Mucking about with manure is a gardening mustURBAN FARMER: Well-fed soil gives healthy crops but which food is best?Thu Dec 02 2010 - 00:00
Plant and prune now to get berry good resultsIt’s well worth spending some time sorting out your soft fruitThu Nov 25 2010 - 00:00
The hows and whys of autumn onions and garlicA shortage of garlic means prices are likely to rise next year, so why not grow your own?Thu Nov 11 2010 - 00:00
Parsnips, turnips and beetroot - the roots of all goodNow is the time to embrace root vegetables – hardy, delicious, and packed with vitaminsThu Nov 04 2010 - 00:00
A bright bulb and a curly kale can defy the PucaURBAN FARMER : Traditionally, crops should be harvested by Hallowe’en, but there are some hardy exceptionsThu Oct 28 2010 - 01:00
Preparing for Cavan's monster pumpkin contestGrowing giant pumpkins takes time, effort and skill. This year’s finest will be on view in Virginia this weekendThu Oct 21 2010 - 01:00
Here's to making the most of a sweet surplusIt’s been a bumper year for apples, so why not use your extras to make delicious apple juice or cider?Thu Oct 14 2010 - 01:00
How to store without geting all tied up in knotsURBAN FARMER : Onion rope aside, it’s an easy affair preparing storage spots for this year’s fruit and vegetable cropsThu Oct 07 2010 - 01:00
What to do when it comes to the crunchCelery is a crop on the rise, and if you take a few precautions, growing it can be simplicity itselfThu Sept 23 2010 - 01:00
What to sow, plant and do nowSow: Green manures, komatsuna, land cress, lettuce, mibuna, mizuna, mustards, salad rocket, spinach, winter purslaneThu Sept 23 2010 - 01:00
It's an unpredictable life for pumpkins and pestsVariations in the weather, the soil, pests and diseases can all affect your cropThu Sept 02 2010 - 01:00
Runner beans take off in midsummerThe sight of a row of scarlet runner beans in full flower is magicThu Aug 12 2010 - 01:00
Spirit of adventure helps make the most of salad daysIt’s amazing how many easy-to- grow plants can bring colour, flavour and crunch to our summer mealsThu Jul 01 2010 - 01:00
Strawberry fields forever yielding fruit this summerThis year’s weather has resulted in a spectacular strawberry crop in the walled gardenThu Jun 24 2010 - 01:00
Making the most of the sweet scent of summerThe delicious, tangy smell of tomato plant leaves is one of the season’s sensual delightsThu Jun 17 2010 - 01:00
Saving the spuds means a compromise on chemicalsOrganic is the ideal at the OPW’s walled garden, but its gardeners have had to spray the potato crop with a fungicideThu Jun 10 2010 - 01:00
What to: Sow, plant and do nowSow outdoors: French beans; runner beans; beetroot; calabrese; carrots; mini cauliflowers; chicory; courgettes; cucumbers; endives…Thu Jun 10 2010 - 01:00
What to: Sow, plant and do nowSow under cover: cucumbers; pumpkins; sweet corn; sunflowers; courgettes; autumn and winter cauliflowers; kales; dwarf, French…Thu May 27 2010 - 01:00
Garden aristocrat makes its own rulesURBAN FARMER: It takes four years for asparagus to reach harvesting stage and growing it will put your patience to the testThu May 20 2010 - 01:00
What to sow, plant and do nowSow under cover with heat (minimum 20ºC): tomatoes; aubergines; peppers; celeriacThu Mar 25 2010 - 00:00
Beating the blight: how to grow healthy potatoesVigilance is vital to stop disease spreading to nearby gardensThu Mar 04 2010 - 00:00
Question of sprouting potatoes causes much chit-chatURBAN FARMER: There’s heated debate about the merits of chitting but the professionals let the results speak for themselves…Thu Feb 18 2010 - 00:00
Grow-your-own courses bloom around the countryWant to grow your own? Here’s where to learnThu Jan 28 2010 - 00:00
Grow-your-own courses bloom around the countryWant to grow your own? Here’s where to learnThu Jan 28 2010 - 00:00
Growing pumpkins to scary sizesVisitors to the OPW’s walled garden have been enthralled by its giant pumpkins while the gardeners are already busy planning …Thu Oct 29 2009 - 00:00
Autumn is crunch-time for applesURBAN FARMER : After years of decline, home-grown apples are returning to the back garden, with growers branching out into old…Thu Sept 24 2009 - 01:00
Enemy attacks under cover of darknessURBAN FARMER: The spoils of war from a cutworm infestation at the OPW’s walled garden in the Phoenix Park have gone to a cheeky…Thu Sept 10 2009 - 01:00
A glut can be berry nice indeed . . .... but, while late summer is a time of plenty in the garden, the profusion presents some problems, even for gluttonsThu Aug 27 2009 - 01:00
Making up for lost time in midsummerMost gardeners miss deadlines – but there’s time to catch upThu Jul 09 2009 - 01:00
