Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  Press Release Gaelscoil Charraig Uí Leighin wins Cork County & Beaumont Girls' School wins Cork City Muintir na Tire Schools Garden Competition 2023   The staff and Pupils of Gaelscoil Charraig Uí Leighin are thrilled to be Cork County Overall Winners with Beaumont Girls’ School winning the Cork City Overall Winners at the Cork County Federation Muintir ná Tíre School Garden Awards 2023 which were held in County Hall on Wednesday June 21st 2023.   The Competition is in its eleventh year after a brief halt during covid and this year saw a record amount of entries. The enthusiasm and high standard and quality shown from all the schools proved to the Judges that the project continues to be a huge success. The competition involves each school developing/planning a garden in their own way.   Both adults and students work together to decide what type of garden they want to create. The competition encourages all students to get involved in working in the...

How to Build a Mini Greenhouse Making a Mini Greenhouse From PVC Pipe 1 Get PVC pipe and joints.  Since this greenhouse is modular and the size is completely up to you, the number and lengths of the necessary pipes will vary to a certain degree. You will need to measure the dimensions that you want and determine the amount of pipe that you need from that.  [2] Try to break up the larger structure into 2’ sections. This will give your greenhouse greater stability and strength. Use relatively thin PVC pipe, no more than 1.5” wide. A good size to use would be closer to ¾”. Also, be sure that your joints and PVC pipe are sized so that they will fit together. This should be labeled, but you can test in the hardware store to be sure or you can ask a hardware store employee for help and advice. 2 Connect wall pipes.  You will form the base and the walls together, out of connected sections of pipe. Begin by connecting vertical pipe sections at t...

 Companion planting is one of the best things you can do in your garden. Some plant companions can help to improve the flavor and yield of homegrown fruits and vegetables, others help to repel pests and parasites, others improve soil health, regulate shade or aid pollination and so much more. Here are a few easy Tips  • Keep slugs off lettuce by growing Marigolds around them • Dill and Fennel attract ladybirds • Tansy gets rid of ants • Onions, garlic, leaks, shallots and chives work well with beans, peas and parsley • Brassicas:     Love - dill, alliums, geraniums, rosemary, nasturtium, borage     hate – tomatoes & peppers • Beans     Love – spinach, lettuce, carrots, straw     Hate – Alliums, tomatoes and peppers • Carrots     Love – tomatoes, allium, lettuce     Hate – dill, parsnip, radish • Potatoes hate tomato, cucumber and sunflower • Toma...

Creative Hanging  Baskets  for your Home & Patio.    Here are a few top tips to creating and maintaining your summer  baskets , window boxes  and pots. Create a container/  basket  to suit your colours, style and environment.  Mediterran  Basket / Pot If you want to be transported to the Amalfi coast,  Grow a lemon tree or olive tree in a pot, Surround your self with Trailing  Geraniums and vibrant coloured pots and containers. If your  baskets  are located in a Sunny windy position or maybe difficult to water,  then Ivy   geraniums  will thrive the best for you.  Geraniums  give a magical blast of colour and dont require as much watering as other summer plants. Ivy  Geraniums   require so little maintenance. Don't forget the rule of Gardening , Always Plant in odd numbers in a  basket  .  County Pride . Support your county with a basket ove...

Many of us have pocket size gardens but would still love to grow your own fruit, then you need to check the quality Dwarf and Miniature trees that will thrive in small garden and even large Pots. The Cornet Apple Trees The Cornet Apple Tree  is perfect for any small garden, or Patio.  This miniature apple tree can be grown in a pot or in a bed. these are grown on a Dwarf rootstock and will grow to around the 6' mark.  The habit is small and open, they look just like a small apple tree, and the fruit is regular in size. These can be grown in open ground but they soil has to be rich. The rootstock are slow growing so the roots aren't able to go for large distances and source their own sustenance so if your growing in open ground ensure the local area around the tree (1mx1m0.5m) has been well enriched and is well nourished The coronet apple trees  will fruit in the first year which is very unusual for fruit trees. It is also extremely low...

  Cork School Garden 2022 focus on Morning Star National School This week we focus on Morning Star National School  from Cork City.  The judges were very impressed  by the quality and choice of vegetables, cooking/tasting elements and the whole  school involvement. Congratulations to all involved at Morning Star National School. Enter for 2022/23 here

  Cork School Garden 2022 focus on Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh  Naofa. This week we focus on Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa from Cork City.  The judges were very impressed by a  great first time entry, lots of upcycling and recycling and 6th class growing  tomatoes. Congratulations to all involved at Gaelscoil Teaghlaigh Naofa National School. Enter for 2022/23 here

  Cork School Garden 2022 focus on Gaelscoil an Chaislean  N.S This week we also focus on Gaelscoil an Chaislean  National School from South West Cork.  The judges were very impressed  by their great first time entry, the great variety of veg & herbs, links to other communities,  Sensory element to the garden, Sunflowers for Ukraine and Cooking of the produce. Congratulations to all involved at Gaelscoil an Chaislean National School. Enter for 2022/23 here

The Secret to Success: Ensure the soil is warm. Warm up your soil by covering it with black plastic a few weeks prior to planting. Those extra degrees will translate into earlier tomatoes. If you are planting in a pot or growbag, put a sheet of aeroboard/polystyrene underneath. This is a much warmer environment for the root system by creating a barrier between cold soil and roots (and also a great way to re-use aeroboard). An exception to the rule, tomatoes can be buried deeper than they come in the pot – all the way up to the first few leaves. Tomatoes are able to develop roots all along their stems. If you can't dig a deeper hole, simply dig a shallow tunnel and lay the plant sideways. It will straighten up and grow towards the light! Pinch and side shoot tomatoes regularly. Remove suckers that develop in the crotch joint of two branches (picture) Mulch your tomatoes after the soil has had a chance to warm up.  As tomatoes love heat. Mulching conserve...

  Cork School Garden 2022 focus on Watergrasshill National School This week we focus on Watergrasshill N.S from North Cork .  The judges were  very impressed by the lots of colour, lots of upcycling and great use of arch. Congratulations to all involved in Watergrasshill National School. Enter for 2022/23 here

  Cork School Garden 2022 focus on Walterstown National School This week we also focus on Walterstown N.S from East Cork .  The judges were  very impressed by the huge improvement in different Areas. Rainwater haresting and Great upcycling.  Congratulations to all involved at Walterstown Nation School. Enter for 2022/23 here

Now is a great time to start setting seeds. Some seeds can be started in the class room and then brought out when the temperature rises. You will need A mixture of seeds: lettuces, radish, tomatoes, cucumber, chives to name a few Seed and Cutting Compost Seed trays or toilet roll inserts Lollipop sticks or labels to Label your salads ( we love to put the date you set the seeds on the Label so you will easily know how the seeds are progressing) Seeds to be started indoors Peas (sow March to June, also October in tunnel, ready to harvest in 10 weeks). Sunflowers (sow in March to May) Pumpkins (sow April to June, ready to harvest in 24 weeks). Tomatoes (sow February to March, ready to harvest in 20 weeks). Marigolds (ideal for Companion Planting with Tomatoes, if you plant near tomatoes it will reply the white fly, therefor healthier Tomatoes) Spinach (sow March to August, ready to harvest in 7-14 weeks). Mixed salads...