INTERCROPPING

Photo: Calendula can be used well when intercropping.

I went to get some petrol for the car the other day and took advantage of a sales promotion. If I bought twenty euro of fuel I could buy a solar garden light for the paltry sum of €4.99. This appeared to be a bargain but it looks as though I have been lumbered with a lump of useless plastic to clutter up my garden. The weather last week enabled me to charge the solar collectors on the top of the device with at least twelve hours of constant sunshine every day for three days. How was I repaid? The bulb inside the light glowed so dimly that you had to look at it twice before you could see it was on. (Think of a pilot light in a cooker and you’re getting close). If I needed the light to see some steps or the path edge I reckon I would need about four hundred of them to light my way. Not much of a bargain. I suppose its all a case of the old saying, “ You get what you pay for” There are some good solar lights on the market but I think that I will stick to using the outdoor light to get the coal in!

INTERCROPPING

Question.
A friend of mine said that I should use the limited space in my vegetable garden more efficiently and intercrop, what on earth do they mean? Thanks D.M. Ballyliffen

Reply.
Intercropping is something that I hope I will be doing this year in my garden too. The process involves growing two or more crops in close proximity to save space. The most common systems were used in old cottage gardens where everything was planted alongside one another. We can also alternate plants of two or more different plants in the same row, planting a low growing crop beneath a tall one. In most cases one crop is faster growing so it will be harvested first, leaving the other crop more space to grow to maturity. Plants with upright compact growth are preferable to sprawling ones. Keep the soil fertile and weed free for the best results. If you choose carefully and incorporate flowers such as calendula and nasturtium your vegetables will be pest and disease free without the need for chemical control.

Suggestions for planting

Here are some suggestions for planting. The vegetable patch can always give you a crop regardless of what time of year it is.

Interplant rows of leeks, planted in 20cm (8in) deep holes to keep them upright, with lettuce or hardy winter salads like corn salad or land cress. If you allow about 30cm (12in) between rows for the leeks, the other plants will flourish.

Interplant early summer cabbages with a reddish leaved summer lettuce. This will also make for a very pretty pattern in the plot.

Under plant sweetcorn, which lets plenty of light through the leaves, with dwarf French beans. Parsley and any other salad plant can be planted in there too.

Do not be afraid to experiment, it will be extra knowledge for next year!

Horticultural.

PIERIS

Photo: Pieris japonica 'variegata'

Photo:Pieris Japonica 'kasura'

PLANT OF THE WEEK
Inishowen is awash with the glorious colours of the pieris this month. These are splendid shrubs and will be a success in gardens where rhododendrons thrive. The evergreen foliage is dense and the new growth has glorious shades of reds, pink oranges and yellows. The most common plant which does well around here is the “Forest Flame” but you can get other types which do equally as well such as P. forrestii or P.japoica but these are generally grown for their lily of the valley type flowers instead of the bright leaves. If you have one of these shrubs they are generally maintenance free but if your soil is a bit alkaline, they would like a mulch of peat about now to balance the soil out for them in the coming months

Horticultural.

SEED TEST

Question.
I have a small vegetable garden. I have lots of seeds left over every year. Is it false economy to save them for the following year? Thanks DM Ballyliffen


Answer.
Seeds do get weaker as the years pass (loose viability), the rate of deterioration depends on certain factors. What it is, when it was harvested and when it was stored. For example, while melon, chard, peppers and tomatoes are reliable for up to four years, and lettuce and carrots for three, parsnips and cabbages start to decline in their second year. Always keep seed in a cool, dry place, ideally in airtight jars with a handful of rice grains or a bag of silica gel to absorb humidity. Do a germination test before you plant old seed. Put some of the seed in a dish with moist cotton wool or similar and leave for two weeks. If the seed has not germinated then spend a bit of money on some new seed.

Horticultural.

SUN LOVING PLANTS

Do you yearn for a week or two on the French Riviera? Nothing to do all day but soak up the suns rays on the veranda and admire the Mediterranean splendour? Well you could save yourself the journey and bring some of the plants to your own back garden. There are some plants that will grow happily on the peninsula that will make you feel that you are on permanent holiday.

PLANTS FOR THAT MEDITERRANEAN FEELING

Cypress
The pencil like conifers that perforate the Mediterranean horizon are called Cupressus sempervirens “Green Pencil”. These are hardy enough and look well in a large container on the patio.

Rock Roses
Cistus are great mound forming plants for sunny, well-drained banks or borders. The leaves are very downy and the plants are covered in tissue paper like leaves in the summer. They come in a range of colours from pink, purple or white.

Box
The Med is full of clipped box parterres, which are not always on a grand scale. Some are small squared patterns filled with gravel and centred by a citrus tree, which really looks the part.

African lily
The Agapantus hybrids are quite hardy but you would probably need to mulch them in winter to protect them from the elements. They look great in pots and have long lasting flowers which open up in late summer.

Rosemary
This plant is delightful in the garden (or on roast lamb). Rosmarinus officinalis is an evergreen shrub, which thrives in pots or in well-drained soil. Plant it where you will brush against it to release that Mediterranean fragrance.

TENDER CHOICES
These are plants that will require a bit of TLC in the winter to keep the frosts off. If you have a conservatory or a heated green house they can be over wintered.

Lemon
A must have for the terrace. A potted lemon tree called Citrus x meyeri “Meyer” proves to be the hardiest and most reliable. Pick the fruits and put a slice in your gin and tonic! The white blossoms will scent the conservatory in spring.

Bougainvillea
This tender climber will look great on a trellis in the garden. It doesn’t like to be colder than 8 degrees in winter though.

Oleander
Nerium oleander makes effective hedges in the Mediterranean but here we can put them in pots. They come in a wide range of colours.

Agave
These spiky plants really shout hot weather. They look stunning in pots, but they are sharp so keep them away from where you are walking.

Horticultural.

VW CAMPERVAN HISTORY

VW CAMPERVAN

Last week in Inishowen I was lucky enough to follow a precession of Volkswagen camper vans from Buncrana to Malin Head. They ranged for the original split screened models to the rather bland looking T25 model that manages to sum up caravanning in the 1970’s. It was a fabulous display of vehicles. I was only sorry that they didn’t stop in Malin, they just turned around and headed for a different part of the country. Because of that I didn’t manage to talk campervans for the afternoon. The history of the machine is very colourful and one can pass many an hour recalling it in the pub

VW CAMPERVAN HISTORY

The history of the Camper van really goes back to the end of the 2nd world war where the allied forces found themselves running the VW factory in Wolfsberg in Germany. To ferry parts across the massive factory stripped down VW Beetles were turned into little transporters. A Dutch VW importer called Ben Pon thought these machines had a future and in 1947 sketched his idea of a Beetle based van. Two short years later it was launched at the Geneva Motor Show as the modern equivalent to the ox and cart.

They say most ideas are simple ones, and the one behind the VW bus is as pure and simple as they come. It started life off as a box on wheels and what a big box, 170 cubic feet and enough room to hold a 15 hand horse. It was very simple and in the next 5 years VW would turn out 90 different body combinations from, refrigerated ice-cream vans, half a hundred delivery vans from mobile milking machines to bakers bread vans, scores of milk floats, florists, veterinary surgeons, beer wagons, butchers shops, mobile grocers. Then there were the police vans, fire engines, ambulances, the pick ups and last was the camper van. The first big sale was in America; in the mid 50s with dinky sinks and cosy cookers it was the home from home. By 1963 America had purchased 150,000 of these camper vans. The Splitty, which was a reference to the split windscreen, was replaced in 1967 by the bay window model and what the bay lost in personality it gained in refinements with having windup windows and a top speed of 80mph. The bay window made the VW a success and by 1975 the Hanover factory had turned out 4 Million of these vehicles. Not bad for a van that started life as a box on wheels.

A different choice of engine sizes were available from the 1600cc, 1700cc, 1800cc and 2000cc. VW had been giving away gold watches to anybody who got past the 100,000 mile mark, but had to stop when the bay window model arrived after giving away 160,000 watches, because it became more reliable. But in 1979 all that personality stopped and was replaced by the wedge.

The comfy camper became a bungalow on wheels (hope this does not offend any T25 owners). There were 5 million of these vehicles made by VW so they must have done something right when they made the Camper Van. VW discontinued the camper van but at the Detroit auto show in 2001 they announced that it fully intended to build a production version of the retro family van, which was to be called the Microbus. That plan has now changed, as VW will now be making a much more traditional minivan design that has little in common with the Microbus concept. Instead, Volkswagen will employ Chrysler to build a minivan for it based on the latter's 2008 model-year redesign of its Town & Country and Dodge Caravan series of vehicles. Even though it's expected to go into production at Chrysler's St. Louis plant in 2008, this seven-seater will feature a distinctively VW type of design. So although the outside of the vehicle will resemble the glory days of the old camper, the interior will reflect the new trend for seven seater vehicles designed to get the kids to school on time.

Environmental.

SCRAPPING CARS IN INISHOWEN

SCRAPPING YOUR MOTOR

Dear motoring.

I have a scrap car that I want to get rid of. Could you tell me where I can find the nearest scrap yard that could take it? The car is in Buncrana. I would like to think that the car would get recycled properly without adding to the pollution problem. Do you know anything about the End of Life Vehicle regulations that have been introduced as well? Thanks DG by e-mail


Reply

Mr. Daniel Lynch, Buncrana (074) 93 61687 has both a Waste Collection Permit for the collection of scrap metal and a waste permit for the site both issued by Donegal County Council. You may be able to deliver the car to the site or have the car collected. The cost is a matter for the waste collector and you will need to enquire with them directly about that.
Other locally based permitted operators include:

Joseph McCann, Kincasslagh 074 95 43407
Thomas Monagan, Letterkenny 074 91 28008
Raymond McDaid, St. Johnston 074 91 48211
Samuel James Clarke, Raphoe 074 91 45615
Gerald Green, Letterkenny 074 91 55042

Other locally based permitted waste collectors include:

John Furey (Thorndale Recycling) 086 3021312
Terence Howard, Raphoe 074 91 45518
Erin Recyclers, Leitrim 071 98 42959
Ciaran Moyne, Kilmacrennan 074 91 39055
Seamus Strain, Milford 074 91 53163
Gerard Green, Carrigart 087 9001778

Under new End of Life Vehicle Regulations that came into force on the 1st January 07, a member of the public can bring an ELV to an Authorised Treatment Facility. This facility is to be organised by the Producers (car manufacturers/importers) and there must be at least one ATF per county. Donegal County Council has issued on permit for an ATF but the facility has not been constructed as yet. There are two further applications fro ATF's pending and a possibility of more applications. When one or more Atfs are available a member of the public may bring there ELV to the facility free of charge, they will also receive a certificate of destruction for the car. Until an ATF is available within the county, the public can continue to use any of the above permitted scrap metal operators.

Environmental.