading the thread about
greenhouses... Are these houses just to start seeds and transfer out or
are the seasons so short that they might as well be left to do their
thing in a greenhouse? Can these greenhouses be used for a winter
garden?
I don't want to offend anyone, so please let me know if there is
something I had said that was out of line... I know all to well that
there is a slight difference between my version of English and yours.
;o) Thank you!
I'd appreciate all your help!

Welcome to urg Erin. Your English is very good. Feel free to ask
anything you wish about our very diverse ways of gardening. We don't
have weather zones in UK, we just have British weather, which can be
anything from arctic to tropical, and our gardens can be anything from
desert to swamp. That makes UK gardening results very unpredictable, and
UK gardeners very resourceful. However things turn out, we muddle
through, then we come to this group to compare notes.

Joan and I live to the north of Lincoln, we begin most annuals by
seeding in a propagator from Feb to April, then pot the seedlings up in
our conservatory. Tender plants are mostly grown on in the greenhouse or
polytunnel floor or staging. Outdoor cropping can be done all year round
depending on the type of plant and sowing time, the winters here are
milder on average than in USA. Very often we have a long back end (fall)
which keeps things growing on up to Yuletide. Greenhouses can be used
for winter growing, but humidity can be a problem, so we prefer to rest
ours to prevent diseases building up.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

I am an American, in America and will be moving to England sometime
this year...

Erin


Erin, if you have the facilities, watch the Great British Weather forecasts
on Sky. It will give you an idea of the rapidly changing 'patterns' of
weather we have. It will also give you an insight of the various temperature
range and variation over the country.

Mike

Apart from being an American, you haven't offended anyone.

Here in Buxton the growing season is very short and there are lots of things
that you can't grow. I've searched for info on growing veg in my region but
to no avail. I suspect that as the UK is relativly tiny compared to the US
it's not worth the effort to 'zone'. I know that just a few miles away from
here the season is already three to four weeks ahead of us. So you'll have
to resort to asking the local gardeners in your area.

Sorry for the jibe. Just get rid of dubbya.

Nicholas

--
Nicholas Buttle - Quality Joinery and Cabinet Making
http://www.nbjoinery.net


--



wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello to all!
I'm new to this site and am looking forward to learning all that I can
from you, as well as giving opinions, if I feel qualified to do so! ;o)
I am an American, in America and will be moving to England sometime
this year... I love to garden - flowers, herbs and lately, veggies! My
hubby is from there (Lincoln)... and about all the gardening he had
done was growing bamboo!
Now, I need to know how things work over there... Are there any sites
I can go to to learn how the zones work there? What can be grown there?
Are your zones numbered the same as ours? What kind of growing seasons
do you have? Yadda, yadda... Also, I've been reading the thread about
greenhouses... Are these houses just to start seeds and transfer out or
are the seasons so short that they might as well be left to do their
thing in a greenhouse? Can these greenhouses be used for a winter
garden?
I don't want to offend anyone, so please let me know if there is
something I had said that was out of line... I know all to well that
there is a slight difference between my version of English and yours.
;o) Thank you!
I'd appreciate all your help!


Erin

"Nicholas" wrote in message
...
Apart from being an American, you haven't offended anyone.

Here in Buxton the growing season is very short and there are lots of
things
that you can't grow. I've searched for info on growing veg in my region
but
to no avail. I suspect that as the UK is relativly tiny compared to the
US
it's not worth the effort to 'zone'. I know that just a few miles away
from
here the season is already three to four weeks ahead of us.

Ah, that would be drizzly Disley, where my sister lives.

Steve

Erin I am somewhat amazed that none of the 'experts' on the newsgroup have
advised you to talk to your neighbours when you get here, especially those
you see 'in their gardens'. Most gardeners love to talk gardens, flowers,
vegetables, greenshouses etc etc and if someone is in a garden within
walking distance of where you settle, 'they' will first hand knowledge of
the growing conditions, temperature ranges, soil type, suppliers, who not to
buy plants and seeds from and who to go to. One of the things keen gardeners
love to do, is share plants and stock. We have new neighbours moved in next
door. They are 'gardening nuts' and the exchange of plants has to be seen to
be believed and as the first thing they did was to erect a large heated
greenhouse, we, well my wife Joan, spends many an hour chatting over the
fence and nearly every time this happens, there is a plant exchange :-))
Get to know your neighbours :-))

Mike


--
H.M.S.Collingwood Ass. Llandudno 20 - 23 May Trip to Portmeirion
National Service (RAF) Ass. Cosford 24 - 27 June Spitfire Fly Past
H.M.S.Impregnable Ass. Sussex 1 - 4 July Visit to Int. Fest of the Sea
RAF Regiment Assoc. Scarborough 2 - 5 Sept. Visit to Eden Camp

In article .com,
writes

Can these greenhouses be used for a winter
garden?

Yes, provided they are heated, though most people would only do this
with a conservatory attached to the house rather than a greenhouse of
utilitarian appearance away from the house.


--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In article ,
Nicholas wrote:

Here in Buxton the growing season is very short and there are lots of things
that you can't grow. I've searched for info on growing veg in my region but
to no avail. I suspect that as the UK is relativly tiny compared to the US
it's not worth the effort to 'zone'. I know that just a few miles away from
here the season is already three to four weeks ahead of us. So you'll have
to resort to asking the local gardeners in your area.

While it's relatively tiny, there is relatively more variation. Still
less than in the USA, of course.

A more important point is that soil and aspect are at least as important
as location - the former could be described by zones, but many zones
would be a hundred yards across! And I am prepared to bet that, even
in Buxton, a sheltered, south-facing hillside with no frost-trap would
have a longer growing season than my garden in Cambridge.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello to all!
I'm new to this site and am looking forward to learning all that I can
from you, as well as giving opinions, if I feel qualified to do so! ;o)
I am an American, in America and will be moving to England sometime
this year... I love to garden - flowers, herbs and lately, veggies! My
hubby is from there (Lincoln)... and about all the gardening he had
done was growing bamboo!
Now, I need to know how things work over there... Are there any sites
I can go to to learn how the zones work there? What can be grown there?
Are your zones numbered the same as ours? What kind of growing seasons
do you have? Yadda, yadda... Also, I've been reading the thread about
greenhouses... Are these houses just to start seeds and transfer out or
are the seasons so short that they might as well be left to do their
thing in a greenhouse? Can these greenhouses be used for a winter
garden?
I don't want to offend anyone, so please let me know if there is
something I had said that was out of line... I know all to well that
there is a slight difference between my version of English and yours.
;o) Thank you!
I'd appreciate all your help!
Erin

Hi Erin,
Welcome to URG.

We don't really have zones in Europe like you do in the US, but the following
sites translates US zones into European ones:
http://www2.dicom.se/fuchsias/eurozoner.html - might be useful :~)

The US is so huge that I guess you can grow more or less anything in various
parts of it. Where were you living?

Greenhouses are used for starting seeds, growing crops (veggies & fruit) or
housing cacti :~))
Depends what you want to do with one (pics of mine on my site at
www.ljconline.nl)
Using one as a wintergarden might be a bit chilly unless you don't find paying
for heating it.......

No offending things in your post, just don't mention racoons in the
corn............... :~))

Jenny