Month: February 2010

I know this is not a gardening issue but when in Lidl on Thursday buying the Primroses :0)  I bought a bottle of white wine South African "Cimarosa Chinin Blanc" …really cheap. We had it tonight and it is really really lovely. And the good news is that it is on special this week from Monday. Six bottles for €19.56 €3.26 a bottle, now thats what I call value. Great for putting your feet up with after a hard days work in the garden.

Did’nt get any gardening done today because I had to go to Galway to visit my sister-in-law in hospital and tomorrow I have to babysit so nothing done then either. I spent some time yesterday potting the plants I purchased in Lidl and Aldi. Have not decided where I’m going to put them so thought it best to pot them for now. I also took my lilies out of "storage" and potted them. Hope I have’nt done them too early. Next I want to do the dahlias. Had a look at them and they look great. Should I soak them in water before potting…They look a little dry.!!!

Cant wait for the weather to dry up so I can cut the lawn and then I will really think the garden looks better even though I have a lot of work to do yet.

well, funny but i went to the bottom of the commanage where there is a lot of trees and saw that none of the fat balls had been touched!  i went to renew them.

saw a lot of wrens there which was fab.

 

the biggest coup here really is the sighting of a pair of chaffinches on the high wall.  thats a first!  they were pecking up there and must have seen that a very fat wood pigeon was on the bird table so they now know that food is here.

less starlings but they know where the fat balls are – end of common area, i am sure they kinda move about!

opened shed today and surprise saw a lot of real terracotta planters i forgot i had, so that good indeed.

a massive cheese plant was completely repotted, soil changed and from base to leaf wiped lovingly.  i know the thing will take over but i have had it years and flipping adore it.

one of my chihuahuas is not well and i am worried so vet tomorrow i think.

new laptop but when the guy was setting up we discovered that my wireless is environmentally blocked by massive masts over the wall and a radio ham addict. so i can only use on ethernet.

got a few solar rocks, they are awful ugly so will have to start trying to disquise them, funny they dont actually light up anything, they just sort of – light up! maybe when the sun is stronger they will be too.

i have bagged a buddha and hope to pick up this week, so excited about that.

well thats my new journal entry.

xxann 

To be honest I got no gardening done this week, work and the weather were to blame, but if I were to be really honest, lack of motivation is also to blame. I don-t like starting a job unless I can stay at it and unfortunately the garden is to wet. However i have put in some preparation work. I have ordered the seed potato, 7.5kg of Sharpes express, 5 kg of Homegaurd and 8kg of british queens. I have purchased all my veg seed and only have to pick up the onion sets.

I was in Lidl yesterday and picked up parseley seeds and a few other packets of seeds I had no intention of buying. I have discovered the parseley seed is actually "seed discs". Is parseley hard to grow as I have heard varying accounts. I love parseley in me spud cakes, it gives them reall flavour.

I am in awe of those who have sowed seeds already, but I am edging closer to the starting line myself. I hope to clean out the greenhouse this week and next and then its all systems go. I can-t wait to get started.

A number of years ago at the Gardeners’ World show, a talk was given about advances in science to assist farmers and gardeners in treating pests is a less harmful way.  The speaker spoke of how the Dutch had made great advances in microscopic beneficial nematodes and they were about to go commercial with it.  At that stage, the cost of the product was off the radar so the speaker recommended that people should buy in a group and share it out.  Now, we have www.nemo.ie website and other such sites, where we can buy these products at a reasonable price.  Since then, I have had an interest in what science has discovered.  I came across a website a while ago (www.sciencedaily.com), an American based site, which gives details of the results of the latest research.  There is a section for plants and animals which I always find fascinating.  Some interesting information –

1.   A common plant virus lures aphids to infected plants by making the plants more attractive.  When the aphids taste the plant, they quickly depart for tastier, healthier ones.  Some viruses are incorporated into the insect’s system while it feeds.  When the aphids depart the diseased plant, they assist in the transmittance of the disease.  

2.   Scientists have made the first discovery of the female sex hormone ‘Progesterone’ in a plant. Until now, scientists thought that only animals could make progesterone.   The reason for its presence in plants is less apparent but they speculate that the hormone might be an ancient bioregulator that evolved billions of years ago, before the appearance of modern plants and animals.  The discovery may change scientific understanding of the evolution and function of progesterone in living things.  

 

3.   Leaves can whisper their properties through ultrasound.  The water content of leaves, their thickness, their density and other properties can now be determined without even having to touch them.  Information about water content enables analysis of the loss of turgor in the leaves and the internal morphology of their cell layers, which in turn makes it possible to assess the level of development and to see how they are influenced by environmental factors.  Research on the status and water potential of plants helps to diagnose the situation of agricultural and natural systems.  

 

4.  Researchers have managed to make out the ‘self-irrigating’ mechanism of the desert rhubarb, which enables it to harvest 16 times the amount of water that otherwise expected for a plant in this region based on the quantities of rain in the desert.  The findings have shown that the natural selection process has resulted in the evolution of this plant’s extremely large leaves, which improved its ability to survive in the arid climate of the desert. 

 

Check it out – there is loads more from why leaves turn a different colour in autumn, leaf age may contribute to contamination of lettuce with E.coli and salmonella and how insects use plants lie a telephone.   Some of those would make great school projects.   

An Orchard is born

At last! We got our hands dirty (well, actually, we got our garden gloves dirty!) – but the fencing in finished and we planted our first three trees in the orchard. They are a year old from Seedsavers – "Leitrim Red", "Bloody Butcher" and "Barnhill Pippin" – anyone have these and know what they taste like? I think it may be a year or two before we see any apples but we mixed homemade compost and chicken manure in with the soil – I hope that will help!

We also planted a row a of five small bay trees along where the vegetable garden will be – to create a border and some shelter. 

 

Restoration hope 

On one corner of the orchard, we planted a Ginkgo tree ("memory" tree),  a wedding gift which we planted after our ceremony on top of a tree circled mound in a nearby field ten years ago – but every spring just as the poor tree starts growing, it gets severely pruned by a  munching cow and I am amazed that it is still alive… only just – and that is because when we dug it out, the roots still seem to have sap in them- but it could be as good as dead. Nonetheless, we replanted it and the orchard, far from any cow’s reach ( we reckon four metres from the fencing should do – these cows are determined!) and it will be interesting to see what happens. it will be marvellous if it comes back to life. But I am not betting my life on it…

love this time of year…all this expectation! transplanted about 18 tomato seeds, some gallardia, french marigolds, sweet peas and geraniums and managed to dig over and fertilize about 1/4 of the tunnel…going to set early spuds there as an experiment…probably next weekend..have garlic and onions sat in small cells and they are sprouting really well…destination tunnel maybe? enjoying the last few whiffs of a hyacinth or two in the house…really need to look over my seeds…i get very carried away in a seed shop! i’ll have one of those, two of these three of them…! need to try and plan my beds better!!

 

 

 

The garden centres are well stocked with seeds and catalogues are coming in the post so I’m getting very itchy to get going. This is our first year having a tunnel so we are very excited, hope it lasts!!  Delighted to find crocus in flower in the garden today and of course some snowdrops, buds are starting to appear and we hope we won’t have too many losses from the winter weather,  so far we have lost our Echiums, some Aeoniums, which were in the greenhouse [unheated] and Geraniums,  my Restios are also looking sad but hopefully they will survive. Looking forward to experimenting with veg this year

over the weekend i got all my veg beds that are clear dug it was great to be out with the fork. i hope to get early potatoes in b4  the end of the month under my mini tunnels 25 ft long 6ft wide and 4ft high. i see lidi have all their seeds in they have carrots and a few other veg and some flowers on tape these veg would be handy for early plants under cover.  last year i bought most of my packets of seeds in lidi and the rest i bought as loose  seed in a shop that has everything in letterkenny it works out at good value.  must gather up all my seed trays and wash them in jeys fluid and as soon as this cold spell on the way is over it will be all systems go. happy planting all.   lost my cordline plants in frost but i will leave the in the ground yet as they could re-sprout also mallow and large leaf hebe the small leaf are hardier i am sur i have lost more as time goes on we see i hope my foxglove tree is ok.     

Jacinta and Steve came over yesterday, and as you will have read in Granny’s’ Journal a great day was had by all. But boy do I have a lot to learn. As we walked around the garden, Jacinta asked about this plant and that plant, oh your ——- looks great, is that a ——.

I was left saying, eh…. what, eh….. don’t know, eh…… Jacinta I haven’t a clue. The way the Latin names roll off this Lady’s’ tongue is unreal. An expert and true plant lover if ever. Great day.

Says a lot for us gardeners, only meet someone a couple of times, and feeling so relaxed and as if you have known them for years. As I said to Steve said at one point, Chelsea will never be the same again, when this expert gets in those gates.

i got a witch hazel from lidl the other day, i wanted to plant it in the front garden to give some privicey from the garden next door, however i dont know how big they grow or how big the roots will get and therefore how close i can plant it to the house? can anyone help me? its the one with the yellow flowers if that makes any difference. Thanks

 🙂 Jenny

Have a bit of good news for you all…I have retired    yippee

 

So the garden is being attacked with gusto, and I will probably bore you all to tears !!

I hasten to add its EARLY retirement  but you probably knew that already!!! LOL

hi everyone

hope you are all well and full of the joys of spring. we are on mid term next week so i will get a chance to do some gardening, taking a break from the studies for a change and doing something different,i am taking my 12 year old sons advice. He told me i need to get a life outside school and studying.  i am well ahead with my projects so i can afford to take a week off. I started my work experience last friday i am doing 10 days altogether, 5 in horkans garden cente and 5 on our landscape gardening project, we are putting up a tunnel and raised beds, its really fun.

my week will be filled with seed sowing and veg patch orangisation and of course clean out the tunnel which has been neglected lately.I hope my plans work out.Thats me for now HAPPY GARDENING EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At the sowing of the Peas [Pisum sativum] it is a good thing to remember that one of the most common mistakes that happen with them is sowing them to thick.The peas need about 2 inches apart,in order to get a good crop of nice large pods.A little note to remember being the poem about sowing them.1 for the mouse and 1 for the crow,1 to rot and 1 to grow.It does not matter even if you lucky and have some left over after having already lost some and they need moving on to have the right distance between them.Get them planted elsewhere and they will grow for you all going well.

I got carried away a few weeks ago with all the talk of sowing seeds etc. i sowed a few sweet pea, a few cherry toms, these were for inside growing to have toms as early as possible and a few chillies. One sweet pea and one tom have germinated, the reason possibly is I used compost that was in a bag in the garden, for some time. Maybe it was not the freshest if you know what I mean.

So be carefull to use fresh compost, good luck.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me seeds. In an effort to get organised and to learn as I  go, last night I opened an Excel Spread Sheet. I am going to list the seeds I have, who I got them from, when I sowed them, and so on.

This in turn will help me keep a record as I go along, teach me about germinating times etc. And finally improve my basic computer skills. That’s not bad all that learning, enjoyment and fun all rolled into one.

Also starting to keep a written garden diary, maybe I’m ready to be planted in the ground as well. As Colin said when asking me what I was writing in the diary last night, " sad or what" ?

While in Hennessys Garden centre in Kilkenny yesterday getting my seed potatoes I spied a copy of RHS encyclopedia under the checkout desk.  Had a bit of time so I trawled through all the pics.  There it was  Primula "florindae"  (Giant Cowslip)  Oh so simple.  Anyone know where I can get some ?

 

well i am all ready to plant i have all my beds down for my veg.

just have to wait for nice weather.

i have sow some  tomatoes in my house and they are doing great

have to get a  photo of them soon

 

I’ll be glad to have advices and informations as well as ideas.

Many thanks!

Today was such a fine day that I took the opportunity to mow my lawns in the front and back gardens. The last mowing had been done some time in October or November 2009 and the grass had not grown a lot since then. I only filled the grass box once with the cut grass from both lawns. When i finished that job I checked on my Echeveria plants which had been blackened by the frost. I cut away the blackened portions and I’m sure the Echeveria will come back as strong as ever later on in the year. I’m keeping my fingers crossed until I see some signs of growth on my fuschia bushes. My rose bushes came through unscathed as did my bushes which form hedges on both sides of my back garden. In spite of the bad weather forecast for the next few days I still believe that Spring has come at last. Roll on the Summer! 

hi all. i have lost a wedside that i use to have. all i know is that the website is for a gardening supplier from i think the south of the country. the word fruit is in their name and also in the webside address. please help

fotos will follow shortly

lovely morning sun shining so got out and did a bit of clearing …another little section done but doesn’t time fly when your out in the garden bubble .. all too soon time to get back to school runs , making dinners etc., etc…

i travel to work in dundalk 5 days a week but am home usually before 5pm. so i am making good use of the stretch in the evening to keep on top of the weeding and to tidy things up after the long cold spell. i intend to start seed potatoes in bags on st. patricks day oy a few days before. i am using an early variety called desiree which was very successfull for me last year. i will also plant some british queens.  i use bags purely for ease as i dont think my old back would stand up to the digging. i try and grow everything from seed or by taking cuttings and i have enjoyed a good degree of success. even if i say so myself though i am sure there;s plenty of ye out there who could teach me a thing or two. i am lucky to live beside farmers who gladly let me have access to well rotted manure which is a real miracle grower.

 

last night i went along to the launch of the "castleblanney growing in peace project". it was a very good night. sylvia gordon from groundwork northern ireland and micheal kelly founder of GIY IRELAND were guess speakers

 The growing in peace project aims to foster peace building and diversity awareness by involving local people in the creation of five community gardens in casleblayney 2010. the gardens will be a focal loint for people to build positive relationships and develop skills in growing fruit and veg in a relaxed and friendly environment.