Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  When it comes to asparagus, patience really is a virtue. Once sown, asparagus will take at least three years to produce any crop worth eating or talking about. You’re probably reading this now thinking ‘why bother?’ But once you get your asparagus crop going it will produce for twenty years and it is undeniably delicious. So, if you have the space (and the patience) then give it a try. Sowing Choose your site carefully – asparagus will need good fertile, alkaline, free draining soil, in full sun, with wind protection. And make sure the plot/bed is free of perennial weeds before you start. You can sow asparagus from seed, but honestly, why would you bother? A plant that will crop for two decades is worth investing some money in. We recommend you buy young asparagus plants which are called ‘crowns’ – these can be found in garden centres or seed nurseries. Make a trench 30cm wide and 20cm deep (if you have more than one row, leave 50cm between rows). Add a thin layer of well-rotted ...

  Why Grow It? For anyone who owns a greenhouse or polytunnel, aubergines can be a great addition to your patch. But, it is by no means an easy veg to master. Then again, that is what makes growing aubergines so worthwhile. The satisfaction in successfully growing aubergines make them all the more delicious, so there’s no harm in trying to give them a grow. Sowing Aubergines need to be grown in good fertile soil – the soil should be kept moist, but not too wet and ventilation should be good. For best results sow in March – the seeds need a temperature of 20°C to germinate, so sow on a heated mat or a warm sunny windowsill. Sow the seeds in small pots (around 7cm) or large modules. They should be ready for transplanting after 4 or 5 weeks when they are around 12-15cm tall. Growing Plant the aubergines out into the polytunnel or greenhouse in late April or May. Allow 50-60cm between plants (dwarf varieties can be planted 30cm apart). You could also try planting them in growbags or co...

  Shallots are an extremely tasty veg to cook with and are also easy to grow. Sowing Shallots grow best in a good fertile soil so add compost and a general fertiliser for best results. Shallots can be grown from bulbs or sown from seeds depending from variety. If grown from seed, shallots will need a warm windowsill to germinate, but using a heated mat can be more advantageous. Traditional shallots are grown from shallot bulbs. These are planted out in March, 15cm apart in 25cm rows. The bulb then produces a cluster of around 10 bulbs. Other types of shallot, such as banana shallots, are grown from seed, sown in February in modules. Sow 4 seeds in a module 1cm deep. They will be ready for transplanting in 6 to 8 weeks when they are 10-15cm high. Transplant 25cm apart with 25cm between rows. You can sow more seeds (8-12) in a module and thin each one out to 4 plants around 2 months after transplanting for a crop of baby shallots. Growing Shallots hate weed competition so keep your b...

  Why Grow It Broad beans are generally the first legume to produce a crop, making them one of the first new season crops of the year. Broad beans are an ideal veg to try out if you are a beginner GIYer, as they are very easy to grow, prolific, and they freeze well. They are also a hardy crop – they can survive in harsher conditions, such as frost, unlike most veg and will grow in any moderately fertile soil. Sowing Broad beans can be sown directly in the soil, or you can sow in module trays for transplanting later. Sow ‘early’ broad beans in October for a crop in May/June, but only do so if your soil is good – they won’t fare so well in wet, heavy clay. Alternatively sow between February to April for a summer crop. Sow seeds 5cm deep, 15cm apart in rows 30cm apart. You can apply the same spacing if transplanting from modules. Growing Keep the area weed free and water if the soil is dry at the flowering stage. Pinch out the top growing shoot when the plant starts to set pods. Plant...

  Globe artichokes are grown for the dense hearts that are inside huge flowerheads, which grow on top of thistle-like plants. Despite sharing the same nomenclature, they are no relation to Jerusalem artichokes, which are grown for their knobbly tubers. However, globe artichokes are no stranger to criticism by some growers due to their low yield (a plant that takes up a metre of space produces just a dozen heads). But they have a lot to offer both in your garden and on your plate. They are an extremely nutritious vegetable and a great addition to any diet. Due to their low yield they can be tricky to acquire from a local grower, which is the perfect reason why you should grow them yourself. They are also one of the most beautiful foods you can grow in your garden – in many countries globe artichokes have become a regular addition to flower beds for their architectural appeal. In fact, we grow them in the beds in our car park at GROW HQ for both their beauty and their (low-yielding) ...