JOHN MCDERMOTTS GARDEN CENTRE IN APRIL

Photo: Pieris japonica 'Mountain fire'

Photo: Phlox 'Emerald cushion blue'

Photo: Phlox 'Daniels cushion'

Photo: Lithodora diffusa 'heavenly blue'

Photo:Leptospurmum 'scoparium martinii'

Photo: Helianthemum 'Ben Lidi'

Photo:Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw'

Photo: Erysimum 'Golden Jubliee'

Photo: Choisya 'aztec pearl'

Photo: Azalea 'evergreen lilac'

Photo: Acer palmatum atropurpereum

Photo: Acer Brilliantissimum

A STROLL AROUND THE GARDEN ….CENTRE

This week I visited John McDermott’s new garden centre. John (Macs Landscaping) is well known throughout the North West with over ten years landscaping experience. To add to the services John already provides, he is diversifying into the nursery plant business which will ensure that he is providing a complete gardening service to the public.

John’s new business is run from his home at Ballymagan on the outskirts of Buncrana “I have invested in a large multispan tunnel to nurture all of the annual bedding plants that will eventually fill baskets and containers to brighten up the Inishowen gardens” said John. “There is a very efficient watering system in place that covers all of the growing areas to ensure the pots do not dry out as this could do irreversible damage to the quality of the plants,” he continued.

“There has been a lot of work put into getting the garden centre set up, laying paths and preparing display areas” he added. “I have a good idea what plants grow in the North West and the choice of plants reflect this.”

“If you plan ahead and put an order in for baskets and containers they will benefit by being established in the protection of a polythene tunnel before being bombarded with our Irish summers”. I am keeping the prices low and I am only too pleased to advise anyone that has a gardening problem or would just like the right plant for the right area” he concluded.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish John every success in his new project.

LOOKING GOOD

Here are just a few of the plants at Johns garden centre that are “looking good” this week. Check out the photo's above.

Acer Brilliantisimum-A perfect specimen tree.
Phlox Daniels cushion-beatiful pink geranium like flowers.
Lithodora diffusa ‘heavenly blue’- the most vivid blue flower you will ever see!

Horticutural.

SESAME SEED OIL

My favourite salad dressing at the moment is sesame oil, but it has a multitude of other uses, most of which claim to have tremendous health giving properties.

Sesame oil has been used for years in Ayurvedic medicine. This holistic system (that originated in India more than 5000 years ago) includes sesame oil being massaged every day into the body, using long strokes on the limbs and circular movements on the joints. Sesame oil (be sure to use cold pressed and preferably organic) is said to be the very best natural skin conditioner. When rubbed on, it penetrates to the very marrow of the bone, eliminating toxins that are thought to cause aging.

WHAT SESAME OIL TREATS

Research on the subject claims that many illnesses can be effectively healed with the application of oil therapy: headaches, bronchitis, lung and liver conditions, toothache, thrombosis, blood diseases, arthritis, paralysis, eczema, gastric ulcers, intestinal disorders, heart and kidney ailments, encephalitis, nervous conditions and female disorders.

COLDS AND FLU

A remarkable quality of raw sesame oil is that it can clear the mouth and throat of cold and flu causing pathogens, simply by using a tablespoon of the oil as a mouth rinse. During your morning bathroom routine, take a small amount of oil into your mouth and chew it and swish it around while you do other things. The RAW oil will attract and hold bacteria and toxins. To really clean the mouth and throat it will have to be done for about twenty minutes. Do not swallow this as the mix becomes more and more laden with toxins and pathogens. The golden oil will turn white. Spit it out and rinse your mouth with warm salt water and brush as you normally would or use bicarbonate of soda.

The claims are that germs will be gone from mouth and throat. Bleeding gums will heal. Teeth will whiten. Tartar will be gone. Breath will be sweet. Colds will diminish or disappear completely.

A word of caution:

Whereas the oil therapy can be very helpful to people, it is not a substitute for ongoing care by a qualified health practitioner. If in doubt don’t do it.

Household.

ANTS IN THE KITCHEN

Q.
HELP! My kitchen is being taken over by ants! I don’t know what to do, they are in my cupboards and under the sink, in fact they go anywhere there is food. I don’t want to put poison down as I have six dogs and ten cats as well as four young children. What can I do? E.D. Carn.

A.
It sounds as if you have a full house without your unwanted visitors! I can sympathise with your plight as I have been overrun with them in the past too. At one time old cottages used to plant peppermint beside the door to keep out the ants. Unfortunately these pests don’t use the regular method of coming into houses through the front or back doors. If they are in the house then at least you know they came from the garden, as they don’t make a nest in the house, so there will be an entry point of some description. Follow the ants to find out their entry point. When it is located place some essence of peppermint on cotton wool and stuff it into the hole. That should keep them out. They will also avoid turpentine and cloves. If the problem persists and you feel a need to get them away from your house then you will need to track down the nest. Once located put a branch of the wormwood bush over the nest. This will make them leave their home and look for a new site (possibly your neighbours garden!) This method is far more humane that the harsh chemicals that you can buy in the shops and far less messy that the method of pouring boiling water over the nest site (although the your neighbour mightn’t think so)!

Horticultural.

GERANIUMS

One of the most popular bedding plants that are for sale every year are the Geraniums or Zonal Pelargoniums as they are more accurately called. One of the big attractions is that they are so many different types and colours available. Apart from the different colours there are different growing habits, some are large, some are tiny and there are upright ones and trailing ones for hanging baskets. There are ones with aromatic leaves such as the lemon-scented geranium; this one is handy near the kitchen window as it deters flies from the house. You don’t need green fingers to grow the plants either. They are relatively trouble free in summer, but look out for greenfly and whitefly and try to plant them in soil that is well drained as they don’t like it too wet, give them plenty of light and pick off the dead flowers. The plants can be over wintered indoors but they can get a bit leggy. Another alternative is to take cuttings. The best time is when the plants are in full swing around June to August, the cuttings will root in less than two weeks and mould wont set in. If you do take the cuttings then leave them in a cool room and don’t over water in winter, put them outside to harden off at this time of the year but bring indoors if the cold winds whip up. As I mentioned greenfly earlier I thought I would share an idea to keep them off your prized plants. (see the next article)

Horticultural.

GREENFLY AND WHITEFLY

Chemicals are never in short supply when you want to get rid of greenfly and whitefly. If you want to do things naturally then I usually recommend spraying soapy water on the pests and let the sunshine dry them out. This method does work but there are usually a few pesky bugs clinging to the underside of the leaves to start the whole breeding process up again. Before you know it they are all back again. Strange as it may seem these pests are disorientated by mirrors. They appear to be unable to fly over them without getting all confused - this fact can be used to a gardeners advantage. Place a mirror under the pot that your plant is in. Provided the mirror is wider that the plant, the flies won’t go near it. A plant that is already infested with the insects can literally be quarantined by placing it on a mirror. If you have outdoor plants that are infested then try putting down some silver foil around the plant, this hasn’t yet been tested but if you do it and it works, let me know! (Be careful not to fry the plants in the sunlight though)!

Horticultural.