Every year in the garden we like to add something new. Every year, of the four since we have been here, we have added a new bed of some description. I suppose that is one of the greatest joys that things never keep still in the garden. This year my new beds are for vegetable use. The mushroom compost old carpets and newspaper wouldn’t look very sightly if it was at the front of the house. I’m having a few problems with these beds at the moment as the docks and rushes are proving to be too strong for the mulch and are pushing their way upwards through it. So this week we will look at more presentable, and hopefully less weedy methods of creating a new bed.
CREATING A NEW BED
Firstly, It might help if you draw your ideas onto a sheet of paper first. The design process is usually a case of trial and error and making changes on paper is a lot less work then making changes in your garden. If you have a new garden wait until the lawn has established before digging. This will ensure a clean edge on the bed when you cut out the shape. After you have chosen the site for the bed, have a look to see what sort of light it gets. This will strongly influence the type of plants that will grow in the bed. Will it be in shade from the house or a large hedge for example? If it is near trees will that block the light, check as well that you won’t be damaging any tree roots when you start digging.
Next, decide on the size of the bed, especially if you are leaving bare soil (large beds will take a lot of looking after). The shape of the bed is important too. Try to fit it in with natural curves that already exist in the garden. One of the most effective ways to get the shape you want is to lay down hosepipe or thick rope, move it around until the shape is found. Remember that you will probably have to mow along the edge, so don’t make the curves too sharp.
Decide before you start if the soil in the bed is to gently slope back to the grass or whether to build a small wall to raise the bed up. The retaining wall can be built from natural stone, bricks, wood or even peat blocks (I’ve used full mushroom compost bags and old books for my latest veggie beds – I tend to go for the quick, practical option as opposed to the aesthetically pleasing!)
DIGGING OUT
After the shape has been decided you can start to cut out the grass. I use something called a half moon that has a straight edge to it. This allows me to cut out rectangles that can be lifted away and helps to get a smooth edge to the grass edge. These can be used for patching up old, worn areas of grass in the lawn or they can be stacked upside down in a corner of the garden to rot down into very effective compost. If there are any deep-rooted weeds left in the soil dig them out, or they will return to haunt you later.
SOIL IMPROVEMENT
Before you start thinking about what to plant in the bed, check what type of soil you have with a soil Ph tester (available from garden centres). They cost a couple of Euro and can save you a fortune buying plants that wouldn’t grow in your soil. This done, start to improve the soil with well rotted compost, horse muck, chicken muck and anything else you can lay your hands on. If there are plenty of earthworms, they will drag this into the soil. If it looks a bit unsightly for you then it could always be dug in if you were feeling like a bit of exercise. This might alter the Ph of the soil so it might need checking again.
TYPES OF PLANTS
Now it is time for a trip to the garden centre to see what plants are available. If you don’t really have a clue what to buy then go to the centres at different times of the year and see what looks good. Other than that, try looking around at interesting planting schemes. Take a leaf of an attractive shrub and test the garden centre staff on their plant identifications! Or of course you can get slips and clumps from friends and relatives. If the bed is quite small and perennials and annuals have been decided on you can make the area look bigger by putting hot colours such as red at the front and cooler colours like blue at the back this stretches the look of the bed. If, of course, you want low maintenance with shrubs, then the whole area can be covered with fleece and a thick layer of gravel, slate or peat can be put over it. This works really well on beds that are down at the bottom of the garden that you only visit once or twice a year.
Horticultural.
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
SYCAMORE SEEDLINGS
Sycamore seedlings are growing really quickly at the moment. If you see them on the lawn, mow them down as soon as possible. This will kill them. On the other hand if they are growing in the beds and borders, dig them out. Make sure you pull them out without snapping the stems, if they are mature as they will re-grow. If they are growing in walls or at the side of a building pull those out carefully. If they establish they can cause expensive repair work.
Horticultural.
Horticultural.
COTTAGE GARDENS
There has been a big revival in the cottage garden over the last few years. This is due to the increased interest in organic, self-sustainable gardens. The cottage garden is traditionally a small, densely planted plot where every inch of space is used. The original cottage gardens were mainly devoted to food production and flowers appeared randomly by self set seeds being brought into the garden on boots, by birds or on the wind. The original gardens mostly consisted of paths, borders and small patches of grass near the house or under small trees. In the days before landfill and septic tanks ALL of the household waste was put into the garden, this kept the fertility high. The gardens faded in popularity at the beginning of the century because of shorter tenancies of the cottages and the spread of the urban population. Now that a majority of houses being built in the towns only have small gardens, there is a perfect opportunity to have your own nature reserve on your doorstep.
DESIGNING A COTTAGE GARDEN
To create an effective cottage garden it is a good idea to keep things simple and very practical. Put in uncomplicated paths and don’t bother with anything fiddly like rockeries. The garden can be divided into small rooms using trellis or wattle fencing to add to the interest if needs be. You might like to consider an arch or some other feature that a climber could make good use of. If you have any trees in the garden you can work around these unless of course they are putting the whole garden in shade. Keep the borders simple with common plants that will re-seed and choose attractive vegetables that can be planted in rows or interspersed with the perennial plants. Scatter annual flower seeds in between the plants to cover the ground; this will help keep away unwanted weeds. In winter a layer of mulch would also help to keep the weeds down. The great thing about a cottage garden is that you always expect something to be in the wrong place. These plants can be dug up and moved to a more suitable place. The benefit of cramming the plants into the beds and borders is that they will support themselves without the need for staking. The dead foliage will stand up to the seasonal weather as well and provide a stunning backdrop in winter and be a sheltered haven for hibernating wildlife.
WILDLIFE IN THE GARDEN
Cottage gardens are a haven for wildlife. Put up a couple of bird boxes on the trees and try to vary the plants to attract different types of insects. Many insect pests you see in the garden have natural insect predators and a wide range of plants, including wild flowers, will help provide nectar and pollen needed at various stages of the predatory insects life. A small pond, or even a water filled bucket dug into the ground like ours, will soon be buzzing with aquatic life. If there is an area that is in shade, then so much the better as the choice of plants to put into the garden will increase. Don’t be too worried if you are one of those people that are obsessively tidy when it comes to the garden. With trial and error your cottage garden will embrace so much colour, scent, texture, serenity, birdsong and beauty that you won’t even notice if it looks a mess! Nature is often beautiful but never tidy!
GRASS CUTTINGS UNDER A HEDGE
Photo: Grass clippings work well around spud plants.Q. I have a small hedge that has been planted about a year now. Is it all right to put fallen leaves and cut grass around the base of the shrubs?
A. The fallen leaves will benefit the soil around the shrubs more or less straight away (as long as it is not touching the shrub). Soil borne organisms and earthworms will take the nutrients to the plant roots very effectively. The freshly cut grass though isn’t as instant. New grass clippings are prone to stealing some of the nitrogen out of the soil as it rots down, which could be detrimental to the health of the hedge. I use it as mulch around more established shrubs and it seems to works well, especially in the summer. Another problem with grass is that if you do it now it will get a crust on the top of it. Water would then be prone to run off this and dry the plants out. Maybe you could put a bit of grass down first and work it into the surface of the soil before the fallen leaves go on. How’s that for a compromise!
Horticultural.
A. The fallen leaves will benefit the soil around the shrubs more or less straight away (as long as it is not touching the shrub). Soil borne organisms and earthworms will take the nutrients to the plant roots very effectively. The freshly cut grass though isn’t as instant. New grass clippings are prone to stealing some of the nitrogen out of the soil as it rots down, which could be detrimental to the health of the hedge. I use it as mulch around more established shrubs and it seems to works well, especially in the summer. Another problem with grass is that if you do it now it will get a crust on the top of it. Water would then be prone to run off this and dry the plants out. Maybe you could put a bit of grass down first and work it into the surface of the soil before the fallen leaves go on. How’s that for a compromise!
Horticultural.
COMPANION PLANTING R-Z
Here are the last few plants that are ideal for increasing the yields of your vegetables and attracting beneficial insects to the garden.
RADISH: Plant radishes with your squash plants. This will give the plants protection against insects that bore into the flesh of the vegetable. Anything that will help prevent this is worth a try. They can keep pests away from sweet corn too.
ROSEMARY: Companion plant to cabbage, beans, carrots and sage. Deters cabbage moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies. Use cuttings to place by the crowns of carrots for carrot flies. You can over winter rosemary as houseplants or take cuttings in spring to increase your stock.
RUE: Deters Japanese beetles in roses and raspberries. To make it even more effective with Japanese beetles: crush a few leaves to release the smell. Repels flies and can help repel cats. Some say you should not plant it near cabbage, basil or sage. A pretty perennial with bluish-grey leaves. May be grown indoors in a sunny window. Rue can cause skin irritation.
SAGE: Use as a companion plant with broccoli, cauliflower, rosemary, cabbage, and carrots to deter cabbage moths, beetles, black flea beetles and carrot flies. Do not plant near cucumbers or rue. Sage repels cabbage moths and black flea beetles. Allowing sage to flower will also attract many beneficial insects and the flowers are pretty. There are some very striking varieties of sage with variegated foliage that can be used for their ornamental as well as practical qualities.
SUMMER SAVORY: Plant with beans and onions to improve growth and flavour. Discourages cabbage moths. Honeybees love it.
SUNFLOWERS. Definitely plant a few sunflowers here and there in the garden. Step back and watch the ants herd the aphids onto them! The sunflowers are so tough that the aphids cause very little damage and you can have a great source of food for the birds with the seed heads.
TANSY: Plant with fruit trees, roses and raspberries keeping in mind that it can be invasive and is not the most attractive of plants. Deters flying insects, Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash pests, ants and mice! Tie up and hang a bunch of tansy leaves indoors as a fly repellent. Use clippings as mulch as needed. Don't be afraid to cut the plant up, as tansy will bounce back from any abuse heaped on it! It is also a helpful addition to the compost pile with its' high potassium content.
Tansy Warning: You do not want to plant Tansy anywhere where livestock can feed on it as it is toxic to many animals. Do not let it go to seed either as it may germinate in livestock fields.
TARRAGON: Plant throughout the garden, not many pests like this one. Recommended to enhance growth and flavour of vegetables.
THYME: Deters cabbage worms. Creeping thyme makes a wonderful groundcover. You may want to use the upright form of thyme in the garden rather than the groundcover types. Thyme is easy to grow from seeds or cuttings. Older woody plants should be divided in spring
WHITE GERANIUMS: These members of the pelargonium family draw Japanese beetles to feast on the foliage, which in turn kills them
WORMWOOD: Keeps animals out of the garden when planted as a border. An excellent deterrent for most insects. A tea made from wormwood will repel cabbage moths, slugs, snails, black flea beetles and fleas effectively. Note: As wormwood actually produces a botanical poison do not use it directly on food crops.
YARROW: Yarrow has insect repelling qualities and is an excellent natural fertilizer. A handful of yarrow leaves added to the compost pile really speeds things up. Try it! It also attracts predatory wasps and ladybirds to name just two. It may increase the essential oil content of herbs when planted among them. Yarrow has so many wonderful properties to it and is an ingredient in our own
Horticultural.
RADISH: Plant radishes with your squash plants. This will give the plants protection against insects that bore into the flesh of the vegetable. Anything that will help prevent this is worth a try. They can keep pests away from sweet corn too.
ROSEMARY: Companion plant to cabbage, beans, carrots and sage. Deters cabbage moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies. Use cuttings to place by the crowns of carrots for carrot flies. You can over winter rosemary as houseplants or take cuttings in spring to increase your stock.
RUE: Deters Japanese beetles in roses and raspberries. To make it even more effective with Japanese beetles: crush a few leaves to release the smell. Repels flies and can help repel cats. Some say you should not plant it near cabbage, basil or sage. A pretty perennial with bluish-grey leaves. May be grown indoors in a sunny window. Rue can cause skin irritation.
SAGE: Use as a companion plant with broccoli, cauliflower, rosemary, cabbage, and carrots to deter cabbage moths, beetles, black flea beetles and carrot flies. Do not plant near cucumbers or rue. Sage repels cabbage moths and black flea beetles. Allowing sage to flower will also attract many beneficial insects and the flowers are pretty. There are some very striking varieties of sage with variegated foliage that can be used for their ornamental as well as practical qualities.
SUMMER SAVORY: Plant with beans and onions to improve growth and flavour. Discourages cabbage moths. Honeybees love it.
SUNFLOWERS. Definitely plant a few sunflowers here and there in the garden. Step back and watch the ants herd the aphids onto them! The sunflowers are so tough that the aphids cause very little damage and you can have a great source of food for the birds with the seed heads.
TANSY: Plant with fruit trees, roses and raspberries keeping in mind that it can be invasive and is not the most attractive of plants. Deters flying insects, Japanese beetles, striped cucumber beetles, squash pests, ants and mice! Tie up and hang a bunch of tansy leaves indoors as a fly repellent. Use clippings as mulch as needed. Don't be afraid to cut the plant up, as tansy will bounce back from any abuse heaped on it! It is also a helpful addition to the compost pile with its' high potassium content.
Tansy Warning: You do not want to plant Tansy anywhere where livestock can feed on it as it is toxic to many animals. Do not let it go to seed either as it may germinate in livestock fields.
TARRAGON: Plant throughout the garden, not many pests like this one. Recommended to enhance growth and flavour of vegetables.
THYME: Deters cabbage worms. Creeping thyme makes a wonderful groundcover. You may want to use the upright form of thyme in the garden rather than the groundcover types. Thyme is easy to grow from seeds or cuttings. Older woody plants should be divided in spring
WHITE GERANIUMS: These members of the pelargonium family draw Japanese beetles to feast on the foliage, which in turn kills them
WORMWOOD: Keeps animals out of the garden when planted as a border. An excellent deterrent for most insects. A tea made from wormwood will repel cabbage moths, slugs, snails, black flea beetles and fleas effectively. Note: As wormwood actually produces a botanical poison do not use it directly on food crops.
YARROW: Yarrow has insect repelling qualities and is an excellent natural fertilizer. A handful of yarrow leaves added to the compost pile really speeds things up. Try it! It also attracts predatory wasps and ladybirds to name just two. It may increase the essential oil content of herbs when planted among them. Yarrow has so many wonderful properties to it and is an ingredient in our own
Horticultural.
BERRIES FOR THE BIRDS
Photo: Pyracantha ladened with berries.
Ian
I would like to plant some shrubs with berries in the garden so the birds get a feed in the winter, what would you recommend? Are all of the colours of berries available in the garden centres attractive to the birds? B.F Newtown
Reply.
Thick shrubs, both native and non native, will always provide a good habitat for birds, not just to shelter and possibly find a nesting site, but also to search for insect food. Choosing flowering shrubs that set edible fruit is the best of all possible worlds. A native such as hawthorn will attract many insects to its nectar and pollen, protect a vulnerable nest with its thorns and dense foliage, and provide nutritious berries from September through the winter. But if we would like more variety in the garden, how can we be sure that a non-native shrub will have edible berries? One very general guide is that as a rule, red or orange berries attract more birds than yellow or white. Many shrubs, including holly, Pyracantha and Berberis have been bred with berries of paler colours to please the gardener rather than garden wildlife. These berries are often left completely untouched by the birds The breeding and selection process singles out plants with berries that ripen slowly or not at all, so many never develop their ‘final’ berry colour, and stay hard and inedible. Shrubs like these will provide colour in the garden throughout the winter but are best planted with a selection that will also provide food for birds. Those that ripen only slowly may be useful, as berries left until the very end of the cold weather will be welcomed by a large number of species, especially thrushes and blackbirds.
So where non-natives are concerned, red is best, but some shrubs have black or dark purple berries. By and large these seem to be palatable but it can be a rather hit and miss affair. It is not uncommon to find that a berried shrub that attracts masses of birds one year will be devoid of visitors the next winter. This can be the result of weather conditions which may affect the palatability of berries, or there may be a surplus of food elsewhere. The key is to plant as large a variety of berried shrubs and climbers as you can and hedge your bets.
I would like to plant some shrubs with berries in the garden so the birds get a feed in the winter, what would you recommend? Are all of the colours of berries available in the garden centres attractive to the birds? B.F Newtown
Reply.
Thick shrubs, both native and non native, will always provide a good habitat for birds, not just to shelter and possibly find a nesting site, but also to search for insect food. Choosing flowering shrubs that set edible fruit is the best of all possible worlds. A native such as hawthorn will attract many insects to its nectar and pollen, protect a vulnerable nest with its thorns and dense foliage, and provide nutritious berries from September through the winter. But if we would like more variety in the garden, how can we be sure that a non-native shrub will have edible berries? One very general guide is that as a rule, red or orange berries attract more birds than yellow or white. Many shrubs, including holly, Pyracantha and Berberis have been bred with berries of paler colours to please the gardener rather than garden wildlife. These berries are often left completely untouched by the birds The breeding and selection process singles out plants with berries that ripen slowly or not at all, so many never develop their ‘final’ berry colour, and stay hard and inedible. Shrubs like these will provide colour in the garden throughout the winter but are best planted with a selection that will also provide food for birds. Those that ripen only slowly may be useful, as berries left until the very end of the cold weather will be welcomed by a large number of species, especially thrushes and blackbirds.
So where non-natives are concerned, red is best, but some shrubs have black or dark purple berries. By and large these seem to be palatable but it can be a rather hit and miss affair. It is not uncommon to find that a berried shrub that attracts masses of birds one year will be devoid of visitors the next winter. This can be the result of weather conditions which may affect the palatability of berries, or there may be a surplus of food elsewhere. The key is to plant as large a variety of berried shrubs and climbers as you can and hedge your bets.
Top Five Natives for Berries and Fruits
Hawthorn – The best native hedging shrub. Attracts thrushes, including redwings and fieldfares, waxwings and finches.
Rowan – An excellent small native tree for a garden. Attracts blackbirds and thrushes.
Elder – A good shrub if you have space but it can become invasive. Attracts many species especially starlings, finches and thrushes.
Holly – A good general wildlife shrub for food and nesting for many species. The birds enjoy the berries, as long they haven’t all been picked for sale in the shops!
Spindle – Provides a very late food supply. Loved by robins.
Ivy – A brilliant all round wildlife plant. The berries set very late and provide a vital food source for pigeons, doves, thrushes and blackbirds and warblers.
Top Five Non-Natives for Berries and Fruits
Pyracantha - A good food source and nesting shrub for many species.
Berberis – Red berried varieties are best for redwings, fieldfares and blackbirds.
Viburnum – The black-berried Viburnum tinus attracts smaller birds to its fruit, especially finches and robins.
Cotoneaster – The Herringbone Cotoneaster (C. horizontalis) is a must, but other red berried forms are also good.
Apple – Leave windfalls for thrushes, blackbirds, starlings, finches and many other species.
Horticultural.
CARDBOARD PRESENTS
(Click on the title for a link to Paper Cardboard Creations)
Have you ever bought your child something really cool but find that they have more fun playing with the box? The answer is probably yes. I know I did when I was young. I remember making spaceships and all sorts of sailing vessels. If the cost of getting the presents is getting you down why don’t you skip the part where you have to fork out loads of money and just buy the box instead. Paperpod Cardboard Creations have done just that. Their ingenious toys are made from sturdy, recycled corrugated cardboard which, when they reach the end of their days can be recycled or composted. The range includes dolls houses, rockets, forts and even chairs that can withstand the weight of a 15stone grown up. The rocket weighs in at only 5kg and will cost you about €45 euro (seems a bit expensive for a cardboard box mind) including postage. It can be flat packed when the kids are not flying to other galaxies to help you save on storage space. The plain cardboard can be decorated by the kids, in any glorious colour scheme that they fancy. Just don’t leave it out in the rain!
Environmental.
MOTHER SHIPTON
Ian
I read some prophesies recently by a woman called Mother Shipton. Who was she? Thanks G.M. by e-mail
Reply
Mother Shipton was born Ursula Sontheil in 1488 in a cave beside the river Nidd in North Yorkshire, England. Mother Shipton exhibited prophetic and psychic abilities from an early age. Many feared her and her mystical powers, although she only used them for the greater good. She wrote her prophecies about events to come in the form of poems and her power to see into the future has made her well known around the world. Her legend was passed on through oral traditions and sometimes embellished a bit. Since 1641 there have been more than 50 different editions of books about her and her prophecies. Many of her visions came true within her own lifetime and in subsequent centuries.
Mother Shipton predicted important historical events many years ahead of their time - the Great Fire of London in 1666, the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 - as well as the advent of modern technology. She even forecast her own death in 1561. Today her prophecies are still proving uncannily accurate. Her poems tend to be very dark and some might say, depressing things about environmental disasters. Here are some lines.
PROPHECIES
Through towering hills proud men shall ride
No horse or ass move by his side.
Beneath the water, men shall walk
Shall ride, shall sleep, shall even talk.
And in the air men shall be seen
In white and black and even green
A carriage without horse will go
Around the world men's thoughts will fly
Quick as the twinkling of an eye.
And water shall great wonders do
How strange. And yet it shall come true.
For in those wondrous far off days
The women shall adopt a craze
To dress like men, and trousers wear
And to cut off their locks of hair
They'll ride astride with brazen brow
As witches do on broomstick now.
And roaring monsters with man atop
Does seem to eat the verdant crop
And men shall fly as birds do now
And give away the horse and plough.
It is now generally acknowledged that Mother Shipton was largely a myth, and that others composed many of her prophecies after her death, and after the events they 'predicted'. Her prophecies were apparently recorded in a series of diaries but the first published book of her work did not appear until 1641 and the most noted work, by Richard Head, came out in 1684. Head later admitted to inventing almost all Shipton's biographical details. It does make very interesting reading though nevertheless.
Environmental.
I read some prophesies recently by a woman called Mother Shipton. Who was she? Thanks G.M. by e-mail
Reply
Mother Shipton was born Ursula Sontheil in 1488 in a cave beside the river Nidd in North Yorkshire, England. Mother Shipton exhibited prophetic and psychic abilities from an early age. Many feared her and her mystical powers, although she only used them for the greater good. She wrote her prophecies about events to come in the form of poems and her power to see into the future has made her well known around the world. Her legend was passed on through oral traditions and sometimes embellished a bit. Since 1641 there have been more than 50 different editions of books about her and her prophecies. Many of her visions came true within her own lifetime and in subsequent centuries.
Mother Shipton predicted important historical events many years ahead of their time - the Great Fire of London in 1666, the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 - as well as the advent of modern technology. She even forecast her own death in 1561. Today her prophecies are still proving uncannily accurate. Her poems tend to be very dark and some might say, depressing things about environmental disasters. Here are some lines.
PROPHECIES
Through towering hills proud men shall ride
No horse or ass move by his side.
Beneath the water, men shall walk
Shall ride, shall sleep, shall even talk.
And in the air men shall be seen
In white and black and even green
A carriage without horse will go
Around the world men's thoughts will fly
Quick as the twinkling of an eye.
And water shall great wonders do
How strange. And yet it shall come true.
For in those wondrous far off days
The women shall adopt a craze
To dress like men, and trousers wear
And to cut off their locks of hair
They'll ride astride with brazen brow
As witches do on broomstick now.
And roaring monsters with man atop
Does seem to eat the verdant crop
And men shall fly as birds do now
And give away the horse and plough.
It is now generally acknowledged that Mother Shipton was largely a myth, and that others composed many of her prophecies after her death, and after the events they 'predicted'. Her prophecies were apparently recorded in a series of diaries but the first published book of her work did not appear until 1641 and the most noted work, by Richard Head, came out in 1684. Head later admitted to inventing almost all Shipton's biographical details. It does make very interesting reading though nevertheless.
Environmental.
DISHWASHER FRESH
Ian
I have a dishwasher and it is getting to be a bit smelly. Have you any ideas how to clean it up, I have tried all of the shop bought products and nothing seems to work. Thanks V.B. Buncrana.
Reply
My brother lives on his own and he thinks his dishwasher is great. All of his plates, bowls, cups and cutlery are the same so he can use one set a day. And because he only microwaves food there are no pans to clean. This means that he only has to wash the dishes about once every three weeks. He feels that this method uses far less energy that conventional cooking and cleaning, and he might be right! Before I give you a recipe for de-smelling the machine though I would say that if this fails it might be the drains that smell, if this is the case you are on your own. I’ve seen what blocks drains and it isn’t very pleasant!
Baking soda
Pour 1 cup of Baking Soda into the dishwasher and run it through the rinse cycle. It will help get rid of some of the grime that collects on the inside of the machine, as well as freshen the smell of the dishwasher. This is to be done quite often so there isn’t a build up.
Baking Soda Detergent.
You can use baking soda to wash the pots too. Mix together 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Baking Soda with 2 Tablespoons of Borax. Please don’t moan at me if the glasses are left streaky. Another method that is said to work is to sprinkle baking soda on top of dirty dishes after they are loaded, but before they are washed. Make sure some of the baking soda is sprinkled in the bottom of the machine; this gets the process started when the wash cycle kicks in. The baking soda will serve as detergent during the first wash, leaving you to only add the detergent for the second wash. Again, please don’t moan if it doesn’t work, we have to try these things don’t we!
Household.
I have a dishwasher and it is getting to be a bit smelly. Have you any ideas how to clean it up, I have tried all of the shop bought products and nothing seems to work. Thanks V.B. Buncrana.
Reply
My brother lives on his own and he thinks his dishwasher is great. All of his plates, bowls, cups and cutlery are the same so he can use one set a day. And because he only microwaves food there are no pans to clean. This means that he only has to wash the dishes about once every three weeks. He feels that this method uses far less energy that conventional cooking and cleaning, and he might be right! Before I give you a recipe for de-smelling the machine though I would say that if this fails it might be the drains that smell, if this is the case you are on your own. I’ve seen what blocks drains and it isn’t very pleasant!
Baking soda
Pour 1 cup of Baking Soda into the dishwasher and run it through the rinse cycle. It will help get rid of some of the grime that collects on the inside of the machine, as well as freshen the smell of the dishwasher. This is to be done quite often so there isn’t a build up.
Baking Soda Detergent.
You can use baking soda to wash the pots too. Mix together 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Baking Soda with 2 Tablespoons of Borax. Please don’t moan at me if the glasses are left streaky. Another method that is said to work is to sprinkle baking soda on top of dirty dishes after they are loaded, but before they are washed. Make sure some of the baking soda is sprinkled in the bottom of the machine; this gets the process started when the wash cycle kicks in. The baking soda will serve as detergent during the first wash, leaving you to only add the detergent for the second wash. Again, please don’t moan if it doesn’t work, we have to try these things don’t we!
Household.
TOP TEA TIP
Before you put the used teabags on to the compost bin there is another use for them. They can help to reduce sweaty palms. If your hands start to drip when you are nervous then hold the wet tea bag in you hands for 10-15 minutes. The tannin in the tea (regular, not herbal) is an astringent, which has the ability to shrink the pores. If you are shaking hands with someone important, do it a few times over a week or so before the event. There could be a side effect though; your hands might get a bit stained. (Old tea bags have been used to create fake tans!)
TUMMY UPSETS
There are a million and one things that can set the old stomach into overtime. There could be something that your body just doesn’t like or it could be that food hasn’t been prepared in the correct way, and it could simply be a change of drinking water when you go visiting. Then of course there is dipping into the fridge to nibble on the Christmas leftovers when they should have been thrown to the dog a week and a half ago. Some one we know dipped into the fridge after a heavy night on the town a few years ago and came out eating raw bacon rashers for his supper! Thankfully he didn’t end up in casualty. He’s still not sure which upset his stomach more, the ten pints of beer or the raw meat. Whatever the reasons for the upset we have tried to come up with some simple solutions to the problem.
SOME NATURAL SOLUTIONS
We have tried to keep things safe, but do use these remedies with caution and test with a small amount first. As it says on medicine bottles, if the problem persists see a doctor,
For an upset tummy pour boiling water into a cup with 1 teaspoon full of either coriander seeds or caraway seeds. Soak for a few minutes then strain out the seeds and drink up!
Acid indigestion and heartburn
Mix together ½ teaspoon of baking soda with ½ glass of water. Drink every two hours until the problem goes away. Don’t take more than 8 doses throughout the day (4doses if you are over 60) the mixture is a bit yucky, so we are working on a way to freshen it up a bit.
Diarrhoea
This can be very uncomfortable and confine you to living within a few feet of the loo for a while. One remedy that is said to be effective is to use a ripe apple. Grate the apple and allow the pulp to stand at room temperature for a few hours until it goes brown (keep it covered or the flies will get it). The first reaction will be to throw it away, but this is when to eat it. The oxidized pectin that is produced is very similar to the ingredients of the diarrhoea remedies from the chemist. Again, you could try to make it more palatable when it comes to eat it.
Flatulence
To calm down an overactive tummy put two drops of peppermint oil into a half a glass of cool water. Mix and drink.
NATURES PENICILLIN
Of course it’s not all self-inflicted problems at this time of year. There are a lot of people with the sniffles. We have one very tasty idea (for some!) that will ease the symptoms of sore throats and help to combat a cough.
24 cloves of garlic
Raw honey.
Peel the garlic cloves and put them in a medium sized jar. Add the honey a little at a time over the period of a few days. Put the jar in a sunny window and leave until the garlic goes opaque and the honey tastes strongly of garlic. (We think this will take about three weeks) Take a teaspoon full every few hours when the coughing starts and the throat is sore.
Household.
SOME NATURAL SOLUTIONS
We have tried to keep things safe, but do use these remedies with caution and test with a small amount first. As it says on medicine bottles, if the problem persists see a doctor,
For an upset tummy pour boiling water into a cup with 1 teaspoon full of either coriander seeds or caraway seeds. Soak for a few minutes then strain out the seeds and drink up!
Acid indigestion and heartburn
Mix together ½ teaspoon of baking soda with ½ glass of water. Drink every two hours until the problem goes away. Don’t take more than 8 doses throughout the day (4doses if you are over 60) the mixture is a bit yucky, so we are working on a way to freshen it up a bit.
Diarrhoea
This can be very uncomfortable and confine you to living within a few feet of the loo for a while. One remedy that is said to be effective is to use a ripe apple. Grate the apple and allow the pulp to stand at room temperature for a few hours until it goes brown (keep it covered or the flies will get it). The first reaction will be to throw it away, but this is when to eat it. The oxidized pectin that is produced is very similar to the ingredients of the diarrhoea remedies from the chemist. Again, you could try to make it more palatable when it comes to eat it.
Flatulence
To calm down an overactive tummy put two drops of peppermint oil into a half a glass of cool water. Mix and drink.
NATURES PENICILLIN
Of course it’s not all self-inflicted problems at this time of year. There are a lot of people with the sniffles. We have one very tasty idea (for some!) that will ease the symptoms of sore throats and help to combat a cough.
24 cloves of garlic
Raw honey.
Peel the garlic cloves and put them in a medium sized jar. Add the honey a little at a time over the period of a few days. Put the jar in a sunny window and leave until the garlic goes opaque and the honey tastes strongly of garlic. (We think this will take about three weeks) Take a teaspoon full every few hours when the coughing starts and the throat is sore.
Household.
EPSOM SALTS
Photo: Glendalough Co Wicklow
Relaxing bath: For a relaxing and sedative bath soak in a warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom salts.
Verdict: The Epsom salts actually draws toxins out of the body. It also sedates the nervous system and relaxes the muscles. A long soak leaves you feeling refreshed. Try using ¼ cup of cider vinegar in the bath too this will leave your skin soft and silky.
It feels good but as with washing dishes we do miss the bubbles!
Homemade skin mask:
Apply the mask to dry skin. For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac (or drink it instead), 1 egg, 1/4 cup of non-fat dry milk, the juice of 1 lemon and half teaspoons full of Epsom salt. For normal to dry skin mix ¼ cup of grated carrot, 1½ teaspoons full of mayonnaise and half teaspoon full of Epsom salt.
Verdict:
We tried the latter mixture, which was easier to put together. We found the mix quite awkward to put on the face. We left it on for about ten minutes then washed it off. The skin did feel clean and refreshed, but it might still be a bit harsh on sensitive skin.
Some other uses for Epsom salt:
At one time Epsom salt was the most used medicine in certain countries. It has literally thousands of uses ranging from being a plant fertiliser to soothing arthritis. Here are a few of the more common uses.
Face cleaner:
To clean your face at night, mix ½ teaspoon full of Epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Massage into the skin and rinse with cold water.
Insect stings: Mix with a little water and apply to the sting to relieve the pain.
Sprains and bruises: Epsom salts will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Best to jump in the bath again.
Splinters: Soak in the salt solution and this draws the splinter out.
One for the kids: Dissolve 2 cups of Epsom salt in a little water then pour into a tray with a dark coloured card in the bottom. When the water has evaporated the salt will have crystallized leaving some very interesting shapes.
Environmental, Household.
WEDDING DRESS CARE
Wedding dresses and other formal dresses need special care and handling. Because I have just returned from a wedding where the bride was wearing a stunning dress with miles of flowing silky material. I thought it would be an idea to look into the right methods for preserving the dress.
Chances are that when you buy a wedding dress you would have chosen it at least six months before the wedding. This is usually the best thing to do, as it will probably need a few alterations. When you have chosen the dress get information on the cleaning requirements for the different materials that the dress is made from. Some of the trim and embellishments might not stand up to the dry cleaning after the wedding and might need to be removed. After the big day the dress really needs to be cleaned as soon as possible. This will remove any stains before they set. We looked for natural cleaning techniques that didn’t include chemicals but unfortunately drew a blank. For the sake of the dress we will have to rely on the dry cleaning companies. Ask friends and family for a referral to find the best company.
STORING THE WEDDING DRESS
Yellowing of material is very common with clothes in storage. Although there’s no way to completely guarantee the prevention of damage, there are things we can to reduce the risk.
The dress can be stored in a box after cleaning. The box must be able to breath to allow air to circulate to reduce the chance of mould forming.
If you hang the dress on a padded hanger attach straps to the waist to take the strain out of the shoulders. This stops the neckline getting distorted. If the dress is strapless there are specially adapted hangers available to put them on. The dress then needs to be covered in a white sheet or muslin fabric.
Use only acid free packaging materials the box and tissue paper that is put around the dress should not have any dyes in them. These can spread to the material. The tissue paper helps to soften the creases, which reduces the chance of the material breaking. If the dress has a bodice or other curved areas, then stuff this with tissue too.
Don’t use metal clips or safety pins these can rust with time.
Never store in plastic bags or boxes. These are petroleum based and give off chemicals that can discolour and destroy fabric. The material can go mouldy too.
The boxed or hung dress should be stored in a cool, dry place. It would help things if the temperature were constant as well. So don’t put it up in the attic!
Store all headpieces, veils, shoes and accessories separately from the dress.
Protect the dress from sunlight and artificial light. Both of these can discoloration and damage the fabric.
Check the dress occasionally if any stains appear then you can remove then before they cause any damage.
Chances are that when you buy a wedding dress you would have chosen it at least six months before the wedding. This is usually the best thing to do, as it will probably need a few alterations. When you have chosen the dress get information on the cleaning requirements for the different materials that the dress is made from. Some of the trim and embellishments might not stand up to the dry cleaning after the wedding and might need to be removed. After the big day the dress really needs to be cleaned as soon as possible. This will remove any stains before they set. We looked for natural cleaning techniques that didn’t include chemicals but unfortunately drew a blank. For the sake of the dress we will have to rely on the dry cleaning companies. Ask friends and family for a referral to find the best company.
STORING THE WEDDING DRESS
Yellowing of material is very common with clothes in storage. Although there’s no way to completely guarantee the prevention of damage, there are things we can to reduce the risk.
The dress can be stored in a box after cleaning. The box must be able to breath to allow air to circulate to reduce the chance of mould forming.
If you hang the dress on a padded hanger attach straps to the waist to take the strain out of the shoulders. This stops the neckline getting distorted. If the dress is strapless there are specially adapted hangers available to put them on. The dress then needs to be covered in a white sheet or muslin fabric.
Use only acid free packaging materials the box and tissue paper that is put around the dress should not have any dyes in them. These can spread to the material. The tissue paper helps to soften the creases, which reduces the chance of the material breaking. If the dress has a bodice or other curved areas, then stuff this with tissue too.
Don’t use metal clips or safety pins these can rust with time.
Never store in plastic bags or boxes. These are petroleum based and give off chemicals that can discolour and destroy fabric. The material can go mouldy too.
The boxed or hung dress should be stored in a cool, dry place. It would help things if the temperature were constant as well. So don’t put it up in the attic!
Store all headpieces, veils, shoes and accessories separately from the dress.
Protect the dress from sunlight and artificial light. Both of these can discoloration and damage the fabric.
Check the dress occasionally if any stains appear then you can remove then before they cause any damage.
BORAX
This week at Clean and Green we have been testing a product called Borax. We have been trying to get hold of this product for a number of weeks now, but have found it hard to find. This product was quite common a number of years ago but now seems to be out of favour. Locally, in the chemists we found no sign of the product. A keen user of natural cleaning products then informed us that Boots the chemist in Derry stocked boxes of Borax, so off we went into town. There we spoke to the chemist on duty who said that they no longer stocked it. After a bit of persistence, the chemist went to a drawer behind the counter, and found a small 100gram box (which cost us 64p). We were in business!
BORAX
Borax is found naturally in dry regions where water has evaporated to form dry lakes, very similar to the salt planes of America. The product itself was discovered some 4000 years ago and used in it’s natural state it is environmentally safe. It is usually seen as a white powder. This product claims to have a multitude of uses. It is a natural laundry booster, being used in the pre- wash soak. It is also a multipurpose cleaner, fungicide, preservative, insecticide, herbicide, disinfectant and desiccant. The powder can be mixed safely with other cleaners as well.
On the down side Borax, like any other cleaning product can be harmful if ingested. Just 15-20 grams could be fatal. Do Not use on the body as one of the reasons this product is such an effective cleaner is that it converts water molecules into hydrogen peroxide, more commonly known as bleach. So care is needed in the storage and use of this product. Don’t use around food and rinse off surfaces and clothing well.
Here are some of the results from our tests.
Mildew: Mix the powder into a paste using white vinegar. Rub well onto the mildew, leave for a minute or two and rinse off.
Verdict: We tested this on the tiles on the shower wall and it was very effective, as good as bleach.
Homemade scouring powder: Mix equal amounts of baking soda, Borax and salt. If you do keep any for further use, make sure that you label the container well.
We tackled the seal around the sink in the kitchen that is always difficult to keep clean.
Verdict: The muck and grime came off without much rubbing; the mixture is as effective as any bleach-based scourers that are on the market. If you were cleaning a surface that is prone to scratching, leave out the salt.
Multipurpose cleaner: 1 tsp of Borax, ½ tsp washing soda, 2tsp of vinegar or lemon juice, ½ tsp of liquid soap. Mix all these together with 2 cups of very hot water and put in a spray bottle. (As yet we haven’t tried this, or the next one, but they sounds good.)
Basic laundry detergent: Mix 1 cup of soap flakes with ½ cup of washing soda and ½ cup of Borax. If you find this powder difficult to get into the machine then mix in 2 tablespoons of glycerine and 2 cups of warm water, this can be easily poured into the machine.
We will test these shortly and let you know the results.
Although we endeavour to test all the ideas in this article, we ask you to practice with caution. Test on a small area first.
BORAX
Borax is found naturally in dry regions where water has evaporated to form dry lakes, very similar to the salt planes of America. The product itself was discovered some 4000 years ago and used in it’s natural state it is environmentally safe. It is usually seen as a white powder. This product claims to have a multitude of uses. It is a natural laundry booster, being used in the pre- wash soak. It is also a multipurpose cleaner, fungicide, preservative, insecticide, herbicide, disinfectant and desiccant. The powder can be mixed safely with other cleaners as well.
On the down side Borax, like any other cleaning product can be harmful if ingested. Just 15-20 grams could be fatal. Do Not use on the body as one of the reasons this product is such an effective cleaner is that it converts water molecules into hydrogen peroxide, more commonly known as bleach. So care is needed in the storage and use of this product. Don’t use around food and rinse off surfaces and clothing well.
Here are some of the results from our tests.
Mildew: Mix the powder into a paste using white vinegar. Rub well onto the mildew, leave for a minute or two and rinse off.
Verdict: We tested this on the tiles on the shower wall and it was very effective, as good as bleach.
Homemade scouring powder: Mix equal amounts of baking soda, Borax and salt. If you do keep any for further use, make sure that you label the container well.
We tackled the seal around the sink in the kitchen that is always difficult to keep clean.
Verdict: The muck and grime came off without much rubbing; the mixture is as effective as any bleach-based scourers that are on the market. If you were cleaning a surface that is prone to scratching, leave out the salt.
Multipurpose cleaner: 1 tsp of Borax, ½ tsp washing soda, 2tsp of vinegar or lemon juice, ½ tsp of liquid soap. Mix all these together with 2 cups of very hot water and put in a spray bottle. (As yet we haven’t tried this, or the next one, but they sounds good.)
Basic laundry detergent: Mix 1 cup of soap flakes with ½ cup of washing soda and ½ cup of Borax. If you find this powder difficult to get into the machine then mix in 2 tablespoons of glycerine and 2 cups of warm water, this can be easily poured into the machine.
We will test these shortly and let you know the results.
Although we endeavour to test all the ideas in this article, we ask you to practice with caution. Test on a small area first.
Please keep all types of cleaning products well away from children.
Household.
Household.
MICROWAVE TEST
Ian
A friend of mine has told me of a way to test microwave ovens for leaks. Put a mobile phone into the oven. Using another phone dial the number. If your phone in the microwave rings, this means that if waves can get in these most certainly can get out! Unplug the microwave first as it has been known to fry your phone by accident!
Reply.
This is proving to be a very amusing pastime. I have tried this out on a few machines and all but one looks as though it leaks. I have been told by a couple of manufacturers that a bit of leakage is acceptable and is no more dangerous than the waves that come from mobile phones or even your normal cooker. Erm…….. That’s all right then is it?
Environmental.
A friend of mine has told me of a way to test microwave ovens for leaks. Put a mobile phone into the oven. Using another phone dial the number. If your phone in the microwave rings, this means that if waves can get in these most certainly can get out! Unplug the microwave first as it has been known to fry your phone by accident!
Reply.
This is proving to be a very amusing pastime. I have tried this out on a few machines and all but one looks as though it leaks. I have been told by a couple of manufacturers that a bit of leakage is acceptable and is no more dangerous than the waves that come from mobile phones or even your normal cooker. Erm…….. That’s all right then is it?
Environmental.
YURTS
Ian
The Inishowen Summer Gathering advertises that they will be using yurts as display tents. What are they and where did they come from? Thanks DF by e- mail
Yurts: A History
The first yurts have been traced back to the time of Genghis Khan. Marco Polo, observing the nomadic people of Mongolia, noticed their sturdy, exactly-round tents made of rods, covered with felt, which they carried with them on carts. Yurts (or gers, as they are called in Asia) are still used today throughout parts of Russia, Mongolia and Siberia.
The traditional yurt walls were made of slats lashed together with leather thongs to form a collapsible trellis or lattice, just like the ones that hold up your roses in the garden. Covers for yurts in Mongolia were constructed of sheepskin fleece, which was beaten soft by rolling and kicking. In cold climates, up to six layers were used for insulation.
Yurts have been used in some of the most inhospitable and barren regions of the world: the deserts of the Sahara and Gobi, the Central Asian steppe, and the polar tundra’s. Yurts can be warm in temperatures of minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit and cool in temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. They can be very luxurious inside as well. In Ireland they are mainly used by people who want to live an alternative lifestyle away from the restrictions of permanent houses. The coverings are usually made from ex army waterproof materials. They are very versatile and can withstand all of our wet and windy weather. The yurt is best supported off the ground on a round wooden platform. This will stop water getting in. These structures prove to be ideal as features at outdoor festivals.
The Inishowen Summer Gathering advertises that they will be using yurts as display tents. What are they and where did they come from? Thanks DF by e- mail
Yurts: A History
The first yurts have been traced back to the time of Genghis Khan. Marco Polo, observing the nomadic people of Mongolia, noticed their sturdy, exactly-round tents made of rods, covered with felt, which they carried with them on carts. Yurts (or gers, as they are called in Asia) are still used today throughout parts of Russia, Mongolia and Siberia.
The traditional yurt walls were made of slats lashed together with leather thongs to form a collapsible trellis or lattice, just like the ones that hold up your roses in the garden. Covers for yurts in Mongolia were constructed of sheepskin fleece, which was beaten soft by rolling and kicking. In cold climates, up to six layers were used for insulation.
Yurts have been used in some of the most inhospitable and barren regions of the world: the deserts of the Sahara and Gobi, the Central Asian steppe, and the polar tundra’s. Yurts can be warm in temperatures of minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit and cool in temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. They can be very luxurious inside as well. In Ireland they are mainly used by people who want to live an alternative lifestyle away from the restrictions of permanent houses. The coverings are usually made from ex army waterproof materials. They are very versatile and can withstand all of our wet and windy weather. The yurt is best supported off the ground on a round wooden platform. This will stop water getting in. These structures prove to be ideal as features at outdoor festivals.
Environmental.
CARPET CLEANING
At Clean and Green this week we have been experimenting with vinegar yet again and one of the things we tested it on was stain removal from carpets. Here’s one of the results hot off the press. We’re in the early stages at the moment so we’ll let you know when we have other information. One thing that we have found is that carpet dyes are probably the dyes most likely to run when they are wet so proceed with caution.
General carpet cleaning.
The test we did was on a cheap synthetic carpet, which was a plain blue colour. The 50/50 spray solution of vinegar and water was sprayed on to the carpet and left for a while. A clean cloth was then used to fetch off the dirt.
Verdict: This method did work very well on the synthetic carpet. We don’t think it would be worth risking on a good quality, natural fibre carpet. We do recommend this mixture as an ideal spot remover on the carpets though.
Other carpet problems.
Burns:
On a wool carpet, rub the burn immediately with a slice of potato; this takes the singe out of the carpet pile. The brown tips that are left on the edge of the threads will sometimes wash out. If they don’t, they could be trimmed with nail scissors, if the burn is small enough.
Verdict:
The carpet we tested this on was a plain carpet, the burn was small but the cleaned and trimmed area was still noticeable when the experiment finished, we think that if the carpet had a pattern it would have been invisible. If you burn a large area it would be a better idea to cut out the section and fit a spare piece of matching carpet in it’s place.
When you buy a new carpet, try not to vacuum it for a few weeks to give the pile chance to bed down.
If you have dents in your carpet that have been made from chair legs or any heavy furniture, put an ice cube on the dent and leave it to melt. Or leave a large tablespoon of water on the place. On wool carpets this makes the pile spring up like new, on acrylics it isn’t always as successful.
TOP TIP
If you accidentally break a glass in the kitchen, sweep the large pieces away with a dustpan and brush then get out a slice of bread. Move the bread gently across the floor and it will pick up the small pieces for you, when you have done this just throw the bread away. This idea stops the possibility of cutting yourself trying to wring a cloth out.
Household.
General carpet cleaning.
The test we did was on a cheap synthetic carpet, which was a plain blue colour. The 50/50 spray solution of vinegar and water was sprayed on to the carpet and left for a while. A clean cloth was then used to fetch off the dirt.
Verdict: This method did work very well on the synthetic carpet. We don’t think it would be worth risking on a good quality, natural fibre carpet. We do recommend this mixture as an ideal spot remover on the carpets though.
Other carpet problems.
Burns:
On a wool carpet, rub the burn immediately with a slice of potato; this takes the singe out of the carpet pile. The brown tips that are left on the edge of the threads will sometimes wash out. If they don’t, they could be trimmed with nail scissors, if the burn is small enough.
Verdict:
The carpet we tested this on was a plain carpet, the burn was small but the cleaned and trimmed area was still noticeable when the experiment finished, we think that if the carpet had a pattern it would have been invisible. If you burn a large area it would be a better idea to cut out the section and fit a spare piece of matching carpet in it’s place.
When you buy a new carpet, try not to vacuum it for a few weeks to give the pile chance to bed down.
If you have dents in your carpet that have been made from chair legs or any heavy furniture, put an ice cube on the dent and leave it to melt. Or leave a large tablespoon of water on the place. On wool carpets this makes the pile spring up like new, on acrylics it isn’t always as successful.
We are doing another test with vinegar. We are substituting it in place of fabric conditioner for getting the static out of man (or more correctly, person) made carpets. The fabric conditioner is mixed with water and then sprayed onto the carpet, and allowed to dry. This stopped fluff being attracted to the carpet and kept it cleaner for longer. So far the results with the vinegar have been very promising.
Check out the Green E-Book for more natural cleaning ideas
Check out the Green E-Book for more natural cleaning ideasTOP TIP
If you accidentally break a glass in the kitchen, sweep the large pieces away with a dustpan and brush then get out a slice of bread. Move the bread gently across the floor and it will pick up the small pieces for you, when you have done this just throw the bread away. This idea stops the possibility of cutting yourself trying to wring a cloth out.
Household.
CONCRETE OR WOOD?
I have noticed recently that there seems to be a bit of a battle going on between two different building methods. The tried and trusted method of erecting houses with concrete is being challenged by the new(?) idea of wooden framed structures. The most noticeable sign is the “Concrete built is better built” writing on the front of cement lorries. Houses are getting better all of the time, especially when you compare them to the prefabricated houses of the 1940’s. After World War two there was a desperate housing shortage. Homes had to be built and fast.
PREFABRICATED HOUSING
Prefabricated housing was documented as far back as the seventeen hundreds when homes were shipped over to America from England. More recently the idea was used in 1945. Prefabs were originally built as temporary "homes for heroes" to ease the housing shortage after the Second World War and were meant to last only ten years. The English Government's "Temporary Housing Programme" called for 500,000 homes, each to have two bedrooms, a bathroom, separate lavatory, kitchen with a fridge (because there was no pantry) and a living room. This sounds basic by today's standards, but 50 years ago a prefab provided a vast improvement in living standards for couples that had been waiting for years on a council housing list, living in rented rooms or squashed in with in-laws.
Because of a shortage of traditional building materials, the Ministry of Works allowed prefabs to be built from anything available. At least eight different designs were accepted, with names such as Arcon, Phoenix, Tarran, Uniseco and Universal. Some were built entirely of aluminium, but most used a form of corrugated asbestos-cement sheeting bolted to a steel and timber frame. Former aircraft factories turned to making walls and partitions, and obsolete joinery factories were re-opened for other parts. Each prefab was made up of about 2,000 components, which were assembled on site.
The prefabricated panels were a sandwich with a wood-wool filling between sheets of corrugated asbestos-cement. The houses took eight unskilled men eight days to assemble. It sounds crude, but the construction industry learnt a lot about innovation and planning. Each prefab should have cost about €800, the average was €1,800. Some historians have questioned whether the exercise was worthwhile, but at the time there was little alternative. There was no time to set up brick or concrete factories.
By the time the temporary homes programme ended in 1951, 156,000 prefabs had been built. They included innovative designs such as hot-air shafts that radiated heat from the open coke fire to other parts of the house. There was a big problem, however: at the time the homes were cold in winter and baking hot in summer, and condensation turned clothes green with mildew, much the same as living in a mobile caravan. There are a few prefabricated homes near the university in Derry that have been modified to today’s standards and look very attractive. Most prefabs were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s though like the pre-fabs on the shore front in Buncrana.
CONCRETE OR WOOD?
Both industries have selling points. The argument for concrete strengthens when the topic of large structures is mentioned. Bridges and large office buildings rely on re-enforced concrete to do the supporting, a job that wood would be pushed to do. Some projects in developing countries rely on lime free concrete to make their houses. This saves the trees being cut around them, which protects their ecology.
The concrete industry defends itself again with the claim that their product is recyclable. It can be crushed down to a smaller size, granted, but the energy used to do this would be phenomenal, especially if it was re-enforced with steel. The concrete industry manufactures on site and distribute to about a forty-mile radius, which keeps the fuel use down to a minimum after the mixing process.
The timber industry has to defend itself too. Because of Irelands lack of forestry there is a necessity to import a majority of the wood that is needed for the projects, using gallons of fuel in the process. Countries with wet and harsh climates, like Scotland, Scandinavia, and now Ireland, are increasingly choosing timberframe at the preferred method of building new homes and the manufacturers claim these points in their favour:
Speed of construction saves money on the build.
Accurate, straight walls keeps the draughts out.
No drying-out time move in quicker.
Environmentally friendly, erm.. Not entirely yet, until Ireland starts growing more wood!
Approximately 40% heat savings due to better insulation. Thankfully not asbestos any more! The best is wool or hemp.Flexibility for future alterations you can extend at your leisure without messy concrete walls to get rid of.
PREFABRICATED HOUSING
Prefabricated housing was documented as far back as the seventeen hundreds when homes were shipped over to America from England. More recently the idea was used in 1945. Prefabs were originally built as temporary "homes for heroes" to ease the housing shortage after the Second World War and were meant to last only ten years. The English Government's "Temporary Housing Programme" called for 500,000 homes, each to have two bedrooms, a bathroom, separate lavatory, kitchen with a fridge (because there was no pantry) and a living room. This sounds basic by today's standards, but 50 years ago a prefab provided a vast improvement in living standards for couples that had been waiting for years on a council housing list, living in rented rooms or squashed in with in-laws.
Because of a shortage of traditional building materials, the Ministry of Works allowed prefabs to be built from anything available. At least eight different designs were accepted, with names such as Arcon, Phoenix, Tarran, Uniseco and Universal. Some were built entirely of aluminium, but most used a form of corrugated asbestos-cement sheeting bolted to a steel and timber frame. Former aircraft factories turned to making walls and partitions, and obsolete joinery factories were re-opened for other parts. Each prefab was made up of about 2,000 components, which were assembled on site.
The prefabricated panels were a sandwich with a wood-wool filling between sheets of corrugated asbestos-cement. The houses took eight unskilled men eight days to assemble. It sounds crude, but the construction industry learnt a lot about innovation and planning. Each prefab should have cost about €800, the average was €1,800. Some historians have questioned whether the exercise was worthwhile, but at the time there was little alternative. There was no time to set up brick or concrete factories.
By the time the temporary homes programme ended in 1951, 156,000 prefabs had been built. They included innovative designs such as hot-air shafts that radiated heat from the open coke fire to other parts of the house. There was a big problem, however: at the time the homes were cold in winter and baking hot in summer, and condensation turned clothes green with mildew, much the same as living in a mobile caravan. There are a few prefabricated homes near the university in Derry that have been modified to today’s standards and look very attractive. Most prefabs were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s though like the pre-fabs on the shore front in Buncrana.
CONCRETE OR WOOD?
Both industries have selling points. The argument for concrete strengthens when the topic of large structures is mentioned. Bridges and large office buildings rely on re-enforced concrete to do the supporting, a job that wood would be pushed to do. Some projects in developing countries rely on lime free concrete to make their houses. This saves the trees being cut around them, which protects their ecology.
The concrete industry defends itself again with the claim that their product is recyclable. It can be crushed down to a smaller size, granted, but the energy used to do this would be phenomenal, especially if it was re-enforced with steel. The concrete industry manufactures on site and distribute to about a forty-mile radius, which keeps the fuel use down to a minimum after the mixing process.
The timber industry has to defend itself too. Because of Irelands lack of forestry there is a necessity to import a majority of the wood that is needed for the projects, using gallons of fuel in the process. Countries with wet and harsh climates, like Scotland, Scandinavia, and now Ireland, are increasingly choosing timberframe at the preferred method of building new homes and the manufacturers claim these points in their favour:
Speed of construction saves money on the build.
Accurate, straight walls keeps the draughts out.
No drying-out time move in quicker.
Environmentally friendly, erm.. Not entirely yet, until Ireland starts growing more wood!
Approximately 40% heat savings due to better insulation. Thankfully not asbestos any more! The best is wool or hemp.Flexibility for future alterations you can extend at your leisure without messy concrete walls to get rid of.
BIG IS BEST ?
The last point mentioned above is one of the burning issues in house building….. making houses bigger. The amount of energy that goes into a house is nothing compared to the energy that is used to light and heat it over its lifetime. With the passion now for houses to be built as large as possible for the money available, which could mean the house uses far more energy than a more modest building. The emphasis needs be put on insulation and energy saving as well on initial building costs. Timber frame companies are doing well as they use environmental information as a very effective marketing tool. Concrete companies as yet seem to have the last word as timber frame houses are usually externally reinforced with concrete blocks. Expect the battle to continue!
Environmental.
The last point mentioned above is one of the burning issues in house building….. making houses bigger. The amount of energy that goes into a house is nothing compared to the energy that is used to light and heat it over its lifetime. With the passion now for houses to be built as large as possible for the money available, which could mean the house uses far more energy than a more modest building. The emphasis needs be put on insulation and energy saving as well on initial building costs. Timber frame companies are doing well as they use environmental information as a very effective marketing tool. Concrete companies as yet seem to have the last word as timber frame houses are usually externally reinforced with concrete blocks. Expect the battle to continue!
Environmental.
DAYDREAMING
Daydreaming has had a bad reputation for a long time now. I remember always being told off at school (and at some places of work too) for forever having my head in the clouds. Thankfully now, scientific research has revealed that daydreaming may actually improve your mental health and, creativity. It can even help you achieve your desired goals.
The report says that daydreaming is a good means of relaxation and I couldn’t agree more. But its benefits go beyond this. A number of psychologists have conducted experiments and have reached some surprising conclusions. One person concluded that daydreaming contributes to intellectual growth. It also improves concentration, attention span, and the ability to get along with others. In an experiment with school children, this same researcher found that daydreaming led the children to pay more attention to detail. They had more happy feelings and they worked together better. Another researcher reported that daydreaming seemed to produce improved self-control and creative abilities.
The report doesn’t end there either. The boffin’s claim that the way we picture ourselves is the way we turn out. Dr Maxwell, one of the scientists said. “Hold a picture of yourself in your mind’s eye, and you will be drawn toward it. Picture yourself vividly as defeated, and that alone will make victory impossible. Picture yourself as winning, and that will contribute immeasurably to success -Do not picture yourself as anything, and you will drift”. “Your nervous system cannot tell the difference between an imagined experience and a real experience. In either case it reacts automatically to information that you give it... It reacts appropriately to what you think or imagine being true”. Dr Maxwell believes that purposeful daydreaming builds new “memories” in the brain. These positive memories improve a person's self-image. And self-image has an important effect on a person's actions and accomplishments. So next time your teacher or boss tells you off for looking out of the window, tell them you are doing something very,very important!
Environmental.
FILL THE SHELF
Ian
What does it mean when meat products on supermarket shelves claim to be 100% meat yet contain fillers such as in sausages? Thanks. B.D. by e-mail
Reply
The labels could also read: “contains herbs, preservative and colour” so, quite obviously, it must be less than 100% meat. There are two trains of thought with the ingredients in processed foods. Say you have 5 kg of raw meat, but after cooking it, its weight has dropped to 4 kg. The law allows you to make up that other kg with cheap filler. You now have 5 kg of the mixture and, because it weighs the same as the original meat, you can call it 100% meat!
The other explanation is that the labels do not mean that the whole product is 100% meat, merely that the meat that is in it is 100% meat. Both theories are misleading whichever one you want to believe. We the consumers should look carefully at labels on food. Take the added water content in ham for example. The pack could say, “No more than 20% added water. The ham could contain up to 30% natural water in the first place. Therefore you would be buying a product with 50% water content!
What does it mean when meat products on supermarket shelves claim to be 100% meat yet contain fillers such as in sausages? Thanks. B.D. by e-mail
Reply
The labels could also read: “contains herbs, preservative and colour” so, quite obviously, it must be less than 100% meat. There are two trains of thought with the ingredients in processed foods. Say you have 5 kg of raw meat, but after cooking it, its weight has dropped to 4 kg. The law allows you to make up that other kg with cheap filler. You now have 5 kg of the mixture and, because it weighs the same as the original meat, you can call it 100% meat!
The other explanation is that the labels do not mean that the whole product is 100% meat, merely that the meat that is in it is 100% meat. Both theories are misleading whichever one you want to believe. We the consumers should look carefully at labels on food. Take the added water content in ham for example. The pack could say, “No more than 20% added water. The ham could contain up to 30% natural water in the first place. Therefore you would be buying a product with 50% water content!
Environmental.
GM FOODS
(Click on title for Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) link)
The controversy over Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) was re-ignited recently with the news that field trials might begin soon. BASF, the world's largest chemical and biotechnology company, have submitted an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for permission to conduct open-air experimental field trials of genetically modified potatoes in Co Meath. BASF says the potatoes may provide greater resistance to late potato blight. The memory of the Great Famine of the 1840s still resonates in most people’s consciousness and potato blight is an emotive issue, so it is no surprise that the biotech industry have allegedly chosen a potentially blight-resistant potato as a strategic spearhead to introduce GMO crops into Ireland. Green Party leader Trevor Sargent claimed the Irish potato industry would be damaged at news that GM crops were being grown. Submissions objecting to the trials included farmers, organic farmers' groups, local residents, the Irish Doctors Environmental Association (IDEA) and GM-Free Ireland. The Irish Wildlife Trust said it was the EPA's responsibility to examine the “growing body of damning evidence” on GM crops. The EPA will review the submissions before a decision near the end of April.Most GMO crops are intended to be immune to weedkillers or to produce their own pesticides. But many do not perform as expected, and end up requiring more chemicals, which in turn produce “superweeds”. The GMO potatos would have to carry a GM label, and there is no market for GM foods in Europe. The 30 largest food brands and 30 largest retailers have a GM-free policy. Moreover, the majority of EU governments, and many local authorities prohibit the cultivation of GM crops. The most extraordinary thing about GMO crops is that they are patented. Under the WTO's trade-related intellectual property rights agreement, farmers whose crops have been contaminated - often by wind-borne pollen or seed dispersal from a neighbour's farm - no longer own their crops. One large multinational is currently pursuing 9,000 farmers for patent infringement in the USA and Canada. The Irish Cattle and Sheepfarmer’s Association is one of 80 farm and food organisations that are opposed to the proposed trials on the basis they would destroy this country's economically valuable clean green marketing image as “Ireland - The Food Island”. More blight-resistant potatoes are a desirable trait. But natural blight-resistant varieties are already available to Irish farmers, and non-GMO breeding techniques provide the only safe way to increase resistance. Thousands of contamination incidents around the world show that GMO crops cannot possibly “co-exist” with conventional and organic farming. We've come to a fork in the road, and the time has come to choose what kind of farming future is best for Ireland.
Environmental.
Environmental.
CAROB
WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD
Look in any health shop and you will find carob coated bars and sweets. Carob is a chocolate substitute and is made from the carob beans. These are the long pods of the tree called Ceratonia siliqua. The pods are used as animal feed and they are also eaten raw as a sweet in other countries. The hard pods are black and the sweet flesh contains husks with round brown seeds. These are so evenly sized that they were used as a measure of weight for precious stones and gold. They were the original carats, each weighing 200 milligrams. Who would have thought going in to a shop to buy a sweetie bar would be so educational!
Horticultural.
Look in any health shop and you will find carob coated bars and sweets. Carob is a chocolate substitute and is made from the carob beans. These are the long pods of the tree called Ceratonia siliqua. The pods are used as animal feed and they are also eaten raw as a sweet in other countries. The hard pods are black and the sweet flesh contains husks with round brown seeds. These are so evenly sized that they were used as a measure of weight for precious stones and gold. They were the original carats, each weighing 200 milligrams. Who would have thought going in to a shop to buy a sweetie bar would be so educational!
Horticultural.
PLANTING BY A MARGIN
Photo: Hosta plants do well on the edges of ponds.Could you suggest some plants that I can put around my pond? When it was built the pond liner wasn’t hidden totally and it takes away from the look of the thing. They have to be easy to look after, as I don’t have much time for gardening. Thanks. JJ Carn.
Reply
If the pond has a ledge for marginal plants around the perimeter then add more planting baskets along the side. You could try aquatic irises, these are easily kept. Try the tall red lobelias and interplant with some golden sedge. When you plant around the edge of the pond, pick plants that look at home in a wet area, even if they are happy in regular soil. Hostas are a favourite and will do well. Bergenia will be effective as the rhizomes will grow over the edge and the plant will spread nicely. It also has the advantage of being evergreen. Consider low growing trees too, these can hang down and cover the liner. As well as Japanese maples, try small willows such as the weeping form of the purple osier, Salix purpurea “Pendula”
Horticultural.
BLANKETWEED
Ian
Blanketweed has taken over my pond. It’s worse in the summer but even now it’s still clogging everything up. The oxygenating plants are being killed off as well. As it is a wildlife pond I do not want to put chemicals into the water. Have you any ideas. NH by e-mail
Reply
The easiest and probably the most effective method of removing this fast growing nuisance is to use a stick. It lifts up quite easily, so pick up as much as possible and repeat regularly to slow down the plants ability to cover the whole surface of the pond. Leave the weed on the side of the pond overnight to give creatures that live in the water to crawl back in before adding it straight into the compost heap. If you don’t have a compost heap then put the weed under a plant for effective mulch.
Horticultural.
Blanketweed has taken over my pond. It’s worse in the summer but even now it’s still clogging everything up. The oxygenating plants are being killed off as well. As it is a wildlife pond I do not want to put chemicals into the water. Have you any ideas. NH by e-mail
Reply
The easiest and probably the most effective method of removing this fast growing nuisance is to use a stick. It lifts up quite easily, so pick up as much as possible and repeat regularly to slow down the plants ability to cover the whole surface of the pond. Leave the weed on the side of the pond overnight to give creatures that live in the water to crawl back in before adding it straight into the compost heap. If you don’t have a compost heap then put the weed under a plant for effective mulch.
Horticultural.
BROCCOLI AND KALE
We are benefiting from the broccoli in the garden at the moment. Come to think of it we have been harvesting the plants since the middle of summer as some of them decided to flower early. Broccoli is a popular vegetable and is very productive. Practically all of the broccoli can be used, it's a real multiple-use crop. Peeled and chopped stems are excellent stir-fried, and the leaves make tasty cooked greens. The plants are packed with vitamins, especially vitamin A. I find broccoli one of the easiest vegetables to feed to children. Close on its heels though is kale. We grew two kinds and these are coming close to flowering about now. In the shops we tend to get the old leaves but if you grow the plant for yourself you can benefit by picking the small flower heads that look nearly identical to broccoli. The young shoots are so tasty that you can even use them in salads. Kale's attractive greenery packs over ten times the vitamin A as the same amount of iceberg lettuce and has more vitamin C per weight than orange juice. The plant provides more calcium than equivalent amounts of cow's milk. It can be grown in any well fed garden with very little effort, it even seems to thrive on neglect. Like most members of the brassica family, kale is descended from sea cabbage. This is why the leaves are waxy to conserve moisture. It's a biennial, storing food the first year to help it produce the next year's seeds (that's why those first-year leaves are so nutritious). And it's quite frost-hardy, lasting through winter in many locations-even under snow. Broccoli and kale both achieve their best flavours after the frost, so I would say that now is a great time to get harvesting!
BAY TREE BOTHER
Hello.
Many leaves on my three-year-old bay tree have been turning first yellow, and then developing brown spots and patches. The new growth is green but does not stay green for long. The soil is quite heavy and waterlogged, especially over winter. I have dug it over and added some plant food - will this help? Can you tell me what the problem is? W.N. by e-mail
Reply.
This problem does sound a bit like you have a winter waterlogging problem, which will have killed off some of the roots resulting in the miserable appearance of the foliage. Feeding is unlikely to help unless you give it a foliar spray – that is to apply the feed through the leaves where it can bypass the damaged roots. Feeding in this way will also help to stimulate the production of more roots. If there is any risk of the plant becoming waterlogged again, I suggest you replant it in a new position. Bay trees seem to be able to withstand being moved but make sure you dig up a good-sized root ball.
Horticultural.
Many leaves on my three-year-old bay tree have been turning first yellow, and then developing brown spots and patches. The new growth is green but does not stay green for long. The soil is quite heavy and waterlogged, especially over winter. I have dug it over and added some plant food - will this help? Can you tell me what the problem is? W.N. by e-mail
Reply.
This problem does sound a bit like you have a winter waterlogging problem, which will have killed off some of the roots resulting in the miserable appearance of the foliage. Feeding is unlikely to help unless you give it a foliar spray – that is to apply the feed through the leaves where it can bypass the damaged roots. Feeding in this way will also help to stimulate the production of more roots. If there is any risk of the plant becoming waterlogged again, I suggest you replant it in a new position. Bay trees seem to be able to withstand being moved but make sure you dig up a good-sized root ball.
Horticultural.
CONIFER CONCERNS
Ian.
I have several displays of dwarf conifers set in a gravel bed, which were planted six months ago. All are thriving apart from two, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana `Golden Pot` and `Ellwood`s Gold`, which have both turned brown and have crumbling leaves. Is there anything I can do to revive them, or should I dig them up and start again? Thanks GV from Newtown.
Reply.
There could be several explanations for your damaged conifers. Browning desiccated foliage can be caused by windburn if the trees are on the windy side of your display. The ground could be too wet. Conifers like relatively dry soil as they get some of their moisture from absorbing it through their leaves, unlike most trees. After saying that the trees do not like the soil to be too dry either. After a year or two they can stand a drought but after six months they will still be very vulnerable. If only the two are affected and the others are fine this may not be the cause though. Spraying tomcats can damage foliage. They are particularly attracted to some conifers and box because of their odd scent. Unfortunately, whatever the cause, the damaged trees are unlikely to recover, as the regrowth rate for those conifers is poor. If the other trees in the vicinity are doing well we can assume that there is no virus or nasty fungi in the soil. I would dig out the damaged ones and replace them with new stock, perhaps of a different type. Some garden centres give a guarantee now with their plants. If you shopped from one of these places they will give you ones more suited to your plot. If they do not give an assurance then you will need to put your hands into your pocket and spend a bit more money!
Horticultural.
COCONUT PALM
I was a bit optimistic with the weather this year. My lad had grown a very sturdy cheese plant on the stairs and it was just about reaching six feet tall. In my naivety, I thought that it would like a stint outside to get some fresh air and sunshine. Things didn’t quite go to plan though as the plant just withered away overnight. I thought that the weather would be warm enough but it seemed as though the wind got the better of it. In hindsight I should have brought it in when the light went and put it outside again in the morning. To compensate for my error of judgement I gave my lad the choice of any plant in the garden centre. He came away with a very attractive plant called a Cocos nucifera or coconut palm as it is more commonly known. This plant is very fast growing and is already about five feet tall. This plant is best grown indoors as it is even more delicate than the cheese plant. If you have one of these plants then look out for a few common problems. Spider mite can be a nuisance. This can cause the appearance of scorching, so look on the undersides of the leaves with a magnifying glass to check. If they are the culprits, use a relevant organic pesticide to treat it. The other problems lie in providing constantly warm, humid temperatures. It might do well in a large bathroom that has a hot press to keep it warm in winter. I do not know anyone who has kept this type of plant for more that a year or two so it might be another trip to the garden centre to get another plant to replace it when it shrivels up!
Horticultural.
Horticultural.
GROWING BONSAI
My two lads are getting great satisfaction hurling large objects such as tree branches and half building bricks at chestnut trees. They’re at that age where they are learning quickly about gravity and I have to make sure that they don’t stand directly underneath the missiles when they come hurtling back down to earth. They might have grasped the idea of gravity but they are still working on the concept of patience. I try to tell them that the conkers will fall in their own good time, however as they rightly point out, when that happens, chances are they won’t be there and someone else will invariably pocket the lot. I’m looking round for shoelaces now to thread the chestnuts and teach the lads about the joys of conkers.
There are a lot of seeds and berries around at the moment. If you fancy collecting some acorns and chestnuts to grow your own trees then now is a good time before the squirrels eat them all. Push them into soil in small pots and put them in an out of the way place making sure that they don’t dry out. They should be germinated for next year.
The thought of growing trees this way has reminded me of the first time that I attempted to grow a Bonsai tree.
BONSAI TREES
Bonsai, or “Small tree” as it translates is a plant that is grown and styled over time to look like a tree or shrub in nature but is grown in a miniature form usually in a shallow plant pot. With some genuine bonsai trees it might take ten to twenty years to create a mature specimen. In some cultures the trees are passed down through the generations of the family, they are as precious as a family pet would be.
HOW TO MAKE A BONSAI TREE
You can buy an already trained specimen, which can cost anywhere between 15 euro to 5000 euro depending on how much money you are prepared to part with, or you can create your own with just a few bits of equipment.
Use a small shrub such as a box (Buxus) or juniper for training; these have a few branches on them already with very small leaves. Pick ones growing in one or two litre pots.
Cut off the bottom branches and trim back the branches by about a third. Cut off about two thirds of the root system (the restricted root system is the secret of the plant staying small), and put it into a small shallow dish with a large drainage hole in it. Use a good quality potting compost.
Wrap thin copper wire around the trunk of the tree to shape it then do the same for the branches, don’t wrap the wire too tightly though as this will stop the sap from passing through the stems.
When you have a basic shape that looks triangular put it in a shaded spot for a week or two to let it get established.
CARE AND FEEDING OF BONSAI
Although some people think of bonsai as houseplants, they’re true outdoor plants, with the same requirements as a full sized tree or shrub; they all need sunshine, good air circulation, regular watering and fertilizer. Because they are grown in small containers, however they should be protected from extreme cold or drying winds-this is the main reason that bonsai are over wintered in unheated garages or sheds.
Follow these other steps and you should have success with your bonsai.
Water routinely, never allowing the soil to dry out.
Feed the plants regularly with a balanced, slow release fertilizer.
Control pests and disease as you would with the full sized plants of the same size.
The plants may need repotting every couple of years, trim back the roots slightly when they are repotted, only put them in a larger pot when they become unstable and fall over.
Horticultural.
FERTILISERS
Photo: Senettia respond well to organic feeding.The world of fertilisers can be a bit of a daunting one as there are so many different types to choose from, both natural and chemical. Like a lot of work in the garden, a bit of trial and error will be needed until the balance is right.
NOT TOO MUCH
Many gardeners apply fertiliser routinely rather than when the plants in their garden actually need it. This leads to a build-up of excess nutrients in the soil that are eventually washed out by the winter rains, causing pollution to groundwater and rivers. This is especially the case with inorganic or 'chemical' fertilisers, which is why it can be better to use organic feeds such as comfrey juice or well-rotted manure, where the risk to the environment is very much reduced. If you do apply chemical fertiliser routinely, do so only to those areas of the garden where demand for nutrients is high, such as the heavily cropped fruit and vegetable areas, flower beds and borders and plants that are cut back a lot, such as the lawn, rose beds or alongside a trimmed hedge. The amount you apply should also depend on the fertility of your soil. Sometimes isolated plants or whole areas of the garden can show symptoms of deficiency, especially on light sandy soils, and these need to be treated on a case-by-case basis.
A NEED TO FEED
Plants need a balanced diet of essential nutrients to grow well. There are three main plant nutrients - nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Alan Titchmarsh used a simple method to remember what N P and K is used for. He thinks of these as a three-course meal: phosphorus is the starter, promoting root growth and general health; nitrogen, the main course, that's mainly needed for leafy growth; and potassium, the pudding, encouraging fruit and flower production. As a side dish, plants also need calcium, magnesium, and sulphur in smaller amounts as well a range other nutrients. The other nutrients Alan looks to as the vitamins, which the plants need in tiny quantities. These include iron, copper and manganese. Nutrients such as these are known as trace elements. Most soils contain all these essential nutrients.
IDENTYFYING NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES
If a plant suffers from a shortage of just one nutrient this often can be identified by the unusual type of growth it produces. This can be tricky to diagnose in practice because symptoms vary with the severity of the deficiency and from plant to plant, but use the following as a guide:
Distorted leaves
Slightly distorted leaves, elongated in shape, reduced vigour…molybdenum (Mo) deficiency.
Shrivelled leaves, turning brown, fall prematurely…drought
Very distorted growth, pale white or yellow streaks…weed killer damage
Flattened and distorted growth on or near the growing tip…fasciation (leaning) disorder
Small leaves
Unusually small leaves, older leaves turn purplish colour…phosphorus (P) deficiency
Stunted growth
Stunted growth, yellowing leaves, older leaves die and fall…nitrogen (N) deficiency
Stunted growth, bluish-green leaves, older leaves have scorched edges…potassium (K) deficiency.
Stunted growth, pale green between veins, reddening with age…manganese (Mn) deficiency
Yellow leaves
Yellowing leaves, stunted growth, older leaves die and fall…nitrogen (N) deficiency
Young leaves yellow, paler at the margins…. calcium (C) deficiency
Young leaves yellow, bright green veins…iron (Fe) deficiency
Yellowish margin to older leaves, pale green between veins…magnesium (Mg) deficiency
How to treat nutrient deficiencies
Before you apply additional fertiliser, it is important to check that other factors are not the cause of your plant's distress. For example, iron (Fe) and manganese (Mg) can become chemically 'locked up' and unavailable to plants if the pH is too alkaline (eg on chalky soils) and applying more fertiliser will not help. Drought can also result in a temporary shortage of available nutrients.
Nitrogen (N) Apply a high-nitrogen fertiliser such as dried blood (organic), sulphate of ammonia (inorganic).
Phosphate (P) Apply a high-phosphate fertiliser such as bonemeal (organic), superphosphate (inorganic).
Potassium (K) Apply a high potassium fertiliser such as rock potash (organic) sulphate of potash (inorganic).
Magnesium (Mg) Apply Epsom salts to the soil or as a foliar feed.
Calcium (C) Apply garden lime such as ground chalk or calcium carbonate.
Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn) or Molybdenum (Mo) Apply a fertiliser containing these trace elements or add seaweed to the soil or as a foliar feed.
Horticultural,environmental.
JOBS TO DO MARCH
Photo: Calendula.Sow hardy annuals such as calendula, nasturtium, lavateras and cornflowers in shallow drills or patches. They are very reliable and germinate quickly, and a good choice to keep children interested in helping you grow your flowers.
Now is the time to cut back the old foliage of evergreen ornamental grasses, and apply a light dressing of fertiliser. Wait until May, when they are actively growing, to divide or transplant them to another area of the garden.
Horticultural.
Now is the time to cut back the old foliage of evergreen ornamental grasses, and apply a light dressing of fertiliser. Wait until May, when they are actively growing, to divide or transplant them to another area of the garden.
Horticultural.
TOP TEN FOLIAGE PLANTS FOR HANGING BASKETS
Photo: Creeping Jenny used to good effect in the Buncrana planting scheme.
Look out for these delightful plants to fill out your summer baskets with attractive foliage. They can look stunning on their own but you can also mix them up with your favourite flowers.
Helichrysum petiolare. These have woolly silver grey leaves; also they can be golden and variegated.
Golden Creeping Jenny. Used to very good effect on the Buncrana planting schemes last year. They have yellow flowers and golden leaves.
Purple leaved fuchsia. Deep purple leaves, usually no flowers.
Purple heuchera. Large purple leaves.
Lamium “White Nancy” Silver leaved dead nettle; spreading and trailing habit.
Ajuga “ Burgundy Glow”. At home in the rockery as well as a basket.
Cineraria maritime. Fern like silver foliage’ ideal for the top of baskets. They are a biennial but best grown as an annual.
Flame nettle. Also called coleus, very easy to grow, good houseplant too.
Glechoma “Variegata”. Trailing with frilly edged leaves.
Ivy varieties. Trailing ivys in a range of green, gold and variegated leaf types.
Horticultural.
BLUE WATER
Ian
We are thinking of installing a pond and fountain in the garden this year. We went to a show recently where the water was a lovely blue colour. How can we copy the idea? Thanks DS Ramelton
Reply
The answer is quite simple, they put food colouring into the water, the darker the shade of blue you want the more colouring you add. But before you rush out and try it there are some things you should be aware of. The liner in these pools is either pale blue or white in colour, no matter how much colouring you put into a pool with a black liner it is still going to be a black pool since it relies on the ambient light (day light) being reflected back which a black liner can not do. Also it doesn't particularly do your fish / wildlife any good either, and before you try it in your fountain you should also remember that as a food colouring it is a dye, any splashes will colour the surrounding area, and also will change the colour of any features say light coloured stones.
We are thinking of installing a pond and fountain in the garden this year. We went to a show recently where the water was a lovely blue colour. How can we copy the idea? Thanks DS Ramelton
Reply
The answer is quite simple, they put food colouring into the water, the darker the shade of blue you want the more colouring you add. But before you rush out and try it there are some things you should be aware of. The liner in these pools is either pale blue or white in colour, no matter how much colouring you put into a pool with a black liner it is still going to be a black pool since it relies on the ambient light (day light) being reflected back which a black liner can not do. Also it doesn't particularly do your fish / wildlife any good either, and before you try it in your fountain you should also remember that as a food colouring it is a dye, any splashes will colour the surrounding area, and also will change the colour of any features say light coloured stones.
Horticultural.
PEAT FREE COMPOST
Photo: Green comost could come from your compost bin.
As we only have a small garden I invested in one of those fancy coiled hosepipes recently. The length is only about 50 feet but it is more than long enough to get the jet of water to the farthest bed. The idea for the hosepipe is that it coils into a neat roll for easy storage. I have used it successfully on the plants for a week or two. The other day I was feeling adventurous and decided to clean the car with it. To maker the process more carwash like I had the brilliant idea of running very hot water through it. The consequences of this are a nice shiny motor but a coiled hosepipe that has lost its springiness. The heat from the water has straightened the pipe and caused it to get tangled every time it is packed away. Just like a regular hosepipe I guess!
PEAT FREE COMPOST MIX
Ian
I want to make up my own peat free compost mix for my hanging baskets. Have you a recipe I can follow? Regards. CB. Buncrana
Reply
For a basic compost mix, try the following:
72 litres of composted green compost, riddled through 16mm sieve.
36 litres coir or try experimenting with small bark chips
24 litres 6mm sharp grit
1 baked bean can (450g can size) full of Osmacote Exact 16-18 month 15:8:10
1 baked bean can full of 5:5:5 organic base fertiliser mix. (mostly chicken muck I reckon)
The green compost can come from the bottom of your compost bin. If the heat wasn’t intense enough in the compost you might find weed seeds still active in the mix. Check it regularly. I have used stuff out of the compost bins this year for the pea and bean beds. . The compost included potato peelings, which have all sprouted, and the plants are quickly taking over the beds. I don’t think spuds will look very good in hanging baskets!
Try the water retaining granules; they will stop the plants drying out on hot days. If you do not like the idea of using a chemical such as Osmacote then look out for an organic equivalent slow release fertiliser.
Horticultural.
BLOSSOM END ROT
TOMATO TROUBLES
Ian
What has caused my tomatoes to go black at the base of the fruit, and how can I avoid this happening? BE by e-mail
Reply
It sounds as if your crop might be suffering from blossom end rot. This is a symptom of calcium deficiency, which is most commonly caused by irregular or insufficient watering. The dark patches that you describe are likely to spread and take on a leathery texture. Unfortunately, once this problem has occurred there is no treatment. In future seasons ensure that your crop is kept well watered, never allowing the compost to dry out. This is particularly important when the fruits are forming and swelling.
Horticultural.
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