Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  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...

  Paired with bacon or shredded for a slaw, cabbage is a supremely useful, healthy vegetable that grows well in our relatively cool climate. It’s also easy to grow. While cabbage plants take up a lot of space you can be sure it is worth it – with a little planning it’s possible to have a supply of cabbage all year round, even through the coldest of winters. Sowing Dig in some well-rotted manure or apply a general fertiliser a week before sowing. Do not grow cabbage anywhere that you have grown any member of the cabbage family the previous year (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, collards and kale). The best way to manage all these veg is to create a crop rotation scheme prior to growing. Sow one or two seeds in module trays 1.5cm deep. Thin out the weaker seedling once the plant starts to germinate. Cabbage can be harvested throughout the year if the right varieties are sown. The different types of cabbage need to be sown at different times of the year as f...

  Kohlrabi Kohlrabi is gaining in popularity and little wonder – it’s quick-growing, relatively easy to grow and tastes great (like a very mild turnip), cooked or raw. Not to mention they are beautiful looking plants. Available as green, white or purple varieties, kohlrabi stems grow above the ground. It’s a brassica, so include it in your crop rotation. SOWING Kohlrabi will grow in most reasonably fertile soil, but grows best in a fertile soil with compost and a general fertiliser added. Try adding some a week or two before sowing/transplanting. Do not grow kohlrabi anywhere that you have grown any member of the cabbage family the previous year (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, collards and kale). The best way to manage all these veg is to create a crop rotation scheme prior to growing. Find out how to create your own plan here. Kohlrabi can be sown in modules at 1cm depth for later transplanting. But the easiest way to grow them is directly into the soi...

  Why Grow It French beans are an easy to grow legume, and are arguably more tasty than some of their family members. There is a huge variety available – green, purple, flecked, cream – and they are quite versatile. Immature French bean pods are excellent to eat whole, while the beans inside larger pods (often called haricot beans) are also very tasty. Climbing French beans make a very attractive addition to the summer veggie patch. Sowing French beans grow best in a fertile soil with compost and a general fertiliser added one or two weeks before sowing/transplanting. There are two types of French bean: climbing and dwarf. Dwarf beans grow just 45cm tall. Climbing French beans grow up to 6-8ft tall. Seeds can be sown direct in the soil or in module trays for transplanting. Seeds are sown 5cm deep in modules from late April to July. Outdoor sowings can be made from late May until July. For dwarf varieties, sow 5cm deep every 10cm in rows 50cm apart. For climbing varieties, sow two b...