 |
|
|
In this article I’m going to deal with the different type of slug control out on the market, their pros and cons and which works best. It’s that time of the year again when I’m starting to plant things out in the garden. We’ve had a very mild winter here in Ireland by the last two year’s standards especially where the temperatures had reached almost minus twenty degrees celcius. I’ve still held off on planting most of my plants so far because there is still a harsh frost about at might and have the majority of my seedlings in the greenhouse and propagator. But in the next week or two, they will all be going into their new homes in my vegetable beds and drills. The battle for their very existence then begins in earnest.
Slugs are the enemy of any professional or amateur gardener and slug control must go hand in hand with any other work you may find yourself doing in the garden. There are several ways of dealing with these pesky invaders and I’ll go through them here.
Slug Pellets are on of the most common ways of dealing with the slug threat. Slugs can munch their way through an alarming amount of your plants in a very short time and stopping them before they get to your ‘little ones’ is vital. To that end slug pellets solve that issue quite well. The small pellets are toxic to slugs and can be sprinkled around the edge of your drill or bed. What ever is in them, they are very ‘more-ish’ to slugs and they can’t resist them. It is a particularly effective way of killing them off. One issue with slug pellets of course is that they are toxic and if you have kids or animals around, you should look for the pet and child safe ones which are not so toxic and perhaps not so effective but still do a good job.
Another common form of slug control is copper slug tape. This will only really work on pots and beds. It can be used around a drill but you would needs lots of it and they fact is that they might go under it, if it just rests on the grass. It is effective and it’s non toxic. It just acts as a deterrent. I’ve heard two theories about how this works. The manufacturers say it’s because there is a small residual electrical charge in the copper and this is off putting to the slug and they will go elsewhere for an easier meal, rather that sliding over the copper slug tape. The other theory I have heard is that because their mouths are on the bottom of their bodies, as they go along, they taste everything and when crossing the copper slug tape, they don’t like the taste of it and turn away. What ever the reason, it works and for those who don’t want to kill the slugs, just deter them, this is a great solution.
For those of you who don’t mind killing the slugs and want to give them a ‘good send off’, slugs traps are for you. These usually just comprise of a plastic container with a removable lid that is raised off the container. You fill the slug trap with something like Guinness (my Dad says this is the best for slugs) and did a small hole to place the slug trap in leaving the top inch or two of the container and lid exposed. As slugs come out at night, leave this in the ground all the time and check daily. You’ll find that Guinness is like a magnet to slugs and in no time you’ll have your slug problem under control. The lid is basically just to keep rain out of the container so it doesn’t overflow.
There are a few other ways that I have tried over the years, all of which are non lethal. The first one is to simply crunch up some left over egg shells into small shards. I find it best to them microwave them for a short time, maybe 30-60 seconds depending on your microwave power. This turns them very sharp so be careful. After you have enough of these, simply spread them around the base of whatever plant or pot you are trying to protect. You’ll find that, no more than yourself, slugs don’t like crawling over glass like objects!
The other non toxic tick is use is to slather a ring of Vaseline around my pots, maybe a couple of inches up from the bottom. Again, back to the mouths on their bottom, they don’t like the taste of Vaseline so won’t process further.
You could of course, if you have the time and the will, just go out at night and hand pick them and relocate them well way from your garden. This of course would be a very organic way of doing things but is very time consuming and requires tremendous commitment to make it work successfully.
If you are lucky enough to live in the country side, nature can take care of things for you. Hedgehogs and frogs can munch their way through an awful lot of slugs and snails during the night, providing you with perhaps the most organic and nature friendly (although not to the slug!) way of taking care of your slug control.
Hopefully you cab get some ideas there for how to control you slug problem. I have tried most of these over the years and most work well.
With the many and varied jobs that seem to pop up in the busy gardeners day, it seems that we can forget the importance of the upkeep of our most valued ally; yes our Garden Tools can often be neglected, not simply because we forget, but more often because we take them for granted.
Whether your collection of garden tools are from a high quality range or they are bargain basement, a little t.l.c. on a regular basis will make most of the daily tasks around the garden less back- breaking and more productive .With the exception of a service on your lawnmower and other motorised gardening equipment, which probably should be done by a professional (unless you are blessed with a mechanical mind), all other garden tools can be maintained simply and easily in a couple of hours if a few basic guidelines are followed ;
Always clean your garden tools after use. A quick wipe of a damp cloth may suffice in most cases, where a good hosing down may be required in others. For example, after putting your digging spade through its paces, a good soaking will be necessary and possibly a scrub with a wire brush. Whereas, after pruning your roses all that needs to be done to secateurs is a quick wipe dry. Garden tools such as these that are cleaned and dried after use followed by a wipe of any oily rag , tend not to rust and therefore last longer.
Sharpening digging and cutting garden tools such as shears, loppers, half moon edgers etc. is another of the essential jobs for any gardener worth their salt. The cutting edges will blunt with use over time and again this problem can easily be overcome; using a sharpening stone on the cutting edge will keep it keen, where a mill file will take care of any nicks or cuts where your spade may have been damaged. Again, a wipe of the oily rag will keep the rust at bay and leave garden tools sharp ready for their next workout.
All the wooden handles of your garden tools should not be forgotten. After use these should also be cleaned and dried as usual, but should, on occasion be lightly sanded and treated with a protective coating such as linseed oil to prevent rot and to prolong their working life.
Finally storing your garden tools should be thought through properly. Ideally they should be hanging vertically from a rack or just a nail on a wall in your tool-shed, where they can remain dry and are close at hand when needed. This way, they wont end up in a tangled mess on the floor where finding what you need will be a frustrating task. An alternative way of storing spades and shovels is to stand them into a bucket of sharp sand and oil mix (personally I use motor oil) which will help keep them sharp and clean as they are inserted and removed.
Following these few quick and easy step in caring for your garden tools, you will surely reap the benefits for many years to come. Your garden will thank you for it ….and so will your back!!!!!!!!!
Posted in Gardening
|
Tagged garden tools
|
With the impending water charge bill begin introduced by the government, gardeners will have to rethink how to provide plants with the one thing it needs the most. Water has many roles in the lifecycle, growth and evolution of plants. It is essential in the process of photosynthesis, it is the medium by which plants absorb and transport nutrients throughout its system and it is what keeps most plants upright and prevents wilting. Without water plants would quicker wither and die. And so to the water conserver or water butt, a simple water storage device that will not only save on money, but also the environment.
In Ireland we get a lot of rainfall, rainfall however is not the only factor that determines whether we have fresh, clean drinkable water flowing through our taps on a daily basis. In general terms rainfall is highest along the Atlantic, west coast of Ireland, this being the less densely populated region of the country means that surplus water here is needed elsewhere. An aging underground network of pipes pumps fresh water to every home in Ireland, but this system, dating back to the Victorian times is in much need of repair.
Our drinking water must first undergo an expensive treatment process to clean and add fluoride and chorine, a number of treatment facilities are located throughout the country. Bottled water, from far flung places such as Évian-les-Bains in France, must be collected, bottled, labelled, packed, and transported all over the world, leading to an oil bill of about 10% the volume of each bottle of water produced.
Plants on the other hand are less fussy about the water they drink, and infact prefer the one that falls directly from the sky. Simple rain water is best for your plants, this temperature, its lack of fluoride and chorine and its availability make it best suited to your plants needs. Water butts collect rainfall right in your garden, to supply plants right in your garden. No cost to your pocket and no price to pay for the environment.
Water butts come in a range of shapes and size, roughly a 200L tank would be sufficient for a small/ medium sized garden. Position your water butt as close as possible to your more water demanding plants (young developing trees and bamboo are thirsty plants). Attach to an existing down pipe of a large roof and wait for the rain to fall – which is never a long wait. The water collected is known as ‘gray water’ and is the best water for your plants.
Plants will benefit most from a watering in the summer months when growth is peeking and the days are longer and warmer. A general rule of thumb is to water your plants if there has been no rainfall for a week. At this point it is recommended to water a medium sized shrub with 2 10L watering cans. When watering any plant, apply water in small amounts, waiting for water to soak in before applying more. It is recommended to water plants in the morning, allowing the plant benefit from the additional water over the course of the day. Avoid watering at night and avoid watering in the middle of the day as this can scorch the plants.
With the famous Irish weather we get families across the country are left cursing the miserable conditions responsible for damaging their property and goods. The howling wind and rain is not just something we experience in the winter. We’ve all had our brand new garden furniture destroyed by downpours on the supposedly scorching June bank holiday. Similarly we have witnessed rain ruin our garden tools and other household goods. Winters are even worse. Constant rain, snowfall and ice can be a real pain the backside!!!
Last winter was particularly traumatic with the snow and all the destruction that came with it. Our entire winter fuel (completely exposed) was left useless. So in January I made the executive decision to do something about my predicament. Tarpaulins were the cost effective and obvious answer.
Uses and Examples
Thinking ahead and not wanting to be caught out by the elements again I decided to buy tarpaulins at a range of sizes. I bought a 6ft x 9ft, a 10ft x 12ft and a larger 18ft x 24ft for my winter fuel. Banking on a wet spring/summer the extra tarpaulins proved to be a real money saver. The smaller of the tarps was ideal for covering the lawnmower but could be used just as easily for a bicycle or other garden tools. I also found a use for the 10ft x 12ft tarps. This came in extremely handy for the garden furniture once the heavens opened on what seemed to be a glorious summers day. Once again I could have found other uses for this sized tarp, it would have been perfect as a roof rack cover or even a cover for larger garden machinery. However it was the largest tarpaulin that served me the best. My winter fuel (blocks, turf and coal) is now completely covered from what looks like a wet winter ahead.
Advantages
Aside from the obvious advantages of protecting my property from the elements the tarpaulins I bought were particularly good. These tarpaulins were tough and hard wearing, which meant having to replace one every few weeks was not going to be a problem. Aside from that they were easy to use, coming with rust resistant securing holes making them easy to tie down. I read on the packet that they are polythene coated with UV treatment, although I must admit I wasn’t too concerned with this aspect at the time of purchase.
How to Use
Using the tarpaulins couldn’t have been easier. The securing holes around the edges were brilliant for tying down the tarp, preventing it from blowing off. These securing holes were particularly handy for covering my winter fuel. I simply drove a few stakes into the ground and using a small rope fixed the tarp through the holes. For smaller jobs such as the garden furniture it was simply a matter of fixing pegs into the ground through the securing holes.
Posted in Gardening
|
Tagged tarpaulins, tarps
|
Over the past two years, Ireland has had two of the poorest winters that it has had in living memory. In fact last winter saw two particularly bad spells of weather, before and after Christmas, the latter reaching temperatures of as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius in some places.
Reports of burst pipes, stalled heating systems & traffic accidents were numerous and once again showed that Ireland for all it’s charm, can’t really handle weather that falls outside the realm of mild.
On the plus side, it did create a lot of work for plumbers and car repair facilities and also drove sales in retail outlets as people snapped up any water storage device they could lay their hands on. The weather had been fairly poor in 2009 but no one predicted how bad it would become in the winter of 2010 and to that end, shops had not really bought in enough stock to meet the huge demand for water containers. All forms of water carriers sold out immediately and people were left trying to come up with any way of storing their water.
Another outcome from this cold snap was that in some towns, mine included, there was actually a bottled water shortage and people bought it by what seemed like the pallet load. What happened then was there was a lot of profiteering from some shops that had some stock left. I know it’s a sellers market but it was despicable how some retailers took advantage of the situation.
In the end the county councils had to provide communal water trucks that people could go a queue for some water. Myself, I used to go down around 6am in the morning to avoid the queues. The afore mentioned lack of water containers was really evident in the queues as people queued with pots and pans, bottles, bins etc, basically anything that could be used as for water storage.
This year though we have been well warned in advance. There are predictions that the weather here will be the coldest for over one thousand years. I don’t know, it’s not really based on any scientific research and it’s not really possible to predict the weather with any real accuracy more than a week in advance. We’ll have to see on that but one things for sure, the shops are not taking any chances on losing out on sales with nearly every one you go into having massive displays of water containers of all shapes and sizes.
Hopefully we won’t need them again but I’ve already got a couple of 20 litre containers from last year and I think I’ll get a few smaller ones just in case we get hit with anything like what we got last year.
The addition of a composter in your garden will contribute to the health and productivity of your garden like no other piece of equipment in your armoury. Not alone will it supply the all important nutrients that your growing needs demand, it will also vastly improve the soil structure by the addition of humus , therefore improving drainage and aeration.
Garden composters basically are enclosed spaces where we allow organic waste to decay naturally. To achieve this, a composter needs a little care and attention in order to keep it in the right condition so that it can continue to manufacture the “Black Gold” that is invaluable to gardeners.
The location of your composter is vital. The decaying process will only happen in your composter if the heat levels are sufficient to provide the ideal breeding ground for the beneficial bacteria to survive. By sighting it in a position where it can soak up the maximum amount of sunlight this can be achieved, so south facing would be preferable.
The surface upon which you place your composter is also one that should be thought about carefully. Placing your composter directly onto the ground will allow the many beneficial invertebrates to gain access and do their work on the organic waste, thus speeding up the metamorphosis in the organic waste. Leaving a small gap around the base will also help the circulation of air, which is another must for a happy and healthy composter.
Getting the mix of what you put into your compost bin is of the utmost importance. You can compost almost any vegetable matter, but it must be mixed with other organic waste properly. Carbon and Nitrogen based waste should be mixed and added to your composter in the ratio of about 2:1. For example, carbon rich materials such as newspaper, used egg boxes, used kitchen towel etc. should be added to nitrogen rich material (almost any vegetable matter, grass clippings, uncooked kitchen waste, small hedge clippings) in the ratios mentioned above. Cooked food should never be added to your composter as it will begin to smell and attract un-wanted vermin into your garden. Perennial weeds and any garden waste that has been treated chemically should also find another home as these will cause great problems for you later.
Turning your compost regularly will stop it from becoming over compacted, thus improving airflow and also giving all the little creatures a bit of breathing space to do their work.
The type of compost bin that you use will affect how you turn its contents (some are easier than others) but your local garden centre will have many different makes and models for you to choose from. The one that suits you may not be appropriate for others, so take time while deciding on the ideal one for your needs before you buy.
Another option is to make your own composter, if you have a handy streak .But whatever composter you decide on ,one thing is sure, It will provide you with a way of disposing garden waste that might usually go into your wheelie bin, while at the same time give you compost ,better than any you could buy in a bag.
So we all know how beautiful the autumn can be. The countryside is filled with wonderful colours and the trees give off that romantic glow!! Then everything dies and the harsh reality of winter sets in. Speaking from experience, fallen leaves can be a real nuisance. Firstly gathering them up can be a pain but deciding on how to discard them can be equally annoying. This year I decided to put the fallen leaves to good use and let them work their magic in my Compost Bin. However the problem of gathering the leaves remained. To help me through my woes I decided to arm myself with the proper equipment to make life that little bit easier.
Equipment
To tackle the fallen wet leaves in the garden I opted for a heavy duty rake with a difference. I purchased an expandable rake from my local Garden Centre to help me reach all those tough to get to areas in the garden. Once I gathered all the leaves I used the big hands leaf and grass collectors to transport my leaves in large quantities into garden bags. You could just as easily use a wheelbarrow.
Making use of the Leaves
Since I decided I was going to put my leaves to work this year rather than throw them out, I decided adding them to my compost bin was the best option. Leaves are fantastic in compost. Their humus-building qualities mean improved structure for all soil types. They aerate heavy clay soils, prevent sandy soils from drying out too fast, soak up rain and check evaporation. Having said that, I think it would be best to explain the rules on how to add leaves to your compost. Since I’m no expert, an intermediate gardener at best, I thought following a few simple guidelines suited me best that I had read on some gardening blogs.
Leaves and Compost
Leaves make excellent compost as they are packed with many nutrients. However they do lack some nitrogen and breaking them down can be a little problematic.
Firstly: Before adding your leaves to your compost heap it is a good idea to grind them down a little bit. This can be done by hand or if you have enough you could run through them with a push lawnmower.
Secondly: Add a little nitrogen to your leaves. Manure is a great source, just add one part manure to five parts leaf. Or if you like you could add a good handful of some some organic fertilizer.
Thirdly: It is important to turn your compost regularly, at least once every one or two weeks.
Finally: Keep the compost heap moist, too wet is no good either. To aid this a plastic cover is ideal, this will also keep in the heat which is vital.
Using leaves in your compost is a great way to dispose of the leaves but it’s also excellent in the compost itself. If done correctly you can have top quality compost in a number of weeks, far superior and far cheaper than the shop bought stuff
Recently I decided to use a section of the garden as a vegetable patch. Unfortunately though the garden is constantly being bombarded by heavy winds, which also means rain, sleet and snow is causing untold damage to the garden. Since I don’t plan on starting the vegetable patch until next spring I have plenty of time to consider limiting the damage caused by the elements. After some research and advice from more established gardeners I decided that a few rolls of windbreakers material would best suit my needs. The plastic mesh 50m x 1m version was the wind breaker that I settled on. This particular length would allow me to double up, giving me protection of 2m in height.
The vegetable patch I was planning was going to be a permanent feature in the garden. Which meant the wind breaker was going to have to be able to stand the test of time, and do its job year in year out. Whilst the primary function of the wind breaker was to limit the effects of the high winds, it was also going to offer protection against heavy snow falls, rain and frost. The particular wind breaker I eventually went for was going to do all this for me, yet at the same time had to be light enough to allow sufficient sun light to pass through, which as we all know is vital to any vegetable patch. Another reason I went for this wind breaker was its durability and how easy it was to use. It’s stitched sides meant it wouldn’t unravel at the edges and it was easy to integrate into my existing fence.
Erecting a wind breaker is pretty straightforward. Just remember a wind break fence is only as good as the posts it is fastened onto. Getting this part of the project correct will stand you in good stead for years to come. Obviously, the first thing you need to do is to determine what direction the wind is coming from. I already had a pre-existing wire fence in my garden which offered an ideal template to fix the wind breaker to, but you can easily fix stakes into the ground and attach the wind block onto these. I used garden ties to hold the wind breaker into place and you can easily use something similar with the garden stakes. Using nails might not be the best option, as the breaker might be susceptible to tearing if pierced with nails. The correct tension is vital, anything too loose will be completely useless. I recommend working section by section, and slowly fixing your wind breaker into place as you go.
The wind breaker has many benefits. Not only does it protect the plants in your garden but also offers protection to garden furniture and tools. As well as its protective qualities the wind breaker also acts as a privacy screen. Not only this but the wind block also has other practical uses, most notably it offers protection against bird, butterfly and other such attacks. The decision to erect the wind breaker was indeed an easy one, a few hours work last Saturday morning will stand to me in the coming years. I would recommend using wind breakers to any gardener/ farmer/ builder.
Gardening under cover opens up a new world for gardeners, as well as allowing you to work in all weathers, a greenhouse affords you the luxury of creating the correct environment where growing, sowing and propagating was heretofore impossible.
Greenhouses come in many shapes and sizes to suit different budgets and space restrictions. There are many available on the market, from the elegant Victorian style to the cheap and cheerful mini- greenhouse. Basically they all do the same job, but choosing the right one for you, taking all things into consideration, takes a little planning.
You should spend a little time before purchasing your greenhouse making a list in order that you make the correct purchase. What do I plan to grow? Thinking about the size of your greenhouse is very important and should be thought about carefully now. If you are only planning to raise a few annuals from seed, a mini structure will probably suffice. A large scale sowing and rearing plan will require larger accommodation. Buying something the wrong size now will either have you rattling around in half-empty greenhouse later, or stuffing plants into every square inch, while pulling your hair out with frustration.
Where should I site my Greenhouse? The site should be somewhat sheltered but where it will get enough available daylight. A sheltered spot will act as a windbreak and prevent too much heat loss and therefore keep heating your greenhouse to a minimum. When considering daylight issues, remember to take into account the differing position of the sun throughout the seasons. For most general purpose greenhouses the rule of thumb is to site your structure east to west lengthwise, so that you can take maximum advantage of the springtime sun.
What space can I afford? Before you make an impulse buy make sure that your new greenhouse will suit the site you have chosen. If you have a size of greenhouse in mind you could lay out it’s dimensions on the ground using string or lengths of cane, remembering to take it’s height into account. By doing this you will be able to ascertain as to whether it is going to look right in it’s location, if it’s going to be an obstruction for your daily routines or any view that you may have or that it might be in the firing line of a stray football!
Ease of access! Ideally your greenhouse should not be a long trudge from your dwelling. By sitting it close to your house it will make life a lot easier, especially in bad weather. It’s proximity to mains electricity will also cut down on any expensive work, if you need to bring power to your greenhouse to run a heating system (power is usually only needed where exotics or other tender plants will be grown, or occasionally in sub zero temperatures). The same also applies to watering, unless you want to buy infinite lengths of hosing. A solid path will also be helpful in the long-run as the path to your greenhouse will be a well travelled route.
Now all that is left is choosing the correct greenhouse for you, go to your local garden centre or search online, spend a little spend a lot, but what you will be spending is lots of time in your greenhouse.
Happy greenhouse gardening!
With the launch of Saorview, Ireland’s new Digital TV service from RTE last Thursday, I had been testing the Approved Saorview Boxes on the market currently to see if I could offer any advice to readers of my blog. Not just that, but just for my own curiosity aswell. Rarely has any new technology gone to market without any glitches, so I wanted to put the boxes though their paces and see which indeed, was the best Saorview Box.
At the time of writing, there are only 3 Saorview boxes on the market at the moment although there is another one coming from Aldi in the next couple of weeks and I will do a preliminary report on that based on it’s manual and also from intimate knowledge of the industry.
After testing the 3 Approved Boxes, The Triax Tr112, the walker and the finlux, there can be only one winner really. The Triax TR112 is far ahead of it’s rivals.
While the Saorview spec has to be met exaclty to be able to display the Saorview approved logo, it’s in other areas that it surpasses it’s rivals. As I say, a Saorview Box is just a Saorview box, but it’s the little extras that make the box stand out.
I found the Walker and the Finlux to be poorly designed from an aesthetical point of view. A little time and effort could have gone into this and not made them look a bit ‘clunky’. It’s the software inside also that they fall behind too. The TR112 software is well laid out in a bright and easy to follow fashion, where as the competitor boxes lack this software design finish.
The next area where the Triax Saorview Box leads the way, and it is streets ahead of it’s rivals is the actual functions of the box. When the TR112 cam out, after testing, I found that there was only one glitch. When you recorded a programme using the EPG, the show thatw as saved, had the name of the previous programme. This was resolved by Triax within a week with a software update and now as I write this the box performs as advertised. Perfect.
The same cannot be said about the other two. Although cheaper boxes, they sill have several bugs that need to be ironed out with software fixes but given that these bugs are well known, they have been very slow to release a fix for them and this is why I am marking them down here. For example, the Walker pause button does not work and this was identified nearly a month ago and no sign of a software uopdate to date? Kudos to Triax for their speedy response.
Now for the new Aldi Saorview box. After reading it’s manual online from the manufacturer website, again it meets the saorview spec so from that point of view it is a runner. It’s cheaper than the others again which is always good but when you inverstigate further, you see why it is cheaper. The media player on the Aldo Saorview Box is worse than useless according to it’s own sppec, mp3 and jpg only. The Triax Saorview box, has an exceptional media player including high def movies. The cost of extra licencing fees for the additional codecs to do this obviously push up the cost of production but as an add-on to a saorview box, it is unrivalled by any of the others.
I can’t speak to how well the PVR functions work on the new Aldi Saorview box but it is my understanding that it’s is just a rebadged walker so there is no reason to believe that it will work any better than the original. So they better get the finger out and get that software update released.
The final point of the Aldi Saorview box is that the menu system, according to screenshots in it’s own manul look like it was designed by a child. Very basic, boxy, horrible looking in this writer’s opinion. But maybe that’s just me, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that.
Over all, there can really be only one winner at this point. The Triax TR112 is the only confirmed box without flaws or bugs, looks good and does exactly waht it says on the tin. The extras included with the box are unmatched and for the extra few quid it costs, why skimp?
| |