Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  Why Grow It Broad beans are generally the first legume to produce a crop, making them one of the first new season crops of the year. Broad beans are an ideal veg to try out if you are a beginner GIYer, as they are very easy to grow, prolific, and they freeze well. They are also a hardy crop – they can survive in harsher conditions, such as frost, unlike most veg and will grow in any moderately fertile soil. Sowing Broad beans can be sown directly in the soil, or you can sow in module trays for transplanting later. Sow ‘early’ broad beans in October for a crop in May/June, but only do so if your soil is good – they won’t fare so well in wet, heavy clay. Alternatively sow between February to April for a summer crop. Sow seeds 5cm deep, 15cm apart in rows 30cm apart. You can apply the same spacing if transplanting from modules. Growing Keep the area weed free and water if the soil is dry at the flowering stage. Pinch out the top growing shoot when the plant starts to set pods. Plant...

  Globe artichokes are grown for the dense hearts that are inside huge flowerheads, which grow on top of thistle-like plants. Despite sharing the same nomenclature, they are no relation to Jerusalem artichokes, which are grown for their knobbly tubers. However, globe artichokes are no stranger to criticism by some growers due to their low yield (a plant that takes up a metre of space produces just a dozen heads). But they have a lot to offer both in your garden and on your plate. They are an extremely nutritious vegetable and a great addition to any diet. Due to their low yield they can be tricky to acquire from a local grower, which is the perfect reason why you should grow them yourself. They are also one of the most beautiful foods you can grow in your garden – in many countries globe artichokes have become a regular addition to flower beds for their architectural appeal. In fact, we grow them in the beds in our car park at GROW HQ for both their beauty and their (low-yielding) ...

  Peppers produce a fine crop and can be grown well in containers and pots. Both chilli and bell peppers are part of the capsicum family. When it comes to peppers there is a huge variety in taste and looks, for example chilli peppers are small and have a hot flavour while bell peppers are larger and milder in flavour. Sowing Peppers like a fertile soil that ideally has had compost and a general fertiliser added a week or two before sowing/planting. Peppers need a tunnel or glasshouse to grow well. Chilli peppers are smaller plants and can also be grown in a pot on a sunny windowsill. They need a long growing season, so the earlier you get started the better your chance of producing good, ripe fruit. Sow in modules or small pots in March (you can do this from February if you have a heated propagation area), as seeds require 20°C for germination. The plants will be ready for transplanting when they are around 15cm high (this will be in late April/early May if you have sown in March)....

We love onions at GIY because they are one of those vegetables that it’s possible to become fully self-sufficient in, even if you don’t have a huge amount of space. A decent sized raised bed could produce a couple of hundred onions, which would be enough for most families for up to a year. Onions are relatively easy to grow and they store well. Above all, there’s nothing better than having onions hanging in your shed and knowing you don’t have to buy those dry, tasteless, imported supermarket onions this year. Sowing Onions grow best in a good fertile soil, so add compost and a general fertiliser for best results. There are two types of onions: autumn-sown onions and the far more common spring varieties. Onions can be grown from seed or small, dried immature onions called ‘sets’. Beginners often find growing from sets easier. To grow from sets, buy good quality sets in either the autumn or spring. Plant autumn varieties in September or October and spring varieties in late March or Apri...