Most vegetables, like peppers and tomatoes (above), grow well in containers 

Containers
You can use just about any container for your plants, shrubs, trees and vegetables.  Planter boxes, wooden barrels, hanging baskets, old leather boots and large flowerpots all make great containers.  Lettuce, greens, spinach, herbs, onions, carrots and Summer Squash all grow well in pots.  Try to position containers so your vegetables and herbs will get at least 6 hours of sunlight daily.  Plants growing in containers need regular feeding and watering.  A trellis or vertical support is perfect to assist trailing vegetables like beans, peas and cucumbers.
Tomatoes grow best in containers of at least 12" or 18" deep (one plant per pot); peppers grow best in 12" deep pots (1 to 2 plants per pot).  Greens, such as lettuce and spinach, have shallow roots and thus do well in broader, flatter containers.

 

Companion planting mixes different complimentary crops together 

 

John Adamson's Tip of the Week 

Companion planting
Companion planting is the mixing of different crops close together, on the premise that they help each other out in nutrient uptake, pest control, pollination, and other factors essential to a good crop yield.  For us gardeners, the combinations of different plants also make for a more diverse, attractive vegetable garden, as well as allowing more prolific use of space.  It's a good idea to grow plants with a strong aroma around your vegetables as they will deter unwanted pests.  
By planting these you will repel Aphids, Carrot Fly, slugs, Cabbage Fly, Spider Mites, ants and various other pests.  Some of the easiest plants to mix into your vegetables include: Nasturtiums, Stock, Onions, Marigolds, Tagetes, Violas, Batmix, Butterfly Mix or Bumble Bee Mix flowers.  The most important thing to take into consideration is not to plant anything that grows over ten inches as it will only compete for light and nutrients with your vegetables.

 

Click here for printable companion planting chart.pdf 

Carrots are straightforward and produce good yields  

 

Carrots
Carrots are relatively easy to grow once your soil is suitable.  Homemade compost or well-rotted manure is the perfect addition to any soil.  Fish blood and bone or seaweed powder are both perfect fertilisers.   Create a drill about half an inch deep, water the drill, place your seeds and cover with soil.  If growing in containers, ensure the container is well-drained and 9-12 inches deep.  You should leave a distance of about six inches between each drill.  When seedlings start to appear you should thin out by taking away the weaker ones, leaving the healthiest to thrive. 
Keep weeds clear from your carrot beds and water the soil, rather then the foliage when dry.  The carrots worst pest is the carrot fly which lays its eggs on the soils.  The best solution is to cover the ground with horticultural fleece.  The time to harvest your carrots is usually about 14-16 weeks after planting your seedlings.  Good varieties to grow are:  Early Nantes, Parano, Flyaway, Amsterdam Forcing and Nantes 2.

 

Organic grown parsnips are tender and flavoursome

 

Parsnips 
Like carrots, parsnips are easy to grow once your soil is suitable.  Sow up to the first week of June.  Use the same method for planting your seeds as mentioned for the carrots (above) but leave at least 12 inches between each row to allow for a broader foliage.  Thin out seedlings to about six inches apart after they grow to over one inch in height.  Always keep the area weed free, and take care not to damage the tender foliage.  There is no great pest threat to parsnips.  A covering of fleece will protect form moths, slugs and snails.  Harvest about 14-16 weeks after planting. Good varieties to grow are: Offenham, Gladiator, White Gem, The Student and Tendor and True.

 

A slug beer trap is simple and effective

 

JOHN ADAMSON'S TIP OF THE WEEK
Beer Traps for Slugs and Snails.  An infestation of slugs and snails can be solved without the use of inorganic and potentially harmful slug pellets.  Like many of us, slugs too like beer.  So, all you have to do is leave out a dish, or sink the dish into the soil, so the top of dish is level with surface. The dish should be 2-3 inches deep and filled with one inch of beer.  Slugs will happily dip in, but once drunk won't make it out.  You might take some comfort in that they probably drown happily.  Always check your dish the following day to dispose of its contents, and don't allow pets to drink from dish.

Send us an email to allotment@rte.ie and we'll send you a free monthly, downloadable, printable document with everything you need to know nurture your favourite vegetables from seed to dinner plate. 

 

You can also get tips, advice, photos and much more in our regular updates in the RTE Guide and at www.rte.ie/2fm/theallotment 

We are now into the month of May and we can see rapid growth all around us.  Seedlings are popping their heads, and weeds are not far behind.  So, it's crucial to keep weeding to give your plants they space and nutrients they need.  There is still some frost out there, so don't sow your tender crops for another week or two.

Egg boxes are ideal to get potatoes sprouting

 

CHITTING AND PLANTING YOUR POTATO

Chitting is achieved by placing the potato in something like an empty egg box on a window ledge (or any sunny, warm space).  Wait for the eyes to start sprouting, and once they have reached a height of about one inch, they are ready for planting outdoors. 
Potatoes require a sunny spot.  They will produce the best crop planted in a light, loose and well-drained soil.  Also, they are best planted in a Loam soil i.e. with a pH level of 5.8-6.5 (see last week's notes on Soil Types).  However, don't worry if soil conditions aren't prefect as potatoes are flexible enough to grow in most soil types.  Your potatoes should be rotated on a three-year basis i.e. you need three different sites in your garden to successfully grow potatoes every year. 

Furrows should be about 10 inches deeps with potatoes planted 16 inches apart  

 

PLANTING AND PROTECTING YOUR MAINCROP POTATO.

Maincrops take up to 18 weeks to mature, but give a great yield and are easy to store.  Create your potato furrows in a sunny, deep and well-prepared soil.  Using a spade and hoe dig your furrows 10 inches deep.  Mix plenty of manure into your furrows and plant potatoes about 16 inches apart with the eyes facing upwards.

 

Lettuce can be grown in window boxes or any well-drained container

Cover each plant with some soil or grass clippings to avoid disease.  As they appear, cover the shoots with more soil as this will encourage a greater harvest, covering with soil also helps protect your plant from diseases and pests.  This process is known as earthing up. 
Wireworms and slugs will eat into your potatoes if not held in check.  Nematodes (organic microscopic worms available online or in garden centres) will keep potatoes pests at bay and work for up to six weeks.  It is best to cover your crop with fine mesh netting.  This will help keep off other unwanted pests like beetles, aphids and caterpillars. 
The number one killer of potatoes is potato blight. Blight is clearly visible as the leaf will start to turn brown.  Copper spray and earthing up (see above) are two effective, organic measures of preventing and controlling the disease. Lettuce can be grown in window boxes or any well-drained container

John Adamson's tip of the week
Thinking of growing lettuce? Lettuce enjoys a sunny position and well-watered soil, with good drainage.   As they appear, pull out the weakest seedlings to allow the strongest thrive. 
It is ideal to water either in the morning or at midday, but not at night as it can contract diseases.  Try not to keep in a greenhouse as the leaves will get scorched and burn. Lettuce can be grown in any container as long as there is good drainage e.g. recycled plastic guttering about 1.5 meters in length is perfect. 

 

Next week we'll be providing further updates, tips, advice and more..

Click here for printable vegtable sowing and planting calendar.pdf

SOIL TYPES

Plants and vegetables require different soil types.  Acidity or Alkalinity of soil is measured by the pH level and should be adjusted to suit your planting plans.  Frequently people purchase the wrong types of plants for their specific soil type and thus fruition of plants does not occur.  To carry out a test on your soil simply purchase a pH test kit from your local nursery or garden centre.  Once you have measured the pH level of your soil, you can amend as required.  If your soil is to be more acidic, sulphur may be used to lower the pH level. For increasing the pH level, lime is most commonly used.  It is best to follow the guidelines on the back of the packet of soil enhancers.   Once pH levels have been recognised, the soil should be tilled and then raked smooth ready for planting.  

 

SOWING SEEDS OUTDOORS
Before you sow your seeds you need to make sure that you have checked that weeds and stones have been removed.  A garden sieve from your local garden centre is ideal for clearing stones, or simply use your hands as a rake.  Follow the instructions on the back of your seed packets before sowing.  Keep them moist with water and wait for germination.  Once germination occurs thin out the weaker seedling to let the strongest survive and grow.

Top tips
• For best results try to purchase F1 Seeds as they are pure line and give the best yield, but are a little more expensive. 
• Water the drill for your seeds and then lay down your seeds according to packet instructions and cover with soil. 
• As a general rule the larger the seed you have the deeper it is planted. 

 

Keep weeds under control before they take hold 

 

WEEDING
As daylight hours get longer weeds spring into action.  Get hold of the seedling weeds before they anchor into your soil and self-seed everywhere by regularly picking your weeds and hoeing them out. Long slim trowels, Hand Claws, Hoes and your fingers are the best tools to use.  Ensure you get the entire root or else they will simply grow back. 

 

Top tips: 
• You can leave the weeds on the soils to dry out after hoeing as they will break down and give back organic matter to your soil 

• Garden Claws are also great for working close to plants and ultimately loosen the soil for better drainage

• Also, raking your soil is a good way of controlling weeds.  A collapsible rake can be narrowed for different uses on the soil and garden

Flowers and vegetables grow wonderfully together  

 

John Adamson's tip of the week:
You don't have to create a dedicated plot to grow vegetables.  You can mix your flowering and edible plants together.  For example, try planting your carrots alongside a boundary or pathway as their foliage is soft and very alluring.  You also get the reward of home grown tasty vegetables to share with family and friends.  It's a good way of making use of space that you mightn't otherwise utilize to capacity.  Just prepare your soil beforehand and ensure it's enriched with organic matter to help your plants flourish.

 

The Gerry Ryan Show are putting their backs into the resurgence in food growing by undertaking their most ambitious vegetable garden to date - a large organic allotment.
The radio team, with the help of a crew of eager volunteers, will plant as many as 17 raised beds on the RTE Donnybrook campus with the primary drive of encouraging everyone, regardless of experience, to get involved and grow their own.
You don't need an allotment or even a garden - a sunny patio or window box will do; as most of the Ryan Show produce can be grown successfully in containers.  So, whether you're a country dweller with a spare acre or a novice urbanite with a modest window box, what follows are some of the most important factors to consider to follow our plot, and grow your own:  

1. LAYOUT AND DESIGN  

Every garden has room for fruit and vegetables, whatever the size.  Your outdoor area can comfortably accommodate recreational needs along with tasty edibles, so the space should be appropriate for both.  Growing your own should enhance your life without putting a burden on you.  So beginners shouldn't take on too much at once. Achieving success in your first vegetable growing season will give you the confidence and experience to experiment further.  Trial and error are key!   So, make your plot as low maintenance as possible. 

 

Top tips

• Try to make your design flexible to be easily changed for later use if required  
• Do your best to find a sunny area with reasonable drainage. South-facing is ideal
• Avoid planting near a hedge as soil tends to be driest there
• Avoid overhanging tree branches or buildings that cast shade on your plot

The Ryan Show Allotment site before transformation

 

2. SOIL PREPERATION 

Your vegetables will find it hard to root and get the nourishment they require if your soil is heavy and stony.  A little preparation to make the soil light and airy will pay dividends.   Remove stones and dig no deeper than two feet deep.  Any deeper and you'll hit unfertile clay and stones. 

Vegetables and fruit are hungry plants, so it's important to give them the food they require to thrive.  Plenty of organic matter including manure, homemade compost and fertilisers are ideal.  So, once you dig your plot, put in plenty of organic material and mix it in well with a rack, spade or fork.  It is important to get rid of as many weeds as you can, so they don't compete for the light and nourishment that your vegetables will need. 

Top tips 

• Don't walk on the bed as it compresses the soil and makes it less aerated
• Don't excessively dig the plot over its life course as you'll eventually break down that enriching organic matter

 

Mixing the organic matter into the plot

 

3. ORGANIC GROWING 

Going organic takes little extra work, produces great tasting produce and helps save the planet. Adding organic substance (compost, manure etc) to your soil creates a natural, healthy and hearty garden.  Organic gardening focuses on enriching the soil rather than concentrating on the plant. 

Crop rotation like swapping potatoes one year with brassicas, like cabbages, the following year avoids the build up of pests and diseases and is a better strategy than food chain-damaging inorganic pesticides etc.  Also, by growing a wide variety of vegetables and alternating them each year you create a healthy balance in your soil and won't strip any one area of all its nutrients.

  A simple wooden framed 8 x 4 feet raised vegetable bed

 

4. WHY BUILD A RAISED VEGETABLE BED? 

Raised beds promote good drainage and keeping weeds at bay.  They help keep unwanted visitors like slugs, snails and vermin away and keep the soil at a warmer temperature.  A raised vegetable bed means you don't have to stoop too low - saving on back ache.  You are also less likely to walk on, and thus damage your vegetable plot.  
A raised bed can be made by simply fixing a rectangular wooden frame, no shorter than one foot deep, around the planted area.  The ideal size is 4ft x 8 ft, but feel free to experiment.    

 

Top tips
• Raised bed can be made of old pallet wood, reclaimed railway sleepers or any suitable recycled material  
• There is no need to put the bed below the surface as the weight of the soil will keep it in place

 

Overview of Ryan Show Allotment

 

Click here for printable  allotment planting plan.pdf 

 

5. WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO GET STARTED 

• Vegetable seeds of all types.  Take a trip to the garden centre to see what's on offer 
• Treat yourself to some good garden tools e.g. fork, spade, rake
• Remember, if growing with containers like window boxes etc, that almost anything is suitable once it is deep enough and has adequate drainage.

 

 

The Ryan Show Allotment team.  Left to right: Joe Hanlon, John Adamson, Gerry, Orla McCarty, Suman Gurung, Kieran Lynch and Frank Alley