Page 20 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2024

Vegetable
Growing in
Scotland
KELVIN MASON
In the book Fruit and Vegetables for Scotland from which I covered fruit in the last edition I will continue this time with the vegetables. The book sets them out in family groups such as legumes, brassicas, cucurbits, salads etc. so I will follow this trend. The first group are the legumes.
Legumes
Broad Beans
As Scotland is a windy area it is important to support the broad bean plants even some of the dwarf cultivars, the support could be individual canes for each plant or strings along the rows to prevent the plants moving too much. Like the rest of the U.K sow broad beans in October / November to overwinter indoors, plant out in March / April which will give an early crop. Follow this with an outdoor sowing in April for
the later crop. If in a mild area they can be sown outdoors to overwinter but a little protection is likely to give better results.
Once planted out in March / April, make sure they are firmed in well
French bean ‘Cobra’
and provide the supports to keep the plant upright especially once the weight of the crop increases. Pick the beans when still small and use fresh or freeze.
Cultivars Autumn Sowing
• AquadulceClaudia–a very hardy cultivar and I would recommend it.
The soil temperature needs to be at least 10°C for French and runner beans to germinate
Spring Sowing
• Robin Hood – recommended by Beechgrove.
• Witkiem Manita – a good cropper.
• Optica – a good flavour and also if harvested very youngthewholepodcan be eaten.
French Beans
but will crop fine in sheltered areas or in polytunnels which are well worth a try if you have one and the space during the summers. The soil temperature needs to be at least 10°C for French and runner beans to germinate which is not likely to occur in Scotland until Mid-May and even later in some years and areas. Sow the seed 5cm deepand23cmapartatthebaseofthe supports which can be bamboo canes, hazel stakes or strong netting. If in a cold area start the seed indoors sowing into 7 or 9cm pots or modules, harden off fully before planting out when 15 to 20cm high.
Once germinated keep the area weed free and ensure the supports stay sturdy, water well in dry conditions. Pick the pods when young to ensure they are not stringy.
• Imperial Green
Longpod – large pods and a good cropper.
• The Sutton – a popular dwarf cultivar and has had good reports in Scotland even on Shetland.
Broad bean ‘Robin Hood’
The soil should be fertile, add well-rotted manure or compost in the
autumn when digging or if no-dig use as a mulch.
These like a warm sheltered site so are not an ideal crop for all of Scotland
20 Simply Vegetables
Broad Bean ‘The Sutton’
Runner bean ‘Moonlight’