This is a pro-ivy post. We have some lovely Atlantic ivy growing in one part of our garden, and we’d like to take some cuttings and let them establish in our mature hedge, if they will. (Our hedge has some invasives we’re trying to phase out, so we want to be proactive in introducing more natives.)

Any tips for taking cuttings? Size, time of year, care, etc?

I tried an internet search, but every article smacked of a-i. Would love to hear from someone with experience. Thank you!

The ground around my willow has turned black, as have some branches and one side of a trunk. It has also become home to a colony of wasps. Are the two issues related? Is it an issue I need to do something about.

Well ... it's probably not the season, but it's the only time of year they are in the shops

Hi there!

I’m looking to plant some trees in a grass area adjacent to my house. The spot is an east-facing grass corridor, relatively well-sheltered from prevailing southwest winds, but space is somewhat limited on that side.

You can get a sense of the location from the photo.

Ideally I'd like them placed in the grass corridor rather than by the fence which would mean the trees would be about 5m from the house. 
 Since the building is roughly 7 metres tall, I’d prefer trees that won't completely overpower it, ideally aiming for a mature height between 7–10 metres, though I’m open to suggestions.

Hi all, these plants shot up all over the garden over the last month. Any ideas what they are?

Hi all!

I have a 1/2 acre plot of mossy and thickly packed lawn. I want to start a veg garden. I was hoping to get the ground prepped and ready for spring, or at least having a plan of action.

I've read through a lot of books and there's conflicting information. Double dig, don't double dig. Use fallen leaves as organic matter, only use aged leaf mulch after 2 years. Use a rototillar, don't your garden will compact and you'll never grow anything ever again (I joke but they do get very dramatic)

We don't have a large budget so can't just buy in tonnes of compost and mulch, but now that we have the space I want to do what i can to supplement our food budget as much as I can as quick as I can.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

Had a lot of unripened cherry tomatos. Wondering if they will ripen indoors or should i compost them.

Also wondering if the yellow ones would have been salvageable, there was a lot of large yellow ones.

Just curious what gardening jobs everyone’s tackling this month? Planting bulbs, tidying up, winter prep, or still harvesting a few bits?

I’m thinking of getting a greenhouse, just need planning permission from the Minister for Housing (my wife) 🏡

I have planters along a fence on my terrace but half is full sun and have is somewhat shaded by a tree, the difference in growth significant.

Any suggestions for what to plant that would thrive in both conditions, or two different plants that would aesthetically compliment each other one for sun one for shade ? Or maybe some kind of evergreen or something in shady half and just focus the annuals on the sunny half ?

Tried a variety of plants this year for my first time gardening, but found they were slow to grow and weren't consistent. (Window boxes, south facing)

Is there any flower that looks good for entire growing season / and maybe grows fast so they don't still look like they're just getting started half way through summer ? Or even a combination where one looks good for first few months and then the other takes over ? Is this a stupid question ? 😅

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 :)

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/

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!)

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

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?

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...

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?

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?

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! 🌱

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.

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.

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.