Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  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...

  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...

  Parsnip Earthy and homely, parsnips really do provide the quintessential taste of winter. Unlike carrots, they are relatively easy to grow (once you have persuaded them to germinate) and need very little attention. They will also stay in the ground quite happily – through even the worst winter weather – until you’re ready to eat them. SOWING Parsnips grow best in a well prepared, deep, fertile soil. Addition of well-rotted compost and a general fertiliser one or two weeks before sowing gives best results. Sow parsnips direct into the soil in April or early May. For large parsnips sow in rows 30cm apart, and for smaller roots 20cm apart. Seeds can either be sown thinly along the row 1cm deep or can be “stationed sown”, where three seeds are sown at the point you want each plant – these are then thinned to one plant after emergence (germination). Final spacing for large parsnips is 15cm apart, and smaller roots 10cm apart. GROWING Weed carefully until established. Watering shouldn’...

  Potatoes Where would the GIYer be without the humble spud? Spuds can be grown pretty much anywhere, produce a high yield from a relatively small space and store well. No wonder they have been a staple diet for Irish families for centuries. Digging for your first new potatoes will be like Christmas morning – we promise! SOWING Potatoes thrive in a good fertile soil to grow well. For best results add compost and a general fertiliser a week or two before planting. Potato leaves are frost sensitive, so if you intend to grow an early crop we suggest buying some fleece to protect your plants. Potatoes are grown from last year’s potatoes, known as seed potatoes. These can be potatoes you save yourself or purchased certified seed potatoes. Buying certified seed potatoes guarantees the potatoes are virus free – these can be found in garden centres and hardware shops from January-April. There are two types of potato variety: earlies and maincrop. Earlies are for harvesting in the summer an...

  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...