Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  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...

  Chard Incredibly useful in the winter veg patch, when its wonderful colours are most welcome, chard is incredibly good for you and is cooked like spinach. It is in effect two vegetables in one – you can enjoy both the leaves and the coloured stems. It is also easy to grow. SOWING Chard will grow in most reasonable soil, but will grow better and produce more in soil that has had some compost and general fertiliser added. Try adding a general fertiliser 1-2 weeks before sowing/transplanting. Chard and perpetual spinach are both types of beetroot grown for their leaves. There are two options when growing chard: growing for baby leaf ‘cut-and-come-again’ crops or growing for large plants. Sowings can be made from April to July. Baby leaf crops should be sown direct, thinly, at 2-3cm deep in rows 20cm apart. If you’re after large plants, then you should sow in module trays for later transplanting. Sow one seed per module. Transplant when 10-15cm tall, 15cm apart in rows 30cm apart. Al...

  Spinach, Annual If you are looking for the traditional spinach leaves purchased in supermarkets, then annual spinach is the plant for you. Don’t confuse this plant with perpetual spinach, which is actually just another name for chard. Tender spinach leaves are a wonderful addition to salads. Spinach is very good for you and cooked properly can be very tasty. SOWING Spinach will grow in most reasonable soil, though will grow better if the soil has compost and fertiliser added a week or two before sowing/transplanting. Seeds can be sown from April to August, through July and August sowings are less likely to bolt. Spinach can be sown direct or started in modules. However bolting, which is a major problem with spinach, is more likely with transplanted spinach. Sow thinly 1-2cm deep in rows 25cm apart or 1 seed per module. GROWING Thin the plants to 10cm apart. Transplant module-grown plants 10cm apart in 25cm rows. Never allow the soil to dry out as this can lead to bolting. HARVEST...

  Radish Try eating a raw radish with a bit of butter and some seasoning and you have all the reasons you need to grow them. Crunchy, peppery and delicious. They are tremendously easy to grow and mature quickly, so there’s a quick return – ideal if you are just starting out. Don’t dismiss them as a one-trick veg though – there are dozens of varieties, including turnip-sized winter radishes that can be stored over the winter. SOWING Radishes should be sown directly into soil, beds or containers from March to August. Sow thinly 1cm deep in rows 15cm apart. Thin to 3cm apart after emergence/germination. GROWING Radish will grow in any reasonable soil. Water if soil dries out, but do not over water as this will encourage too much leafy growth. HARVESTING Radish plants will be ready to eat within a month, which is one of the fastest growing times of all vegetables. To test if your radish is ready pull one out and test it before harvesting the rest. Don’t let them get too big as they bec...