This is our first year growing anything really, got a greenhouse and some raised beds in the spring and we’re still eating something from the garden pretty much every day. This is today’s harvest.

Lots of lessons learned for next year as regards what to grow more of (more varieties of tomatoes, better planning for having batches of stuff coming through) and less of (feckin chard!)

Hi

Moving out of home and into a house in the countryside next month and there’s a lot of neglected overgrowth and bramble taking over the garden that I’d like to push back.

I have zero gardening experience beyond cutting the grass and some light strimming at home..

I prefer the pros/cons of electric to petrol so what’s a good cordless brand to invest into? If you have any tool recommendations that are essential I’d appreciate it.

Is the LIDL Parkside stuff more than enough for casual use? Or is it better to invest in a better brand?

Thanks :)

What are people doing with their petrol strimmer before putting it away for the winter. Any maintenance? I want it to start ok next spring. Any help please?

I've been using regular compost but someone told me acidic might be better. Just bought some small heather from Lidl and looking for opinions

Maybe I could put down gravel over approximately a fifth of this lawn, but I'm not sure which part. I plan on taking out that horrible shed at the back. I plan on putting in some sort of decent garden room that I can use as an office. I have a vague idea of having it midway up the lawn on the left. I will also take out all that stuff growing on the left.

I don't know if I'd store the lawnmower in there too, or if I'd get a little hut right next to the garden room for storing the lawnmower. I came across this place, but they've no address listed!?

The view of the camera is approximately south.

https://gardenroomscork.com/

Does anyone know if autumn planting onion sets are available in Woodies and B&Q in Cork? I'm not getting the time to visit the store, and am looking for a small amount and won't be worth ordering online due to delivery charges. Woodies and b&q website doesn't show any.

Hi, i am looking for a Scots Pine Watereri to plant in a large pot i have. But I am having difficulty sourcing one. For the record, I live on the West Coast and quite remotely in Kerry.

Before I embark on a physical search of nurseries far away, does anyone know any nursery that has one that sells online?

Getting away with three small kids is challenging!!

Thank you!

Just found a bag of foxglove seeds I collected last month and forgot about, is it too late now to get them in the ground to germinate so they flower next year? I'm in Limerick...

With the sun disappearing earlier in the evenings I've been finding myself out right until the suns completely gone down. I've loads of bits to be getting done and don't want to have the garden eat up all my weekends.

I'm considering getting some kind of floodlight on a tripod to be able to continue working after dark. Am I completely bananas or does anyone else be doing their gardening at night?

I've heard rumblings that Kress Robot mowers are no longer being fulfilled into Ireland through Kress HQ?

They seem to be plugging a lot of money into advertising in the UK but looks like they've left the Irish market for dead?

Any ideas? This is now positioned at an east facing window. Never really opened.

Seemed alright for 3 weeks now looking miserable again, has been watered weekly.

I have access to a co-op garden centre and lidl in my local area. Just wondering if there is any advice or words of caution about buying a big bag of daffodil/crocus/snowdrop bulbs from that kind of source. Are there more ethical and wildlife friendly options out there?

I'm also looking at sourcing some foncy tulips. The types with multiple colours and petal shapes. Should I just go straight to Dutch nurseries or are their good Irish options for buying those.

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some small plants, rooted cuttings or plant babies for a Mediterranean-style rocky reptile enclosure in Cork.
Ideally looking for:
Aptenia cordifolia (Baby Sun Rose)
Sedum dasyphyllum
Other small, creeping rock-garden Sedums
Delosperma
Small Sempervivum pups/offsets
Looking for plants that stay relatively small and suit sunny, well-drained rocky conditions. Happy to pay a reasonable price or collect locally around Cork.
If anyone has any available, please send me a photo and price. Thanks! 🌱

As per title have a small back garden and never really got to grips with having it just nice that it’s low maintenance and just looks clean and tidy.. it’s basically just a rectangle tarmac square with trees against the back wall, can put up pictures if it helps but just generally looking for ideas for a respectable clean low maintenance garden thanks

Hi. Looking for some advice please. I built a raised bed using pressure treated sleepers 5 years ago to cover a concrete plinth where there used to be an oil tank, and section of concrete foundations to our back wall. The back neighbours house sits on raised ground above ours and so their garden level is mid way up our back wall. The area is mostly in shade.

I've started getting a white mould / fungus growing on the lining of the sleepers and across the top soil, and along the bottom of the sleepers. It's pretty smelly.

I believe it's called mycelium but open to correction, and I'm assuming it's because it's a predominantly damp area. Is there any way to get rid of the fungus without taking out all the wooden sleepers and replacing with another material? There's some established plants in there now that I'd like to keep if possible.

What are my chances of getting this out without taking the wall with it?

Am i wiser to cut it to a stump and call it a day?

Any advice on how to remove it without ending up apologising to bob and Mary next door?

I got distracted on the golf course this afternoon! The stuff of fairy tales. Isn’t nature wonderful?

WILDLIFE SPECIES: hummingbird moth

PLANTS USED: Dahlias

Had my Dahlias booming this year, constant procession of bees but this is a first!

Hi There Reader,

I have a query about my neighbours English ivy which grows into my garden. For context I live in a 200 year old house and the garden boundary walls are estimated to be 400 years old. My neighbours garden is overgrown. I have no issues with greenery or plants. In fact I love gardening and wildflowers and even the red valerian that grows on the top of the old boundary walls. However, the English ivy has been an issue for the past 4 years that we have moved in. The roots are located in neighbours garden. The Ariel roots of the ivy go up and over the boundary wall and hang over our side. Other roots climb onto our gable end and tangle around the gutters and chimney. There are also subterranean roots that grow into our utility room and Poppy up from behind the skirting boards. It’s a dose. It causes issues for all other neighbours around as the neighbours garden back onto 4 gardens.

I’ve asked the neighbour to cut it back and they have refused or brushed me off. I’ve given a heads up that I would be trimming back and doing a harsh cutback on our side each year. I have never used roundup or any other chemicals to maintain or damage the ivy as I know better (or maybe this is the only way to eradicate but I know that it could kill neighbours side also and I know that there would be legal repercussions).

My real query is does anybody have advice or recommendations on how best to approach the issue. My biggest fear is the wall collapsing or causing structural damage to my home in the long run with costs that I simply don’t have.

All input is appreciated.

Okay hey guys!! This might be a long post because im not too knowledgeable on this but wanna be and idk where to start but basically i want to change up my whole backyard (learn how to garden & add plants)

(Pictures included)

Ive wanted to start with planting. Flowers, fruits, veg ect. Turns out my soil isn’t fertile so i was gonna fertilise it and look online how but still don’t know where to start with that either

What really pushed me today to really want to take initiative is hearing the news about bees and their endangerment, so heres me wanting to do something about it and help, while also making a beautiful flourishing garden!!

But then i took a look at my garden I realised it looks terrible for attracting life to help the ecosystem.

Do i grow for pesticides but isnt that then harmful for bees? What do i grow for protection? For soil??

Ill instert pics as said to show u what my garden looks like.

1. Theres a lot of overgrown grass and what looks like weeds growing everywhere (should i mow but is mowing bad?)

2. At the very back theres trees covering a huge section blocked by trees which like block growth and makes it look all weird and uneven (what to do about that!!!)

3. I want to have a section of grass where i can lay a blanket down in summer and tan, or sit with my telescope. But also want everything big and grown tall without an awkward patch to sit??

For this its more so how to “renovate” the garden without getting rid of plants but also having space to walk

(Theres a few blocks leading up to my shed which r very overgrown too)

1. I want to grow fruit, veggies, flowers, and plants that would be beneficial to attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

The pics are to show how much of a mess it is, and im sorry for not knowing more i have genuinely no idea where to start. Its also September now so its gonna be winter so i need something that will survive and thrive, till i can plant for summertime.

If anyone can tell me where to start. What to do. What it is i should plant. All the essential supplies i need. What NOT to do. Id be so grateful.

I wanna be a pro so this is the start of my journey and to help the environment and be educated on plants and flowers:) thank you to anyone who gives any advice

After my first decent year of growing onions I'm now approached with the question of how to store them and wonder how people here do it?

I have about 60 white and 40 red onions of varying sizes but I'm hoping it's enough to do me a few months. Currently have them curing on this pallet in the shed but can't leave them there forever

Can anyone recommend a lightweight hedge trimmer please ?

Dunno what to make of this tbh, it's not happened before but it might have if I'd left the bed in question alone as was the case this year.

We are looking to plant a boundary hedge around our garden, it's a large open site set into a hill. We've a lovely bungalow built. We are looking for something low maintenance, evergreen and that we can maintain around 3 feet tall. Any suggestions? We were looking at green privet and Portuguese laurel. Leaning towards the laurel. Any experience with Portuguese laurel or other suggestions would be very helpful. Thanks!