Blown away by gales but still ready for BloomWinds wreaked havoc in part of the walled garden. But everything’s shipshape for Bloom todayThu Jun 02 2011 - 01:00
Turning a wasteland into a kitchen garden is child's playURBAN FARMER: Making a school kitchen garden is an ideal way to teach children about nature and nutrition – and they can eat…Thu May 26 2011 - 01:00
Slicing slugs in half not a task for the lily-liveredThe gruesomely repellent larvae of gooseberry sawfly can strip a fruit bush bare in a matter of daysThu May 19 2011 - 01:00
Badger gets the blackbirds - but beans keep on runningURBAN FARMER : Growing a great kitchen garden is all about experimentation – that and keeping the badgers out, writes FIONNUALA…Thu May 12 2011 - 01:00
Blackbird singing in the dead of . . . rhubarbDuring pruning of the walled garden there was a surprise in pale turquoiseThu May 05 2011 - 01:00
Raking over the tricky arts of a perfect seed bedSeeing proper gardeners wield a rake to prepare a beetroot seed bed brings on envy as well as admirationThu Apr 21 2011 - 01:00
Deploy the hoes to tackle the army of new weedsRecent warm weather and rain has been a boon for weeds, which means plenty of work for gardenersThu Apr 14 2011 - 01:00
Sowing and growing and the Queen and ObamaIt’s all systems go in the OPW garden with seed to germinate and two heads of state on their wayThu Mar 31 2011 - 01:00
A flat foe from Down Under, apples from another timeDealing with Australian flatworms in the garden and planting heritage Irish apple treesThu Mar 17 2011 - 00:00
Rare species of the humble spud take us back in timeURBAN FARMER: An unusual collection was among the highlights of the first ever Potato Day at SonairteThu Mar 10 2011 - 00:00
Spring is here at last and it's time to start sowingURBAN FARMER: It’s been a long, icy winter but now, finally, spring is here and we can get gardeningThu Mar 03 2011 - 00:00
All set to sow seeds in the fight against onion blightOnion blight is a canny operator, hiding in the soil and waiting, for years if need be, for allium sets to arriveThu Feb 24 2011 - 00:00
Prepare to do battle with persistent perennial weedsRegular weeds are a problem in any garden, but really pesky species can be tricky to shiftThu Feb 17 2011 - 00:00
Why it pays to get the inside story on your soilURBAN FARMER: The correct balance of nutrients and trace elements is vital for healthy growthThu Feb 10 2011 - 00:00
Hone your gardening skills and get ready for springThere is a wide range of courses on offer around the country for growers keen to learn moreThu Feb 03 2011 - 00:00
When it comes to potatoes it's early days for the expertCommon sense is the best guide to growing spudsThu Jan 20 2011 - 00:00
Heigh-hoe, heigh-hoe: tools to make your garden growSpades, shovels hoes. forks, trowels: how to pick the best garden toolsThu Jan 13 2011 - 00:00
Sit back and make a resolution: what GYO gardeners will doAH YES, dear old wintry January, the month that smokers, dieters and gardeners love to hate.Thu Jan 06 2011 - 00:00
A Christmas wreath that's good enough to eatURBAN FARMER : How to make a festive wreath using fruit and vegThu Dec 16 2010 - 00:00
Back to the future - growing your own in 1910 and 2010URBAN FARMER: Far from being a new fangled fad, allotments have a proud historyThu Dec 09 2010 - 00:00
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 sow, plant and do nowSow: Green manures, komatsuna, land cress, lettuce, mibuna, mizuna, mustards, salad rocket, spinach, winter purslaneThu Sept 23 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
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
