WINTER JASMINE

Hello Ian.

I have a neighbour’s wooden fence directly outside of my kitchen window. It is about four feet away from the house and gets quite a lot of sun. Have you any suggestions for a climber that can grow on the fence to cheer it up a bit in winter. Thanks, JJ by e-mail

Reply:

Winter jasmine (Jasminium nudiflorum) would be an ideal choice of climber for the fence. It is a shrub often found around older homes and has stood the test of time very well. The enclosed sunny, sheltered spot will protect the plant from adverse weather.

Mature Height/Spread: This deciduous viny shrub grows to 4 feet high when unsupported, and 7 feet wide. When trained on the fence it can grow to 15 feet. The slender, green stems stand out in the winter landscape. The flowers are unscented, yellow, 1 inch wide, and they appear in winter and early spring before the leaves unfold. I know of a specimen that is still in full flower from late October and shows no sign of giving up just yet

Winter jasmine can also be used as a good bank cover. It spreads by rooting where the stems touch the soil. It is also very attractive when planted above retaining walls, with the branches cascading over the side.

Problems: If plants become infested with spider mites, cut them to the ground after blooming and discard the infested plant material. Feed the crowns to stimulate new growth.

Horticultural.

COMPANION PLANTING -WEEK 2 M-P

Photo: Parsley.

Last week we started to look at plants that were good companion plants for the garden. Here are some more to look into. Of course there are loads more plants that could be on the list. All gardens are different so you might find some plants do better for you than others. The fun is in experimenting to find out what works.

MARIGOLDS: (Calendula): Given a lot of credit as a pest deterrent. Keeps soil free of bad nematodes; supposed to discourage many insects. Plant freely throughout the garden. The marigolds you choose must be a scented variety for them to work. Good slug bait.

MARJORAM: As a companion plant it improves the flavor of vegetables and herbs. Sweet marjoram is the most commonly grown type.

MINT: Deters white cabbage moths, ants, rodents, flea beetles, fleas, aphids and improves the health of cabbage and tomatoes. Use cuttings as a mulch around members of the brassica family. It attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps. Earthworms are quite attracted to mint plantings. Be careful where you plant mint, as it is an incredibly invasive perennial. We have found that placing mint (fresh or dried) where mice are a problem is very effective in driving them off!

PEAS: Peas fix nitrogen in the soil.

NASTURTIUMS: Plant as a barrier around tomatoes, radishes, cabbage, cucumbers, and under fruit trees. Deters wooly aphids, whiteflies, and cucumber beetles. Great trap crop for aphids (in particular the black aphids). Likes poor soil with low moisture and no fertilizer. It has been the practice of some fruit growers to plant nasturtiums every year in the root zone of fruit trees to allow the trees to take up the pungent odor of the plants and repel pests. It has no taste effect on the fruit. The leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible and wonderful in salads!

NETTLES, STINGING: The flowers attract bees. Sprays made from these are rich in silica and calcium. Invigorating for plants and improves their disease resistance. Leaving the mixture to rot, it then makes an excellent liquid feed. Comfrey improves the liquid feed even more.

PARSLEY: Plant among and sprinkle on tomatoes, and asparagus. Use as a tea to ward off asparagus beetles. Attracts hoverflies. Let some go to seed to attract the tiny parasitic wasps. Parsley increases the fragrance of roses when planted around their base

PEPPERMINT: Repels white cabbage moths, aphids and flea beetles. It is the menthol content in mints that acts as an insect repellant. Bees and other good insects love it.

PETUNIAS: They repel the asparagus beetle, leafhoppers, certain aphids and general garden pests. A good companion to tomatoes, but plant everywhere. The leaves can be used in a tea to make a potent insect spray.

POACHED EGG PLANT: Grow poached egg plants with tomatoes, they will attract hover flies and hover flies eat aphids. These plants do very well around Inishowen and if you haven’t got some I’m sure a neighbour will give you a clump. They seed freely when established.

PURSLANE: This edible weed makes good ground cover in the vegetable patch.

Horticultural.

WHAT IS ORGANIC?

Photo: Organic macademia nut farm.

Last week my family and I went to the open day of the garden at Scoil Iosagain in Buncrana. We unfortunately missed the ceremonial cutting of the tape, as my eldest lad was at Tullyarvan mill, performing a musical story with all the other children that have attended the recent music class. (There’s another class in the summer holidays if you missed it this time) It’s typical that we haven’t been invited anywhere this summer, then two functions fall on the same evening. When we arrived at the school I headed straight for the tea and sandwiches. It had been hot in Tullyarvan mill and I hadn’t had any food for well over half an hour so I thought I’d tuck in while the going was good. (I regretted this a bit when we went for a few rides on the fair afterwards) Anyway, with cup and plate in hand I headed for the garden. The garden is well protected from the elements by an eight-foot high wall and a lot of voluntary work has gone into both the hard landscaping and planting. Scattered around the garden are interesting clay statues made by classes at Tullyarven mill. The garden is also dotted with bright and cheerful clay tiles and ladybirds made by children at the school. There is a good-sized rockery that is well planted, with a small stream running down the middle. The water runs into a pebble filled pond, so it is safe for the children. Dinny McLaughlin and his friends were playing traditional music on the patio and occasionally a group of girls would get up and have a dance. These unfortunately were only a temporary feature, but I think I’ll include them in the next garden I design! I was pleased to see an area set aside for organically grown vegetables, the onions and spuds are all coming on well but the ground is a bit hard for the carrot crop just yet so they’ll probably try growing these in deep containers for a while.

What is Organic?

The organic approach to gardening and farming recognises that the whole environment in which plants grow is much more than the sum of it’s individual parts, and that all living things are inter-related and inter- dependent.

Organic growing involves
Treating the soil and growing environment as a resource to be cared for for future generations, rather than for short term gain.

Providing plants with a balanced food supply by feeding the many creatures that live in soil, manure and other organic material.

Choosing renewable resources, thereby creating a sustainable future.

Reducing pollution of the environment, by recycling garden, household and other waste, rather than dumping or burning them.

Combating pests and diseases without using pesticides that may prove harmful to human health and that of domestic and wild animals.

Encouraging and protecting wildlife, by creating suitable habitats and by minimizing use of harmful pesticides.

Creating a safe and pleasant environment in which to work and play.

Moving with the times – taking new scientific discoveries into account, as well as the best traditional knowledge.

Using good horticultural practices.

Recognising the importance for the preservation of threatened plant varieties.

The whole garden – flowers, trees, shrubs and lawns, as well as vegetables, fruit and herbs.

(from the Henry Doubleday Foundation).


Great reasons to grow your own organic fruit and vegetables

You can grow things without pesticides.
It means your food is free of any genetic modifications (G.M. free)
Homegrown food is cheap and nutritious.
You can decide what the family eats.
Your food will be truly local.
You can grow things that you can’t buy in the shops.
You can grow for flavour; commercial growers tend to grow for a long shelf life in the shops.
Children learn where food really comes from.
You’ll get plenty of fresh air and exercise.


TIP
If you haven't grown any vegetables before, start with a few seeds of salad plants such as lettuce. They will grow happily in a pot and you can pick the fresh leaves, as you need them, leaving the plant to grow on. Keep them well watered. If you want to involve children, mustard and cress seeds can be sprinkled onto tissue or cotton wool placed in a saucer, watered and left on the windowsill. Don’t throw the shells away after you have had a boiled egg, fill them up with soil and sow the mustard and cress seeds into them, paint a face on the egg and within a few days you will see the hair begin to grow!

Horticultural.

HOME AND OFFICE CLEANING TIPS

Your computer and keyboard are like magnets to dust in the home. There are some solvent based cleaners on the market but if you want a cheap and natural solution to the grime that collects on the machine then look no further than the kitchen cupboard. Have you guessed what it is… yes it’s that wonderful liquid again… vinegar!

Cleaning your computer mouse

Before I start though you must be very careful when using liquids near electrical devices. If you are in any doubt then leave well alone!Green Cleaning tips..

When your computer mouse gets dirty and picks up dust, it becomes hard to manipulate.

Vinegar comes to the rescue yet again.


Simply mix half vinegar and half water and use that. Remove the ball and wipe clean with the solution. Dry thoroughly with a soft, lint-free towel. Dip a cotton swab into the solution, squeeze until nearly dry and wipe the inside the mouse, removing dust or dirt particles. Use a wrung out cloth to wash the outside of the mouse.

Clean home equipment
Dip a cloth into a mixture of ½ vinegar and ½ water and wring out. Wash down the outside of your computer, printer and other pieces of equipment. Never use a spray bottle for this job. Use a nearly dry cotton swab dipped in the mixture to clean the keyboard.

Clean scissors
Wipe the blades of your scissors down frequently with a cloth dipped in full strength vinegar to keep them clean and glue free.

Thin glue
Add a drop or two of vinegar to the old bottle of glue and shake. Keeping adding vinegar drop by drop until the glue returns to the proper consistency.

Discover the tips to get your office sparkling...

Household.

FRUIT OF THE LOOM SALVAGE

Dear Ian
Inishowen has a long history of shirt making and textile manufacturing. The global economy is changing and some production from companies such as Fruit of the Loom is being moved overseas. The main Fruit of the Loom factory on the shorefront in Buncrana lies unused and a lot of the modern equipment has been removed and shipped abroad to the new factories. I think it would be interesting to attempt to salvage some of the old unwanted machinery lying in the factory. Places such as Tullyarvan Mill on the outskirts of the town has some old knitting machines on show at the moment, when their new extension is completed maybe they will have room for a more significant display. There could even be enough machinery for the equipment to have its own permanent building in the town. It will be very disappointing if the memories of such prosperous times in the textile industry are forgotten. With regards H.P. Buncrana.

Environmental.

AIR POLLUTION-BACKYARD BURNING

In a very short while we will see the familiar annual bonfires that are lit around the peninsula to celebrate the solstice. I thought it would be a good time to look into the harmful effects of burning rubbish such as treated wood, car tyres, plastics and all other petrochemical products that are thrown onto these bonfires every year.

AIR POLLUTION

Backyard burning
The term backyard burning includes any uncontrolled burning of waste. Such burning is frequently carried out in backyards and gardens. The term also refers to the burning of any waste in open fires, ranges and other solid fuel appliances. It also includes the burning of waste on site by builders. All of these methods are now against the law. A permit to burn waste can be applied for in much the same way that planning applications are. Adverts have to be put in the paper and site notices need to be erected.

There has been a huge increase in backyard burning. One reason for this is that the waste disposal charges have gone up recently. Some people think that there is no harm disposing of waste in this manner, but that isn’t the case. Burning waste was seen as something that just dirtied the washing on your line and traditionally fires were made up of simple things like wood, paper and organically produced waste. However modern science has changed all that. The widespread use of plastics, rubbers and metals as well as solvent glues have made waste a very dangerous cocktail of harmful products.

TOXIC FUMES
When we burn most waste items, toxic fumes are produced; these pollutants can have profound long-term health implications. Paper that is covered with plastic, the old foam from settees, polystyrene, glues from books and plastics have all been linked to serious illnesses. The remains of the fires will also poison your garden for many years.

What can we do?
The only real solution is to minimise the amount of waste we have to dispose. We can do this by buying products with as little packaging as possible. The packaging we do buy can possibly be reused such as plastic containers. Anything that can’t be reused can be taken down to the local recycling centres. Don’t forget your old clothes and shoes too. The charity shops will take these and there are also clothes banks in most of the recycling centres around Inishowen. Compost your kitchen waste in the garden as well, the council still have some of the composters for sale and at €13 they are still a bargain.

Waste disposal contractors
Nowadays we have a greater obligation with regards to our waste. This is true when it comes to the safe disposal of it. When the bonfires are being built don’t give anyone tyres, plastics or any other petrochemical product. There is no excuse as most of us are well aware that this is now an illegal practice. It is also important when we dispose of any waste to ensure that the refuse collector has a Waste Collection Permit that allows them to dispose of the waste as safely as possible. In most counties it is now a criminal offence to give your waste to a contractor without a permit. Ring the council to check the contractor is above the law if you are in any doubt.

THE LAW
There are two important laws that are in place to prevent the burning of waste, even when it is being used as an alternative fuel.

The Air Pollution act of 1987 obliges everyone not to cause or permit an emission in such a quantity, or in such a manner, as to be a nuisance or cause air pollution. The other act is the 1996 Waste management act, this is in place to ensure that business and other non-domestic operators use the best possible means to prevent or limit emissions. This means that they will need the permit that I mentioned earlier. There are heavy laws for non-compliance.

BONFIRES
We aren’t organised in Inishowen yet to have large fires that are supervised. Bonfires can be fun for everyone if precautions are taken. If the fire consists mainly of untreated wood it will greatly reduce the chances of any long-term illnesses for the people who breath in the smoke from the fires and people with asthma and other respiratory problems should be able to breath a little easier.

POSTERS
Most of us can now breathe a sigh of relief as the elections are over. My dog has never barked so much at the door as canvassers called around. We can look forward to all the election posters to disappear from the telegraph poles and every other available mounting post. As a matter of interest if they are still up at the end of the week the people whose faces are on the boards are liable for prosecution for littering! I will let you know if anyone gets fined.

Environmental.