Grow Your Own – Page 4 – Ciaran The Gardener

Green Elder Shoots – Recipe

Green Elder Shoots in Brine This is an old recipe, and an odd one. While elder flower coridals and elder flower ‘Champagne” are becoming more widely known, I bet not many people are trying out the new green shoots! In spring and early summer the common elder, Sambucus nigra, produces very vigorous strong green shootsContinue reading “Green Elder Shoots – Recipe”

Respect Your Elders – Elderflower Cordial Recipe

It’s wild. Its everywhere. Its elder flower –Sambucus nigra. In the month of June its flat flower heads whiten hedgerows and fields around Ireland. Outside my office window I can see the branches bob and sway with the breeze. Seedlings all too often appear in the garden, unwanted, in abundance. But I don’t mind, theContinue reading “Respect Your Elders – Elderflower Cordial Recipe”

Nasturtium Pesto – Lower Food Miles Version- Recipe

We have The Garden School at BLOOM this year situated in the “Budding Bloomers” area. We are hoping to inspire future generations of gardeners by teaching children (and many adults) how to make plant pots from newspaper and then sow a nasturtium seed into peat free compost. Nasturtiums are ornamental and edible. The simplest wayContinue reading “Nasturtium Pesto – Lower Food Miles Version- Recipe”

Stuffed Red Mustard Leaves – Recipe

Last year we sowed red mustard leaves, Brassica juncea ‘Osaka Purple’, in neat rows in our salad bed in the vegetable garden. This year it is coming up all over the vegetable gardens and beyond. The large floppy red leaves are mottled green and the flowers are yellow and typical of the cabbage family. ItContinue reading “Stuffed Red Mustard Leaves – Recipe”

Gardening with Children – Teaching The Teachers…

One of my earliest memories from my childhood is being with my grandfather when he was digging potatoes in a garden in Wexford. He used to do some gardening work for a neighbour after he had finished his postman’s work for the day. I remember too, shifting wheel barrow loads of gravel with my dadContinue reading “Gardening with Children – Teaching The Teachers…”

Planting Potatoes in Plastic Bags

Early potato tubers are usually chitted before being planted outside. This involves placing the tubers in a well lit, frost free place. The shoots develop from the eyes of the tuber and will then be planted outside when the soil has warmed to 6° Celcius. Early varieties take between 75 – 90 days to mature.Continue reading “Planting Potatoes in Plastic Bags”

Gaultheria berries, some are good to eat

Some G. mucronata berries are quite tasty with some home made yogurt and brown sugar! Or enjoy them as a nice treat when in the garden. It is great to be able to pick a handful of berries and munch them while taking a break from weeding in the garden. The small, narrow, dark evergreenContinue reading “Gaultheria berries, some are good to eat”