Autumn Events
Coming Up…..
Poultry Day on Sunday 11th September from 2 – 5pm. Poultry for sale, advice on all aspects of keeping poultry. Organic & GM Free Feeds for Sale.
Sunday, 18th September FREE veg garden demonstration, which will cover such topics as planting winter veg, onion sets, garlic, green manures etc. the demonstration starts at 3pm and will last for approx. 1 hour. Please wear outdoor clothing.
September also sees the first meeting of the Boherbue Flower & Garden Club for the year, Hester Forde, the renowned gardener & lecturer, starts the season with a digital presentation on the magic of bulbs, Wednesday 21st September at 8pm at the new venue at Boherbue Educare Centre. €5 entry on the door for non-members (annual membership costs €25).
In October we have our annual Apple Day, Sunday 23rd between 2 – 5pm.
Autumn is most definitely here, and it’s the gardener’s time to start planning for the year ahead. There is much to do in the garden, here are a few suggestions:
1. Plant spring bulbs – daffodils should be planted early, as should snowdrops. Tulips are best left until October / November, but buy your bulbs now, the best ones always sell
out early. When planting bulbs the general rule is to plant 2 – 3 times the depth of the bulb, and if your soil is heavy add a layer of horticultural grit to the bottom of the hole (€4.99 for 25kg). Planting bulbs is child’s play – one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to add colour to your garden.
We have in stock a wide range of spring bulbs – we sell many loose, such as daffodils, tulips, and crocus, as well as some choice ones in packets ranging from tiny snowdrops and winter iris through to towering alliums and Imperial fritillaries. We also have treated bulbs for indoor flowering.
2. Think about your vegetable patch: a truly successful veg patch will provide you with veg throughout the year. This time of year you can plant hardy crops such as kale, spinach and some salad leaves, especially mustards. It’s also time to think about onion and garlic. We were delighted with our garlic harvest this year, it couldn’t be easier to grow and we’re definitely planting more this autumn – there’s no reason to buy Chinese garlic anymore! If you would like tips and ideas for your veg garden we are holding a FREE autumn veg demonstration in the veg patch at The Secret Garden on Sunday 18th September between 3 – 4pm. We’ll be covering all of the above as well as other seasonal jobs in the veg garden. If you are planning on leaving the ground empty, think about green manures – simply sow the seeds and leave, the resulting plants will feed the soil & improve structure, as well as keeping weeds at bay. Come the spring you simply dig the plants in and let them break down. A packet of seed costs €1.95, and different varieties will give different coverage and benefits. Our onion sets and garlic bulbs will be in stock by the weekend of the veg demonstration.
3. Move evergreens: September is the ideal month to move any evergreens that you need to. Take up as much of the rootball as possible, and replant straight away, watering in well. Bare –root hedging will be later in the year, but should be ordered by October for delivery in November & December before the hard weather sets in. Once the ground has frozen you cannot plant again until it thaws, so based on the last two years, we are recommending planting sooner rather than later. If you need advice on what trees & hedges to choose, please call in or contact us. The price list is available now.
4. Order Fruit trees & bushes: autumn is a great time to plant new fruit trees and bushes. If you are thinking of planting fruit trees, come along to our Apple Day on Sunday 23rd October between 2 – 5pm. We will once again be joined by the esteemed nurseryman, John McNamara of McNamara Nurseries. John will be bringing along a selection of apples from his nursery, so it’s a chance to taste a few varieties that you wouldn’t find in the shops. John has a wealth of knowledge on growing apple trees, and will be on hand to offer tip and advice and answer any questions you may have. As always, the Tea Room will be open and serving a tempting array of apple specialities….
5. Think about the wildlife: a garden without wildlife is missing something essential, and many of our native species are suffering during the hard winters. Now is the time to clean out empty nest boxes, which the birds can use for shelter over the winter months(it’s also a good time to site new nest boxes to give resident birds time to get used to them before the spring). It’s also good to leave cutting back of perennials and shrubs to the spring, leaving seed heads, hibernation and shelter areas. Finally, give you r bird feeders a clean – once all the berries are gone from the hedgerow they’ll be looking for food!
In stock now: spring bulbs, green manures.
Coming soon: bird feeders & food, conifers, roses, trees, hedging.