COMPOSTING DO'S AND DON'TS

After reading the lead story in a recent edition of my favourite newspaper (no, not the Derry Journal), I got a bee in my bonnet about how we, as a society, deal with our waste. As I’m sure you are aware, most landfill sites are now filling up and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find new, suitable sites. Up to 30% of our domestic rubbish is organic kitchen and garden waste, which could be composted. When our old potato peelings and grass clippings are dumped in landfill sites they rot down and create vast amounts of methane gas, which causes long-term environmental problems. So I thought I would like to do my bit for the community and perhaps set up a scheme where I could supply and demonstrate the use of compost bins. There is nothing like compost for healthy gardens and plants! However, Donegal County Council is one step ahead of me. It already provides good quality bins at a heavily subsidised price of around ten pounds, although at the moment you have to travel to Lifford to get one. They are organising local “sale days which will include demonstrations on how to compost waste from both the kitchen and garden. Compost bins will be on sale as well as worm bins (including worms) and soil activators! The Council sale days will be advertised in all the local papers. The first one is in Stranorlar on Thursday 26th of July at 4 pm, then Letterkenny on the 27th at 4pm. The sale will be hitting Inishowen when they come to the community school in Carndonagh on the 28th July at 1pm.

Most kitchen or garden waste will rot down eventually, even if it just put in a pile at the bottom of the garden. The art of good composting is to speed up the process, this is where the containers come in, with the use of an activator to heat the compost, you can have a soil like compost ready for the garden in as little as six weeks in summer!

What to compost
It is possible to compost most organic matter, but in practice you may need to be more selective, as our weather isn’t always favourable for getting hot compost bins.

Do compost
Kitchen waste, such as vegetable peelings, eggshells and tea leaves.
Twiggy prunings but chop or shred them first.
Grass clippings (not too many at any one time)
Dead and discarded plants.
Most weeds.except for perennials such as docks.
Straw.
Small quantities of shredded newspaper.
Wood ash.

Don’t compost
Inorganic material, such as plastic, glass or metal.
Diseased plant material.
Cooked meat or fish, which can attract vermin.
Thorny prunings, which are unpleasant to handle.
Woody and evergreen prunings, unless shredded first, as they rot slowly.
Roots of perennial weeds, which can survive.
Vacuum cleaner dust; it can contain harmful chemicals.
Glossy and coloured paper, which may contain chemicals.


Common problems
Weeds appear after applying compost A heap needs to reach at least 55o C (131oF) to kill off any seeds within it. Only the largest and best managed are ever likely to reach this temperature, so it is probably wiser to leave out weeds that have set seed.

There are large quantities of unrotted matter The most likely reason is that you haven’t included enough sappy material. If you need more, try a greengrocer for vegetable waste, or use a nitrogen- rich activator such as dried blood. Turning the heap should help.

The heap becomes smelly and offensive This is probably because it is too wet or too much soft waste has been added without mixing it up with fibrous material. Keep the bin covered. Adding cooked food can also cause nasty smells.

Wormeries and leaf bins
Even if you have no garden, you can still compost kitchen refuse using a wormery. This relies on brandling worms to digest the waste. The bin can be kept inside or on a patio and organic debris added in small quantities as it arises. A rich liquid is drawn off which makes an excellent houseplant feed, leaving a small amount of fine compost. If you have a lot of trees in your garden and collect a large amount of dead leaves in autumn, then it is best to compost these separately as they rot down more slowly. Round them up in a wire mesh cage, chicken wire is ideal, water in dry weather and two years later you will have leaf mould, suitable for conditioning soil and for enriching potting composts.

Horticultural.

CUTTING FLOWERS

Photo: Young honesty (top) Lupin (below)

This week a row of streetlights has appeared on my road and one of them is right outside the front garden. I must confess it is taking some getting used to. You should see how the marigolds glow in the orange fluorescent light! I don’t have to switch any indoor lights on in the evening, and I’m able to go on my midnight slug hunting expeditions without my torch. I know it will be safer for the kids walking home on those long winter evenings, but being the old traditionalist I’ll miss my stargazing.

My tunnel is a pleasure to be in at any light at the moment though, all because of one plant, an aromatic lily (Lilium Henrii) this striking flower has an almost overpowering scent that fills the tunnel. Originally these plants were from China (I managed to salvage this one out of a skip last year) and they prefer well drained soil .As they are bulbs they can be prone to rotting if conditions are too wet. The best time to get the bulbs, if you grow them yourself, is in late summer-October is probably the best time. Pick healthy bulbs, not bruised or shrivelled. If you are out visiting garden centres in the near future it’s worth checking out the flowers in full bloom, or you will also see them in florist shops in cut flower displays.

Cutting flowers

Cutting flowers and decorative leaves to take indoors for arranging is one of the pleasures of gardening. This form of summer pruning generally does no harm but there can be pitfalls. Taking too much, not only diminishes the garden display but it can also harm next year’s growth. Of course some keen flower arrangers grow flowers specifically for cutting and it is worthwhile putting aside a bed for this purpose. Of course as I mentioned last week sweet peas love to be cut and some flowers such as Lupins and Delphiniums if cut at this time of year can encourage a second blooming. Deadheading flowers can prolong displays too but of course it is not practical for all plants for example, Poppies, Honesty and Chinese Lanterns are often grown for their seedpods.

Horticultural.

KILDARE GROWERS SHOW

My vegetable patch has had a serious growth surge over the past week. From a distance the area looks full and lush, but on closer inspection this is mainly because of weed growth, the dock leaves and thistles look very healthy indeed. I decided to wade in and dig out the invaders before any of them go to seed. Clearing the ground was very similar to treasure hunting as I found my long lost watering can and my favourite garden spade, which I haven’t seen since late spring. I’ve also found loads of potatoes, which is very strange, as I didn’t plant any this year! I must have had some potato peelings in my compost. I found a clump of rhubarb that I didn’t know I had too. Julie had put in a crown that she had got from a neighbour. Some plants have unfortunately disappeared; the peas and leeks just couldn’t compete in the thick undergrowth. My biggest success story this year is the garlic; they’re so large you would swear they came from a supermarket!

Kildare Growers Show
Last week I made it to the Kildare growers show in Kill, Co Kildare. The venue is a great opportunity to talk shop with other people in the horticultural industry. There were in the region of 150 companies exhibiting their products. I decided to concentrate on finding out about watering and heating systems when I first arrived. When I had all the relevant catalogues pushed into my carrier bag I was free to wander around aimlessly to soak up the atmosphere and have a look at what new products are going to be on the market in the near future. Here are a couple of things that caught my attention.


Lighting
Lighting for the garden is getting more popular. Every year sees new designs. There is even a small light to brighten up your hanging baskets when everyone’s tucked up in bed. I spotted some very sturdy granite and steel posts that had bright halogen bulbs enclosed in the tops, one of the designs, called “Rusty” was exactly that, a light attached to a 1m rusty steel pole, don’t laugh, but I actually thought they were good value at about £200 each, (top quality rust) There is a good range of solar lighting on the market if you can’t be bothered with all that electric cable buried in the garden. Most of the ones I saw were plastic and a bit wobbly, but I’m sure they are o.k. as long as the children don’t try to pole-vault over them. These have the advantage of easily being placed anywhere in the garden and you can move them around to suit your mood. I was assured that we have enough sunlight to power these lights all year, but I haven’t tested this out for myself yet.


Bamboos
Bamboos are very trendy at the moment. Most varieties are actually well suited to our climate, although some need protection from the salty winds we get. These plants, (like the rusty pole), do seem a bit expensive at first, but after the initial shock of parting with your hard earned money, give very good value. A carefully chosen plant will give a lifetimes pleasure with the soft rustle of their leaves and graceful movement. Some species are quite invasive and are best grown in large containers on the patio. The plants range from a groundcover to over 10 metres tall so you wont be stuck for choice.

Horticultural.

BRIAN GRANT

“Aussie Rules” at the Lake of the Shadows

Australian born, Brian Grant, a man with strong local connections is the new manger at the Lake of Shadows Hotel. Brian’s Great Granddad was John Grant of Glenard (known locally as Big John Granny). During famine times, John Grant was a substantial sheep farmer and guaranteed a loan of ₤1,000 to complete the building of Cockhill Chapel. His uncle, Thomas Donegan (married to Bridie Grant) was the Headmaster of the Illies School for 40 years. His father Johnny (from the Glen) Grant went to London with his friend Owen Doherty to work. He had been courting Philomena Ellen Gallagher from Derry before he left. The friends split up, Owen heading for Canada and Johnny to Australia where he got back into his old work and became manager of a sheep farm. Once established, he wrote to his sweetheart asking her to marry him and to join him in his new life. Philomena’s mother was not impressed with this idea – “Why does he want you to go all the way to Australia –can you not meet him half way in London?” Philomena travelled over in the fifties to start a new life and her first experience of Australia was a ten-hour journey in a horse and cart through a flat dusty desert to the wheat and sheep farm that was to be her new home. Used to lush green hills was it any wonder she wanted to come straight home again? After 5 years they moved to Perth to raise their family.

Brian joined the Commonwealth Bank of Australia when he left school and worked there for sixteen years, travelling all over the state of Western Australia working in their 80 branches. Western Australia is huge, over three and a half thousand miles by road. This state could fit Ireland into it 15 times yet only has half of Irelands population.

He visited Buncrana three times during this period enjoying the life and craic of a young man about the town with his cousins. It was these trips that gave him the idea of coming over to spend more time over here.

Meanwhile Brian was growing more discontented with life at the bank. He had enjoyed the life initially as he loves providing customers with good service but the ethos of the bank was becoming more about money and less about the customer. Brian left to set up a restaurant where he met his wife Perla. Perla, originally from the Philippines, was working for Brian. Brian had a strict no dating the staff rule, so he had to sack her to ask her out. After a year they married and had their son Brian John (B.J.)

Their life was enjoyable, both working for themselves (Perla had her own business making ice-cream cakes!). During their leisure time they enjoyed going out in their boat (eighteen foot, half-cabin, fibreglass) for a spot of fishing, usually herring, whiting, snapper, squid, octopus, crabs and lobster. They had to watch out for sharks, as there have been a few sightings off the coast. They could go out most of the year as the weather is very different from here. Australia is the driest country in the world and Western Australia is the second driest state in Australia. The coldest days in the winter (July/August) see the temperature at about 15◦ C dropping to –1oC during the night. It gets dark about 6pm. In the summer (January/February) temperatures can soar to 42-43oC and the sun sets at about 7.30pm. There are water restrictions throughout the summer and most gardens have a water bore (like a well) drilled to pump water up for the plants. Budgies and parrots fly wild and are common visitors to the garden and wild kangaroos bound over the golf courses. (When Brian arrived in Ireland he raised a few eyebrows in the insurance company in Buncrana when asked did he have any previous claims and he told the yes, one, I hit a 6ft kangaroo)!

Brian wanted to show his family Ireland. He felt the environment was safer than city living and believes the education system to be one of the best in the world. On arriving in Buncrana at the end of August he dropped his CV into the Gateway Hotel and was taken on as a chef. After six weeks he was approached to manage the Lake of Shadows. Brian is delighted with this new opportunity. “There is a great team down here at the moment with the return of Head chef Peter Moriarty and Bar Manager John Doherty. We are working on new menus and promoting the Gateway for weddings.” With Brian’s commitment to service and personal attention and his open friendly manner he will do everything he can to make that most special of days perfect. He also wants to improve day-to-day service having his staff give the welcome that Ireland is famous for. Brian would encourage customers to tell the staff if they give good service and to tell him if they don’t.

Brian is very interested in local history and if any Inish Times readers have any pictures or stories about the history of the Lake of Shadows he would love to hear from them. Just drop in or phone and ask for Brian.
Brian, Perla and B.J. initially came over for a year but within a day of being here, B. J. was asking, “Can we stay for 2 years daddy?” B. J. loves the local school and the freedom of playing with the other kids on the estate. Brian loves the fact that B. J. is learning Irish and teaching the language to him. With the way they are settling into the community, they could be around for a long time!

TOPTIPS - FENG SHUI

TOP TIPS FROM THE WORLD OF FENG SHUI

Play loud music once a week.
This might not go down too well with the neighbours so make sure they are out first if your house is attached. In China the lunar New Year was celebrated loudly with drums, cymbals and firecrackers to wash away old energies and welcome in the new. Play loud, happy music. Ten minutes will be enough!

Never hang your washing out overnight.
Night energy is very Yin so leave your washing in the basket if it’s getting dark outside. The washing would soak up yin energy and upset your feng shui, and as we all know, that’s not a good thing to do!

Pointing the finger.
Pointing your finger at someone gives them negative energy, likewise if someone points a finger at you. Try not to point fingers at one another, or anything else sharp like scissors for that matter!

Household.

RADON TESTING

Photo: All new and old houses should be tested for radon

Ian
I live on the east coast of Inishowen. A neighbour told me that they are testing their house for Radon. What is this? Thank you N.M by e-mail

Reply
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas, which originates from the decay of uranium in rocks and soils. It is colourless, odourless and tasteless and can only be measured using special equipment. When radon surfaces in the open air, it is quickly diluted to harmless concentrations, but when it enters an enclosed space, such as a house or other building with poor ventilation, it can sometimes accumulate to unacceptably high concentrations.


Radon decays to form tiny radioactive particles, some of which remain suspended in the air. When inhaled into the lungs these particles give a radiation dose, which may damage cells in the lungs.


Since July 1998, every new house is required to incorporate some degree of radon preventive measures at the time of construction in accordance with the revised Building Regulations (and particularly Technical Guidance Document C to the Regulations) published by the Department of the Environment and Local Government.


The degree of protection required is dependent upon whether or not the site is located within a High Radon Area. Looking at the map of Inishowen on the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) website, we can see that the highest concentrations around the peninsula are in the Moville to Greencastle area. Although the levels are highest here this isn’t an indication that your house is affected. Throughout Ireland there have only been about 2000 cases of high Radon levels in houses so the odds are in your favour.


Experience has shown that radon levels may vary significantly from one building to the next and that the radon level in a house cannot be reliably taken from measurements in other houses in the neighbourhood. Consequently, the Institute recommends that all householders have a radon measurement made to determine the radon level in their home. Where high radon levels are found, householders are advised to consider having remedial work carried out to reduce the radon level.

The radon level in a house can be measured simply and inexpensively. It is usually carried out by placing two small testing devices (detectors), in the house for a period of three months. At the end of this period the detectors are returned to the testing laboratory for processing. This procedure can be carried out entirely by post and there is no need for anyone to visit the house. A three month measurement period is recommended because radon levels in a house can vary considerably from day to day due to changes in the weather conditions, ventilation, building usage, etc. It is generally considered that measurement over a shorter period than this does not give an accurate representation of the exposure to radon in the home. Have a look at the Radon website for more information. www.rpii.ie/radon

The Institute provides a radon measurement service to householders at a price of €45. More information on radon, including an application form for a measurement, can be obtained by contacting the Institute on FREEPHONE RADON 1800 300 600 or by emailing radoninhomes@rpii.ie, giving your name and address.

PREVENTATIVE STEPS.
There are preventative steps you can take if you want to be on the safe side.



Seal all the gaps in your floors.
Improve indoor ventilation.

As always good old fresh air comes to the rescue!
Put in natural underfloor ventilation.


Lastly you could opt for the expensive underground sump. This pumps out the air from under the house into the air. It is an option only if you get tested and find the amounts in the house are at a dangerous level.



Environmental.