Cats and Fruit

  

Yum. It’s not just me picking my neighbours raspberries whilst they are away!

Oh the responsibility

I’ve been given the daunting task of looking after three cats this week.  A neighbour has gone away and I must have given the impression that I have a soft spot for the felines at some time. I’m not sure how as they don’t really come high on my list of pets.  It’s not too much of a task, let them in, let them out, feed them and avoid any physical contact of the litter tray that seems to be taking on a life of its own.  Everything went well until the third day, I went to let one of the roaming tom cats in for the night and it has disappeared.  Four days later and I am still wandering the streets asking strangers if they have seen the wanderer and pushing contact details through the letter boxes of where the cat has gone missing before (It’s happened a couple of months ago and not surprisingly he was found very near to a few females on heat)  

Brings back memories

The whole experience brings back vivid memories of when I was entrusted to look after a friend’s fish. The first time I was asked, one of them died in my care (I thought the water should look like mud) and the second time the following year they still asked me to look after the remaining fish that survived my neglect the previous year.  I still can’t believe that a cat got into the house minutes after they had left to go on their holidays. The cat ate the fish and left the tail on the floor in the living room.  I still also can’t believe that on both occasions, like in some really bad situation comedy I went to the pet shop to try and get a fish that looked like the ones I had let die. The staff at the shop thought it was a bit strange, especially on the second trip when I took the tail in and tried to match it up with the gold fish they had in the tank.  

Perks

There has been a perk though as the neighbours garden is full of lovely soft fruit. I have to compete with a golden retriever in the adjoining garden for the raspberries as he has taken to jumping up and grabbing what he can from over the fence. Thankfully he doesn’t get many.  Their alpine strawberries are doing well as are the currants; it seems to be a good year for a lot of fruit, especially the blackcurrants which are laden.  Julie’s mother has been harvesting her large crop of raspberries, the yield is good but some of the fruit has been blemished by the rain. This isn’t a problem though as the best ones are kept and frozen for decorating pavlovas and other puddings, then any blemished ones are put straight into the jam pot and boiled up to make her now legendary pots for family and friends.  At the moment she has two on the go, raspberry and my favourite, rhubarb and ginger. It’s partly the taste why I like the latter, but more to do with the fact that after a spoonful on toast I don’t spend the remainder of the day picking seeds out of my teeth.

Frost Pockets

Most soft fruits will grow well in any sunny position in the garden. Blueberries love our acid soil and blackberries, red and white currants, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberry, rhubarb and tayberries all do well in our moderate climate as long as it’s well lit, fed, drained and you read up when to cut back the fruit, (I cut every raspberries cane back to ground level in our own garden last autumn so none of the new shoots have produced fruit)   The main thing to look out for is to plant them away from frost pockets.   

Areas where cold air collects are known as frost pockets, and it’s best to avoid growing fruit in these areas because flowers that emerge very early in the year can be damaged or killed.

Cold air naturally sinks and collects in the lowest point it can reach, so sloping sites are most at risk. If the garden is in a natural valley, try not to plant the fruit at the bottom of it, where there will be a natural frost pocket. You can also inadvertently create frost pockets on sloping sites by stopping the downward flow of cold air with a hedge, fence or a building like a large shed. The cold air gets trapped on the upper side of the barriers. Where they do exist, avoid planting fruit directly above them. Other than that having your own crop of fresh fruit is a great bonus in the summer months when you can have a break from cutting the grass or in my case hanging around to see if the cat comes back before the neighbours return from their holiday at the weekend.

The Love of My Days

 

Photo: The killer plant looks harmless, but so far has taken out 20 fish.

 

I had a very upset Facebook friend contact me this week about her pond.  The woman had stocked her medium size water feature up with some lovely Koi carp and wanted to protect them from any wayward herons that were looking for a free meal.  The family had tried the plastic herons around the perimeter of the water but it didn’t seem to work.  They were advised to plant bushy marginal plants along the bank to give the fish protection and shield them from view should any predators come along. 

All was well with the foliage cover but one of the plants got a bit too big for its spot so her husband cut some of the stalks to reduce the overhang.  When the stalks were cut a white sap came out of the centre, a bit like when you break the stems of dandelions.  They thought nothing of it until the next day when they went out to feed the fish, and found them all dead.  Just a few drops of the sticky white sap had dripped into the water and poisoned every fish. 

I was asked to identify the plant.

Killer Plants

I found out that bamboo sap is poisonous to fish, but by the looks of the stems and leaves it wasn’t bamboo. I found out after a bit of investigating that the plant is a euphorbia.  They are quite common plants and although they can be delightful to look at there are certain types that can be a real irritant to the skin and potential killer.  In South Africa the latex sap is used to actually catch fish, when they ingest it they float to the top of the water paralyzed and are easily caught. Other varieties are used for waterproofing and in leather polish, dental mouldings, sealing wax, metal lacquers, paint removers and lithographic colours. Mixed in paraffin it is used to make candles, so the plant has many useful uses but wear rubber gloves when handling them!  E. Candelabrum latex is very poisonous and is sometimes used to make poison arrows, the plant varieties we have can cause blistering and skin irritation and if ingested could mean a trip to casualty.

The woman will be removing the euphorbia from the side of the pond, draining the water and leaving it a while before restocking with more fish.  There are a lot of safe marginal plants out there so hopefully they will make a better choice next time. Gardening can be a dangerous business.

Poetry Corner

I have another fantastic poem for you this week from Tara Rowan in Letterkenny. Even though she is tired, the expectations of her garden flourishing are keeping her going.  

The Love of My Days.

Planted, watered, covered with soil

My arms and legs are tired from toil.

Watching and waiting, silent and sound

Friends nod in amazement when they call around.

Nails, netting and pieces of wood,

To keep the dog where she is stood.

Watching and waiting, silent and sound

Sprouts of green appear from the mounds.

Tired as I am, my eyes are awake

As I take in all my hard work, leaning on my rake.

Watching and waiting, silent and sound

Such inner contentment I have found.

Sunshine, drizzle and torrential rain

It doesn’t matter I still do the same.

Watching and waiting, silent and sound

Colours are beginning to blaze up out of the ground.

Rainbows and sparkles in a slight breeze

It’s starting to become a visual tease.

Watching and waiting, silent and sound

My beautiful garden, natures astound.

Damp Squib

 

They don’t move very fast but catching all the slugs and snails is a real challenge!

I’ve been expecting a thunder storm all week but as yet nothing has happened.  It sounds very domesticated of me but the high humidity means that nothing is drying.  We can hang the clothes up on the line or in the house but they just sit there, damp and dreary.  It’s too warm to light a fire or put the heating on but I doubt that will make the slightest bit of difference. It’s like living in a bathroom with the hot shower constantly running. 

I’m also getting reports from disgruntled gardeners who are saying that this time they had lush wildflower gardens or heaps of broccoli flowering, but this year the plants just are not growing.  Not everything in the garden is at a standstill or growing slowly though. There are some things that would like the humid, damp conditions to last forever, namely slugs, snails, and fungal growth. Blight has been a bit of a problem and so have things like liverwort that quickly multiply on the soil which prevents water from getting to the plants.

 We have also been greeted at the front door by as many as twenty snails and some have even been trying to get into the letterbox.  I don’t mind so much as long as they are not munching the veggies. There are some plants that seem to be unaffected by the dampness, peas and beans are really growing well and my precious bedding plants seem to be thriving as does the grass. I have had no need to water them ever since they were planted three weeks ago!

Poetry Corner

The standard of poems was so high in the competition that I thought we could enjoy another great ditty from H.V. Mackey, Muff.

My Garden

With the radio on, I was lying in bed

When ‘Grow it Yourself’ infiltrated my head

And those three words sparked an altercation

So from bed I hopped, ready for action.

Now my garden plot was full of weeds

Where should I begin to sow my seeds?

I’d need a spade, fork, rake and hoe

Perhaps to the CO-OP I should go.

And their expertise fuelled my ambition

As I was a gardener bound on a mission

I bought peas, shallots, sets, plants and seeds

Along with all my other needs.

Once back at home, I got really busy

With nice steady rhythm – no need for a ‘Tizzy’

And by setting-sun the weeds had gone

I’d a nice clear plot as smooth as a lawn.

Next day I started to plant my plot

And had rows, drills and beds – indeed quite a lot

I was stiff and sore by my GIY start

Sun and rain could now play its part.

Quite soon green shoots began to appear

Slugs and snails now wanted here

Daily I pick, poke and view

This garden plot is no longer rue.

A gardening book is what I now need

To survey and study whilst waiting crop yield

‘Cause there’s so much more I need to know

And so much more I’ve GOT to grow!

Next year I hope to become a dab- hand

At getting maximum yield from my land

Raised beds, polytunnels, there’s so much to try

And I’ll feast like a king from what pleases the eye.

A copy of my e-book is on its way!

POETRY COMPETITION - WE HAVE A WINNER!

The poems have been read, scrutinised and judged by our well known radio gardening celebrity Gareth Austin.  The poem that he thought was the worthy winner was penned by Noeleen Walker from Fahan.  Gareth picked Noeleens poem ‘Genesis of a Gardener’ because it flows well, contains lots of gardening terms, humour and play on words. He also thinks verse 5 is super as it really catches how he feels when he sees the slimy trails left by slugs and also thinks slugocide is a great word!

Here is the winning poem. 

GENESIS  OF A GARDENER

I recall with great nostalgia

Times when ‘Teacher Bryce’ would say

Pack up your school books children

We’ll be gardening today.

She taught us all the basics

We planted, sowed and dug

We raked and hoed and watered

And waged war on enemy bugs.

We sowed seeds of all descriptions

With great determination

And observed with satisfaction

Their successful germination.

We raised sunflowers tall and stately

We grew lettuce, beetroot, peas

There were biennials and perennials

And fragrant annuals for the bees.

My teacher realized even then

That on gardening I was hooked

For long after I had left the school

She sent catalogues and books.

Inspired by information

That I gleaned from all those tomes

I assumed the role of ‘Gardener’

In our modest plot at home.

In approval of my efforts

(Really no one cared a bit)

 I was given carte blanche

To chop and change as I thought fit

I cultivated, propagated

I pruned and mowed with glee

It’s still a work-in-progress

I’d need help from Alan T!

It’s a therapeutic hobby

For if I’m feeling a bit low

An hour spent in the garden

And the blues are sure to go.

But slimy trails on my prized plants

Now that, I can’t abide

I don my big Doc Martens

And commit mass slugocide!

I’ve launched many a futile ‘jihad’

On ground-elder, nettles and docks

I’ve chased all round the garden

After dandelion clocks!

My potting shed’s my haven

I work in it with pride

And if there’s someone to avoid

It’s a splendid place to hide.

The love of gardening is a seed

That once sown never dies

And to this same old adage

I can surely testify.

My fingers may not be so green

As yours were, that is true

But if you’re looking down on me

Mrs. Bryce – A Big Thank You.

More next week

Thank you to all who entered there are some fantastic entries, so many in fact I will be printing another runner up next week.  The winning books by Klaus Laitenberger and me will be in the mail to Noeleen today.

Gabion baskets are getting more imaginative and here is a new design called the Archimedes Spiral 

Gabion Baskets

I have mentioned Gabion Baskets a few times and said how impressive the basic types look in garden design.  The traditional wire meshed baskets hold the stone in place on many embankments and building developments but smaller ones can look great as a feature in the garden. I recently came across this great design from a company in the UK (see pic).  It’s called the Archimedes Spiral and made from mesh usually seen in goat pens. They are delivered in kit form and take a couple of hours to assemble. The cost is about €160 for the mesh, €100 for the stone and about another €50 for the plants so the whole creation will be in excess of €300.  What do you think?  Would you spend that amount of money on a planter?