HALLOWEEN HAND

HALLOWEEN PARTY TIME

Ronnie dressed in his FEAR costume!

Halloween is nearly upon us and it’s not long before the devils and witches come out at the end of the month. If you are deciding to have a bit of a spooky party come the 31st then here are some ghoulish ideas for the event.

PUMPKIN BOWLS
Serve fresh vegetables using a hollowed out pumpkin as a bowl. Cut off the top and clean out, leaving the top in a jagged edge design! Use mini pumpkins to hold dips!

CREEPY ICE BOWLS
We have just made an ice bowl, which looks great with a light underneath it. To make one of these half fill up a bowl with water then put a smaller bowl inside. Weigh the smaller bowl down so it is pressed into the water and put creepy things into the water like tomato tops for spiders, olives for eyes –use your imagination! Put in the freezer overnight and in the morning remove both bowls. You will be left with an ice bowl that you can fill with delicious ice cream and bats wings on the night. The bowl can be stored in the freezer to use again.

FROZEN HANDS
Make frozen ice hands by filling clear, food use plastic gloves with water and freezing. When frozen, cut the glove away and throw them in a bowl that is full of lemonade. It will keep your pop cold and look great!

DEAD FLOWER DISPLAYS
Create creepy autumn centrepieces by filling vases with dried flowers, brown leaves, and empty branches. Tie a black ribbon bow around each display. If you can get some imitation spiders webs to drape over them, all the better.

FOG MACHINES
Fog machines are now very inexpensive and readily available during the Halloween buying season. Adding one to your haunt or party makes a big impact on your Halloween celebration and will add that extra effect to thrill and scare your trick or treaters. If you want to hire one then get ringing the hire shops now!

ALTERNATIVE APPLE BOBBING
Use apples for taper candleholders. Choose small, round apples that will sit firmly on a flat surface and remove the stems. Cut a small round hole in the top of each apple - deep and wide enough to securely hold a taper candle. Make sure the apples are shaped so that they have a flattish bottom, so they won't tip over. If you don’t like the idea of getting everyone soaking wet with apple bobbing there is an alternative. Hang the apples by their stems with thread from the ceiling and let party goers try to bite them!

PUMPKIN SEEDS
Keep your pumpkin seeds when gutting your pumpkin so you can roast them up later for a fun Halloween treat! Simply wash the seeds to get the slime off and pat dry. The seeds are now ready for roasting. Put a drop of oil into a frying pan and keep stirring them until they turn golden brown. Alternatively you can put them on a baking tray and put them in the oven for about twenty minutes on a moderate heat, again until they are golden brown. The seeds taste delicious on their own or you can add them to savoury dishes or even put them on your muesli in the mornings.

SPOOKY LIGHTING
Tie small glow sticks to string attached to helium balloons and let them sail over your house for spooky lights in the sky. Make sure to tie off the strings to something solid so they do 't get away! We ordered some small glow sticks off e-bay last year and they were reasonably priced at ten pounds for one hundred. The helium might be a bit more expensive though!

COSTUME CAUTION
Make sure that any shop bought costume is fire retardant. Nylon and other materials used to make mass produced Halloween costumes is highly flammable. Those made out of vinyl can be particularly hazardous. Extreme caution is needed when there are fireworks around and any other naked flames from candles or fires.

PUMPKIN PICTURE 2

Michael's spooky pumpkin, Ronnies below

PUMPKIN PICTURE

TOO SPOOKY TO PUBLISH!!!!

PUMPKINS

I sat down here at the computer half an hour ago with the intention of writing about hedging. I was just getting to a good bit when Julie walked in and reminded me that it was Halloween. And I had said that I was going to talk about something spooky. Well I’m not really the storyteller in our house so I will say a few things about a vegetable that is widely used as backdrop to a ghoulish evening; the pumpkin.

TRIVIA
Before I get started I thought I would test your knowledge on this gigantic vegetable. Here are a couple of brainteasers:



What percentage of a pumpkin is made up of water?



How much can giant pumpkin varieties grow in one day?



How big was the pumpkin that holds the world record for giant pumpkins?



Now, if you do something that you very rarely do which is to get to the end of this weeks article (or is that just me) you’ll see the answers.



PUMPKIN DECORATING IDEAS.

Instead of the traditional carved faces, your kids can try other ways of decorating pumpkins: here are a few that don’t require the vegetable being hollowed out:

· Use a thin knife (parental supervision may be needed) to carve different shapes onto the pumpkin. Try moons and stars or broomsticks. The cuts don’t have to go all the way through for a good effect.




· Paint your pumpkin with water-based paints or use felt tips. Choose colours that stand out, such as red and white for best effect.



· Choose a flat-sided pumpkin, set it on its side, and use the stem for the nose for a goofy or scary painted face.

Now of course the best pumpkins are the ones that are hollowed out so that a candle can be put inside to give that eerie glow. After you have put your artistic skills to good use creating a scary image on the pumpkin don’t throw away the goo inside, (seeds and pulp) that has been scraped out for the candle to fit in, it will come in very handy for the next project:

ROASTING PUMKIN SEEDS

For this exciting project you will need:
Pumpkin
Vegetable oil
Salt
Large spoons
Bowl and colander
Baking tray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

After the top has been cut off the pumpkin, get the kids to scoop out the insides with the spoons. Separate the seed from the pulp. The flesh that is scraped out can be made into a delicious soup. Clean the seeds by rubbing them with a tea towel or washing them in a bowl of warm water. Rinse them under the tap using the colander then place them into a clean bowl.

Measure about a tablespoon or more of oil (depending on the amount of seeds) into a cup and let the kids sprinkle it over the seeds, along with a pinch of salt. Stir the seeds until they are fully coated.

With parental supervision again, spread the seeds onto a baking tray and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are dry and slightly brown. Serve with lots of spine tingling noises and creepy stories!


You made it this far so here are the answers to the trivia questions:
90 percent
As much as 25 pounds (11kg)
1,262 pounds (574kg) the 2001 world record.

NEW ORGANIC INFO WEBSITE FOR INISHOWEN

Hi,

I got your email addresses from Mary Reilly.For those of you who don't know me, i'm Noel McLaughlin a member of the Organic group which meets the last Thursday of the month in McClures bar, Carndonagh.

As we are a group from remote areas & we only meet once a month it can be hard to keep up to date with all that's going on and the office in Leitrim has on occasion been less than reliable.With that in mind I have developed a website

http://iog.weebly.com/

to keep us up to date. One of the sections in the website is a forum. For the forum you need to register to post a topic. You do this by clicking on register(top r.h.s.). There are several topics depending on interest which can be added to if needs be.

I will add to the webpage with a links page and maybe a How to page where members can share their knowledge on for example how to build a chicken coop to composting.

We can discuss getting a proper domain name at the meeting, it should cost about £25 stg per year.

Please feel free to send me any feedback, it would be much appreciated.

Rgds,Noel

HARDWOOD CUTTINGS

A few years ago I was involved in a project concentrating on horticultural therapy. The day centre was based in Newport County Mayo and at the time it was run from an old convent. The building had an environmental health warning on it as it was riddled with rising damp, woodworm and dry rot. Funding was being sought for a replacement building and in the mean time Nolene, the manager of the centre, was doing her best to keep people healthy by making sure that the trainees were outside as much as possible. The convent suffered from a lack of finances but the garden was a treasure to behold. The grounds covered about two acres and it was enough to keep the 20 or so people that worked there in food for the best part of the year as Nolene and the gang grew mountains of fresh fruit and vegetables. There were four very large polythene tunnels in the garden and in summer they were full to the brim with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and a variety of summer vegetables. In winter though the tunnels manly lay empty barring a few over wintering houseplants and cleaned plant pots.

One winter I decided to make good use of one of the tunnels by planting hardwood cuttings of evergreen and deciduous plants. I hadn’t really had much experience growing cuttings from shrubs on a commercial level and decided to follow the textbook planting distances of about 30cm apart. This is fine when planting half a dozen but I wanted to start growing them in a big way to pot them up in summer and sell them on the Sunday market that was held in the village every week. I took cuttings of everything I could find including hebes, escallonia, hydrangeas, olearias and any other shrub that would grow well on the coast. By the time I had finished, the tunnel was full to the brim with cuttings that I had planted directly into the ground, all at a precise 30cm apart. They grew there happily all winter. Unfortunately for me the tunnel was needed in the spring so I was forced to pull them all up and replant them. Because I was limited for space I crammed them in to fish boxes for handiness. To give you some idea how well I packed them in I can say that I got about 300 Escallonia into one large fish box. Here the cuttings stayed quite happily until the summer where they were lifted out, separated and repotted into two litre pots. All of them survived and were no worse for wear for their cramped ordeal.

Hardwood cuttings, I can say from experience really want to survive and can withstand an awful lot of neglect. They can tolerate anything except drought (and being planted in the ground upside down!)

Taking hardwood cuttings

When the leaves have fallen from deciduous shrubs, this will be the time to take hardwood cuttings. Easy plants to try include willow (Salix), buddleia and dogwood (Cornus). Follow these easy steps to increase your shrub displays (or beg a cutting from friends and neighbours). A word of caution though about willow, I planted some sticks as markers in my garden one year, they rooted and grew to about six feet!

Cut pencil thick lengths (15-20cm) of woody, new growth. Make the cut above a bud at the top and below a bud at the bottom of the cutting

Choose a sheltered spot in the garden, out of direct sunlight but not in heavy shade.

Push the cuttings into a slit made in the soil with a spade. Fill in with soil, leaving a couple of buds exposed.

If you have heavy soil, line the slit with sand for drainage.

Label

Water in dry weather

Leave the cuttings until the following autumn when they will have rooted and be ready to move either into pots or to their planting position.

If you have fish boxes or even large plant pots, than fill them with soil and push the cuttings into those.

Do not let them dry out

Horticultural.

JOBS TO DO IN AUTUMN 2

Margaret McGinley presents Theresa Crossan with the Best Garden award

Margaret McGinley presenting prizes to Suzi McElroy (left) and Hugh and Rosallen Henderson (right

I was down at the Swilly Gardening club’s monthly meeting this week. I have been taking pictures of interesting plants and gardens all year so Colm Grant and I could run a slide show and talk a bit about all things horticultural. I think it went pretty well. We weren’t heckled and unlike before when I spoke about garden design for three hours solid, no one appeared to fall asleep. There was a presentation on the night too for the winners of the Best Garden Competition. Also on the night was a prize for the best pumpkin. It has been a great year for growing peas and beans, as they love water. Not so good for pumpkins I am afraid. So much so that we couldn’t get anyone to own up to growing the runner up pumpkin to claim a prize! (It was beautifully formed but rather on the small side!)

Here are some of the jobs to do this month

JOBS TO DO IN AUTUMN

Plant spring bulbs. Daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, irises, fritillaries and small bulbs in rock gardens can all be planted now.

Sow lawn seed. It’s not too late if it isn’t too wet.

Dahlias. The dahlias are flowering a lot longer into the season than previous years. They are usually blackened by the frosts by now but most of them are still producing flowers. Deadhead them until they are killed off then dig them up and cut the stems down to about 10 cm (4 inches) Stand them upside down to drain.

Shredding. At this time of year the garden can produce a real excess of waste. Shredding the larger materials in the garden and mulching with it under the shrubs if by far the best thing that you can do with your autumn clearout materials. The smaller bits can go straight into the compost bin.

Evergreen Pots. Empty the summer bedding pots into the compost and get a new selection of plants to give colour through the winter. Use one or two small evergreen plants such as euonymus or small conifers for the centre and fill around them with seasonal bedding like winter flowering pansies.

Photo: Theresa Crossan receives first prize from Margaret McGinley at the Swilly gardening club this week.







Horticultural.

GROWING YOUR OWN BRUSSEL SPROUTS

If I were to be asked what my favourite vegetable was then I would probably say the brussel sprout. Scoff if you will but I never seem to tire of the flavour and texture. This time of year sees the vegetable at its finest as they are usually home grown. I did try growing my own for a few years but I never did manage to get a good crop. They are a member of the cabbage family, which also includes cauliflower, swedes, turnips and broccoli. Sprouts are subject to the same diseases but they seem to be greedier than any of the others. I had healthy leaves but I could never manage to get the brussel to grow tightly. They resembled mini open cabbages and although the taste was the same I did miss the crunchiness of the shop bought ones. The other disadvantage of the openness was that small slugs used the spaces for their hiding places, which was a very unwelcome addition to the dinner - it took ages to prepare them!

GROWING YOUR OWN SPROUTS
The best varieties to grow would be the F1 hybrids as these do promise firmer, rounder sprouts. The main crop, or mid season type seem to be more reliable as well. The plant likes rich soil so a light, deep, well-drained soil is a must. Preferably the site should be south facing too. Make the soil have a pH of around 6.5, if it is lower than this then garden lime should be added. If you can get your hands on some bulky organic manure at this time of the year then work that into the ground now so it will be ready for spring. Fertiliser can be added just before planting that way it won’t get washed away before hand. The seeds can be planted in February under cover and planted outdoors in May. Try to keep the perennial weeds away from the plants; a mulch cover from good quality garden compost around the plants would be very beneficial. Loads of pests will try to get your prized crop. Slugs, caterpillars and greenfly will all have a go. Watch out for pigeons as well. They can totally strip a row of plants in a matter of minutes.

Horticultural.

DONATED PICTURE FROM THE SUMMER GATHERING

Donated picture presented to Tullyarvan Mill Buncrana by the childrens art workshop Inishowen Summer Gathering . "Bealtaine"

WHAT ARE YOU?

The walkway in Brisbane was well planned.

ARE YOU A PLANNER OR A PLONKER?

I was out and about the peninsula this week to see if we gardeners are either Planners or Plonkers. Now before you think that I have started to quote Del Boy from Only Fools and horses, let me explain.

When you are buying plants for the garden, do you chose a plant to fit a space (planner) or do you buy plants and put them wherever you can find a space (plonker)?

I must confess that I am a bit of a plonker. Mainly because I have a very small garden and if I was to be a planner and stick to the recognised planning distances I would only get about three cabbage plants in the raised beds. I tend to plonk the plants down and suffer the consequences of moving them after a year (usually to someone else’s garden!)

Here are what some people on the streets say about being a planner or a plonker:

“I am both a planner and a plonker and enjoy doing and being both!! Sometimes you know exactly what plant you want and it's fun searching high and low trying to find it, I've travelled miles around the country for a particular variety regardless of whether I have space for it!” V.J Carn

“I have always been a 'plonker' but, having recently moved house and taken over a substantial barren garden, have great intentions of reversing this habit and being a planner. Deep down though I know I will revert back to plonking!” F.Y. Buncrana

“I started life as a plonker but after years of learning, some bitter experience and reading a few good design books would like to think that I am slowly maturing into a planner. I still occasionally get a bit over-excited at the local nursery and come home with more plants than I have space for, so end up doing a bit of semi-planned plonking; which I guess makes me a planker..!”J.B. Malin

“I'm too far down the line to be anything but a plonker.” C.S. Buncrana.

I'm a plonker, but because I colour theme the beds it doesn't seem to matter much. I also buy so many bargains there’ s no way I could ever be a planner.... I think plonkers have much nicer loved gardens... anon.

Horticultural.

PORTRUSH POSTERS

PORTRUSH

TREE PRUNING

How not to prune a tree! It isn't just a case of lopping off branches. There is always an inner canopy to see in a tree. Below is an example of how to do it. Patrick McCartney from Buncrana stands back and takes his time when pruning.

This tree was pruned the day before this photo was taken. Not bad eh?

A STROLL IN THE GARDEN -PADDY MCCARTNEY WEEK 3

Shallow rooted carrot varieties are ideal if you don't want to get the spade out.

Paddy McCartney from Greencastle is very multi faceted in the garden and to guarantee the pollination of his fruit, vegetables and flowers he keeps two beehives.

BEE KEEPING

Tell us a bit about the bees you keep
I have kept bees for years and I couldn’t imagine the garden without them. The bees work hard in my own garden. Also in early summer the bees go down the hill to collect nectar from wild flowers and in the late summer they go up the hill to the heather beds as well. When I work in the garden the hives are behind a six-foot hedge. This stops them from flying into me as by the time they have flown over the hedge they are well above head height.

Do you get much honey?
We get enough for ourselves and a few friends. I collect the honey once a year. I only have two hives so we don’t really produce on a commercial level!

What does the smoke do when it is blown into the hives?
Smoking the bees helps the keeper to harvest the honey safely. When the bees smell the smoke they think there is a fire. Then they gorge themselves to save their food. This makes them drowsy and harmless.

Are they dangerous?
Only when provoked! If you agitate one of them, then all of the other bees come over and have a go at the enemy! This thankfully doesn’t happen often

Top gardening tip?
If you have raspberries growing you might need to support them. If you put up a wire net, don’t put the wire right down to the floor. That way you can still get to the weeds around the base of the plant.

Have you any plans for the future?
I will be introducing more raised beds into the garden. I have them already for the vegetables and I would like to grow flowers that way too. As I get older I am less agile and raised beds are really handy to sit on and work with the plants and soil. I might even de-commission some of the garden and turn it over to members of the annual courses so they can look after it as part of their course.

Thanks to Paddy for his pearls of wisdom over the last three weeks!

Horticultural.

HOOPERS LAW

I have just bought a site for a new house and it has a hedge surrounding it. I would like to keep it and improve the look of it. I would be interested to find out how old the original hedge is. I have heard that you can assess the age of hedges by counting the species in it, how does this work. Thanks D.K. By e-mail

Using a method called Hooper’s Law can age hedges quite accurately. This mathematical theory is based upon the number of woody species found in a 30m (100 ft.) length of hedge. Dr Hooper tested hedges of known age from old maps; he found that the number of species multiplied by 100 roughly equals the age of the hedge. However at least 3 random samples should be taken and an average calculated. It seems to be too simplistic to work but the theory has been proved accurate time and time again.

Horticultural.

TOP TIPS

FRUIT TREES

Pick apples as soon as they are ripe, remembering that some varieties can be eaten straight from the tree, while others are best left for a time, stored in a cool place to reach their peak of perfection. Trap female winter moths as they climb up fruit trees to find a crevice to over-winter in by tightly wrapping grease bands around stems and greasing tree stakes.

Money saving tip: Container grown spring bulbs are better off without too much fertilizer so use a cheap compost and then feed after flowering

Time saving tip: This is the time to dig over the vegetable plot. Instead of clearing the old leaves to the compost heap, dig a trench and bury them. They will soon rot down and you have done the digging as well.

WINTER SALAD PLANTS M-P

More winter salad plants that we can all grow in the garden.

Montia sibirica. Pink purslane is a short-lived perennial, but it self-sows freely and maintains itself so well that it can be used as a ground cover plant. Only about 10cm tall, it is evergreen and both the leaves and flowers can be eaten. It has a fairly bland flavour, though it becomes somewhat bitter in hot dry weather. M. perfoliata, the miner's lettuce, is an annual that self-sows freely and is also usually available all through the winter. Both of these plants are extremely hardy, they are native to Alaska and Siberia where they can be harvested from under the snow even in the depths of winter.

Myrrhis odorata. Our native Sweet Cicely has a delightful aniseed flavour and it goes very well as flavouring in a mixed salad. It dies down in early winter but if you are lucky you can start picking it again in early February. The seed is said to have a short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe. A well-grown plant is about 1 metre tall and wide.

Peltaria alliacea. A very easily grown plant, it has a rather strong garlic/mustard flavour that some people adore in salads. It becomes much more bitter in the summer. An evergreen herb about 10cm tall it spreads freely once established.

Horticultural.

GUNNERA

Check out how gunnera can be protected over winter and how invasive it can be

GLOSSARY OF GARDENING WORDS

Have you ever been in the company of someone and can go for ages and not have a clue what they are talking about. This happens when the person is fanatical about a subject that you know very little or nothing about. The same problem can arise when I get on my soapbox and start using terms that are common in the gardening world, but rarely used anywhere else. Such as the word loam, this just means a mixture of sand, clay and organic matter…soil in other words. Using key words is a great idea when you are trying to charge customers more for your time as a landscape gardener or garden designer, the same is probably true in most professions. An old lecturer told me once that all I had to do was to learn three or four Latin words for plants and if used at the right time in a conversation would make me sound like a professional.

Here are a few words to use if you want to impress the neighbours.

Aerate -This is when the soil is loosened with a fork or machine to allow air and water into the ground
Biennial –This is a plant that usually lives for two years. It flowers and going to seed in the second year.
Dormancy is when a plant has a rest in winter.
Elaeagnus ebbingei -A hardy variegated shrub.
Germinate means the sprouting of a seed.
Herbaceous a plant with soft, rather than woody stems.
Hydroponics. This is when a plant is grown in a liquid instead of soil.
Perennial means a non-woody plant that lives longer than two years.
Topiary is where shrubs are pruned to a particular shape, for example animals.
Variegated leaves have two or more different colours.

Armed with these few words you can lean over the garden fence and come out with some gems like…. “ Hello, what wet weather we are having, we could almost be growing our biennial plants by hydroponics! I’ve just been aerating the lawn with a view to putting in an herbaceous border. My recently germinated perennial plants are dormant at present but I’m hoping to put them in too. I’m also hoping to do a bit of topiary on my variegated elaeagnus ebbingei”…. Come out with stuff like that and I can guarantee the neighbours wont keep you talking, they will be making any excuse to leave!

Horticultural.

TOOL CHECK

I’m looking to buy a garden shed. I have been pricing them up recently and think that it would be a good idea to invest in one. The main reason is that it can house all the tools that I have that are lying around in my new garden.

I moved house over the past couple of weeks and I no longer have the luxury of a 30-foot polythene tunnel to dump everything in. The vegetable patch that I have worked hard to create is having to fend for itself as well. My new garden is the size of an average living room and as I speak is under three inches of water. The garden has very little grass, absolutely no topsoil and gets about two minutes worth of sunshine first thing in the morning as the sun comes up. It is a true challenge and I am looking forward to doing something with it - at the moment I favour concrete slabs!

TOOL CHECK
Now that the autumn is moving into winter, it is the time to give the garden tools the once over. Firstly, check your stock. Count up your tools and make sure that none of them are left out over the winter. Bring them in and check on their condition. There may be tools that need new handles or a bit sticking back on that have dropped off. Throw away any tools that are damaged or broken, these are dangerous and are just accidents waiting to happen. Scrub the tools clean with soapy water, dry them thoroughly and wipe them down with an oily rag. Another good idea for spades, forks and trowels is to have a bucket filled with sand and some old engine oil poured into it. Push the tool in a few times, the sand acts as an abrasive cleaner and the oil stops the metal from rusting. You can use it in summer too in between using the equipment.

Make sure that the tools are hung up properly. Tools stacked in corners or hanging from the ceiling are also very dangerous, especially when you are rooting around the shed in the middle of the night looking for the lost Christmas decorations. If you have outside taps make sure that the pipes are insulated against the frost. Disconnect the hosepipe and drain the water out of it. When storing the pipe try to roll it around an old car wheel (minus the tyre!) or invest in a proper drum from the garden supply shops. Don’t hang them on a nail, as the sharp edge will damage the pipe and more than likely split it too.


Horticultural.

ME AND MY MOTOR-CHANTAL BUSAK

We have a pedigree motor this week. Chantal Busek from Moville is the proud owner of a Silver Toyota Celica 1.8 VVTi. Chantal is the reservations manager and E-commerce controller for the Carlton group and works from the Carlton Redcastle hotel. Chantal might have a busy demanding job but she still manages to find the time to polish her beautiful car and run a few marathons!


What made you choose a sports car?
I think that every girl should have a sports car at some time in her life. I drove a Celica owned by a friend of my partner and was hooked, I just had to have one. I have only had it for three months but I now think of it as an extension of my boyfriend!

Any plans to change?
No chance! These cars are hard to find.

Did you buy it privately or through a garage?
I took a bit of a risk and bought it privately. I looked at all of the websites until the right car came up. When I saw it we drove to Dublin that moment to buy it. Specialist motors tends to be sold straight away and I missed a couple before this one. I am pleased though as the car I now have was a better price and had the complete sports pack.

What is in the sports pack?
Loads of stuff! Lowered suspension, extra power in the engine, air conditioning, alloy wheels, leather seats, slide back sunroof and bucket seats for a start.

Is it reliable?
Extremely reliable. It has very low mileage and is like a new car.

How often do you wash it?
Not as often as I should but I do find that silver doesn’t show up the dirt. I shouldn’t worry though as dirt can be fashionable. Did you know there is now dirt in a can? It is used by city folk who have off road cars and never see the countryside!

What would you do to help motorists?
Put some drivers through their test again! Concentrating on how to cope with roundabouts and parking.

What would you like to be driving around in?
My Toyota Celica, thank you!

Motoring.

TRUCK

AUTUMN IS COMING

Check the grass to see nothing strange is growing on it

Autumn is coming and the grass growth is slowing down. My grass managed to reach the height of about two feet this year, due to neglect on my part. Every spring I make the resolution that I’m going to keep on top of the grass cutting by going out every week on a particular day, (Sunday this year) and cut the grass. I did this for the first couple of weeks in spring when the growth began in earnest. Then I forgot, or became distracted by something else important like digging up carrots or taking the dog for a walk, and before I knew it the grass was up to my knees. When this happens, the strimmer comes out to tackle the problem and over the growing season the area I strim gets smaller and smaller in ever decreasing circles, until there’s just enough short grass to put the patio table and chairs on. This week, come rain or shine I will be out there with the strimmer to get the grass down to a manageable level, leaving it looking tidy and cared for over the winter.

NEW LAWNS
This time of year is ideal to get a new lawn established. The cooler, wetter weather is ideal for the grass seed to germinate and you will be spared the job of having to water the ground in dry spells. There’s still enough heat in the sun for the grass to establish itself as well, before winter sets in. If you have taken the time and trouble to prepare a level, stone free seed bed (believe me it is a lot of work preparing the ground for a lawn!) then it might be an idea to leave it for a couple of weeks after you have prepared it. The reason for this isn’t to wait until your back has repaired itself, but if you wait for a while all the annual seeds on the top of the soil will have germinated. These can then be hoed down, creating a weed free bed to sow the grass seed on. This method is known as “ Stale seedbed” and it also is helpful to spot, and remove the odd perennial weed that was left in the soil such as dandelions, docks and creeping buttercups.

HERBS
I’ve been tidying the herb garden this week. Some of the plants are looking as though they need to be lifted and divided. This goes for most perennials, after a while the plants die in the middle so when the plant is lifted, the middle part can be thrown onto the compost heap and the fresh parts of the plant can then be divided up and replanted.

I’ve got quite a bit of basil still in the tunnel and with the nights getting colder I’ll probably bring some indoors for a bit of protection against the elements. I haven’t enough windowsills to accommodate all of the plants so the rest are going to make a basic pesto sauce. The basil leaves will be mixed with some olive oil and garlic, and then I’ll put the mixture into those ice cube containers that live in the freezer. This way I can take out what I need over the coming months.

Horticultural.

ELDER

I’ve noticed berries on the elder trees are ripening nicely. The elder tree is more like a sprawling bush than a tree really, which is handy when it comes to picking the fruit. Most people associate elderberries with wine making. I know I have made a few bottles before and they were delicious…. Well they were better than the previous attempts at making wine anyway.

My brother and myself, being inventive teenagers, decided to make a brew and store some wine in a wardrobe in our bedroom away from parental eyes. We were a bit limited for ingredients so we decided to make the concoction out of trebor mints and polo mint, which were easily available from the local shop. These were added to the water, yeast and sugar. After they were mixed and left for a few weeks to ferment we put the liquid into bottles and screwed on the tops. They lived happily in the wardrobe for another few weeks until the pressure got too much. Whilst we were at school one day the bottles exploded, sending the nurtured wine and glass all over the clothes in the wardrobe and flooded the bedroom carpet. That put an end to our bootlegging business…

Back to the elders. The trees are very tolerant of pollution so they will grow practically anywhere. They have attractive flowers that come out around May to June. These can be covered in batter and dipped into hot oil for a minute until they are brown and crispy. They smell a bit like cat spray when they are fresh, but cooked they taste delicious!

The flowers can also be made into a drink, similar to lemonade if sugar is added or if it is mixed with equal parts of yarrow and peppermint, a refreshing hot drink. Later in the year, from now until October, the berries ripen. These berries are rich in vitamins C and A They are good for making wine as I have mentioned and also syrups, jams, and chutney. Herbalists have used all of the elder for years. The tree is shrouded in ancient mystery, one being that you shouldn’t cut down or burn the wood without asking the elder mother, who lives inside the tree. If you have ever tried to burn elder wood you’ll know how reluctant it is to burn, maybe it’s true… I’ll ask the elder mother in future!There are other uses for the plant. The leaves can be used to make a brew to protect plants from aphids and other pests. Old bark makes black dye, the leaves make green dye and the berries can make either blue or purple dye, depending on how ripe they are.

Horticultural.

JOBS TO DO IN AUTUMN

AUTUMN IS APPROACHING

This month as autumn approaches it is time to give some thought to getting the garden ready for the colder months ahead. It is an ideal time to begin getting plants ready for the winter and to plant spring bulbs, harvest fruit and vegetables.

Plant bare-rooted, deciduous trees and shrubs now, during their dormant season. Some people have a fear of buying bare rooted plants, but if you buy them as soon as they appear in the shops/garden centres, there is no problem at all, they are much cheaper than potted ones and will establish quickly, especially if care is taken in soil preparation.

Plant spring bulbs as long as the ground is workable

If any major tree pruning is required to remove large branches, now is the time to do it. Remember, major jobs require a tree surgeon.

Keep an eye out for unwanted seedlings of native trees and pull them out while still small. This will save a lot of trouble later on.

The bulbs of spring flowering tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and crocus are planted during the autumn months of September, October and November. Select good firm, disease free bulbs. Plant the bulbs three times deeper than the greatest diameter of the bulb. For example, crocus bulbs that usually have about a one-inch diameter should be planted three inches deep. The bulbs will grow and flower best in well-drained soil.


Pot up some spring flowering bulbs for indoor colour during the winter. Store the pots in a cool, dark place, until new growth emerges from the soil, and then move them to a bright window.

TAKING CUTTINGS
Take semi-hardwood cuttings of holly, cherry laurel and evergreen conifers. Select a stem- tip from the current season's growth. Cut straight above a node to give a cutting 10-15cm in length. Remove all but the top two leaves. Slice 3cm of bark from one side of the cutting at the base. Dip the wound in hormone rooting powder, then insert into cuttings compost or a free draining mixture of peat and bark. Ensure the cutting will stand upright. Firm in and water well. Kept humid and frost free (in a cold frame or propagator) cuttings will root in the winter and can be potted on in spring. A good hint for you, put your cuttings around the edge of the pot, this way, they will not get too water bound, and will root better and quicker.

As perennials fade away, mark their locations with small sticks. Some might not be apparent after the winter and might be disrupted by spring cultivating.

Herbaceous plants can be tidied up and cut back now. Don't be in too much of a hurry, though, as the 'skeletons' of many plants can be very decorative in their own right. If your soil is light, you can lift, divide and replant many perennials over the next couple of months, but only when it's not too wet.

Plants divided in very wet weather or planted in heavy soil are prone to rot.

Plant spring bedding now so that it gets a chance to establish. This will give an earlier display next year.

If you want to add some colour to the garden this winter, try pansies. The pansies are particularity nice to plant when planting bulbs, because they reach their peak of beauty in the springtime, just about the same time the bulbs bloom.

Perennials can be started from seed this month. Simply scatter the seeds in a row or in open beds. Then the young seedlings can be transplanted into a permanent spot next spring.

Put in new heathers. Plant them an inch deeper in the soil than in the pot so they are nice and sturdy.

IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN
Dig up your rosemary, basil, tarragon, oregano, marjoram, thyme, parsley, and chives to grow them inside as houseplants. Keep them in a cool, sunny spot, and allow the soil to dry out before watering. Snip off the leaves as needed in the kitchen, but do not strip them completely

Tidy up your mint, I have mine in a pot, and every year or so, I empty out, and remove the older part of the plant, and pot up the younger growth.

Cut and store marrows before the frosts.

Put cloches over late salad crops such as lettuce and radish to keep them cropping. Look out for slugs

Horticultural.

JOBS TO DO IN OCTOBER

I see that a local council in England have decided to chop down the chestnut trees that line the roads around the town. The wisdom behind this is because it could endanger cars when children throw the sticks to get the conkers down. Another reason mentioned was that the sticks that are thrown could land on the unfortunate child’s head. The council are putting in what they call “Less dangerous trees” to try and ease the problem. It goes to show that the world of horticulture can be a hazardous place. I have chosen some safer jobs to do in the garden this month as we are starting to wind down the garden for the winter. If you feel really energetic you can start by taking down any tired and sad looking hanging baskets and pot up some colourful winter flowers that are appearing in the garden centres now.


JOBS TO DO IN OCTOBER
Plant nerine bulbs and divide old clumps after flowering. The best place for the heat and sun they need to flower is at the foot of a south-facing wall. Plant the bulbs with the nose just showing above the soil and give protection in cold areas. Nerines are one of the longer lasting flowers at this time of the year and they make excellent cut flowers for the table.

Finish planting spring bulbs in the next couple of weeks. Tulips can be planted this month. Plant dwarf narcissi, species crocuses and reticulata irises in pots and outdoors for late-winter colour. Use peat free potting compost with some coarse sand or grit mixed in.

Lift the corms of gladioli when the leaves turn yellow, cut off the stems, dry the corms, rub clean, label the varieties and store in a cool, mouse-free place.

Check ties on recently planted young trees to see if they have become tight and restrictive. There should always be a little play there. New research shows that trees grow better if they don’t have a stake. If your tree has been in for a couple of years and looks secure, take the stake and tie out altogether.

When the leaves have been blackened by frost, dahlia tubers should be dug up. Cut off the stems at 2-3in above the tuber, remove all the loose soil, and dry them in an airy place. Dust with flowers of sulphur, and label and store in a cool dark place. The easiest way to apply sulphur is to shake the tubers in a plastic bag with handful of flowers of sulphur. Large old clumps of tubers are better divided next spring, when you plant them out again. Division now only makes wounds for mould to enter.

Dry off potted tuberous begonias under cover, and when the stems have yellowed and fallen away (do not cut or pull them off), store the tubers in a cool dark place, either just as they are, potted in dry soil, or with the soil and roots cleaned off, and dusted with sulphur.


Gather fallen leaves regularly. If you do not have a compost heap, put damp leaves into bin-liners and store for eight-12 months. The resulting leaf mould makes excellent mulch. Alternatively you can put the leaves straight into the soil around your shrubs and in the borders. Work them in gently to stop them blowing away and the worms will do the rest

IN THE VEGGIE PATCH
Lift root crops such as beetroots, carrots and main crop potatoes and store in vermin-proof bins (clean metal dustbins with lids will do), layered between fresh coir fibre or dry sand. Make sure you remove all damaged or rotten tubers before you store them, as the rot will quickly spread to the other vegetables. Harvest pumpkins, marrows and squashes. They will store well if kept dry, cool and frost-free in the garage.

ALPINES
Top up grit mulches around alpine plants to provide a free-draining layer between the foliage and the ground. Some alpines will need a haircut if they look as though they are going to go mouldy in the damp weather. Weed out any unwanted plants, especially creeping buttercup as they can completely ruin the bed in a very short space of time.

Horticultural.

SEAL PUPPING STARTS EARLY

Photo: A new born seal pup lies on the rocks in Buncrana. They could be mistaken for being lifeless! (Thanks to Emmett for the photo)

Dog walkers might notice baby seals lying alone on rocks when walking around the beaches of Inishowen this month. The mother will leave her pup lying on the shore while they go and feed, returning to the pup when the tidal conditions are right. They are very weak when first born and will lie on the rocks for up to 2 to 3 days in one spot before the mother returns, when they will move on to another location together.

Our resident seal population, (the Grey Seals) have started pupping early this year and like any baby, the pup does little except feed and sleep during its first three weeks of life. Grey seal pups are normally born in mid too late October but can be born sometimes as late as the end of November

When they are newborn they have a light woolly covering and they avoid swimming until they moult into their adult oily fur. This usually takes 2 to 3 weeks.

Under normal circumstances the pups rest on remote and secluded beaches. Unfortunately Inishowen’s major population centres of Buncrana and Moville are in very close proximity to the perfect coastal environment for these seals but they are also busy places for residents and their dogs. If you happen to come across a baby seal, even if it looks abandoned and incapable, try not to disturb them or let your dogs worry them.

Inishowen’s breeding Grey seal colonies are recognised as one of Europe’s most important breeding populations. The grey seal is protected under terrestrial legislation through the wildlife act and also European legislation under the habitats Directive.

If you have or are seeking further information on seals around Inishowen log onto www.nature.ie or contact the Local Wildlife Service Ranger E. Johnston on 087 286 7055

Environmental.

A STROLL IN THE GARDEN- PADDY MCCARTNEY WEEK 2

Photo: Paddy with his chocolate scented cosmos.

This week Paddy McCartney from Greencastle tells us more about his garden and his life in the undergrowth.

So Paddy, what irritations are there in your garden and how do you cope?
People! I have tried sprays and putting down traps… Nothing works! Other than that I have to keep a close eye on the slug population. Every year they make a pilgrimage to the vegetable beds so I try different techniques to keep them away. I practice a No Dig gardening policy. This seems to help, as the slugs can’t find as many places to hide in the soil. I give them cans of beer to drink around the beds in the polythene tunnels and glasshouse. They are not good drinkers! I have also put boards and sheets of black polythene down around the beds in spring. The slugs hide under these and I collect them up and “re-home” them. This depopulates them before the serious breeding starts.

What is your best gardening tool?
I have an oscillating hoe. It sounds a bit painful but actually it’s a stirrup shaped device on a long pole. It is brilliant for getting in between the plants and vegetables to get the invasive weeds out.

Have you seen anything unusual in the garden this year?
I did see the Humming bird Moth. They are unusual in this part of the world, as the adults or eggs don’t survive the cold winters. They bear a striking resemblance to a hummingbird (hence the name!) They are wonderful to watch.

Do you have any tips for growing good spuds?
If you grow spuds then remember they are heavy feeders. I grow a few different types every year to see what does well. This year I have found a great Hungarian spud called Sharpo. They are said to be blight resistant and are proving to be a very prolific crop. I have had a good early crop from one called the Duke of York.

Top Gardening tip?
When growing plants from seed or cuttings get the module trays to plant them in. There is no root disturbance when it comes to transplanting them.

More from Paddy next week





Horticultural.

ME AND MY MOTOR-ALAN DEAN

Volkswagen made the first campervans in 1950. They were an instant hit and have remained popular and sought after vehicles ever since. Most owners are passionate about their vans and Alan Dean from Redcastle is no exception. Alan and his family like nothing more than to jump into their 1980 Viking Conversion model and head off into the sunset as often as possible.


How long have you had the campervan?
About ten years. I was looking for any type of campervan initially, but found most of them too large. I found this one behind a garage with grass growing all around it and saw the potential straight away. The van was in a bit of a mess as it had been laid up for over three years but the chassis was still in good condition.

Any plans to change?
This van is now a family heirloom.

Is it reliable?
Yes. I go for preventative maintenance and fix anything that isn’t 100%. If anything unforeseen does go wrong with these VW vans you can usually get them going again with a stick and a piece of string!

Best thing about the campervan?
The journey is as enjoyable as the destination. We have no rush to get anywhere because we already have our accommodation with us.

What would you do to help motorists given the chance?
I would give everyone a Volkswagen campervan attitude. There would be far less rage on the roads!

What would you really like to be driving around in?
A 1959 split screen VW with a 1959 Lambretta LI 150cc scooter attached to the back. I choose the 1959 models for no other reason than it was the year I was born.

Have you done much refurbishment to the van?
It was resprayed eight years ago and had a new 1.6 engine fitted more recently. I also put in a quick shift gearbox. The engine is at the back so the gear linkage has a long way to travel from the cabin. The old gear stick reminded me of stirring porridge.

Any plans for the future?
In a couple of years the van will get a complete back to the bone strip down and rebuild. I will re-customise the interior as well. I will also convert the engine to LPG. When you own a vehicle such as this you are always working on it!

Do you get lost when you are on your travels?
We never get lost. There are two ways of travelling, the long way and the short way. We choose the long way. I never go on the same road twice which adds to the fun!

Alan is a member of the Born Again Dubbers (BAD) VW club. It is free to join and welcomes owners of all Volkswagen models. Alan would be interested in hearing from anyone who has an old VW campervan that is gathering dust. Give me a ring on 086 401 2755 and I will pass on your details.


Motoring.