Monday, October 1, 2012

End of Summer vegetable garden update

End of Summer vegetable garden update.

Because we had such a wet and cold 'summer' here in Ireland, the spuds in the metal drum did much better than the ones in the lavishly-prepared raised bed. Other casualties included carrots (vanished without trace) and peas, which were very sparse. Thank goodness for the polytunnel - bumper crops of tomatoes and chilli peppers plus loads of herbs. I read in Joyce Russell's book that you can freeze whole tomatoes for winter use. They go a bit soggy when thawed but are ideal for cooking. Joyce Russel's Book link here

Here are some of the big fat Beefsteak tomatoes from the polytunnel. Lovely thin skins and dense flesh. They don't travel, so you won't get them in supermarkets. Must be grown under cover in Ireland - I germinated them in a heated propagator as they cost big money and you only get 8 seeds per packet. I'll try to save some seeds for next year.



Other crops

The runner beans did well but were quite late - I've given them to my Welsh friend who is homesick for runner beans and is marooned in Ireland where they don't seem to sell them. Our Victoria plum tree produced about five plums - last year we have hundreds. Maybe all the blossom froze or blew away?

Trees: One thing that responds well to the incessant rain is trees. I've spent days lopping the height out of our hedge and individual trees. I've also cleared a space for an 'orchard' - not very big one but I do like an apple pie so will plant Bramleys.

I lopped the willows and made several rustic-looking hurdles to keep in the ever-increasing piles of tree loppings. I need an industrial mulcher to chop them all up..

Every year is different in the garden so you have to be stoical. Onwards and upwards!





Friday, April 27, 2012

Bunty's blog on YouTube

Excellent video blog, week by week. Allow a few weeks for the colder Irish climate!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie1C-3mSupc&feature=relmfu

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Altamont Gardens



New YouTube video I made at Altamont Gardens in Carlow.



Sunday, April 15, 2012

Spuds in a drum


My First Early spuds are thriving in an old metal drum I fished out of the river. Drilled a few holes in bottom and added 2 inches of compost then the chatted spuds. Top it up as they develop. Sharpes Express variety.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Outdoor Blogger Network

Well I know this blog is not strictly 'outdoors' but it does happen outside of the house so I'm pleased to display the badge:




http://www.outdoorbloggernetwork.com/

Growing herbs from seed.

A slug's-eye view of herbs seedlings growing in the polytunnel.


The polytunnel is groaning under the sheer number of seedlings started under cover. We sowed herbs which are nearly ready to pot on. We'll be able to bring them into the house in small pots as required.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Beefsteak tomatoes

At last the warm weather has prompted the beefsteak tomatoes into rapid growth. I started these early in an electric propagator as you only get 8 seeds and they cost around €6 in Ireland. Luckily they were a present so I didn't buy them. They have been re-potted and are languishing in the polytunnel (hoop house) until they go into the beds inside. It's hard to buy these kind as their thin skins don't lend themselves to transport around the world. 
...

We also made up the hanging baskets today and two window boxes so they will stay inside until the end of May. Got some water-retaining crystals and this will help keep the plants moist in the tropical climate in the tunnel. Pics to follow.

Friday, March 30, 2012

DIY simple seedling watering carton


I found several versions of this idea on the web. Pierce a milk carton top with a hot needle or fine drill and use to water seedlings which tend to get washed out by watering cans. Ideally you should water from below but it's not always possible and this idea will provide a gentle shower for your new plants.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Blackthorn blossom


It's great to see some blackthorn blossom in the hedgerows at last. Whiter (and earlier) flowers than the hawthorn, these bushes will produce sloes later on in the year.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Great plant supplier at Kilkenny Market each Thursday

http://www.facebook.com/CaherhurleyNursery

All plants are Irish grown outside so are hardy. Most cost only €3 so you can go mad and fill a bag.
Got my comfrey from them. Support independent nurseries!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Vegetables for the Polytunnel and Greenhouse



For Irish gardeners, most gardening books are 'optimistic' in their sowing dates, based as they usually are on the warmer and drier UK climate. At last a tried and tested polytunnel vegetable book has arrived from expert Leitrim gardener Klaus Laitenberger.

Klaus's new book, "Vegetables for the Polytunnel and Greenhouse" compliments his excellent earlier book "Vegetables for the Irish Garden" This fresh release is specifically aimed at growing vegetables under cover (and in the idiosyncratic Irish climate)

Click the link below to buy both books direct from Klaus's website:

http://www.milkwoodfarm.com/buy-the-books.html

     

Thursday, March 15, 2012

GARDENING Comfrey – the plant that keeps on giving

GARDENING Comfrey – the plant that keeps on giving

I finally got some comfrey plants from a Dutch plant-seller in Kilkenny Market (he's there every Thurs).
It will make natural fertiliser once it gets going. Prince Charles uses it at Highrove I heard. I has to be propagated by taking root cuttings and has been developed for organic gardening. See link above for more info on this excellent plant. This link is for propagating comfrey (YouTube)

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Herbs & Salad in the polytunnel






I've overwintered some herbs in pots and re potted them as they have outgrown their containers. Also shown is newly sown salad (with sand to deter any rogue slugs that might have got in). The advantage of growing in containers is that they can be moved out the damn way when the tomatoes, peppers and chillis go in later.

I have a nice old book by Percy Thrower where he wages chemical warfare on a variety of pests. Never without a shirt & tie, Percy gave a certain gentlemanly air to gardening. I remember him on Gardener's World when I was a kid, my parents being big fans.

Tea Up!


My daughter & helper Roisin had a great idea the other day in the poly. Why not bring the camping stove & kettle into the poly for a nice cup of tea? We duly did so and the tea tasted great! Although we didn't get to go camping last year we can at least enjoy the best part of it - tea under cover! Does it get any better than this? I don't think so..

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Polytunnel runner beans

I use toilet roll inners to start off my beans, peas, sweet peas, carrots etc. They make transplanting easy as the pots decompose in the ground. You can split them with a knife to hasten the process. Here are my runners as of today in the polytunnel.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Toilet Roll inners


Ever since my (veteran gardener) mother told me about this method, I have used toilet roll inners as biodegradable pots for vegetable seeds. They work well for peas, beans, carrots and even sweet peas. My mother uses them for everything, including flower seeds. For vegetables, once the roots appear below the pots, sink them in the soil at the same level. They rot away. Some organic purists don't like the glue used on the cardboard but once you go down that road you'll end up beating your unworthy self with thorn branches..

Chitting potatoes


Time to start the new early potatoes 'chitting' or developing shoots prior to planting out. Our old shed comes in handy for this, being colder than the polytunnel. I'm only doing new potatoes this year. They'll be ready before the blight strikes and maincrop spuds are so cheap in season that it's not worth the space to grow them.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Frogs spawning in pond.




Several large frogs and a quantity of spawn have appeared in the wildlife pond. They are earlier than last year (3rd March 2011) but it's a good sign that Spring is approaching. I will listen out tonight for their eerie croaking which drives our dogs mad.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Geoff Hamilton on Gardeners World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-UmPgaBa_g&feature=related

3 part YouTube video of Geoff's last programme.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Preparing the garden

Have added a lot of home-made compost to the raised beds, both outside and in the polytunnel, ready for the new season.

Will be using a heated propagator to start off some early veg, then transferring to polytunnel.

Here's a picture from last year's vegetable garden -spuds, runner beans, peas etc...

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Willow rooting solution for propagation



I'm experimenting with an old method for making rooting compound from willow twigs. We have an old Rose bush and we cut it down to the ground each winter. I thought I'd take a dozen cuttings this time and see how they go with 'willow water' to encourage rooting. Watch this space for results. I've put the cuttings in a deep pot with sand at the bottom and will keep them moist in the polytunnel until they root. Some growers take the cuttings at the Full Moon, when the sap is drawn upwards in the same way that tides are affected. (Watch out for werewolves).

I've pinched some info from online somewhere:

“Willow Water” – How it Works

“Willow Water” is a homebrew plant rooting hormone that is easily made and can be used to increase the strike rate (growth of roots) of cuttings that you’re trying to propagate.

The way that it works can be attributed to two substances that can be found within the Salix (Willow) species, namely, indolebutyric acid (IBA) and Salicylic acid (SA).

Indolebutyric acid (IBA) is a plant hormone that stimulates root growth. It is present in high concentrations in the growing tips of willow branches. By using the actively growing parts of a willow branch, cutting them, and soaking them in water, you can get significant quantities of IBA to leach out into the water.

Salicylic acid (SA) (which is a chemical similar to the headache medicine Aspirin) is a plant hormone which is involved in signalling a plant’s defences, it is involved in the process of “systemic acquired resistance” (SAR) – where an attack on one part of the plant induces a resistance response to pathogens (triggers the plant’s internal defences) in other parts of the plant. It can also trigger a defence response in nearby plants by converting the salicylic acid into a volatile chemical form.

When you make willow water, both salicylic acid and IBA leach into the water, and both have a beneficial effect when used for the propagation of cuttings. One of the biggest threats to newly propagated cuttings is infection by bacteria and fungi. Salicylic acid helps plants to fight off infection, and can thus give cuttings a better chance of survival. Plants, when attacked by infectious agents, often do not produce salicylic acid quickly enough to defend themselves, so providing the acid in water can be particularly beneficial.

Willow water can be made from cuttings of any tree or shrub of the willow family, a group of plants with the scientific name of Salix. The more cuttings that are used and the longer they are soaked in water, the stronger will be the resulting willow water. Recommendations for the exact method of soaking vary. Cold water can be used, and soaking times of four or more weeks are often quoted. Other gardeners use boiling water to steep the willow twigs and soak the mixture for around 24 hours.

How to Make “Willow Water”

Here is the procedure for making willow water:

  1. Collect young first-year twigs and stems of any of willow (Salix spp.) species, these have green or yellow bark. Don’t use the older growth that has brown or gray bark.
  2. Remove all the leaves, these are not used. Don’t waste good green material though, compost the leaves or throw them in the garden as mulch.
  3. Take the twigs and cut them up into short pieces around 1" (2.5cm) long.
  4. The next step is to add the water. there are several techniques to extract the natural plant rooting hormones: a) Place the chopped willow twigs in a container and cover with boiling water, just like making tea, and allow the “tea” to stand overnight.
    b) Place the chopped willow twigs in a container and cover with tap water (unheated), and let it soak for several days.
  5. When finished, separate the liquid from the twigs by carefully pouring out the liquid, or pouring it through a strainer or sieve. The liquid is now ready to use for rooting cuttings. You can keep the liquid for up to two months if you put it in a jar with a tight fitting lid and keep the liquid in the refrigerator. Remember to label the jar so you remember what it is, and write down the date you brewed it up, and to aid the memory, write down the date that it should be used by, which is two months from the date it was made!
  6. To use, just pour some willow water into a small jar, and place the cuttings in there like flowers in a vase, and leave them there to soak overnight for several hours so that they take up the plant rooting hormone. Then prepare them as you would when propagating any other cuttings. The second way to use willow water is to use it to water the propagating medium in which you have placed cuttings. Watering your cuttings twice with willow water should be enough to help them root.