SUMMER HOLIDAY

WE’RE ALL GOING ON A SUMMER HOLIDAY
This time of year most of us look forward to a holiday away from the usual routine and we are no different. We have some friends and relations coming to stay over the next few weeks so we thought it would be good to get a few days holiday in ourselves before the rooms start to fill up with people. As we haven’t been organised like most families and booked in advance we were reduced to skimming through the classified sections of magazines to find somewhere to stay, after a few false starts we found a small house that sounded very pleasant only about a two hour drive from home. The house accepted dogs, which meant that Max could come with us as well.

After no time at all we arrived at the little village where we were to spend the next three days only to find that the house we rented had no garden and the front door opened out onto a busy main road with lorries and cars rushing by. Not very safe for two kids and a dog! We made our apologies to the owner and set off to look for somewhere more suited to our needs. We raided the newsagents’ shelves for more magazines to look through and found places very hard to come by that accepted our furry friend. Eventually we found somewhere advertised as a very quiet and relaxing cottage that wasn’t too far away from where we were. We arrived at a house in the early evening, and as the cottage was hard to find, a woman was to drive us in her car with us following, into the wilderness to our three-day hideaway. This was the first instance that alarm bells should have been ringing. The woman went on about how she likes to be paid in cash as some “undesirables” had stayed a night or two in the house and done a runner without paying and some had even stopped cheques….

IT WASN’T CLEAN – BUT IT WAS GREEN (WITH MOULD!)
We drove over a mountain road and the woman took us to a cottage in the hills, all looked OK until we opened to door to the kitchen. The smell of old grease and damp tunnelled into our pores and even the dog was reluctant to go inside. We had paid cash for three days so I was determined to have a good time and was going to work hard at making the place habitable for our stay, after all who likes to come home and admit to people that you have had a grim time away on holiday. The first thing I did was to boil a kettle full of brown, rusty water in the kettle. The glass chopping board was so greasy that the kettle moved across the work surface as it boiled. The cups were greasy and had to be washed. I opened the cupboards and saw that the plates and bowls were mouldy where the food hadn’t been washed off properly. You couldn’t see through the glasses for dirt and grease was covering the cooker. Things got worse when Julie came from the other rooms. The three beds were covered with plastic sheets to stop the damp killing us in the night and even the settee was damp. I got to work and lit a fire using wet, three month old papers from the coffee table and wet turf that was stacked where a washing machine should have been. It was warm outside but the house was freezing. Alarm bells should have rung when a house is still for rent at the height of the season!

No matter how big I got the fire it didn’t help the feeling of damp. We sat there in front of the fire and played some games with the kids, determined to have a good time. We put on music and danced (to keep warm as well as for fun)! We went for a walk up the hill and found a scenic dump full of old cars and fridges. When it came to bedtime we put the lads into the driest of the beds and then Julie and I sat in front of the ashes next to the fire until seven thirty in the morning, unable to sleep, shivering under a damp duvet. We had to do something so I phoned the woman who owned the house and told her that I had been called back home for work and would have to leave straight away. I hear you ask if I said anything to the lady about the state of her holiday home, well I didn’t I’m afraid. Mainly because I negotiated to get half of our money back and I wasn’t going to jeopardise that by upsetting the woman. I can see now why she doesn’t like people paying by cheque. As honest as I like to think I am, I would probably have cancelled my cheque too if that were how I would have paid.

What have we learned from our rather uncomfortable outing? For a start it’s a good idea to do a bit of research into a place if you are parting with your hard earned cash. Booking by a referral from a friend is a good idea and certainly it is advisable to plan these things in advance, well in advance! Next holiday I will enrol in some assertiveness classes!

Environmental.

CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

I have a couple of friends who have a job that some would see as ideal. About ten years ago they gave up a very successful arts and crafts shop to enter into the world of estate management. Their job at the moment is to look after two houses, one country house in the Midlands in England and one in central London. An Australian business person owns the houses. He and his family only turn up to the houses about three times a year when he has meetings in the country. This leaves the couple free to run things as they see fit. They have their own house that comes with the job, the use of a brand new seven series BMW and Range Rover and they get a good wage between them as well. There is no cooking or touching of forelocks when the family come over either as they cater for themselves. One of the jobs that they look forward to at this time of the year is to head on down to the annual Chelsea Flower Show, which just happens to be very close to the house in London. Every year they are given a budget to go and buy some new plants and trees for the gardens and to pick up ideas for improvements to the designs that they can implement throughout the year.

CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW
I watched the highlights of the show last week on the telly. I must say there were some very innovative designs this year. The amount of work and money that goes into the affair is staggering and I must confess it made me feel a bit of a novice when it came to the design and planting of gardens.

We here in Inishowen have a few practical factors to take into consideration when we plan our own plot, two of those being the salty air and of course the wind! I would like to see some of the fine structures the designers put into their plots after a year on the Donegal coast. This year there were some designers who managed to blend plants and structures beautifully and again the use of water features was extraordinary. A good water feature can make a garden, partly because of the movement but mainly because of the gentle noise that can calm the nerves so well. Lighting is another feature that was very well utilised this year. I complain sometimes when gardeners use full power lights to illuminate features. Too many of them make the garden look like a runway for a plane to land on and you spend all year never seeing any stars as the light blocks them from view. Soft lighting such as the type given out by solar lamps is ideal for most gardens and these can highlight your best features really well, whilst softening hard areas. The show is criticised a lot for being old fashioned and stuffy. The judges seem to be allowing more offbeat designs into the show. Dermott Morgan came up with a garden that included thousands of brightly coloured steel balls. It looked like an advertisement for the lottery but was full of innovative ideas. (06) Dermott won a silver award and the Chelsea flower show got loads of hip publicity. There was even a series made of Dermott getting the idea from a scribble on a piece of paper to being made into a reality. I haven’t spoken to my friends since they went to the show but no doubt they will come away with lots of new ideas for their gardens and the Range Rover will be full of exotic plants from around the word which they will be eager to put into place!

SWILLY GARDENING CLUB
Who needs the Chelsea Flower Show? Especially when we have the Swilly gardening club to go to every month! This month the evening will be held on the 21st of June. I thought I would give you plenty of notice this month, mainly because I forgot to mention the May meeting. This month will see a plant sale. As far as I know anyone can come with plants, shrubs and trees to sell on the evening. I haven’t got all of the details yet but you have nearly three weeks to get your plants tidied or potted up for sale on the night. I promise there won’t be any of the judges from the Chelsea Flower show to examine your stock!

The gardening club have set up an e-mail service to give you more information it’s swillygardeningclub@yahoo.co.uk

Horticultural.

ALCHEMILLA MOLLIS

Ian
I have planted Alchemilla mollis in my path as it gives good cover. Have you any advice as to how I should look after it? Thanks I.N. by e-mail

Reply.

These plants, which are also known as 'ladies mantle' produce a frothy haze of tiny, yellow flowers appearing from June to September above softly hairy, rounded, pale green leaves. They look after themselves very well. I worked on a garden where the owner had planted them in the garden and they self-seeded all over the place. They were a particular nuisance in between the cracks on the patio and path that ran through the garden. Once the roots got a hold the only thing that could get rid of them was to take up the slabs to dig the roots out. Do not let that put you off though. As the flowers go to seed snip them off to avoid them getting out of control. The plants like full sun or partial shade and the soil needs to be humus rich and moist. They will make excellent cut flowers so get a big vase ready! Cut back the faded flower heads and foliage in August and the plant will often produce a second flush of flowers.

Horticultural.

WATERING AN ESCALLONIA HEDGE

Ian
I have planted a new Escallonia hedge. Will it need watering in the dry weather? D.E. By e-mail

Reply
Almost definitely yes. Unless of course you planted them in a bog, then that would be a different matter! I planted an Escallonia hedge two years ago. I walked past it the other day in the dry weather and it was showing severe signs of water deprivation. The bottom leaves were yellow and the new growth was wilting. This is after two years; there are some deciding factors why the ground dried out so quickly. Firstly the site is raised up so water can drain easily. Second the hedge is near trees, which usually get the upper hand for the available moisture should it become scarce. Keep and eye on them throughout the summer and if they show any symptoms of drought, get the hosepipe out.



Horticultural.

JUNE IN THE GREENHOUSE

IN THE GREENHOUSE

Cuttings
As soon as cuttings taken earlier in the season have produced a good root system, or plants have outgrown their pots, pot them into a slightly larger pot. Try and use the same compost as they were potted in before. Don't overfill with compost, but leave a gap at the top of the pot that can be watered into.

Fuchsias
Many young plants, including fuchsias, benefit from having their shoot tips pinched out to encourage branching. If left, shoots can grow very long and lanky, while pinching out creates bushier plants with more stems that ultimately carry more blooms.

Take cuttings
Take cuttings of geraniums, fuchsias, coleus and other houseplants. They will root quickly at this time of year

Tomatoes
Tap the blooms on greenhouse tomatoes to improve pollination. The same can be done for the ones you grow in the porch or windowsill

Horticultural.

KITCHEN GARDEN

We are reaping the rewards for doing a bit of seed sowing in the garden recently. Already we have a bumper crop of lettuce and rocket as well as parsley, coriander and spring onions. The beans and peas have started to entwine themselves around the hazel rods that have been put up and we have even seen the first signs of sweetcorn plants emerging

KITCHEN GARDEN
If you are lucky enough to have vegetables in your garden, they will benefit by a bit of attention in their early days. Keep weeds away from them, as these will take up valuable nutrients away. Thin out rows of vegetable seedlings growing from earlier sowings, such as beetroot, lettuce and radish. Final spacing are usually indicated on seed packets. Congested seedlings never reach their full potential, as they distort one another as they grow, resulting in a much smaller crop. Carefully pull out unwanted seedlings, leaving the rest at the desired spacing, and then water the row to settle the soil back around the roots of the remaining ones. Do not despair if you haven’t planted everything out as crops such runner beans, dwarf French beans, kohl rabi, carrots, marrows, cauliflowers, peas, ridge cucumbers, sweet corn, swede, lettuce, endive, squashes and spinach, will all catch up if you throw the seed out now.

Horticultural.

BEDDING TIP

BEDDING PLANTS
Save money by buying small plants for pots and containers as well for bedding displays. Most need to be potted up into 7.5cm (3in) pots and grown on in warm, bright conditions ready for planting out at the end of May. Be sure to acclimatise plants to cooler outdoor conditions before planting out. You could save even more money if you buy the plants such as verbena, petunia, busy lizzie, and many trailing plants, then take cuttings. I have had at least twenty cuttings off of one petunia alone!

Horticultural.

CLAMP 'EM DOWN

I see that some gardeners around the country have to clamp down their pots and flowers. This is because of a spate of plant thefts from people’s gardens.

This by no means is a new phenomenon. I can cast my mind back quite a few years when I was doing some work on my garden in Nottingham, England. I had built a large circle in the middle of my lawn and decided that it needed a central focal point. My mother had a giant eight-foot yucca in her garden that had outgrown its place so I obliged by painstakingly digging it up. I had the problem of getting it to my house but after wrapping the roots in a dustbin liner bag I struggled onto the 18:30 train avoiding the funny looks I was getting on the half an hour journey. . From the centre of the city I walked with the plant for half an hour up a steep hill until I was back at home. The yucca was no worse for wear (unlike me!) and as soon as I got home I planted it proudly in the centre of the circle I had prepared. It looked very majestic, and probably still does, wherever it is. The plant only lasted in the garden overnight. When I woke up the following morning it was gone, stake as well, leaving just a large hole in the centre of the bed.

Pinching plants is big business; it’s costing us growers in England and Ireland at least 150 million euro a year or more. I was talking to a rose grower once who lost all of his stock overnight to a team of night crawlers in a lorry. That alone cost him about 100 thousand euro. The team were in and out of his site in two hours. Callous thieves have realised it is easy money and have even stolen a lawn from a 90-year-old woman, taking the new turf away in wheelie bins. Thankfully we don’t seem to have much of a problem here in Inishowen. In the years that I was growing plants in Clonbeg I had just one container pinched. I was more used to people leaving plants in the garden for me than any disappearing!

The councils around Inishowen have had a few problems though. Most of them are when people are too drunk to realise what they are doing and roll into a flowerbed. There have been a couple of random acts of vandalism of containers, probably by people again with too much drink taken. There were one or two instances where the acts were obviously planned though. One person was caught filling their car boot up with rose bushes from a bed (who apparently claimed they thought they were there for the taking) and then there were three hundred hedging plants stolen from the shorefront in Buncrana last year. Obviously not a random act, but something that was well planned. There’s not much lower someone can go than to pinch plants from gardens or public places for profit. Taking milk off of the doorstep or emptying the coal bunker perhaps?

Horticultural.

JUNE IN THE GREENHOUSE

One of the most challenging jobs to do in a greenhouse at this time of year is to keep the temperature down. A lot of summer plants will grow far too quickly in the excessive heat and you will be left with straggly, tender plants that will be severely checked back when they are put outside. I remember one time I planted a large amount of petunias in the tunnel and left them a week too long in the hot weather and they were ruined. If the plants cannot be taken outside into the cooler areas then shade netting could be put up or the structure of the greenhouse can be painted white to reflect the heat.


DO NOT FORGET
Feed containerised plants. Most composts only contain sufficient nutrients to feed plants for about four to six weeks after potting up. Potted plants will then benefit from a weekly liquid feed to promote strong growth and generous flowering and fruiting.

Horticultural.

HOLLY HEDGE

HOLLY

Ian

I love holly bushes. Would they make an effective hedge? D.M. Newtown

Reply
The mere mention of holly brings to mind conical trees with spiny leaves and red berries in winter. That image is valid, but the shrub also makes a very hardy hedge. They range in size from a 6-inch-tall spreading dwarf to a 70-foot-tall towering giant. Leaves may be small and spineless or large and armed. Berries can be red, orange, yellow, or black.


Containerised plants have a better success rate than bare rooted specimens but they are very expensive when you have to buy a lot of them, so you could chance buying a load of bare rooted ones and hope for the best. If you do plant now then make sure that they are watered in well and water them if the weather is dry for a long spell. They can tolerate dry soil when they are established and they grow well in shady areas and on the sites on old hawthorns. If the soil is going to be very wet or really heavy then maybe you could think about planting something else instead because holly doesn’t like those conditions. Escallonia maybe?



Horticultural.

PRESERVATION ORDER

Ian
I have put up a fence from tannalised wooden planks. Should I treat the wood to preserve it in the first year? Thanks A.B. by e-mail

Reply
There are two trains of though on this. I feel that the treated wood doesn’t need to be painted with preservative because the wood has been pressure treated. Pressure treating in this way soaks the preservative right into the centre of the plank. When you paint on preservative in the traditional way, this just coats the surface so it isn’t as effective. Some disagree though and say that the wood should be painted with preservative after the first year as the wood dries out and the pressure treatment looses its effectiveness. The bloke who built my shed paints his wood with decking varnish. This feeds the wood and keeps the moisture in which reduces cracking. Maybe that might be worth using on the fence after the first year.

Horticultural.

CONSERVING WATER

Have you noticed that plants slow down their growth in really dry weather? The man on the donkey has, and he has a theory behind the phenomenon. He reckons that weeds are particularly good at conserving energy when a drought occurs like the one we had last week. Unlike your favourite petunias, which will wither and die if not watered, weeds just send the available water to the small new growth areas and sit tight for a drop of rain. I will agree wholeheartedly with the man on the donkey because weeds are so successful (and because the man on the donkey is very rarely wrong!). Take the daisy for example; they can drive some people crazy when they get into the lawn. I’ll bet the humble daisy would still be there long after the grass had died off. Grass is very, very drought resistant though and we are luckier than some areas that are issuing drought warnings and banning the use of hosepipes, but grass doesn’t really need to be watered as the greenness will come back as soon as the rain appears. The fact that plants more or less close down in hot, dry weather will make the use of weed killers totally useless as most of them rely on the activity of the plant to work. The man on the donkey advises you to save your money and not buy weed killers in dry weather

There are things we can do to save water in the garden to avoid getting into trouble with the water police. Use plenty of mulch on the flowerbeds to conserve moisture. Get water butts fitted to the down pipes on the house to collect rainwater and reuse water from the washing up bowls to water the tubs and containers as well as the veggie patch.

Horticultural.

PESTICIDE LABELS EXPLAINED

Ian
Could you tell me a bit about pesticides on the market, there are so many I don’t know which to use. Thanks D.K. by e-mail.

Reply: Before I begin I must stress that if you can avoid using pesticides then do so. Even the products that claim to be safe and biodegradable, they have probably just polluted a different part of the planet when being produced. That aside if you feel that you have a problem with pests, disease or weeds and cannot find an organic solution then read on. The word Pesticide is the legal term given to substances used to control pests, diseases and weeds or to modify plant growth, e.g. rooting powders Make sure you get the most out of these products by carefully reading the labels; these contain vital information on how to use the product safely and effectively.

Label requirements
The results of the manufacturers research are summarised on the pesticide label, on the container and often on other packaging or in leaflets enclosed with the product. Once you have found a product that suits your needs, follow the instructions carefully to benefit from the best application methods, the most effective and economical dosages and avoid risking their own safety and of other people and of the environment. Even those pesticides acceptable for use in organic gardening must carry essential advice and information on their labels. Some information on labels is legally binding. Although the Garda are unlikely to raid potting sheds, most gardeners will be at pains to use pesticides in a lawful and responsible manner, and adhere to the statutory conditions of use.

Statutory information
Statutory information appears on packaging as a box labeled ‘Statutory Conditions for Use’ and normally includes information on what the product is used for such as: what the product ids meant to do and how much you should use etc.

A five figure Ministerially Approved Pesticide Product' (MAPP) number that identifies the product. This means that it has been tested and is safe ONLY to use for the purposes stated. Some pesticides for use in the home and other buildings don't have MAPP numbers - e.g. sprays and dusts for controlling ants, wasps and wasp nests, woodlice and flying insects indoors. These are registered and tested under a different scheme run by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and are given four figure HSE numbers. These numbers by no means identify the product as being safe.

Contact details and advice
Manufacturers contact details, including a helpline telephone number, must also be included on labels in case we have any mishaps. The MAPP number will assist the helpline staff in the event of queries. Helpline staff have access to all the data from research and can advise on their products.

Horticultural,environmental.

CRANE FLIES

Crane flies or daddy long legs are among the animals, which cause the most panic in a bedroom, apart from probably spiders, that is. Attracted by the light, they fly in the window and start to flap against lampshades. Apart from this they do no harm at all. Craneflies are merely large flies. They do not feed as adults, nor do they bite or sting. The damage these insects do is when they are in the ground. The female lays her eggs in September, usually in the lawn. The resulting, larvae, called leatherjackets, feed on the roots of plants. They continue to feed throughout the winter and the spring. Identifying the pest is easy. They are dark grey in colour, about 1inch long (2.5cm) and look as though they have no head. In lawns that are effected you will notice that grass growth slows and yellow patches appear, the grass is easily pulled up, with little or no root growth and starlings peck at the grass in an attempt to eat the grubs


CONTROL
You can dig the grubs out of the ground and leave them out on the patio for the birds (I have tried feeding them to the gecko but she won’t touch them), but this proves to be far too messy and time consuming. Another method I find very useful is to put a large sheet of black plastic on the affected area and leave overnight. In the morning when the sheet is lifted there will be the offending leatherjackets ripe for the bird table. There are natural products on the market to kill the leatherjackets. They contain a parasitic nematode called steinernema feltiae, which kills leatherjackets but is harmless to children, wildlife and pets. They are effective when the soil is above 10°c / 50°f, so do it soon if that is the route you want to go down.

There is a chemical you could use from the Co-op too, ask the staff at the counter for details

Horticultural.

PET GECKO

I have taken up gardening of a different nature over the last few weeks. We have a lizard, or gecko in the house as a pet. She lives in a tank and thankfully up to yet she has only sunk her teeth into one unsuspecting visitor who inadvertently pulled on its tail to get it out from underneath a chest of drawers. Geckos don’t like their tails pulled, they tend to come off as a defence against predators and new ones are a long time growing back. Anyway when we initially we got it we didn’t really give the feeding aspects much consideration. As in life, things tend to change without warning and when Value Pets closed its doors for the last time in Buncrana we had to look for a new way to supply food for the gecko. There is a pet shop in Derry that will order live crickets for you a week in advance but I’m afraid my life isn’t organised enough to plan that far into the future. So what are we to do? For a couple of weeks the poor creature was looking longingly through the glass at us expectant of its dinner, (although I must add at this point that she can live without food for six months at a push). Then after a bit of thought we came across the great idea of feeding her crane flies or daddy long legs as they are also called. They flap around a bit and their legs tend to drop off very easily so I found myself crushing their wings so they would be eaten easier (I will fall off the pavement to save treading on an ant so this hasn’t been easy for me!) The gecko lapped them up but unfortunately for her the season of the crane fly is very short lived and now they are very few and far between. What next could we feed her on? Well our brussel sprout, cabbage, broccoli and kale plants are quickly disappearing under the invasion of caterpillars. We carefully put a few of the slimy creatures in to the tank to see what the reaction was. Again she lapped them up. The season for caterpillars is not that long either so a local expert on such matters suggested that we breed maggots. It gets worse. I have taken to leaving small pieces of meat and half full tins of cat food outside on the window ledge so that flies can lay their eggs in it and then I can feed the resulting maggot infestation to the lizard. Life was so much easier and far less smelly when we had a local pet shop. I know how Seymour felt in the play the Little Shop of Horrors!

Horticultural.

GREEN GARDENS

Over the last year with the help of the pupils from Cockhill School we have looked after the small roundabout at the bottom of my road. We try to make sure there is always a bit of colour and the weeds are kept in check. This week I noticed we have a budding Diarmuid Gavin from Home front in the garden with us. Like Diarmuid someone has decided to use a large amount of concrete to make a garden feature. I wouldn’t have minded if the person responsible had shaped it into an interesting feature like a space rocket or a garden gnome. Unfortunately the concrete has been left to set in the same shape as the inside wheelbarrow that it was tipped out of. I know in the grand scale of things this small lump of waste isn’t much to shout about, but to me it represents the total disregard that some people have to keep the Peninsula the beautiful place that it is.

Green gardens
A garden that is green doesn’t have to be limited by the colour of the lawn. All gardens can benefit in their design by introducing a Green policy, meaning using old discarded products, for example if you buy a product that comes in a plastic container such as milk, the empty bottle can be used as a mini propagator or pushed into the ground near a plant with the base removed (this can be used as a saucer or seed tray) and when filled with water will soak to the roots where it’s needed. A friend of mine who has an allotment refuses to throw anything away, his borders are edged with old long-playing records, and the raised beds are made from old wardrobes and drawers. Any paper or cardboard is put down as mulch or added to grass clippings to make very good compost when rotted down. His shed is constructed out of old window frames and the peas and beans are growing up happily around old scaffolding poles. The allotment has a few old comfy armchairs scattered around for when you need to take a rest, these too after a year or two will rot down nicely and be added to the soil.

Here are a few more examples of reusing things in the garden:

Use polystyrene beads from packaging to mix with your compost when filling containers, they create pore spaces for water and allows air to flow, it will make the containers lighter too.
Make an interesting addition to paths walls and borders by incorporating bottles. Push the bottles into the ground or wall until only the base is showing, use different colours for a pleasing effect. There is crushed glass on the market at the moment, these look like shiny pebbles and are effective in pots as well as the garden.

Combine broken concrete, old bricks, wood and natural stone to form walls with texture and form in the garden.

Old railings can be turned into fences or trellises
If you have old paint in the shed this can be used to paint the railings or any old furniture that raised beds are made from.( I can’t think of anything else to do with old paint that would be safe)

Don’t discard your old bathroom, plant up the old toilet with petunias or turn the sink into a birdbath. The bath could make an interesting water feature; it would make an ideal home for a water Lily

.

Horticultural.

RECYCLED GARDEN PRODUCTS

(Click on the title for a link to BPF in Downpatrick)

Most products bought in shops come with some form of plastic packaging, which is mostly unnecessary and after the product has been removed is usually useless. To save this waste going to landfills, companies such as BPF in Downpatrick Co. Down (tel, 00442844831831) are doing their bit to recycle old plastic products. This still takes energy to do, but they are trying to remould the plastic into pellets at low temperatures to make sure there are no poisonous fumes released into the atmosphere, as happens with most things that are burned. These pellets are moulded into heavy-duty garden products such as fence posts, fences, decking boards, pergolas and trellis. Street signs, litterbins and bollards for council use are also made. The company claim the product out performs hardwood, cast iron and concrete. BPF can only use the waste from one supermarket chain to be at full working capacity, which gives us some idea of the amount of waste that isn’t being used for recycling, including lumps of concrete!

If you have any ideas for reusing old rubbish or have a garden feature made from reused materials please let me know.

Horticultural.

RAILWAY SLEEPERS

I once had the idea to import railway sleepers into Inishowen for use in landscape design. I would have had to go overseas, as most of the Irish sleepers have been used up. I am glad I decided not to after reading this week’s news. The Pesticide Control Service (PCS), have placed seizure orders on shipments of railway sleepers coming into the country. The reason for this is that the sleepers have been soaked in creosote. Creosote was banned in 2003 because of a risk of cancer and the EU concluded that even low levels of the substance cause rashes and irritations. The sleepers that are now sitting in the garden centres and DIY stores can only be sold to farmers. How this will be implemented I don’t know (and why is it OK for farmers to have them - are they more immune to the toxins?)

Sleepers do ooze creosote in hot weather and there are over 200 chemicals in creosote. Another worry is that if you have raised beds made from them, the chemicals could seep into the soil and be absorbed by the plants. A spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency claims that the “sleepers were being used for improper purposes, in domestic situations where there was a risk of contact with creosote” (I think they mean that they could be used as fireplaces in the home).
Never mind! There are plenty of other things to make raised beds out of (I made a great one out of old books once –maybe not as aesthetically pleasing, but it did the job).

For more click here

Horticultural,environmental.

SHOPPING FOR PLANTS

If you getting ready to spend lots of money at the garden centres, look out for the best quality plants available.

Labels
Avoid plants with labels that are old and faded, the plant probably is too.

Pests and disease
Steer clear of yellowing leaves and limp growth or nibbled leaves.

Value for money
Shop around; garden centres differ greatly in price for the same plants.

Water loss
Never buy a plant that has been denied water.

Plant shape
Avoid plants that are growing irregularly with spindly growth.

Weedy pots
Pots full of weeds are also a sign of neglect

Check the roots
Tip the pot upside down tap the sides then gently remove the plant. Check to see that there are plenty of visible fibrous roots as well as some plump and juicy ones

Aftercare
Try to plant in the garden as soon as possible.

Horticultural.

BARBEQUE PLANTING AREAS

PLANTING AROUND THE BARBEQUE

Ian.
I would like to plant something beside a barbecue that would give both colour and scent in summer and autumn - and that would repel wasps, bees, and flies. I have only just finished the structure so I will be planting for next year Do you have any suggestions? T. G. Buncrana

Reply.
As bees, wasps and flies tend to be attracted to fragrant flowers for their nectar, your best bet is to go for fragranced foliage plants instead. Many a barbeque has been thrown into turmoil when you find yourself sharing the food with a swarm of bees and wasps. Some aromatic herbs, such as lavender, tansy, mint and rue were traditionally used in dried form as insect repellents for aphids, midges and mosquitoes. You may however find that you need to pinch out any flowers, as these will attract bees and wasps. This attraction may not pose such a problem if you intend to entertain in the evenings, as bees and wasps are generally more active during the day. Lemon scents tend to deter flies, so you could try growing lemon verbena in a pot (this plant is not fully hardy and would therefore need to be brought into a greenhouse or conservatory during the winter months). Alternatively, burning citronella candles can be just as affective. For colour try using double flowering cultivars and hybrids as these tend to be less fragranced and therefore less attractive to the beasties.

Horticultural.

UNDERPLANTING ROSES

GETTING INTO YOUR UNDERPLANTS

Question: What should I underplant my roses with to kill aphids? I know it is a bit late in the year but the problem has been so bad that I would like to be well prepared for next year. Thanks D.L. by e-mail

Reply:
Underplanting roses can be useful, but more to deter pests, such as aphids, rather than kill them. Anything with a strong aroma may help, as this will confuse some pests such as aphids (and cats for that matter!). Some gardeners report success with garlic, thyme, nasturtiums and marigolds - to be honest it is all a down to a bit of experimentation, but if it works it has got to be worth it!

There is an idea that you could put mirrors, or other shiny things, under the plants. This is supposed to confuse the pests. We now have somewhere to put all of the free CD's!!

Horticultural.

MY GARDEN-A POEM BY MARION LYNCH

MY GARDEN

As I sit in my garden and look around.
I notice Gods beauty is everywhere to be found.

The birds in the birdbath they hop and they twirl.
They don’t seem to have a care in the world.

The flowers with their wonderful colours and scent.
I think they must be from heaven sent.

The fuchsias with their ballerina type gown.
They flutter and seem to dance up and down.

The trees they stand so elegant and tall I think they are the nicest of all.
Poems are made by fools like me but only God can make a tree.

This inspired poem was written by By Marian Lynch, Buncrana

Horticultural.

HAIR FERTILIZER

Photo: Hair makes for excellent insulation in a birds nest.

Ian
Would hair make a good garden fertiliser? Regards PB Moville

Reply
I tried hair in the garden a few years ago. I went around all of the barber’s shops and collected it. I can honestly say that it is the most unpleasant thing I have put on the garden. The thought of it now is making me feel queasy! That aside let us have a look at whether it’s worth all of the retching

Hair might affect the growth of plants in a number of ways.

Hair is made of protein and all proteins contain Nitrogen and Sulphur (which are important plant nutrients), so when hair is broken down by bacteria this N and S will be available for plants to take up through their roots. Some gardeners use "hoof and horn" or "dried blood" as fertilisers in this way - hooves and horns are made of the same protein as hair (keratin), but for me applying this is more favourable by far. However, when hair is broken down by bacteria, the bacteria this may actually compete with plants for the available nitrogen in the soil and actually remove nitrogen from soil, in the same way that fresh straw does. Hair would add organic matter to the soil and that may change the structure of the soil, making it better drained (for example). However, the effect would be easier to obtain with rotted leaf mould or other composted garden/kitchen waste. Can I change the subject now please!

Horticultural.

FERTILIZER FILLERS

BULKING UP THE BAGS

Have you ever looked at the ingredients in fertilisers? If so you will be aware of the three numbers (often called NPK) on a fertilizer package that tell you the percentage of the primary nutrients’ makeup by weight. These percentages in fertiliser compounds are formulated for everything from asparagus to zinnias. The three main components are:

Nitrogen (symbol N) for leaf development and vivid green colour.

Phosphorous (symbol P) for root growth.

Potassium (symbol K) sometimes called potash, for root development and disease resistance.

I was asked about the percentages recently because they noticed that if a bag has a ratio of 16-4-8 NPK (16 percent nitrogen, 4 percent phosphorous and 8 percent potassium), this adds up to 28%. What, they wanted to know, is the other 72% made up of? Well you will be horrified to learn that to make up the weight the fertilisers are pumped full of bulking agents, usually inert filler material, such as clay pellets or granular limestone. These, the manufacturers say are to help us poor gardeners distribute the ingredients in an even fashion on the ground, in much the same way that sand is added to small seeds to get an even distribution. This doesn’t do much for the environment when you think that two thirds of the ingredients are waste products, shipped half way across the world using up loads of fuel. This fact might make us read the application rates on the back of the packets before it’s administered!

Horticultural.

HERB GARDENS

Photo: There are more than 40 types of thyme,including the variegated Thymus aurea.

All that you need to make a herb garden is a small bed near the back door or even some old pots to put in the plants and seeds. Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow and you will find most of the varieties as small plants at the garden centres. There will also be a lot of them that can be grown easily from seed. Plant them in the driest, sunniest spot you can as most of the varieties come from the Mediterranean. Check the overall size of the plants and give them room to grow. If possible when planning the spot, put the tall plants such as fennel in the centre of the display

Varieties
The selection of different varieties of herbs is enough to make your head spin! For instance, there are more than 40 varieties of thyme. You don't need all varieties of one herb, but with a minimum of effort, you can end up with a fragrant, beautiful part of your garden, with colours ranging from cream to glossy green, to silver, and all shades of pink to deep purple.

Herbs in a Hanging basket
Put invasive plants such as mint in a hanging basket or pot, - that way they won’t take over the garden. Other herbs look great in these too.

Separate pots
A selection of different sized pots, planted with herbs looks lovely grouped together. As an example-Lavender in the largest pot, marjoram or oregano in the second pot, mint in the third, and trailing thyme in the smallest.

Horticultural.

ROSE CUTTINGS

TOP TIP

Rose cuttings
Make a hole in a raw potato with a knitting needle. Insert a rose cutting in it and plant in the garden. The potato will keep the plant moist while it forms a root.

Caution: You could end up with a large potato plant too!

Horticultural.

LADYBIRDS IN THE GARDEN

Photo: Fennel

LADYBIRDS
Probably the most familiar of our beetles, ladybirds are one of the few insects widely regarded with respect and even affection. This friendship is an old one. Ladybirds have long been connected with good fortune in myths and legends, and from an early age children still learn to treasure them through storybooks and rhymes. Such high regard is well-earned. Most ladybirds and their young (larvae) are carnivorous, feeding on and helping to control large numbers of insect pests, particularly greenfly. They can also eat mites, scale insects, mealy bugs and small caterpillars

ATTRACTING LADYBIRDS INTO THE GARDEN
As one of the major natural predators of greenfly, ladybirds have a special place in the garden. Here are some ways you can make your garden ladybird-friendly.

Cultivate a patch of nettles (Urtica dioica): The nettle aphid (not a garden pest) is one of the earliest to appear in the spring. It is a favourite food of hungry ladybirds coming out of hibernation and looking for somewhere to lay their eggs. The nettles should be in a sunny spot. Cut them back in summer to encourage ladybirds to move onto other plants.

Don't panic and spray as soon as you see greenfly: Give natural predators, including ladybirds, a chance. Be patient! Ladybirds and other predators will only settle in if there is a plentiful supply of food i.e. greenfly.

Avoid pesticide sprays: Even approved organic sprays can harm beneficial insects. Both derris and pyrethrum have been shown to be harmful to adult ladybirds, their eggs and larvae. If you get desperate use soft soap or insecticidal soap to spot spray pest colonies. Try to avoid directly spraying ladybirds or their larvae, removing them first whenever possible. The organically approved fungicide sprays - Bordeaux mixture and sulphur are relatively safe for ladybirds (but sulphur can harm other beneficial insects).

Rescue lost ladybird larvae: Ladybirds do not always lay their eggs near a food source and the larvae are not very efficient at finding their prey. They do not use sight or smell - just move up the plant hoping to bump into a tasty morsel. If you find them wandering aimlessly move them to an aphid colony.

Leave hibernation sites for ladybirds: Hibernating ladybirds shelter in dying vegetation/plant debris, so delay cutting back or clearing up borders until spring. Dead-head plants with hollow stems to give ladybirds easier access, or cut stems back then stack them in a dryish sheltered spot. The hollow stems of plants such as angelica and fennel (Umbellifer family) make favourite hibernation sites.

Horticultural.

COMPANION PLANTING

Photo:Rhubarb protects beans from blackfly

Ian
What is companion planting and can you give me some suggestions what I can use to keep pests of my vegetable plants. Thanks BJ Carn.

Reply
Companion planting is a way of growing healthy plants that do not get too infested with pests and disease. The addition of certain plants also stimulates the growth of others; nasturtiums are great for attracting greenfly away from your brassicas, peas and beans. In a way it resembles nature and thankfully, if it is done correctly (with trail and error I might add), it eliminates the use of sprays. Some examples of this would be to grow strong smelling herbs amongst your vegetables. Rosemary will protect beans against weevils: rosemary, sage, thyme and mint will keep cabbage moths away. Basil will keep flies away from potatoes; chives deter aphids, mint deters ants; garlic protects potatoes against blight and horseradish protects the spud from beetles. Some vegetables help to keep pests off other vegetables. Rhubarb protects beans against blackfly; leeks protect carrots from the carrot fly; celery keeps moths away from cabbage; tomatoes keep beetles away from asparagus; lettuce protects radishes; and onions protect beetroot.

The wonders of nature do not end there either. Some plants can also protect vegetables. Zinnias keep most pests away from cucumbers, melons and marrows. Marigolds are a must in the garden too and they can be steeped in hot stock and used as a saffron substitute to add colour to rice. They are particularly useful at protecting beans. There is a tall relative called Tagetes minuta, which keeps pests away from beans, potatoes, tomatoes and strawberries. With trial and error and a varied planting scheme in the vegetable patch we should be able to keep most of the pests at bay this summer!



Horticulture.

IRISH GARDENERS FORUM WEBSITE

CHECK OUT THE IRISH GARDENERS FORUM WEBSITE ON

http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/

OR CLICK ON THE TITLE FOR A LINK.

It has loads of useful information.

LINKS TO WEB SITES

Hi. These links were originally on the first page but got too large.

Construct Ireland- http://www.constructireland.ie/

Highland radio, Covering the North West of Donegal- http://www.highlandradio.com/

ICR. Inishowen Community radio- http://www.icrfm.ie/

Inishowen Summer Gathering- http://www.inishowensummergathering.com/

Local Planet newspaper- http://www.localplanet.ie/ S

trawbale building: http://www.strawbalefutures.org.uk/amazonails.html

Inish Times: http://www.inishtimes.com/

Environmental Protection Agency Ireland http://www.epa.ie/

Pauls web site: http://www.gomersall.com/

Living architecture, Peter Cowman Co. Leitrim :http://www.livingarchitecturecentre.com/

COMPARES Project, focussing on energy saving in Inishowen: http://www.inishowen.ie/

Organic Centre Rossinver: http://www.theorganiccentre.ie/

Building for a Future: http://www.buildingforafuture.co.uk/

Friends of the Earth: http://www.foe.ie/

Power of One: http://www.powerofone.ie/

Carbon Footprint (assess your carbon output) http://www.carbonfootprint.com/

Water Aid: http://www.wateraid.org.uk/

Asbestos regulations Ireland: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/environment/environmental-protection/asbestos_regulations

OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) http://www.oecd.org/

Action Inishowen: http://actioninishowen.com/

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association http://www.icsaireland.com/

Cleaning with soda crystals: http://www.soda-crystals.co.uk/

Freecycle: http://www.freecycle.org/

Chase Organics seeds: http://www.chaseorganics.co.uk/

Green Party Ireland: http://www.greenparty.ie/......................

Inishowen News: Offering an online news service covering the Inishowen area: http://www.inishowennews.com/

Local news from Moville: http://www.craicon.com/ Sustainable Ireland : http://www.sustainable.ie/

Irish Peatland Conservation Council: http://www.ipcc.ie/

Voice Of Irish Concern for the Environment. (VOICE) http://www.voiceireland.org/

Home Education Network (HEN) Ireland http://www.henireland.org/

North West Wildlife Park set up by Killian Mclaughlin from Buncrana: http://www.northwestwildlifepark.com/index.html

Western Organic Network: Training courses - advice for organic gardeners and farmers: http://www.westernorganicnetwork.com/

Buncrana.com: Local news from the town: http://www.buncrana.com/index.php

Inishowen online: http://www.inishowenonline.com/

National Climate Change strategy 2007-2012:


See more useful links here: MORE LINKS

Feel free to add your business or favourites!

ALLOTMENTS 4 ALL

Check out swaps on the Allotments 4 all forum site. http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?board=10.0

or click on the title above.

Horticultural.

INISHINDIE FORUM PAGE

CHECK OUT THE FORUM PAGE ON :

http://inishindie.freeforums.org/

RAPESEED AND HAYFEVER

Photo: Will the introduction of rape into the countryside mean an increase of hayfever?

Ian.
If rapeseed was grown more around the peninsula this would increase the suffering for people with allegies. Rape fields have been linked to adverse effects in asthma and hay fever sufferers. Some researchers also suggest that oilseed pollen is the cause of increased breathing difficulties.As a hayfever sufferer myself I could do without it taking over the landscape. R.K by e-mail

Reply
Hay fever is a very uncomortable affliction but research has shown that rape plants are unlikely to add to the discomfort as the plant is an entomophilous crop, with pollen transfer primarily by insects. Rapeseed in flower has a distinctive and pungent smell, reports have claimed that this causes sufferers to wrongly assume it is this that sets the allergy off because they can smell it.

Ian
The Monsanto Company in America has genetically engineered new cultivars of rapeseed that are resistant to the effects of its herbicide Roundup They have allegedly been vigorously prosecuting farmers found to have the Roundup Ready gene in Canola in their fields without paying a license fee even though it has been blown onto the land by accident. Would we have to suffer the same fate here if it was introduced? JH by e-mail

Environmental.

MORE ON JAPANESE KNOTWEED

LETTERS

Ian


Re: Japanese Knotweed article last week.


Laboratories have come up with a biological solution to keep the Japanese knotweed from spreading and hopefully keep it under control. The weed up to yet has no natural enemies in this country so the plant can spread undisturbed. This is changing as bugs and fungi that grow on the plants in their native country are to be introduced. The beetle eggs are injected into the stems and when they hatch they dig their way out into the open, the result of the tunnelling snaps the stems. The fungus will hopefully kill off the vulnerable plant

The other method that has been used for a while now is to cut each stalk and painstakingly inject each stem with herbicide, this will still take between 3-5 years to kill the plant. Regards. B.T Derry



Environmental.

JOBS IN MAY

JOBS TO DO

Prune early flowering shrubs as soon as they finish.

Remove rose suckers as they appear.

Plant water lilies and other pond plants.

Apply shading to the greenhouse to avoid scorching.

Plant greenhouse tomatoes.

Earth up early potatoes. If your spuds are not planted then make haste and do them now.

Keep an eye on those weeds. If the grass is growing strongly, you can guarantee other plants are!

Horticultural.

INCREASE YOUR PLANT STOCK

Photo:Pieris 'forest flame' Although not a bedding plant, does show new growth well !

INCREASE YOUR STOCK THE EASY WAY
As it is early in the season you can take cuttings of your favourite bedding plants to increase your displays. Nip out the growing tips of petunias and plant into potting compost. This will make the original plant bushier and give you more plants. Most other trailing plants can be propagated in the same way, just make sure you make the cut just below a node so roots can develop.

Horticultural.

HANGING BASKET PLANTS

There are hundreds of plants to choose from when it comes to planting up your summer baskets. Here are just a few suggestions for flowering plants to get you started. They are all available locally and should thrive throughout the summer in Inishowen if they are fed and watered of course.

Busy lizzie flowers well in partial shade, mostly pink, red or white.


Trailing lobelia in blue, white, rose or crimson.


Nasturtium bright flowers, mostly in yellow and orange.


Verbena lots of colours, the plants spread and trail from a basket.


Bidens vigorous trailing, spreading plant with yellow daisy flowers.


Brachycome small blue daisy flowers with yellow centres.


Fuchsias trailing forms with cover a basket.


Ivy leaf- geraniums ideal hanging basket plant, good foliage, vivid colours.


Diascia a profusion of pink flowers over a long period.


Petunia these are a favourite around the peninsula. They have an extensive colour range and a long flowering season.



Horticultural.

CORDYLINES FOR CONTAINERS

Summer bedding plants have appeared in the garden centres recently. When you are thinking about planting up containers you might want to consider planting a specimen plant in the centre for a bit of height. If you choose a cordyline these could stay in the pot for a couple of years before being planted out in the garden. Cordylines are a familiar sight around Inishowen and they are suited to coastal areas. The plants are native to New Zealand and are also known as the cabbage palm. This is because the large central bud was cooked in the same way as cabbage. When the plant is young it has just one central bud, but with age it produces side shoots. The strategy of producing one central bud is beneficial for the plant to reach up to the light but it does have its disadvantages. If the plant is damaged at all, it puts its energy into side shoots, which makes for a bushier specimen. Although the plant protects the central bud with layers of leaf bases they can be prone to frost damage. The result will be that the central bud dies and eventually the leaves all fall off the plant. Do not despair though as new shoots will come again from ground level. These plants don’t give up easily, which is why they are ideal for containers!

Horticultural.

SUMMER IS HERE!

Photo: Get the mower out!

We have some great growing weather now that things have warmed up and it is officially summer time! Last week saw a surge in activity with the sunshine and showers. The lawn needs a weekly cut now as when left too long it is very time consuming to bring it up to scratch. There is a new mower on the market that is promising to take the strain out of lawn maintenance. The device is made by Electrolux and goes under the name of the Automower. The idea is that the machine constantly cuts the grass whilst you laze in the hammock. Sensors are put around the perimeter of the grass and the mower stays within that area, painstakingly cutting every inch of the lawn. The sales pitch is good and the benefits seem very convincing.

The machine mulches the grass, which feeds the lawn.

Unlike us, the mower will happily work in the rain.

The machine is virtually silent so your siestas won’t be disturbed.

It mows up hills.

Pets are safe; they guarantee that the machine will not shave the cat as sensors detect obstacles.

The machine works by inputting a security pin number, which hopefully will deter people from

pinching it.

The mower costs about €2,000 which is a high price to pay for lounging in the sunshine!

Electrolux don’t mention the fact that going out and cutting the grass is good exercise though!

Horticultural.

GOMERSALL HISTORY?

I’m going to talk about trees this week (I have put this in the autumn section). But firstly going to make a tentative link to another sort of tree… the family tree. (I’ve been itching to talk about a great bread-making machine that we bought a while ago but I can’t for the life of me think of any similarity between gardening and a bread maker). Anyway, my eldest lad, asked me what our surname meant recently. Having never really thought about this I was stuck for a reply, so I delved into the World Wide Web to see if I could find some answers. The results were very interesting, and somewhat confusing. First of all I found the family crest with three steel gauntlets, a hatchet and a crescent moon on it. It looks very fierce but I have no idea what it all means. I do know that the name Gomersall is a town in Yorkshire (minus one L) and it is confusing as to what came first the town or the name. I contacted a very informed Victor Gomersall from Australia on the Internet who has traced his lineage back to the fifteenth century. The name has been traced back to the eleventh century though, to a William De Gomersall, who owed some tax to Henry ll. Victor goes on to tell me that we are probably of Norman origin or “North Man” as it translates. There are loads of us around the world and to trace the family line I would have to visit a lot of graveyards, though this wouldn’t really help me find the actual meaning of the name Gomersall, so after the history lesson I still find myself at a loss as to what to tell Ronnie about the meaning of our name. So Instead I have resorted to telling him stories from our more recent ancestors such as his great granddad who was called John Garnet Blackburn Gomersall, or “Gas Bracket Joe” for short as he had a tendency to swing on the old gas lamps on the street after having drink taken at the local hostelries. And his other great grandfather who decided to retire after going bald at the age of thirty, and proceeded to recuperate in Switzerland, breeding greyhounds and whippets (he won best of breed at Crufts dog show for his whippets apparently). Then there was his great grandmother who was the child of a French Count and Countess who spent thirty years living in an hotel in southern England, enjoying the sea breezes and being waited on hand and foot.……… Great role models eh?

Horticultural.