Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  Artichoke, Jerusalem Jerusalem artichoke is not related to the globe artichoke. In fact, they couldn’t be more different. Unlike globe artichoke, they are an exceptionally prolific plant and are a staple veg during what we GIYers call the ‘hungry gap’ (late winter into early spring). Jerusalem artichoke is also a joy to grow, suffer no diseases, will grow pretty much in any soil, and can be a very versatile veg in the kitchen. SOWING Jerusalem artichoke are like potatoes – while they do produce seeds, we never propagate them from seeds. Instead, plant tubers into the ground, which can be acquired by mail order or from selected garden centres and other growers. For best results plant in March or April. Plant tubers in small holes 30cm apart. We suggest planting tubers in a row on the northern end of your vegetable bed, as they grow to up to 3m in height and shade anything growing close. GROWING The plants, being so tall, are susceptible to being blown over in early autumn gales. T...

  Carrots No veg seems more classic than the carrot. And growing your own means you will be rewarded with a crunchy, sweet and flavoursome crop. Not only are carrots a delicious veg to grow, they also store incredibly well, are highly nutritious, and if you time your sowings right you could be self-sufficient through most of the year with this classic ‘stockpot’ vegetable. The GIYer can also try out lots of different varieties of carrots, which, generally speaking, are not on offer in supermarkets. We generally associate carrots with the colour orange, when in fact you can grow carrots of other colours too, such as purple, yellow and even white. SOWING When it comes to successfully growing carrots good soil is key. Fresh manure is not very suitable for carrots – the high nitrogen content encourages excess leaf growth, and manure can also cause the roots to fork. However, well-rotted compost is fine. Apply a general purpose organic fertiliser (such as chicken manure pellets) about t...

  Claytonia It might sound like a thrash metal band, but claytonia (also called winter purslane or miner’s lettuce) is in fact a really useful, hardy, heart-shaped winter salad green that can be used to bulk up winter salads and stirfries. It was called miner’s lettuce after the Gold Rush miners who valued its high vitamin C content to ward off scurvy. Claytonia is a succulent, almost-meaty salad green that will also withstand cooking (so is excellent as an alternative to spinach) and is very easy to grow. Though claytonia will grow in the spring/summer, its real value is as a winter-hardy green, providing us with winter greens from October or November right up until April of the following year. Claytonia deteriorates quickly once picked, which means you can rarely purchase it commercially – all the more reason to grow it yourself. SOWING Claytonia can be sown in modules and transplanted, but is easier sown direct. It can be sown throughout the year, but is usually grown as a hardy...

  Lettuce There are four main types of lettuce. The first three (butterhead, cos and crisphead) form hearts at their centre and are usually grown as proper heads of lettuce. They take longer to mature. The fourth type (loose-leaf/’cut-and-come-again’) doesn’t form a heart and is therefore generally grown as a ‘cut-and-come-again’ crop, where leaves are cut as required. SOWING Lettuce will do well in any reasonable soil, as long as it’s moisture retentive – add well-rotted manure or compost the previous winter. When growing heads of lettuce, sow one seed per module in a module tray. Lettuce needs light to germinate, so don’t cover the seeds with compost. Lettuce will not germinate in temperatures above 25°C, so if the weather is warm you may need to move the trays into a cool shed for a few days until they germinate. Seedlings are ready to plant out when they have 4 or 5 leaves. Harden off well before transplanting. Use fleece or cloches to protect early sowings from frost. GROWING ...

  Salad Leaves - Oriental Greens Salad leaves are one of the most popular veg to grow in your garden. Leaf greens are always at their tastiest when just harvested from the ground, so you can enjoy salad leaves at their peak if you grow at home rather than buying from a local supermarket. Salad leaves come in a huge variety, from classic rocket to oriental greens, such as mizuna and oriental mustard. They are also some of the easiest veg to grow, so are an ideal veg for children to grow. SOWING Salad leaves can be sown outside from April to August and in a polytunnel or glasshouse from January to October. For best results we recommend sowing direct into the soil – they can be sown in modules and transplanted, but this often results in them flowering (bolting). Sow the seed thinly 1cm deep in rows 15cm apart. You will need to sow regularly if you want a continuous supply of salad – every 2 or 3 weeks – as they often bolt after 2 or 3 harvests. If you have decided to transplant, plant...