Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  ` Most of the garlic available in supermarkets is imported from China (over 5,000 miles away). Garlic is relatively easy to grow and stores extremely well. It’s also incredibly good for you. The garlic requirements of an average family can be easily satisfied by even the smallest of vegetable patches. If you were to take a bulb of garlic, break out the cloves and stick them in to the ground spaced about 10cm apart, each clove would eventually turn in to a bulb of garlic. That’s the magic of it. Sowing When planting garlic it is important to make sure you have a variety that is suited to the Irish climate and to the time of year you are planting it. If you buy garlic from a supermarket it could well be imported from abroad, e.g. China or Spain – the variety would probably grow poorly in the Irish climate, which is why we recommend you buy your garlic locally. Garlic will grow in most reasonable soil. For autumn planted garlic the fertility left in the soil from a previous crop sho...

Daisy Dreams How to pick a star performing daisy for your School  garden. School gardens should be relaxed, free flowering and fun; they can. and with plants that bees love; there are no rules, just plant what you love to create a garden that appeals to you. A School garden just wouldn't be the same without patches of great big  daisies  blooming right throughout the season and into autumn. Did you know that  daisies  love sunshine? You shouldn't plant them in the shade – they hate it. To smile and perform, they really require warm sunshine. Daisies  love to be dry. Most people over water them at the beginning of the season, so try to avoid doing this. Go on, have a  crazy  summer – grow some  daisies ! This is also why they are great in school garden as they will not need much watering during the school holiday. Did you know  The word 'daisy' comes from the Old English dæges-eage, meaning 'day's eye. It is easy to se...