Tunnel or Not

Is it possible to make a polytunnel from our old trampoline?

Tunnel Vision

I’ve turned into an embarrassment again with the young ‘uns.  My mobile phone is apparently really outdated; the last time I was this out of touch was when my phone had a three inch aerial sticking out of the top and was shaped like a brick.

Now I am faced with getting a smart phone, something that can take up more time in my day.  I have a limited vocabulary when it comes to texting on a numeric keypad on my old phone and usually just end up saying “OK” as a reply to almost everything as I can’t be bothered to press the little digits more than a few times before I get bored.  The new smart phones would do away with all of that as they have proper keypads so I could write “That’s OK instead”, before falling into a bored stupor.  

I have to weigh the facts though.  Do I NEED new phone?  Or do I WANT a new phone?  I started looking at the cheapest contract ones and they work out cheaper than the pay tariff as you go I am on now.  Alas though, these phones are out of date (by tekky standards) and the newer-faster-smarter phones are twice the cost, but they have all sorts of gizmos to play with.  I am really confused about it, mainly because I would happily live without a phone if I could.  

I have other dilemmas when it comes to buying and getting value for money too.  I have cleared a spot in the garden (got rid of the trampoline) and have enough room for a polythene tunnel.  It wouldn’t be a big one by any standards, I have an area of 12 feet by 20 feet to fill (4mx6m) but there are so many different types that I am as confused about tunnels as I am by phones. I initially spent a happy hour trying to make a polytunnel frame from the trampoline poles... I’m sure that I could do it but my lads insist they will be using it again in the summer.

Comparisons

My last tunnel was 30 feet long and heavy duty so could withstand the strongest winds coming off the Swilly.  I could get a smaller version of that, which would cost me about 600 euro which seems a bit steep.  The area where the tunnel is going is in a really sheltered space too surrounded by (but not in the shade of) trees, hedges and a wall, so I was thinking of something a bit more lightweight.  I pondered over a greenhouse but a new glass type that size would cost over 1000 euro and if you buy one second hand it’s usually “buyer to dismantle and collect” Now I don’t know if you have ever dismantled a greenhouse but generally you are left with a pile of aluminium strips that you don’t have a clue how to put back together again and a few bags of broken panes of glass... So I have discounted that line of buying. 

 Choices

There are other cheaper types of polytunnels on the market and an ever growing amount of companies bending galvanised tubing into hoops.  The coverings seem different too and range from thick clear plastic to hazy plastic and covers which sandwich green mesh in between layers which is supposed to give both strength and shade. They all have 5 year or more guarantees so chances are any will do the job effectively.  The design I am looking for in the hoops if for them to have straight sides.  The tunnel will be small enough without me being unable to get into the edges with benches or vegetable beds, so every inch of space is needed.  This thankfully cuts down the choices of companies as not all of them produce this type of design.

Cheaper models don’t seem to have wooden door frames either and rely on zip flaps similar to a tent, which will let you push a wheelbarrow through but I am wondering if it’s heavy duty enough.

It’s going to take me a bit of time to come up with the ideal tunnel for my needs; I will have to weigh up all of the options before buying. I’ll have to be realistic about the price too, I know it will cost me a few hundred euro to get a good one but it will be worth the extra money. I have to take into consideration any extras such as black plastic for the flooring or the cost of putting in raised beds... and buying plants and seeds for that matter.  It all adds up.  

If anyone has an old tunnel lying unwanted...give me a shout!

Seeds

Let’s see if last year’s broccoli seeds are viable.

I was reading a story this week about a man that single handedly planted a forest covering 1,360-acres.  A little more than 30 years ago, a teenager named Jadav "Molai" Payeng began burying seeds along a barren sandbar near his birthplace in northern India's Assam region to grow a refuge for wildlife. Seeds are magical things and this time of year it always amazes me just what gardeners can get out of just a few packets of these living micro organisms held in a state of suspended animation or dormancy. 

I have mixed success with seeds, that’s probably the same in nature and why some plants produce so many of them.  There are many things that can affect the viability of seeds, including moisture, air, temperature, and light. In an ideal situation and environment, every single seed we planted would grow into a seedling, but as we all know, that doesn’t normally happen. 

Although dormant, seeds are still slowly using their food reserves. Some have more in reserve than others and can lay dormant for years before bursting into life when the right weather conditions appear.  Small flower and vegetable seeds do deteriorate over the year and that’s why tend to go out and buy a new packet of broccoli seed every year instead of using the seeds from last year’s unopened packet.

When the right weather conditions wake the seeds up they begin to germinate and emerge from their hard seed coat. Here is a brief explanation of how a seed wakes up and busts into life, just like us gardeners do when the weather warms up.

There are four major factors that are affect germination:

Moisture:  A dormant seed only contains 10-15% of water and is essentially dehydrated. The seed has to absorb water in order to become active. It is taken in by the seed coat and enzymes in the seed become active and they start using stored food reserves. The embryo then begins to swell and the softened seed coat ruptures as the seed grows too big for its encasement and germination has starts. The seed leaves or cotyledons now show but photosynthesis doesn’t begin until the true leaves are developed and at this point in development the seedling is still surviving on its own food reserves.

Air:  In the dormant condition the seeds respiratory rate is very low and so oxygen is required in very small quantities. But for germination, oxygen is needed in large quantities. The seeds get oxygen that is dissolved in water and from the air contained in the soil. If soil conditions are too wet, an anaerobic condition persists, meaning that the seeds are living without air so will hold back germinating until they feel the supply of air will be constant.  Aren’t they clever?

Temperature:  Germination can take place over a wide range of temperature and is specific to individual crop types, and can be specific to varieties. When I was growing seedlings in my polythene tunnel I had a hotbed with heated cables. The cables were put at different depths under sand to regulate how much heat each type of seedlings got, I did make life a bit complicated for myself though as there is an optimum temperature for plants.  The optimum for most crops is between 65-75°F and most seeds will germinate happily in this range.  Exceptions do apply though, for example lettuce germinates best at 65°F and can be held back at temperatures over 68°F while peppers and aubergines  prefer warmer temperatures around 80°F and will not germinate well at cooler temperatures.  If your soil is too cold or too hot, your seeds may not sprout. Check your seed packet to find the best temperature needed for your seeds.

Light:  Light has varied effects on germinating seeds of different plants. Some seeds need light for germination, while in some seeds germination is hindered by light. Most wild species of flowers and herbs prefer darkness for germination and should be planted deep in the soil while most modern vegetable crops prefer light or are not affected by it, and are planted shallowly to allow small amounts of light to filter through the soil.

How deep to plant?

Seed size usually is a good indication of how deep to plant your seeds, which usually corresponds to how much light they need. The general rule of thumb is to plant your seed at least as deep as the seed is long. Certain seeds need light to germinate and shouldn’t even be covered with any soil! Check the back of the seed pack for specific information on how deep to plant your seeds.

Why didn’t my seeds germinate?

Have all the seeds failed? If this is the case, more than likely it is an environmental condition. Seeding too deeply, planting in cold soil, too much or too little water, improper soil preparation, and birds or rodents are the most common causes for environmental conditions that prevent seeds from germinating. When germination is poor it is most likely a degradation of seed quality, and the seed has begun to die. In general seeds hold high germination rates for 2-3 years but if the packets have been opened the seed needs to be kept in airtight containers and not left in a damp shed like my broccoli seeds have. I won’t be risking them this year

Don't Mow - Grow...

Up Up and Away

It’s been years since we went away on a family holiday.  As a family we all have different interests. I like walking around public gardens (and DIY shops), Julie wants to sit on a beach and the lads are chalk and cheese when it comes to interests.  Logistically then it’s a bit of a compromise, which is why we usually just have day trips around Inishowen.  This year though we were looking at places a bit further afield and pricing up flights on the internet.  I was intrigued to see that every time I went onto a page on flight details the prices kept going up... and up.  By the time I thought about booking the cost had gone up by €50.

I have found out that this is because websites have cookies and are set up so the flights go up every time you reopen the page.  Panic sets in as you think the seats are being booked up so you buy.  It’s not a well known fact that this happens but there is a way around it if you are thinking of booking a flight.  Either use a different computer or more technically, clear your cache and cookies from the computer.  It could save you a small fortune.

Volunteering

I was also pricing flights to more exotic places around the world when I was online. I have a friend in Bali Indonesia who has set up a 5 Rhythms dance and meditation centre and is looking for willing workers to help put up some wooden huts, set up a permaculture garden and dig a pool, I’m very tempted, although at the rate they are digging the pool will be finished well before I get there!  Then there’s a place near to my brother in Byron Bay Australia who is looking for gardening  work to be done in exchange for food and shelter. (I found this courtesy of workaway.info where there are jobs all around the world on offer) 

Maybe it’ll be something for me to think about later on in the year when winter sets in. I’m not quite ready yet to jump on a plane, fly across the world and roll my sleeves up and work on other people’s projects just yet as I have one of my own this spring. I have been looking at the front garden and the possibilities of turning into a small productive vegetable patch.  

The whole are only measures 20 feet by 10 feet, it’s small but just the right size for about four veggie beds to get me started.  The garden is raised up from the street about three feet which is ideal for keeping any dogs off. At the moment it’s just grass so I have a blank canvas to play with. 

Don’t Mow – Grow

There is a big movement, (especially in America) where front gardens are being turned from lawns into productive veggie patches.  It comes as a price in some states though as householders have been threatened with prison for growing vegetables in their front gardens. One mother of six faces up to 93 days in jail for refusing to take out the raised beds in front of her home and plant what the city deemed “suitable” ground cover.

New Uses

Because lawns need a lot of water, chemicals, care, time and fuel to keep them in good shape, more and more people are turning their backs on mowing and deciding to grow vegetables instead. Sustainability, water shortages, more expensive food and the recession has given rise to an alternate view of the lawn similar to the Victory Gardens in World War 11  

Food Not Lawns, an environmental group, advocates abolishing ornamental grasses in favour of edible gardens, while the National Wildlife Federation sponsors a program for homeowners interested in creating wildlife habitats in their gardens. The transformation can start with something as minimal as adding flowers that attract migratory butterflies or be as ambitious as cultivating a wild landscape.

A serious side                                                                                                

Though rooted in something as innocuous as vegetables, the disputes about removing the raised beds from front gardens touch on divisive issues. These being homeowner rights, property values, sustainability, food integrity and the aesthetics of the traditional lawn to mention but a few. Ecologists and libertarians alike have gotten into the debate, the latter asserting that the codification of gardens is just one more way the government tells people how to live. I’m not expecting any problems with the neighbours though although, what was it a bloke called Felder Rushing said? “It doesn't matter what you do, or how you do it, your neighbours are gonna talk about you anyway.”

Bare Rooted Fruit Trees

It’s taken nearly a year but I have finally worked my way to the top corner of the garden with my spade.  It’s not that the garden is large by any stretch of the imagination; it’s just that I am extremely reluctant to pick up the spade.  I have used the “No Dig” policy I have as an excuse for so long but this work isn’t really digging, it’s pulling. The area at the top of the garden that we have planted our vegetables in has a really invasive (and as yet unidentified) shrub that spreads by runners. I got a few of them out last year so we could get a start with planting but they are coming back with vengeance. It’s not only the spade I am using; the mattock is coming in handy too.  The wall has also been cleared of ivy and because it is south facing I am considering planting a fruit tree to train against it in an espalier manner fastening the branches to the wall.

I like the idea of a few fruit trees and bare rooted fruit trees are in the shops now. They are a great way to build up your own orchard (or couple of small trees depending on your garden) and they should all be less than a few euro each.

Bare rooted is when the tree is sold without a pot or soil and bought while the weather is still cold and the plants are dormant. As well as saving money, you will often find a much wider selection of varieties and sizes available as bare-rooted trees. Many wonderful types of apples, pears, plums and other fruits can be found and as they are young they can be trained to fit the area you have. 

Timing

• The biggest stresses on a new fruit tree are usually below ground.
• Keep well watered in the first year
• Early to mid spring is a good time to plant the trees as they are just waking up. The ground is warming up in the sun. Avoid planting in a frost.
• If you miss the ideal window of time for your area but still want to plant this year, it’s worth paying more for container-grown plants. These will already have roots that have grown into the soil around them and as long as you don’t disturb these too much when planting, they’ll be ready to draw up moisture and nutrients during warmer weather.

Location

Fruit trees don’t like to be moved so it is important to get the location right first time. Things to consider are:

Sun or Partial Shade: Nearly all fruit trees require plenty of sun but by carefully scouring catalogues you’ll find there are some less well-know varieties that are tolerant of partial shade. Don’t just consider the ground, it’s the leaves that need sun and this often opens up possibilities for otherwise unproductive areas.

 Soil: Most will want free-draining soil, enriched with compost. Avoid areas that regularly flood or higher ground that dries out quickly.

 Wind and Snow: Be aware of the direction of prevailing wind and any large buildings nearby. A wall or fence may create a sheltered environment perfect for heat-loving fruits, or it could funnel icy winds during winter. Roofs can dump a ton of snow on an unsuspecting tree below, snapping its branches. Observe your garden closely to choose the best spot.

Other Plants: Trees are remarkably good at drawing up nutrients and water from the surrounding area. Unless you’re using raised beds, remember that a nearby fruit tree or bush may compete with your other plants.

The First Year for Fruit Trees

Fruit trees always seem to be such strong, healthy plants that we forget how vulnerable they are when first planted even if you follow all of the planting advice available. During the first year, the tree can easily die from not getting enough water or nutrients. Until the root system is at least as large as the tree it supports, it is particularly vulnerable to environmental stress. Regular watering a couple of times a week and keeping the area weed free should help the tree to establish. I will leave you to make up your minds about staking the tree. Some feel that it’s unnecessary to do it and stops the roots developing, others feel it’s vital.  If you don’t stake the tree keep an eye on it to see it doesn’t wobble in the wind.

Finally, don’t forget to remove all blossoms from the tree in the first year. Although it’s tempting to let some fruit develop, doing so will again place more stress on the tree as it establishes and forgoing the first year’s fruit will result in a much healthier tree and better harvest in years to come.