What grows well in the UK and Scotland, in particular, are fruits like apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and nectarines, pears, plums, and prunes. Living in the northwestern part of the island gives you access to vast landscapes and wilderness perfect for gardening. In particular, these fruit crops will adapt well both in Britain and Scotland, but it’s also possible to meet their conditions and requirements using a polytunnel.
Polytunnel gardening will protect your crops from the inconsistencies of temperatures and weather outside. It’s also easy for the caretaker to monitor each plant and address any upcoming plant growth issues. Refer to Krostrade.com to know more about this advantageous structure.
What Grows Well In Scotland
Fruits that grow well in Scotland
According to the University of Dundee, apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, and prunes grow well. Each fruit may thrive better in a specific area in Scotland, but you can always meet their requirements by planting them inside a polytunnel. Furthermore, using the fruit variety suitable for Scotland’s weather will help you achieve an abundant yield.
Apples
If you need a fruit-bearing tree that you can be sure of its hardiness, it is the apple tree. It grows well in Scotland because it adapts well to cold weather, but there are also varieties that you can use in warmer climates. For example, northern, inland, and southeastern Scotland have cold and short growing seasons.
Therefore, apple varieties that are suitable for these areas are early-ripening apples. On the contrary, you can use many more varieties if you’re growing apples in southwestern Scotland. Like most fruits, you must avoid frost and ensure that the trees will get full sun.
Apricots
Both apricots and peaches grow well in Scotland, but peaches are more robust in cold weather. However, Scotland requires farmers to purchase in the country’s nursery to prevent the spread of diseases. It’s also best to cultivate apricots in southwestern Scotland to avoid frost injuries at -20 to -25°F.
Cherries
Both sweet and tart cherries are suitable for Scotland. However, be aware that the former is not ideal if your temperature reaches -20°F. You would also want to use the Stella cultivar of sweet cherries because it’s best in warm areas.
If you want to plant cherries but your region is cold, tart cherries are hardy at -40°F. Therefore, they are more versatile to grow in most places in Scotland. They also have the advantage of not needing another variety to pollinate.
Peaches and nectarines
Similar to apricots, both peaches and nectarines will do well in southwestern Scotland. This is because northern, inland and eastern locations put them at risk for winter damage. At the same time, you cannot import any part of these plants into Scotland, as recommended by the Scottish FArming and Rural Department.
Pears
While apples generally grow well in Scotland, pears are less hardy against freezing temperatures. At the same time, fire blight disease can be a problem in this country. Fire blight disease is an infectious and problematic disease that affects pears and fruits alike, so one must check their area for this disease beforehand.
Plums and prunes
European and Japanese cultivars of plums and prunes are available in Scotland. However, do note that if your area reaches -15 to -20°F, most European varieties will get injured. The same goes for Japanese plums at -10 to -15°F.
When Should I Plant My Garden In Scotland?
The time for planting in Scotland will vary depending on your region’s weather and the other conditions required by your crops. For example, the planting calendar of north Scotland will be different from that of southern Scotland. Let us discuss Mintlaw and Newton Stewart as examples.
Locations in north Scotland as Mintlaw can start planting crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants at the end of February. You can also plant broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage at the end of March, with onions and potatoes in the first week. However, most crops do well if you start them indoors in late February before transplanting them in the middle of April.
Locations in south Scotland as Newton Stewart can start around April 10 for crops like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. However, you can also begin in the second week of March indoors before transplanting them in May’s first week. It’s worth noting that you must know when to harvest each crop because you want to do it before winter frosts in October as well.
Since Scotland has short-season, high-altitude regions, you must be careful with the freezing temperatures. Protect your crops using a polytunnel in combination with heaters and irrigations. This way, you can prevent injuries on the plants once you start planting.
What Planting Zone Is Scotland?
The planting zones in Scotland are USDA hardiness zones 6 to 9. In general, Scotland experiences warm summers and rough winters. The former is shorter, and the areas in the lower elevation of the country will have a milder climate.
When reading planting zones, the more significant number means the climate is milder. Therefore, climate zone 7A is harsher and colder than 8B. Central Scotland is majorly in the climate zone 7A, so expect that the areas in this region are difficult for gardening.
It’s essential to know the planting zones in Scotland to create a planting schedule to harvest each crop. However, you must remember that the planting zones are only helpful if you’re planting year-round crops. Otherwise, the growing season will be during the summer for seasonal plants.
Is Scotland Good For Farming?
Scotland is suitable for farming as long as you do your research about crops’ conditions and thrive in your region. Scotland has a leading position in the production of 26 crops and livestock among the nation. In numbers, the country earns billions annually from this.
How is Scotland suitable for farming? With the proper information, one can take advantage of the climate in this country. Scotland also uses extensive irrigation systems, cutting edge technology, and transportation networks, alongside a skilled workforce. Therefore, if you’re looking for a go signal in Scotland’s venturing farming, these factors and statistics are your green light.
Conclusion
Scotland ranks the leading position in the nation’s production of 26 crops and livestock. If you’re interested, what grows well in the UK and Scotland, in particular, are fruits like apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and nectarines, pears, plums, and prunes. However, it’s worth noting that each crop has cultivars and varieties that will specifically be more suitable in a specific region.
This is where knowledge of the planting zones, temperatures, and weather conditions come to be necessary. You will only have a successful harvest if your plants avoid damage from frost and other extreme conditions. Using polytunnel will allow you to keep the crops in a suitable environment while also taking advantage of Scotland’s extensive irrigation systems, cutting edge technology, transportation networks, and skilled workforce.