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Anyone can grow their own potatoes, all you need is a large pot!

 

Choose a variety that you like to eat.

 

 

At the appropriate planting time,depending on the variety you choose to grow, set three tubers on top of a 6-8in/15-20cm layer of good quality compost in each Potato Growing Bag or large pot and then cover the tubers with a further 4in/10cm layer of compost and fertiliser (either a specific potato fertiliser or an organic based feed such as chicken pellets or farmyard manure). 

 

 

 

 

As the plants grow and shoots emerge above the surface, add more compost to the potato growing bags or pots to cover the shoots and then repeat as needed until the compost is about 2in/5cm below the top of the bag or pot.

Keep the compost moist at all times but don't saturate it as this might cause the tubers to rot.

 

Potatoes need plenty of moisture, particularly round about flowering time which is when the tubers start to form. An occasional heavy watering is better than little and often as this does not get down far enough and encourages shallow rooting.

 

 

First Earlies are best harvested in small quantities and eaten straightaway when fresh in June and July.

Second Earlies and Salad varieties can also be harvested in small quantities and eaten when fresh in June and July. Alternatively, if the skins are allowed to ‘set' - i.e. they don't rub off when lifted - cut the foliage down to stop continued growth, lift in September and store as per Maincrop varieties.

Maincrop varieties can be lifted from September onwards and stored as long as the tubers are lifted in dry conditions or are properly stored. Store in a hessian sack in a cool, dark, frost-free area.

 

 

 

 

 

The 7 top tips for growing potatoes!

Chitting Potatoes (see picture below) – Sit a few seed potatoes in a cool light place before planting to encourage quicker establishment and growth. This usually takes anything from 2 to 4 weeks. Leave one or two stong shoots on each potato and break off the others.Each shoot should be approximatly an inch long. This process is not a must, some poeple swear by it while others have never used.

 

When to plant potatoes in growing bags– Start your grow sacks in greenhouse or conservatory from as early as February and move outside when all risk of frost is past.

Where to grow potatoes – All potatoes do best grown in a light, warm sunny spot.

Soil / Compost – use a good compost or an equal mix of compost and soil and place a layer 4-6 inches in the bottom. Place potatoes on compost and cover with a further 4-6 inches of compost.

Earthing Up Potatoes – Potatoes grow from the stem beneath the surface. So keep covering the foliage with more compost as it grows until the sacks are full to within 4 inches of the top.

Feeding and Irrigation – This really is the big the secret. Mix potato fertiliser or a good general purpose fertiliser such as Growmore with the compost during planting and earthing up. Keep compost consistently moist (but not over wet) and you will reap the rewards form your crop.

Potato Pest Control – Finally, Potato Blight can be a major problem from July with later yielding crops. Help fight this fungal disease with a blight spray.

Enjoy the experience and watch your food grow! If you have any questions please leave a comment and we will be happy to answer them for you!

As there is a huge range of seed potatoes available let us know if there are specific types or varieties you would like to grow and we can source them for you!

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Hopefully all the gym routines have been perfected now we're into February and now it's time to plan what you're going to put into your body over the next year.

Growing your own fruit and vegetables not only gives you the physical exercise of the digging and the weeding but you will enjoy eating the fruits of your own labour.                       

  Leafy greens provide dietary fibre and iron.

Remember, that ordinary everyday vegetables taste so different when you harvest them straight from your garden and cook them quickly to retain all the goodness. 

There are other ways of getting the best from your vegetables.

-Eating your vegetables raw will make it easier for your body to absorb nutrients and amoung others carrots,cabbage and  peppers can be enjoyed raw.

-Juicing fruit and vegetables keeps the antioxidant levels higher than cooking them. Antioxidants may help to reduce your chances of contracting certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and generally help maintain your health.

-Steaming is a good way to maintain colour, flavour and  the nutrients that are lost during boiling. 

 

Super valu have created the food pyramid below to help you to maintain a balanced diet.

Getting your 5 a day can get tedious,so why not grow your own in 2011. Dr.Laurence Trueman a lecturer in nutrition at the University of Worcester has  developed a list of the nutritional benefits of fruit and vegetables, I've listed the top ten below.

Top ten vegetables, that are easy to grow in your garden and will provide you with easy access to your 5 a day!

1.Broccoli/Kale contains many healthy antioxidants such as pro-vitamin A and vitamin C. A good source of iron, manganese and folic acid.

2.Carrots are high in antioxidant beta-carotene which the body can convert into vitamin A.

3.Leek has the benifit of a green vegetable and a mild onion. High in folic acid, pottasium, pre-vitamin A and vitamin C.

4.Onions are one of the oldest medicines, known for their antibacterial and antiseptic properties due to the sulphur they contain.

5. Peas. Mangetout or sugar snap peas contain high levels of potassium both in the pods and the pea. All peas are a good source of pro-vitamin A and vitamin C, vitamin B1 and folic acid. It also contains soluable fibre which is useful for removing harmful cholestrol. 

6.Beetroots are easy to grow and so full of goodness.The young leaves can be eaten like spinach and are rich in calcium,iron and folic acid. The roots are a great source of manganese,a mineral needed for proper bone formation and energy metabolism.

7.Cabbage if eatin raw or cooked contains pro-vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin B. The darkest leaves contain the most nutrients. Do not overcook as this can destroy the the B vitamins. 

8.Parsley is probably the most common herb that grows in your garden and it contains vitamin K, pro-vitamin A and vitamin C,folic acid and iron.

9.Sweetcorn is great as it the typical cob contains less than 100 calories. Cobs are gluten-free and a good source of fibre, protein as well as vitamin A,vitamin C and vitamin B.

10.Strawberries are a favouite in many households, and rightly so. They are high in folic acid and fibre and very high in vitamin C. If you eat 4 strawberries a day, they can provide more vitamin C than an orange!

References:

Dr.Laurence Trueman,lecturer in nutrition at the University of Worcester

Thompson & Morgan, Grow your way to 5 a day guide

www.supervalu.ie

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Remember those long warm days...

When the weather turns we suddenly appriciate the summer we did have,however short it seemed.

As the winter approaches it's time to start clearing up the garden and preparing for the winter. Deadheading is important to prevent growth rotting over the winter and spreading disease.

Remember, start regularly raking up the leaves from the lawn.

Get the kids to join in, excercise and getting the garden sorted all in one!

There are certain plants that come into their own around christmas, plant red cyclamen with the christmas rose. (Pictured below)

The christmas rose.(Helleborous)

Christmas gifts in recession times are getting interesting. Plants and planters make great gifts that last and last.You can custom make them to suit the person receiving the gift and to suit any budget.

And remember while the winter creeps up on us and the wind howels outside, those long summer evenings will be back!

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Now is the perfect time to start planting bulbs!

Plant bulbs now for beautiful spring colour. Returning year after year,bulbs give you colour from January to May when very little else is flowering.

Planting tips:

• As a general rule,plant bulbs 2-3 times deeper than the length of the bulb

  

• Bulbs planted too deep or too near the surface may fail to grow
• Never plant soft or mouldy bulbs as they will not grow and can spread diseases to healthy bulbs planted nearby
• For a natural effect space the bulbs randomly, at approximatly 15 bulbs per square meter
• Most bulbs will grow happily in a sunny or lightly shaded spot,check the packaging before planting
• Choose large firm bulbs without root growth, these should flower in the first year
• Remember,some bulbs do better in pots than in your garden beds. For example, Iris varieties, Alliums, Hyacinths, Narcissus 'Tete a tete'

Layering bulbs in pots

Using a layering technique, you can extend the flowering period of your containers and really make the most of them.

This is very simple to do, just follow these tips for stunning results:

• Place broken crocks or stones in the bottom of the pot, followed by a layer of compost
• Place the first layer of bulbs in the compost, leaving a couple of cm's between each bulb
• Add compost to cover this layer of bulbs, leaving just the tips showing
• Place the next layer of bulbs in the pot, avoiding the tips from the previous layer
• Cover in compost and fill up the pot, adding small bulbs near the surface.

 

• 

Have fun and be creative with bulbs,you cannot go wrong!

 

 

 

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Lavender, a stunning plant everyone wants in their garden.

However, growing this plant takes a little bit of work!

Lavender is classed as a sub-shrub, native to the sandy stony soils in the sunny mediterranian.Growing this in our garden means we need to create an enviroment which supports this plant.

It is important that the soil is well drained with plenty of small stones and sand to allow the water to drain away easily.

The trick to keeping your lavender with healthy fresh growth is to prune it every year. This is best done at the end of August or the start of September. Cut down to approx. 10cm. By doing this you are allowing the plant to regrow a little, this growth is very important as it will protect the plant from the winter frosts. 

There are many differnet varieties of Lavender available. If you find an unusual variety of Lavender always check the label to ensure that they are frost hardy before planting them in your garden.

There are two main varieties we use in Ireland.

Lavendula angusifolia 'Hidcote':

Although commonly known as English lavender, the species actually hails from the Mediterranean, and can reach up to 1.8m (6ft) high, growing on dry, sun-baked hillsides. In gardens, therefore, it will benefit from a well-drained position in full sun. 'Hidcote' is a compact variety, suitable for growing in borders or as dwarf hedging and is one of the most popular lavenders with its dense silver-grey foliage, covered in fragrant, blue flower spikes in mid-summer. To encourage flowering and help retain its shape, remove dry flower stalks in late summer, then in early spring cut back shoots by 2.5cm (2in) or so, avoiding cutting into old wood.

Lavendula stoechas (french lavender):

An attractive and unusual lavender from hot, dry Mediterranean regions, and best grown in a warm position, sheltered from cold winds and frost. It is not fully hardy, but survives well in a sunny corner or against a warm wall, and makes an excellent container plant that can be brought under cover in winter. It is an old variety, cultivated for more than 400 years, and a favourite both for its intense fragrance and also the short dense flower spikes topped with a flourish of conspicuous rich violet bracts, rather like a set of extravagant ears.Height and spread of 60 cms.

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A few tips to get you through the Summer, if it happens to be a wet or a warm one!

Remember, your garden may need care while you go on holidays, we have tips to help you ensure your planters and baskets make it through the holidays.

Growth levels are at a maximum during the next few months, especially if we have rain inbetween the warm weather. Pruning may need to happen to keep your hedges and plants in check.

The summer months are the most beautiful months in the garden. Growth is rapid which means your planters and hanging baskets need regularly dead heading.

By doing this you will encorage the plants to keep producing new shoots and flowers.

Water potted plants during dry spells. By covering the top of the pot with mulch you will help to keep the moisture in. 

Fruit and vegetables especially need regular water to keep them growing at a steady pace. Especially mind the high water content fruit like tomatoes, too little or irregular watering can cause them to split.

Remember the fruit trees planted in the soil, they may need water too...

While you're on holidays it's all about the water. 

Minimize damage by arranging a friend to water regularly for you.

Using water storage crystals in your baskets, tubs, containers and window boxes means less watering throughout the season.

In Ireland we are quite lucky to have enough rain, even during the Summer. This means however, the growth rate of plants can only be discribed as phenomenal.

Dead heading your bedding and herbaceous plants throughout the Summer will encorage thick lushes growth.

You may also find though that you may need to prune some of the more vigorous shrubs or hedging back in the middle of the season.

If you need to do this, be gentle, just prune to keep the plant in check, the more extensive pruning can be done after the season.

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Get Inspiration!

Visiting your local historic park or garden can give you loads of inspiation and motivation to create an amazing garden at home.

Ireland has only one garden show a year (Bloom in the Park), which is well worth a visit. Being an island, we are the last to hear about the latest gardening phase, or which plant is in fashion.

We have however a stunning selection of gardens all over the country boasting a huge amount of horticultural know-how. From the the far north west of Donegal and the stunning views of the Glenveagh National park to our own botanical gardens and small domestic gardens opening just one day a year, Ireland has a lot to offer.

Anyone who enjoys the amazing simple beauty of an opening poppy flower or the rough bark of a pine tree will find something in the differing styles the islands gardens have to offer.

Visiting a garden at this time of year helps to motivate us again after the long winter and often gives us little nuggets of ideas we can use at home to transform our own back gardens.

Mount Usher gardens is one of my favourite. Working there as a student gave me a huge  understanding of the Robinsonian style of gardening.

Powerscout gardens in Enniskerry has a more formal style using the landscapes natural undulations to create a stunning park land.

Our small parks inside Dublin city, St.Stephen Green for example, provide the much needed breathing room for our city dwellers. In the sunshine its many green areas are filled with with happy peolpe enjoying the open spaces.

Our National Botanical Gardens offers something special to eveyone, novice or professional gardener.

Make this one thing you do this year, wether you take the whole family and enjoy a picnic, or take your favourite book and savour the silence, go and see can ireland's gardens inspire you!

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Summer bedding = Sumer colour!

Bedding plants are either once-flowering annual plants which are sown, grow and flower all in the same year, or biannual plants which are sown and grow in the first year and flower in the second year.

Bedding plants can be used in traditional flower beds, or as fillers and in pots and containers. The most amazing colour combinations can be created with monocrome or mixed colour displays.

The secret is to water and feed your bedding regularly through the summer months, from May to October they will provide you with exuberent colours!

As bedding plants are grown for one season only, they need to grow quickly and the soil in their permanent planting position must be well fed and moist. Plants should be inserted firmly at about 30 cm apart and watered well after planting.

Top tips for perfect blooms:

Sun or Shade – for most plants the ideal is at least a partly sunny position, and avoid strong winds.  

Watering – choose a compost to which water retaining granules have been added. A basket in full flower will typically require at least once a day in dry weather.  

Feeding - feed your baskets regularly. It is recommended to feed them about once a week, to produce baskets full of colour.  

Colour – in general it’s best not to use more than three distinct colours. A very successful basket can be made by using variations of a single colour theme. While it is not as common, a basket planted with a single variety can be very effective. (See Petunia basket picture below)

Foliage – the importance of foliage plants to a basket is often overlooked. They contribute to overall structure and balance, provide colour when there is a lull in flowering, and can be used to complement flower colour.

Dead-heading – Removal of dead flowers and  leaves once a week will lenghten the flowering period.

Experiment with different colours and plants, there are so many varieties of bedding available you can try out differnt displays every year!

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Making your own compost

This is not only good for your garden, it also cuts down on your kitchen food waste. Compost is usually made in a compost bin. But you can make your own using old pallets or chicken wire. Remember that compost bins work better if they are set directly onto the soil, this means the worms can get access to the fresh garden waste and start breaking it down. 

             

Remember to seperate your grass clippings and leaves from your garden and kitchen waste. Ideally, if you have the space make seperate areas for them to break down.

Tips to getting lovely rich dark garden compost :

-Add a variety of waste, from kitchen peelings, garden clippings, even small twigs to encorage air circulation.

-Cardboard and paper can also be added.The secret is adding roughly the same amount of everything!

-Mix your compost regularly, if you have the space, build two pallet compost boxes side by side, this will allow you to shovel compost from one to the other.

-If your feeling that your compost isn't developing as quickly as you would like, you can add a liquid compost maker. This will speed up the process.

Do compost:                                                      Don't compost:

-Grass mowing, though not in bulk                        -Cooked food

-Weeds (not weeds with seed heads)                   -Meat & fish scraps

-Fruit & vegetable scraps                                   -Used cat litter

-Tea bags & coffee ground                                 -Coal & ash remains

-Old flower & bedding plants                               -Disposable nappies

-Vegetable plant remains                                   -Potato peelings, as these will grow!

-Autumn leaves, though not in bulk

-Shredded woody prunnings

-Cardboard & egg boxes

-Twigs & garden prunnings

Composting ingredients will shrink as they decay so you may be able to to continue adding material and removing it without the bin ever getting full.If it does fill up, just leave the materials in it to decay, and start another heap.

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Malahide Rugby Club

It is sometimes hard to tackle large areas of ground, especially when people use these areas every day. Malahide rugby club(http://malahiderfc.ie/)wants to revitalise the grounds and the planting areas in keeping with the building and the people which visit the club. Also in use as a creche and function room facility, they were unsure where to start so they contacted us and we got involved

Before

Since the club is a vital facility in our local community we have began supporting them by drawing up a landscape plan and began carrying out work using a team of landscapers.

 

We have sponsored the work to date and are planning to continue the work to keep club landscape in order.

 

We started by spraying all the hard surfaces to keep the weeds down in the paths this is crutial at this time of year as weeds can get out of control in a matter of weeks,

 

Next was the large bed which spans the length of the front of the impressive building,The plants in the bed had either become unmanageable or had died,We relocated plants that were still usable and cleared the bed and prepared it for planting.

 

 

The existing Taxus bacatta (Yew) hedging was cut back down to shape which will provide evergreen structure to the bed when planting is completed.

Later in the project we plan to have a number of timber planters to provide colour and interest on the walkway to the entrance.

After

The plants will be replaced and we are hoping that local council, businesses and community groups that use the facility will sponsor some of the plants,We will then step in again and place the plants out in the correct manner and provide planting in the bed.

 

This is a large project which we are delighted to get involved and help our community with,as with all projects planning is vital.Take the time to plan in your garden and stick to the plan of works.It will make the project more manageable...Rome was'nt built in a day.

 

To get involved or to help us with plant sponsorship simply get in touch with us

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