A new secret Pentagon report, recently leaked to the Observer:-

http://www.informationclearinghouse....rticle5732.htm

Says that in 15 years' time, Britain will be "Siberian".

I wonder what the best fruit and veg to grow in your garden would be, then -
stuff which would survive temperatures of -15C or more . . . ? It might come
in handy to be self-sufficient-ish in food, at some stage.

Andrew

"Andy Hunt" wrote in message
news:5os_b.109$bJ1.86@newsfe1-win...
A new secret Pentagon report, recently leaked to the Observer:-

http://www.informationclearinghouse....rticle5732.htm

Says that in 15 years' time, Britain will be "Siberian".

I wonder what the best fruit and veg to grow in your garden would be,
then -
stuff which would survive temperatures of -15C or more . . . ? It might
come
in handy to be self-sufficient-ish in food, at some stage.


Iceberg lettuce anyone?
Radish - long white icicle
Cauliflower -snowball
Turnip - snowball
Leek - snowstar

Or will it get too chilli for these varieties?

Steve

"Andy Hunt" wrote in message
news:5os_b.109$bJ1.86@newsfe1-win...
A new secret Pentagon report, recently leaked to the Observer:-

http://www.informationclearinghouse....rticle5732.htm

Says that in 15 years' time, Britain will be "Siberian".

I wonder what the best fruit and veg to grow in your garden would be,
then -
stuff which would survive temperatures of -15C or more . . . ? It might
come
in handy to be self-sufficient-ish in food, at some stage.


Iceberg lettuce anyone?
Radish - long white icicle
Cauliflower -snowball
Turnip - snowball
Leek - snowstar

Or will it get too chilli for these varieties?

Steve

"Andy Hunt" wrote in message
news:5os_b.109$bJ1.86@newsfe1-win...
A new secret Pentagon report, recently leaked to the Observer:-

http://www.informationclearinghouse....rticle5732.htm

Says that in 15 years' time, Britain will be "Siberian".

It doesnt do anything of the sort of course, but the press have
misrepresented it consistently as a prediction. It was actually a scenario
they set up that said 'IF the climate changes to this point, what would the
economic, social and therefore military consequences be?'. That is a long
way from predicting that the change will occur.

BTW, IIRC their scenario was set 50 years in the future not 15. And our
climate wouldnt be Siberian either, since as we are told the Gulf Stream
keeps us warm in winter but cooler in summer, the shutting dwn of the GS
would mean colder winters, but also hotter summers. So the fruit and veg
would be more mediterranean I'd have thought, but nothing you'd want to
overwinter.

--
Tumbleweed

Remove theobvious before replying (but no email reply necessary to
newsgroups)

Says that in 15 years' time, Britain will be "Siberian".

It doesnt do anything of the sort of course, but the press have
misrepresented it consistently as a prediction. It was actually a scenario
they set up that said 'IF the climate changes to this point, what would
the
economic, social and therefore military consequences be?'. That is a long
way from predicting that the change will occur.

BTW, IIRC their scenario was set 50 years in the future not 15. And our
climate wouldnt be Siberian either, since as we are told the Gulf Stream
keeps us warm in winter but cooler in summer, the shutting dwn of the GS
would mean colder winters, but also hotter summers. So the fruit and veg
would be more mediterranean I'd have thought, but nothing you'd want to
overwinter.

Ah . . . that's OK then. I don't want to splash out on a grape vine, grow it
for years, and then have all the grapes freeze in the middle of summer!
Someone here told me that they can survive temperatures of -15C in the
winter.

Our American friends do have a habit of exaggerating things sometimes . . .
but then again, it's better to be safe than sorry, isn't it!

Thanks, 'Tumbleweed' . . . this was actually the answer I was looking for!

Andrew

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 19:15:40 -0000, Andy Hunt wrote:
Says that in 15 years' time, Britain will be "Siberian".

I wonder what the best fruit and veg to grow in your garden would be, then -
stuff which would survive temperatures of -15C or more . . . ?
At least winter temperatures.... no problem.
Apples, pears, damsons. Redcurrants, blackberries.

Perhaps now would be a good time to start planning your alpine-arctic rock
gaerden.
--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 19:15:40 -0000, Andy Hunt wrote:
Says that in 15 years' time, Britain will be "Siberian".

I wonder what the best fruit and veg to grow in your garden would be,
then -
stuff which would survive temperatures of -15C or more . . . ?
At least winter temperatures.... no problem.
Apples, pears, damsons. Redcurrants, blackberries.

Perhaps now would be a good time to start planning your alpine-arctic rock
gaerden.

OK, OK . . . I know you think it was a silly question. It's actually my job
in local government to look into these things, so perhaps I can be forgiven
some of my silliness.

But with a serious point: as you say, if most plants can survive the more
severe winter temperatures, they should be OK in hotter summers. I suppose
that many of these plants have evolved to cope with the extremes of
temperature which are already found in, say, the Mediterranean region.

Many climate-change-ologists say that with the coming changes, and
diminishing petrochemical resources, agriculture will be adversely affected.
It would seem from this that it will be not so much the plants and crops
themselves which will be affected, more the methods of large-scale
cultivation and harvesting, which can always be overcome.

Thanks again!

Andrew

Says that in 15 years' time, Britain will be "Siberian".

It doesnt do anything of the sort of course, but the press have
misrepresented it consistently as a prediction. It was actually a scenario
they set up that said 'IF the climate changes to this point, what would
the
economic, social and therefore military consequences be?'. That is a long
way from predicting that the change will occur.

BTW, IIRC their scenario was set 50 years in the future not 15. And our
climate wouldnt be Siberian either, since as we are told the Gulf Stream
keeps us warm in winter but cooler in summer, the shutting dwn of the GS
would mean colder winters, but also hotter summers. So the fruit and veg
would be more mediterranean I'd have thought, but nothing you'd want to
overwinter.

Ah . . . that's OK then. I don't want to splash out on a grape vine, grow it
for years, and then have all the grapes freeze in the middle of summer!
Someone here told me that they can survive temperatures of -15C in the
winter.

Our American friends do have a habit of exaggerating things sometimes . . .
but then again, it's better to be safe than sorry, isn't it!

Thanks, 'Tumbleweed' . . . this was actually the answer I was looking for!

Andrew

Andy Hunt wrote:


Says that in 15 years' time, Britain will be "Siberian".

It doesnt do anything of the sort of course, but the press have
misrepresented it consistently as a prediction. It was actually a scenario
they set up that said 'IF the climate changes to this point, what would
the
economic, social and therefore military consequences be?'. That is a long
way from predicting that the change will occur.

BTW, IIRC their scenario was set 50 years in the future not 15. And our
climate wouldnt be Siberian either, since as we are told the Gulf Stream
keeps us warm in winter but cooler in summer, the shutting dwn of the GS
would mean colder winters, but also hotter summers. So the fruit and veg
would be more mediterranean I'd have thought, but nothing you'd want to
overwinter.

More like Newfoundland, which is at roughly the same latitude on the
other side of the Atlantic. Not Siberian but not Mediterranean either.
--
Nick Wagg

Andy Hunt wrote:

OK, OK . . . I know you think it was a silly question. It's actually my
job in local government to look into these things, so perhaps I can be
forgiven some of my silliness.

If it's your job, you should go back to the original research that
came up with the scenarios and not rely on newgroups. There is a lot
of sense talked on u.r.g. to do with gardening but few would claim that
it is an authoritative source for information on climate change.
--
Nick Wagg

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 11:12:02 -0000, Andy Hunt wrote:

But with a serious point: as you say, if most plants can survive the more
severe winter temperatures, they should be OK in hotter summers. I suppose
that many of these plants have evolved to cope with the extremes of
temperature which are already found in, say, the Mediterranean region.

Perhaps crops that are now happy halfway up mountains. Say, tea and rice,
most things that grow in the Alps - that is, most things that already grow
in the UK. The mediterranian crops do like it hot, sure, but an olive tree
is done for if it freezes to much.
How about grapes? Likes hot summers and is totally hardy. (they do pretty
well on the slopes of southern Switzerland and Austria). Perhaps British
red wines will become the new Austrailian Shiraz.... :-) I'll drink to
that.
--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 11:12:02 -0000, Andy Hunt wrote:

But with a serious point: as you say, if most plants can survive the more
severe winter temperatures, they should be OK in hotter summers. I suppose
that many of these plants have evolved to cope with the extremes of
temperature which are already found in, say, the Mediterranean region.

Perhaps crops that are now happy halfway up mountains. Say, tea and rice,
most things that grow in the Alps - that is, most things that already grow
in the UK. The mediterranian crops do like it hot, sure, but an olive tree
is done for if it freezes to much.
How about grapes? Likes hot summers and is totally hardy. (they do pretty
well on the slopes of southern Switzerland and Austria). Perhaps British
red wines will become the new Austrailian Shiraz.... :-) I'll drink to
that.
--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 11:12:02 -0000, Andy Hunt wrote:

But with a serious point: as you say, if most plants can survive the more
severe winter temperatures, they should be OK in hotter summers. I suppose
that many of these plants have evolved to cope with the extremes of
temperature which are already found in, say, the Mediterranean region.

Perhaps crops that are now happy halfway up mountains. Say, tea and rice,
most things that grow in the Alps - that is, most things that already grow
in the UK. The mediterranian crops do like it hot, sure, but an olive tree
is done for if it freezes to much.
How about grapes? Likes hot summers and is totally hardy. (they do pretty
well on the slopes of southern Switzerland and Austria). Perhaps British
red wines will become the new Austrailian Shiraz.... :-) I'll drink to
that.
--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 11:12:02 -0000, Andy Hunt wrote:

But with a serious point: as you say, if most plants can survive the more
severe winter temperatures, they should be OK in hotter summers. I suppose
that many of these plants have evolved to cope with the extremes of
temperature which are already found in, say, the Mediterranean region.

Perhaps crops that are now happy halfway up mountains. Say, tea and rice,
most things that grow in the Alps - that is, most things that already grow
in the UK. The mediterranian crops do like it hot, sure, but an olive tree
is done for if it freezes to much.
How about grapes? Likes hot summers and is totally hardy. (they do pretty
well on the slopes of southern Switzerland and Austria). Perhaps British
red wines will become the new Austrailian Shiraz.... :-) I'll drink to
that.
--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

OK, OK . . . I know you think it was a silly question. It's actually my
job in local government to look into these things, so perhaps I can be
forgiven some of my silliness.

If it's your job, you should go back to the original research that
came up with the scenarios and not rely on newgroups. There is a lot
of sense talked on u.r.g. to do with gardening but few would claim that
it is an authoritative source for information on climate change.

Nor would I expect it to be . . . but it's the best source of info on
gardening that I've found! And I've learned at least one thing about climate
change on here, too, and I'm not too proud to say it!

As well as working as an Energy Officer, I just have a personal enthusiasm
for, and interest in, this stuff. I hope it's not offensive in any way.

Thanks for all the advice - it's much appreciated.

Andrew