For those of us who are trying to do what we can to live in as sustainable a manner as possible, limiting the amount of waste we generate is one of the biggest challenges. This is especially true as, so often we are able to generate huge amounts of waste without even thinking about it. To try and … [Read more...]
Grow Your Own Jersey Royal New Potatoes
By 1 Comment
New potatoes, freshly dug from the garden, are one of the pleasures of gardening. I always struggle to decide which variety to grow. My favourite spud of all time is the Jersey Royal, but the price of them in the shops makes them a luxury food. You also cannot buy them in Ireland … [Read more...]
Do Your Slugs In – Garden Pests Nobody Wants
There are a range of ways to get rid of slugs in your garden. These range from slug pellets to a slug picker-upper and everything in between including giving them an electric shock. Slugs are very fond of young, soft-stemmed plants, and if you grow seedlings outside you will lose most of your … [Read more...]
Flowers for Winter Hanging Baskets – Plants for All Seasons
Don’t put your hanging baskets away for the winter. They can give you just as much pleasure over the short winter days as they do in summer. The easiest plants to use in winter hanging baskets are pansies, violas, ivies and cyclamen. Cyclamen do not trail like the others will, but can still … [Read more...]
How to Grow Raspberries in Containers
Growing raspberry canes in containers is very simple. You just stick a 12in length of cane in your container of compost or soil. Late autumn is the perfect time for doing this in order to get fruit next year. If you already have raspberries growing then use some of your own cuttings, otherwise … [Read more...]
Planting Copper Beech Hedging
Copper beech hedging is versatile and attractive throughout the year. Both the purple and green leaved types of beech retain copper coloured leaves throughout the winter. A hedge of alternating triplets of Fagus Sylvatica Purpurea (purple leaved beech) and Fagus Sylvatica (green-leaved beech) is … [Read more...]
Green Manure – 101
Green manure crops are planted to be dug into the ground, rather than harvested. You might ask, “Why?” Why Plant Green Manure Seeds? If soil is left bare either over winter or between crops then weeds will take over. In addition to the weed problem the fertiliser you put on the soil will … [Read more...]
Be a Green Gardener – for Free
Anyone can be a green gardener without spending a month’s wages on gadgets. Buying plastic gadgets is not being green. Being green is about using nature and nature is free. I have over one hundred roses and not a greenfly in sight. This is despite being surrounded by hawthorn hedges that are … [Read more...]
Growing Broccoli
Broccoli is one of those vegetables that it is always worth growing because it never comes cheap in the shops. It is surprisingly easy to grow, as long as you control the caterpillars. Both purple and green sprouting broccoli give you green broccoli spears when steamed, though the purple variety … [Read more...]
Growing and Pruning Lilac Trees
Every garden should have a lilac tree, or two. There are many varieties available, including some that are available as seed to grow your own. Lilac trees have an open-branched habit and grow to about 15ft. They are perfect for front gardens and small back gardens because of their limited size. … [Read more...]
Laying Turf Topsoil
If you are laying turf for a new lawn, topsoil preparation is a must. The more topsoil you have underneath your new lawn the more healthily it will grow and the more drought-resistant it will be. The topsoil is what will feed your grass for years to come, so it is worth spending a bit of time and … [Read more...]
Planting and Growing Onions from Sets
Growing onions from sets is extremely easy and is probably one of the first vegetables that you should try growing in your new plot. Onion sets are immature onion bulbs. When you plant them they grow into full size bulbs. It is that simple. If you want the best onions though you do need to do … [Read more...]
