hi folks

I'm planning to start using our garden to grow food in this year, I've never done it before so I'm completely clueless! I love the idea of biodynamic gardening etc. I'm in Scotland, so it's pretty cold here, we have a decent sized garden that gets a fair amount of sunshine, so I'm hopeful! any advice would be gratefully received, as basic as you like

Quite a big request, Lisa! :-)

If I were you I'd just take some time and check out a couple books on different methods of gardening. I think for every gardener there is a preferred method or trick. Lasagna gardening, square foot gardening, French Intensive, etc.

Lucky for you a lot of gardening resources are tailored for colder climates than we I deal with. For example, I've read of people having great sucess growing potatoes in old tires. But where I live (it's very hot and humid most of the year) the heat from being above ground and the black of the tires just kills them!

You'll probably want to look into row covers or cold frames to help start your growing season early or extend it later in the year.

Raised beds are great if you can do them. For us they're more maneagable and help reduce weeds and if you can afford it you can just fill them with some great soil to start like mushroom compost or some such.

All the sunshine you can get will really help, that's a big one!

It is that time of year here in the north country to start garden transplants. I have already started celery, onion, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants. I also have greens and herbs growing in pots: lettuce, spinach, tatsoi, parsley, cilantro, basil, and more.

Here in the states (also in canada) I buy organic seeds from High Mowing Seeds or Seeds of Change.

There are many new fast harvesting, some cut-and-come-again, greens and green mixes such as chards, mustards, fennels, and mixes. I love the flavors I can use with my fruits.

I would encourage you to check my youtube blog, which is located at

[www.growingyourgreens.com]

where I educate people about growing their own food.

i know the season is almost over but my favorite book is Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. He has a pbs special too. excellent advice/ step by step how to manual and organic gardening guru on his simplified French intensive gardening method.