Bulbs - Plant Now
Lots of Bulbs like hyacinths, tulips and small bulbs such as crocus can still be planted according to Dermot O Neill (
RTE, Radio 1, Mooney). Do the planting in dry conditions, not after heavy rain. Bulbs have all the nutrients they need to grow; no need for nutrients to be added to soil.
Fritillaria imperialis is a big bulb with a hole on its top, when planting turn bulb on its side to prevent it filling with water. Use silver horticultural sand to mark area where bulbs are planted in soil. Dermot mentioned he bought terracotta pots (36ins to 40ins), made in
Kiltrea Bridge Pottery, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Dermot has two of these pots; in one pot he will plant the Red crown imperial & in the other pot he will plant Orange Crown imperial.
Note: Plant
only one of these large bulbs per pot or container.
Hint: You can plant winter flowering primulas and pansies in the top layer of these pots. Obtaining knowledge of bulbs is easy - just buy a few bulbs, read up on them, plant them either in soil or containers, when you have visitors you will be able to answer some questions about the bulbs.
Labels: Bulbs, terracotta pots
New Gardening Website
Yesterday Friday 15th October '10 I came across a new gardening website which was being previewed on BBC Radio 2. The website which is called GardenersClick offers plenty advise about various aspects of gardening. Check it out and see what you think. Afterall a gardening website is essential for all gardeners especially in this mobile internet age; gardening and horticultural information is now readilly available at the touch of a button. Labels: gardening, websites
RTE Radio One, Mooney Goes Wild, Monday to Friday 3pm to 4.30pm. With the long winter months just around the corner gardener Dermot O' Neill spoke about the importance of scented plants in the garden. These fantastic winter flowering shrubs which add both colour and scent should be arriving in garden centres over the coming weeks. Nowadays gardens are smaller and have become extended living spaces attached to our homes, hence scented plants can contribute significantly to the experience of your garden space be it a patio, terrace or decked area. Here are six plants which add both colour and scent to your garden during the winter months:
- Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postil'
- Hamamelis mollis (Witch Hazel)
- Lonicera x purpurea (Winter Beauty)
Winter flowering + scent:
- Sarcococca humillis (Christmas Box)
- Chimonanthas praecox (Winter Sweet)
- Jasminum polyanthum
Some more plants which Dermot recommended as being good for both colour and scent. Obviously some of these plants are not winter flowering:
- Matthiola bicornis (Night Scented Stock)
- Rosa 'Abraham Derby'
- Jasminum polyanthum
- Pelargoniums
Dermot also suggested using a systemic herbicide to treat that difficult weed called Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Be careful when using any herbicide as the chemical must be applied only to the plant to be treated, in this case the bindweed. Remember your own safety when using these chemicals; use a face mask, safety eyewear, gloves, wellington boots and an overalls.
Labels: colour, herbicide, safety, scented plants, weeds
Gardeners' World Magazine
Gardeners' World Magazine is an invaluable source of information for the gardener. This month's issue (August 27th) is interesting as we move into the autumn season. There are lots of useful tips about how to take cuttings and build a vegetable garden. Alan Titchmarsh and Monty Don impart their gardening wisdom.About.com feature useful videos about various aspects of gardening and landscape design. Fact sheets are available on the website. Really useful if you have your laptop computer to hand in the garden you can look up this practical website. Labels: about.com, garden design
While doing a Google search I found what is a really useful website:
www.freenaturepictures.com offering plant pictures. The internet is undoubtedly a magnificent resource for all things horticultural. As a research tool it can enable you to increase your knowledge of gardening and plants.
Labels: internet, pictures, Plant science
Cordyline australis (Cabbage tree) along with other plants has suffered extremely during the harsh Irish winter of 2010. The snow and ice that lasted for almost four weeks in January caused many plants, even trees to become stressed. A gardening forum called The Helpful Gardener gives some pointers for the rejuvenation of Cordyline sp. Also useful for a broad range of information relating gardening queries.Labels: cordyline
Epicure
Today I enjoyed a delicious tin of Epicure organic Mung Beans which tasted delicious. Eventhough the beans are from a tin they are stored in unsalted water which must be good for the natural flavour of the beans. Of course when a gardener harvests their own vegetables they taste like nothing on this earth. However, a tin of organic mung beans is the closest any gardener will get to fresh, organic vegetables this time of year.
Happy holiday gardening!
