BARBEQUE PLANTING AREAS

PLANTING AROUND THE BARBEQUE

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

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

Horticultural.

UNDERPLANTING ROSES

GETTING INTO YOUR UNDERPLANTS

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

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

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

Horticultural.

MY GARDEN-A POEM BY MARION LYNCH

MY GARDEN

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

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

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

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

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

This inspired poem was written by By Marian Lynch, Buncrana

Horticultural.

HAIR FERTILIZER

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

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

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

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

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

Horticultural.

FERTILIZER FILLERS

BULKING UP THE BAGS

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

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

Phosphorous (symbol P) for root growth.

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

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

Horticultural.

HERB GARDENS

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

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

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

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

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

Horticultural.

ROSE CUTTINGS

TOP TIP

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

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

Horticultural.

LADYBIRDS IN THE GARDEN

Photo: Fennel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Horticultural.

COMPANION PLANTING

Photo:Rhubarb protects beans from blackfly

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

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

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



Horticulture.