HEDGE CUTTING

It is against the law to cut vegetation growing in any hedge or ditch between March 1st and August 31st because of bird nesting. Although this is more a matter for farmers than us gardeners, I have used this law occasionally when I didn’t want to cut someone’s hedge! However we can’t really use this as an excuse so if you can get a few minutes outside, now is a good time to get your unruly hedge into shape for the spring.

The first
Most hedging plants have an upright growth habit so it is a good idea to encourage side shoots by trimming back their leaders - main shoot - and laterals - the secondary side shooting stems from the first year. In the first spring after planting a new hedge, cut back plants to about 40-45cm above ground level. Apply slow-release fertiliser all along the base of the plants, watering if no rain is forecast. Apply a thick layer of mulch (7.5cm) after watering, or when the ground is moist, keeping the material away from the main trunks of the plants as this could cause rotting. In late summer, cut back the shoots that are sticking out - the laterals.

When to prune
Generally overgrown deciduous hedges can be tackled in winter and evergreen ones in mid spring. When attempting drastic pruning, deal with one side of your hedge at a time, spreading the process over two seasons. You should also feed the hedge before pruning, as well as after, to encourage healthy new growth. Cut one side of the hedge back to within about 10cm of the main trunk of the plants all the way along. On the other side, cut back side shoots by about a third, shaping the hedge so that it tapers towards the top. Repeat this process the following season, reversing the side, which is cut hard back.

Photo: Luke from the convent in Buncrana tidying up the griselinia hedges.

STUCK FOR A GIFT ON VALENTINES DAY?
Forget paying a fortune for roses this Valentines day. Why not buy the one you love something that they can eat, is tasty and won’t put on the pounds….spuds! (It’s your responsibility if they get thrown back at you!)!)

I was down with Gareth Austin from the Lifestyle Garden centre in Newtowncunninghan this week. Gareth is a wealth of knowledge on gardening matters and in between his busy schedule getting ready for spring and his landscaping work, I managed to ask him about the best way to grow early spuds.

“Early potatoes are renowned for their taste They are full of flavour, and so easy to grow.” he explained. The yield is lower than maincrop varieties and the space needed for a good return is far less. Early varieties are also ready for lifting when potato prices are high, which is another great reason to grow them. There is no comparison in terms of flavour between freshly dug new potatoes and those, which are available in greengrocers. New potatoes lose their flavour very quickly after been dug, as they are not fully mature when lifting. They need to be lifted up and cooked straight away if possible”

Six weeks
Garden centres and the Co-op are stocking chitted spuds now for planting. I asked Gareth what was the best preparation for getting a bumper crop “Start chitting your potatoes about six weeks before you intend to plant them. Chitting simply means encouraging the seed potatoes to sprout before planting. Seed potatoes are ready for planting out when the shoots are 1.5-2.5cm (0.5-1in) long”. He continued. “From mid-March-April, dig a trench 7.5-13cm (3-5in) deep. Add a light sprinkling of fertiliser to your trench and begin planting. For the early spuds, plant them about 30cm (12in) apart with 40-50cm (16-20in) between the rows”.

Handle with care
Gareth concluded by advising us on how to handle delicate tubers. “Handle your chitted tubers with care, gently setting them into the trench with the shoots pointing upwards. Cover lightly with soil. As soon as the shoots appear, earth up each row by covering it with a ridge of soil so that the shoots are just buried. You need to do this at regular intervals. Your home-grown potatoes should be ready for lifting from June until September, depending on the varieties and the growing conditions”

Photo: Seaweed added to the ground now will help the new spuds to develop

DONEGAL TRAIL

Sean O'Gaoithin

Donegal Garden Trail brochure 2008

James Noone (chairperson)
Hilary Reid
Maura Doherty (treasurer)
Danny McLaughlin (secratary)

Local gardening clubs

Some of the real hidden treasures of Inishowen are the vibrant gardening clubs. At these monthly meetings like-minded folk can get together for advice, drinks cups of tea, win lovely plants in the raffle and listen to guest speakers who are passionate about their topics.

I was lured out of my comfy fireside chair this week to go out to the Inishowen Gardening Club in the Wesley hall Carndonagh. Arriving at the hall, I was greeted by a beaming James Noone the chairperson of the group. James is probably one of the most enthusiastic gardeners I have ever met. “Greetings!” he exclaimed as he shook my hand. “It’s great to have new faces coming to the meetings”. He beamed. “The Inishowen Group here in Carndonagh has a very healthy membership, but of course we always like to see new faces.” The guest speaker was Seán O’Gaoithin who is the head gardener at Glenveagh National Park. James explained that Seán would be talking about the Donegal Garden Trail, “Sit yourself down and after the talk we have tea and biscuits and the raffle” he told me hospitably. Sounds good to me, I thought, I ought to get out more often.

Sean O'Gaoithin explains the Donegal Garden Trail to Bev Doherty

Seán O’Gaoithin and his team of gardeners have been working tirelessly planting and maintaining the fabulous gardens around the 19th century Glenveagh castle and its 14,000 hectares of land. And as interesting as his job is that wasn’t why the thirty of us were sitting in front of a projector screen. Seán has a great collection of photos from all of the gardens on the Donegal Garden Trail.


Donegal garden trail

The Donegal Garden Trail started last year and is a great success. Seán began by telling us a bit about this new annual event. Last year, twenty stunning gardens around the county opened their doors to the public. The gardens on the trail vary enormously from large estates to small town gardens. There is always a warm welcome from the garden owners. Some supply guided tours and others lay on tea and cakes for visitors to enjoy. The very generous donations made by members of the visiting public are distributed around local charities.

Loreto house in Linsfort

Sean has put a great amount of energy into the event and has just completed the comprehensive brochure that lists the gardens. “This year we have twenty-six places to visit on the trail. Two of which are from Inishowen. These are, the Celtic Garden and IOSAS Centre in Muff and Loreto House at Linsfort.” Seán describes the gardens. “The Celtic garden in Muff is a fantastic example of getting the right balance. The design has a gloriously wild feeling and making any area more formal (by putting cordylines in etc) wouldn’t do the place justice. The garden at Loreto house has been planted with love and care and has a stunning coastal backdrop.

Exciting projects

Seán also sees our wild and sometimes barren landscape as positive motivation for creating small microclimates around the county. “We here in the North West have a wide diversity of complex geological features from granite to quartzine mountain ranges and all sorts of soil types. This makes developing gardens an exciting and challenging project. We even have a lot of gardens that still have ancient standing stones, which are part of our heritage. The wild garden around Glenalla House in Milford is a prime example of this. They have one as a centre point in a maze of hornbeam. A lot of the planting was done in the 1930’s so it has matured over several generations of the same family”. Greenfort in Portsalon is also a great example of early recycling. “Some features in the Greenfort garden, like the alter rails and the porch come from Aards House which was destroyed by fire. We have some of the house materials at Glenveigh too, which were reclaimed in the 1960’s,” he continued.

Take part

Seán would love to see more gardens represented from the peninsula. “The brochure will be out very soon and a website is very nearly up and running, so I will be in a better position to give more information”. In the meantime if anyone would like their garden featured in the garden trail next year or would like information on this years trail, contact Seán on (074) 91 37391 or e-mail sogaooitin@eircom.net

ALL HANDS ON DECK

Decking for the garden is still a popular option in Inishowen, and it can be built on the steepest of slopes or the wettest of ground. Putting decking in the garden can increase your living area considerably and young children enjoy playing on the soft,warm surface. The major complaint is that the surface can become very slippery in winter. This week I visited Brian Timmins from Inishowen Garden Equipment in Shandrum to find out the best way to keep your decking up to scratch.


Prevent algae build up

“There are simple steps that can be taken to prevent algae building up” says Brian, who clearly is passionate about decking and feels that preventative maintenance is the way to go. “To start with remove any debris such as fallen leaves from the deck, I use a leaf blower myself and it only takes five minutes! The deck can then be swept with a good stiff brush. Go with the grain for the best results.”


This process can get the bulk of the algae off of the wood but if the garden is shady or really wet you may need better protection throughout the winter. “Try treating the area with decking reviver and protector.” Brian suggests. “This kills of the algae and prevents it from coming back for at least a year. After brushing and when the weather is dry, treat with a good quality oil or wood stain that will soak into the wood. Remember to read the instructions as the right application is crucial!”


Brian throws me a grin and wraps up our chat with this bit of worldly wisdom “There is no such thing as maintenance free in the garden, you have to put in a little work, but …..with a bit of care your decking can look good and be safe to walk on for many years to come”

Photo: “Annual care for your decking needen’t be a chore” says Brian Timmins from Inishowen Garden Equipment in Shandrum



Is this the way to amaryllis?

Having an amaryllis in the house is a real treat. These gracious tropical flowers hint at a more exotic climate, yet they are not too difficult to care for. Colm Grant, the founder of the Swilly Gardening Club in Buncrana is an avid houseplant collector and has a beautiful amaryllis specimen which is about 4 years old (and has even had a few babies). So what is the best way to care for this graceful blossom.

“Overwatering is the biggest problem these bulbs face” Colm tells me with an air of confidentiality. “Water sparingly throughout the year from the bottom of the pot. This plant grows all year round. It has lost its dormant period and actually flowers twice a year now! When the flower dies and the stem rots back, I cut it off before the dieback reaches the bulb” Colm also explains the importance of feeding the bulb. “I use a general purpose houseplant fertiliser in the summer months so the bulb can build up it’s strength.”

I asked Colm if the bulbs have any other common problems we should know about “Apart from watering the other problem we have had was with the woolly aphid. They would settle on the bottom of the stem. I used a spray bottle with diluted methylated spirits in it. It got rid of the sticky pests and the plant was none the worse for the ordeal.”

Freshen up houseplants

Colm also has some advice for the care of houseplants in general. “Over the year dirt and grime from the house has settled on the leaves of our plants, so we put all of our houseplants outside in the summer months, the amaryllis goes out too. I choose a damp muggy day and this freshens them up really well.”

Mind you, I tried that with our housplants last year… They are still out there. Well the pots are, the frost has turned the plants into green sludge!