What's Your Favourite Tool?

If I had a screwdriver with a motor when I was four, who knows what I would have taken to bits.

Favourite tool

If anyone was to ask me what my all time favourite tool was they might be surprised. I have raved on about particular tools recently, such as the hoes from Chillington and the small hand tool I picked up for 2 euro in Lidl that is perfect for getting creeping buttercup roots out. But it’s not those. My all time favourite tool was a penknife, given to me, in hindsight, rather irresponsibly by a friend of the family...for my fourth birthday. The four inch blade was finely forged Sheffield steel and the beautiful tortoiseshell handle shimmered in the sunlight as I took the tool out of its box.

That penknife was the best present ever I thought, as I made my way outside to see what I could carve up. I learnt a lot from that penknife. It showed me that you can’t cut backwards as the knife folded up and trapped your fingers. I learned that you could easily shave slithers of wood from the dining chair backs and also that parents were horrified when you ran down the stairs with the blade open chasing flies. I only managed to keep the penknife for a day, maybe that’s why it was my favourite tool, because it was forbidden for me to have it. It spent ten years in a secret place until ‘I was old enough to use it properly’. I was given a screwdriver instead and this remains number two in my list of favourite tools. The fun I had with that, taking the afore mentioned dining chairs to bits, seeing what happened when you took the screws out of the back of the television and poking it into electrical appliances. I didn’t have that present long either as I recall.

I’m reminiscing because I was recently talking to James Kilkelly from the GardenPlansIreland forum. He has started a weekly questionnaire for gardeners to fill in and I thought I would give it a go. After all I spent a happy year or two asking gardeners around Inishowen questions about their gardens when for the paper. I thought it was time I had a go to see how difficult it can be to think of answers.

Questions and Answers

Your favourite qualities in a garden.
To be practical and edible. I like the idea of incorporating a well to avoid water metering. I also like gardens to be versatile and adapt to different stages of people lives.
Your favourite garden.
Mapperley allotments in Nottingham. There are all nationalities together, some living on the site permanently. There are also organisations set up for people with mental health issues to undertake horticultural therapy.
Your favourite colour.
I like contrast in the garden so it depend on the backdrop. I tend to sway towards natural colours in the hedgerows.
Your favourite tree.
Hazel and willow are great and very useful. I will say the oak tree though. We live on the coast and these hardy trees survive anything, most of them grow sideways because of the wind.
Your favourite shrub.
Garrya elliptica (the silk tassel bush) is a great winter favourite. I suppose it’s because I have never managed to grow one here. For practicality though I would plant blackcurrants, they are easy to propagate and if you don’t eat the berries the birds will.
Your favourite flower.
As a kid it was the white trumpet bindweed flower. As a gardener it’s the cheerful spring flowers of crocus, snowdrops and daffodils. The promise of things to come.
If you could grow only one vegetable, which one would it be.
Curly Kale. It’s both hardy and versatile. You can eat it from autumn to late spring and I especially enjoy the small broccoli like florets.
If there was one plant that you never had to see again, which one would you consign to history?
Leylandii. They are a menace. They grow too quickly taking all of the nutrients out of the soil, no wildlife lives in them, they cut out neighbours light and they go bare on the bottom.
The main fault you come across in gardening/garden design.
Builders don’t put enough topsoil in gardens when a new house goes up. The poor owners spend years digging out rubbish.
Your least favourite part of gardening.
Digging. That’s why I don’t do it. I prefer to work with a ‘no dig’ policy. I add to the top of the soil so that the structure remains intact for the worms to do their magic.
If you were not involved in the gardening trade what would your ideal occupation be.
A presenter on Top Gear. -as long as I could still have time to garden as a hobby.
Your top gardening tip.
Incorporate vegetables into your garden, even if you don’t have vegetable beds. Grow them in the borders as you would ornamental plants.
Your life motto.
Work smart, not hard and leave something to do tomorrow.

RTÉ Super Garden 2011

 Last years contestants

NEW SERIES OF

‘SUPER GARDEN’

COULD YOU BE A SUPER GARDENER?

Are you passionate about gardening? Is it your ambition to be a garden designer? Do you dream of winning a Gold Medal at Chelsea?

‘Super Garden’ is seeking 5 amateur garden designers to compete for the title of ‘Super Gardener’ in the new RTÉ series, to be broadcast in May 2011.

A passion for gardening is a must, as is creative flair, and the ability to design a garden to a budget and deadline.
So if you feel you have what it takes, this is what you need to do!

Email us and tell us briefly why you love garden design, and what your dream design would be. Where possible, please enclose basic plans or drawings.


Only amateur garden designers are eligible to enter this competition.
Filming will take place during the months of March and April 2011, so applicants must be available for filming during this time.

Here is last years winner.... They didn't build it sideways...I can't get the photo to behave...

Terms and conditions apply.

Contacts:
The Super Garden Team
(01) 864 1444

Watch online:

Raised Beds

In between the showers

I welcome a heavy burst of rain for two reasons. One is that it gives me an opportunity to be in and out of doors, which stops me from doing too much in the garden. The other reason is that these short burst of rain are like a pressure washer, cleaning the driveway and saving me the bother of having to sweep up all of the conifer needles that seem to be dropping in abundance this year. I think the local council must like downpours too as it saves them having to go around and wash the pavements down, affording them more time to do the thankless task of filling in all the potholes that have yet again appeared on the roads. I’ve taken to giving some of them names. We have the Blackfarm Bully, the Cockhill Cruncher, Malin Mauler and watch out for the Cavern in Carndonagh, well you get the idea. I’m filling up a similar gaping hole today as I am out in between the downpours to add soil into the raised beds.

Settle down

Over the year, soil in raised beds settle, this is because of the microorganisms munching away at the organic bulking materials and general settling of the soil. We have one bed that needs to be boosted a lot as it is near to the hedge and gets starved of both nutrients and moisture in the summer. I was on the ball before the end of last year and spent a happy week sieving the topsoil ready for today. Sometimes I can be very organised.
My first job is to clear the bed. This isn’t a problem as the only things in there at present are a few one year old strawberry plants and some rogue creeping buttercups. The creeping buttercups come out without any effort. If I have a favourite weed that I enjoyed digging up, this would be it. The roots come out so cleanly. I have a container with plenty of drainage to place the strawberry plants into and I can decide where to put these later.

Patience

It’s handy to have clear beds to work on. I have other raised beds that need work but these have things planted in them. One bed has a selection of herbs growing so I might just leave them in place and mulch around them a bit with some compost, although I could do with digging up the parsley and replanting new as it’s two years old and getting a bit woody. I have another bed with broccoli and kale in it that will need attention at some stage. These edible spring plants are great but do stay in the soil a long time. If I am patient the beds will get a good top dress of topsoil and compost after the plants have gone to flower in mid spring. I might be impatient though and mulch around the stems of the plants to get the soil more or less ready for the new vegetable seedlings that will go straight in after I feed any surplus greens to the ever hungry guinea pigs- I’ll see how I feel after filling this one up.

Before Christmas I shovelled soil into old empty coal bags and stacked them neatly in a pile to use later. With the help of my wheelbarrow I am moving four bags at a time to the long bed. I put about 25kg of soil in each bag so they wouldn’t be too heavy to lift. I’ve filled bags of dry soil before thinking they weren’t too heavy but they soon double in weight when they get drenched with the rain. I throw the bags onto the bed and tip them upside down to shake out all of the soil. The bags go on, and on, and on. It’s amazing just how much soil a bed needs. After 16 bags I lose count and I can still see the original soil underneath. It’s going to take a few more until it’s ready.

Your raised beds

I have one very interesting piece of work to be getting on with inside when the downpours start. I am on the computer regularly putting together a brochure giving tips and advice about how to build and look after you own raised vegetable beds in Inishowen. It’s going to be of interest to new gardeners around the peninsula and even growers who fancy expanding their plots.
Do you have images of established raised beds? If so I would love to have some pictures of them to add to the pages. Also if you have large amounts of reclaimed or new wooden planks or good quality topsoil, please let me know and I can include you in the pages. I’m also looking for a bit of advertising sponsorship to pay for the printing costs, so if you are in the horticultural or building trade then please get in touch.
You can contact me through the gardening.ie e-mail address info@gardening.ie

Colds and flu

Keep out the colds

I think that getting a cold is nature’s way of telling you to slow down and look after yourself. Some might even say that we need a cold every year to clean out our systems, a human oil change if you like, and to build up our immune system. Billions of euro are spent every year, giving big pharmaceutical companies our money in the hope of alleviating the discomfort or with a promise of avoiding the colds altogether. I’m not saying that colds, and especially flu isn’t dangerous, far from it, medical intervention is probably needed in severe cases with older people and vulnerable children. The majority of us though could potter on quite happily if we had an understanding boss that would give us a few days off, a bit of TLC at home, a hot water bottle and some natural remedies from the garden.
When I was a nipper, my mother would make me a drink of hot honey and lemon with added glycerine which helped the mixture stick to the sore throat, alleviating the tickly cough that goes with the cold. When I was older I substituted the glycerine with whiskey and added cloves. I was making a mixture for one of my lads last night and substituted the glycerine with carrageen moss . This has the same gloopy consistency that will help to stick the throat.
Let’s have a look at some herbal cold remedies that are close to hand. It might be a bit late/early in the season to have these to hand; we can plan for next year though. Some things will also grow rather poorly in our climate and we might have to source them from the grocers.

Remedies

Rose hip is a great source of vitamin C. Use either the rose hip or wild English dog rose from the hedgerows. Collect and dry the hips and make an infusion(cover with boiling water). Strain and drink the liquid.
Lemon balm. The leaves of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) can be infused and the liquid taken to relieve both colds and headaches. The drink induces sweating which helps to clean the system.
Lemons and oranges are both considered to be cold remedies and make good drinks or eat raw.
Cider vinegar can be added to drinks or taken on its own
Ginger. For chills, take fresh ginger root. Ginger helps relieve nausea.
Onions. Onion layers attract contagious diseases and were often hung in sickrooms. Today, we know that onions have antibacterial qualities. Boil a whole onion, and afterward, drink the water. You can add a little butter and salt to taste. For prevention leave a peeled raw onion (or a half) in rooms. Don’t leave half onions lying around and use later as old wives say it could be full of germs.
Garlic. Garlic cloves can be eaten raw or added to soup or other foods. Garlic staves off secondary infections.
Chillies. Great for clearing the sinuses as are lots of other hot spices. Make a large curry....
Horseradish. You can find the roots growing wild. A taste of this is said to be one of the best remedies around.
Prunes. Prunes are rich in fibre, vitamins A and B, iron, calcium, and phosphorus.
Sage The Latin word for sage, salvia means to heal,. Sage was considered to be one of four sacred plants by Native Americans. For irritations or inflammation of the throat try gargling with a mixture of sage and apple cider vinegar sweetened with a little local honey.
Thyme. Try a thyme drink when you have a cough or to clear mucus from your chest. It was once used on bandages to prevent infection. Thymol, the active ingredient in thyme is one of the strongest antiseptics known.
Oregano. Oregano has a high thymol content too. It can be used to treat sore throats, coughs and colds.
Rosemary. Rosemary tea can help bring relief for colds, catarrh, wheezing and bronchitis clearing phlegm from the chest. It is useful as a gargle for a sore throat.
Echinacea. Echinacea is a bit of a fair weather plant although I managed to grow some here one year. It is very useful in reducing the symptoms of a cold. You can get the drops from the health shop.

Reduce the risk

I tend to go around not touching anything and waving my anti bacterial wand everywhere. Here are some other things you could do to stop the spread of the viruses:
Eat lots of fruits with high vitamin C content as well as veggies and grains which cleanse your system.
Wash your hands often, with lots of soap and water.
Use disposable hankies instead of cloth ones. If you’re in a public restroom, shut the taps off with a paper towel ,push the door open with your shoulder or use the paper towel to turn the handle.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough
Don't shake hands or touch surfaces and then bring your fingers to your nose,eyes or face.
Eat lots of fruits with high vitamin C content as well as veggies and grains which cleanse your system.
If you can, take it easy as soon as symptoms develop.
Don't bite your nails; it spreads germs.
Don't share food or drinks, even a taste.
When in doubt, hug instead of kiss.
Drink plenty of liquids, especially fresh pure water.
Get plenty of sleep. Go to bed early.
Cut back on sugars and alcoholic drinks.
Don't share towels.
Stay at home if possible.

Usual disclaimer: It is important that only minor problems are self-treated. If an ailment is severe or persists, you should seek help from a qualified medical practitioner.

More on the weather

Other predictions

I thought it would be a good idea to have a look to see if I could add to Michael’s weather predictions. Some of these are tried and tested, others are open to interpretation.

• Seagull sit on the sand, it’s never fine weather when you’re on the land.
• Scarlet pimpernel flowers are sensitive to changes in the air, opening when it is dry but closing when it accumulates moisture, presently to be discharged as rain.
• If bubbles form in puddles and float for a little while, rain will persist. If no bubbles form or they burst immediately, rain will pass.
• When the cows are laying down in the field it will likely rain.
• Circle around the moon, rain or snow soon.
• Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. Or:
• Red sky at night, sailors delight.
• Red sky at night, shepherds delight
• red sky in the morning shepherds warning
• When the leaves on a tree curl or show the underside it is going to rain
• "Mackerel scales lower the sails." (Mackerel scales is referring to the look of the clouds, it is going to get windy.)
• Check the grass for dew at sunrise. If the grass is dry, this indicates clouds or strong breezes, which can mean rain. If there's dew, it probably won't rain that day.
• Take a deep breath. Close your eyes and smell the air.
1. Plants release their waste in a low pressure atmosphere, generating a smell like compost and indicating an upcoming rain.
2. March ground will release gasses just before a storm because of the lower pressure, which leads to unpleasant smells.
3. A proverb says "Flowers smell best just before a rain." Scents are stronger in moist air, associated with rainy weather.
• If the cattle are heavy coated, it is going to be a hard winter.
• The day of the month of the first snowfall will determine how many times it will snow that year. This number includes flurries.
• Winter will be cold or mild based on how thick the husks are on the years corn crop.
• When leaves show their undersides, be very sure that rain betides.
• Teeth, knees, hands, joints hurt. Some people swear they can predict rain based on their aches and pains. This could be due to a fall in barometric pressure, which causes blood vessels to dilate slightly, enabling a storm to affect everything from bones and joints to muscles and sinuses.

I’m sure there are loads more ways people have found to predict the weather. I’m thankful were in a country that needs predictions. Wouldn’t it be a bit boring if we had sunshine all of the time?

Thawing

Bursting out all over

Last week’s thaw gave us a bit more than beautiful winter colours back to the hillsides. We woke up on Boxing Day morning to find that the hot water pipe in the garage had sprung a leak, covering the floor with four inches of water (yes I did measure it) Water was gushing out from behind the sink. As Julie swept waves out of the door, I unscrewed the cupboards from the wall to inspect the damage. The last few inches of the pipe is a metal flexible end to bend towards the taps. You would think that this type of pipe was immune to freezing conditions, but it’s just as susceptible as copper piping as it has a rubber tube running through it which must have expanded with the ice and cracked. Doubting anywhere was open, and that plumbers mobile phones would be engaged until spring; I decided to do a quick fix. I bent the pipe over to stop the flow of water and got out the trusty Duck Tape to keep the pipe in place. We were lucky, If the burst had been in the attic it would have been a costly fix, or if we had gone away for the week....

After the freeze

Looking at the garden after the freeze is always interesting. Some plants and shrubs thrive on the covering and the insulation that snow brings. Think about how alpine plants cope up on their native mountain screes. They love the snow and could happily live under it until spring. It’s the constant wet and poor drainage conditions that kill these plants off. Grass soon picks up; it looks very sorry for itself but bounces back. Our cordyline seems a bit flattened too as do the broccoli and kale plants, although I don’t think there’s any serious damage as the snow acted as an insulator.

Furniture

Our decking and garden furniture are not doing too well. Although I coated them with preservative earlier in the year they are still deteriorating fast. We have a slippery layer of green algae outside of the patio doors and the frost has got into the table and chairs from cracks in the varnish. In hindsight it would be advisable to put the furniture indoors in winter. It’s not as handy to move the decking into the shed so I have put a vinegar solution with salt onto the planks to kill off the slippery substance. Bleach works just as well, but I was thinking of the puppy’s paws, he tends to help me with everything when I’m outside. Bleach is handy if you have plastic furniture. Plastic furniture is pretty weather resistant but it does build up a layer of gunge and can get discoloured. Try mixing a couple of tablespoons of washing up liquid into four spoons of bleach. Wear rubber gloves and wipe all of the affected surfaces with a cloth. Leave it for half an hour then rinse off. The colour will be restored and the chairs will be ready for the sunshine.

Water for the birds

We had a lot or response about caring for the birds in winter. Here are a few replies.
“There is always water available in guttering. Except in the most severe weather, the south facing roof will always thaw during the day providing water for the birds. What birds need most is cover from the weather and predators. So every garden should have at least one evergreen shrub. Also the leaf litter below shrubs is usually free of frost so iI put a chopped apple there for the robin and his fellow thrushes.

“I have put a pot saucer on some bricks and put a candle underneath; this helps to keep water free from ice.”


“I come from Estonia where temperatures below zero are normal. I have never heard anyone here trying to give water to birds in winter; it is pointless, as it will freeze in a moment. There is, however, one important thing to remember, do not give anything salted to birds: no ham or minced meat (because there is salt in it). If you give fat or sunflower seeds or something else to birds, make sure that it is not salted, otherwise the birds will die of thirst.”

“I have watched birds in my garden eating snow to avoid thirst, and this must bring their body temperatures down, when I do melt and top up the bird bath it is quickly used by sparrows, blue tits, robins and many others, so I do think it’s worthwhile to keep doing this in cold snaps, especially if they have already come to rely on you.”

“It’s a full time job keeping the birds fed at this time of the year up here in Inishowen. Robins, blue tits, starlings, pigeons, jackdaws, sparrows and blackbirds all appreciate seeds, unsalted peanuts, fat balls, seeded bread, corn, mince. This year they are very keen to bathe which surprised us given how chilly snow-covered everything is at present. I expect their plumage needs particular attention in order to help with insulation.”