Midwest Radio Gardening Show

The autumn series returned with a look at autumn planting - nature's time for renewal. There's a bumper harvest this year and Paraic discussed harvesting fruit in general. He gave tips on ripening and storing apples, plums and nectarines and ways to promote flowering and fruiting where yields are low. There was advice on sowing laurel hedging and other plants from cuttings, and hydrangeas featured with Annabelle, Phantom, Bobo and Vanilla Freeze some of the varieties highlighted. Listeners questions included how to control Thuja blight, sowing lawns with dogs and children in mind, treating vegetable plants for caterpillars, feeding pampas grasses and suggestions for climbers for large bare walls.

As the summer break approaches this week's programme looked back on a very successful gardening year so far and Paraic gave some recommendations for the coming weeks including the importance of blight control, feeding lawns without forcing growth and the benefits of regular deadheading. He also discussed garden design and ways that people can practically implement new ideas in their own gardens. Plants featured on today's programme included Beetroot with advice on harvesting, Hornbeam and the practice of pleaching to provide privacy, Siberian Wallflowers and Ginkgo Biloba, while topics discussed ranged from balling of roses to june drop and trimming whippy growth on fruit trees. Paraic also responded to listeners questions on greenfly on lettuce, turning pink Hydrangeas blue, the lifecycle of Pond Lillies, taking cuttings from Cottage Roses and reseeding lawns.

With germination at its optimum this is great planting weather and Paraic started this week's programme with advice on putting in a new lawn and traditional planting of broad leaved trees and hedges. The programme also focused on vegetable beds, Roses and Sambucas and featured tips on pruing back herbs to promote autumn growth and the importance of feeding plants for longevity. Other topics ranged from organic control of slugs and snails to plants suitable for coastal areas and rocky gardens. Listeners questions included creating an instant wall of cover, mildew on Hellebores, treating Thujas for blight, problems with courgettes in tunnels and the care of post flowering Amarylis and Chilean Lantern.

On this week's programme Paraic issued a blight warning and advised to apply a systemic blight control treatment to potatoes and tomatoes. Looking ahead to autumn/winter planting the programme featured kale as a great winter vegetable which can be sowed from seed now. Roses are coming into flower and Paraic discussed some good varities for scent including Fascination, Whiskey Mac, Grandpa Dixon, Freedom and Ingrid Bergman. Other topics ranged from sowing whitethorn and lillies to tree ferns and foxglove trees. Listeners questions included Echinacea flowers for attracting bees, moving hostas, pest damage on plum trees, sowing veg in a poly tunnel and liquid feeding onions.

With Bloom in full swing Paraic gave a synopsis of some of the show gardens at this year's event taking place over the bank holiday weekend. Plants featured in this edition included Euryops with advice on how to grow and take cuttings. Paraic made some recommendations to Tidy Towns groups interested in planting herbaceous perennials and looked ahead to June drop on apple and fuit trees as heavy early fruiting is indicating a good harvest. Other topics included controlling caterpillars and greenfly, planting to provide wind & sea barriers, removing suckers from cherry trees and planting hanging baskets. Listeners questions featured problems with onion sets, yellowing dahlias, dehydrated rhubarb and an overabundance of mint.

This week's programme kicked off with a flavour of what is on offer at this year's Bloom with 22 show gardens and talks and information over the 5 days of the festival. Featured plants this week included Laburnum and Hostas while timely topics ranged from greening up lawns to bedding plants for different occassions. Paraic gave advice on replacing hedging, plants for white colour, watering in general in warmer weather and treatment of aphids on hedging, flowers and fruit trees. Listeners questions included growing mushrooms from kits, overspraying lawns with weed killer, camelias with brown leaves and moving camelia and magnolias.

As growth continues to surge Paraic reminded listeners to continue to water and feed plants in order to ensure good colour later in the summer. The programme discussed a selection of flowering plants and climbers with lupins from the west coast series, clematis, thembergia, and aztec dahlias all featured. Paraic gave tips on planting cucmbers, courgettes, peppers and chilli right now and described the best method to pinch back tall perennials. There was advice on lawn care and planting hanging baskets, and listeners questions featured rhubarb, flowering evergreen climbers and shrubs, peony roses, carrrot root fly and wild meadow planting to attract butterflies and bees.

Moist weather heralded a great weekend for planting and Paraic encouraged listeners to take advantage of the conditions over the coming days. He discussedt treating lawns, watering and feeding plants in general and highlighted some good all rounders for planting in window boxes and hanging baskets such as nemesia. Tomatoe varieties supersweet and roma were also featured with tips on cutting grow bags to create pots. The difference between ericaceous and regular compost was explained and there was advice on protecting lavender and other plants from rabbit attack. Listeners questions included sowing blue danube potatoes, problems with rhubarb leaves, thinning apple trees and the importance of waiting for June drop, and treating white aphid and white fly on hedging.

Colourful bedding featured this week with Paraic discussing Pellargonium, Paris Daisy, Ballon Flower and Non-Stop Begonias in detail. He also recommended liquid feed for actively growing plants and issued a timely reminder for aphid control. Lupins were also highlighted with particular focus on the west coast series. Listerns questions ranged from feed for sunflowers and rhubarb to growing tomatoes in hanging baskets and pruning flowering cherry. Other topics covered this week included planting a bank or slope, dead heading geraniums, control of bishop weed and treating rust on roses.

As we head out of spring and into summer this week we focused on hanging baskets, bedding plants and fruit trees which are coming into flower at the moment and showing signs of a fruitful harvest. The coronet vareity of apples were featured as a plant that is easy to grow and requires low maintenance. The repair and maintenance of lawns was also discussed as was planting for the edible garden. Paraic advised on screening planting for privacy with hedging, tree and pampas grasses and highlighted the importance of trimming and staking when planting ornamental trees. Listeners questions this week included protecting beech hedging, moving bulbs, carrot seed resistant to root fly, dampening off seedlings and tips for sowing kale.

On this week's programme Pauric reinterated the need to feed plants at the moment as they are now actively growing. He advised on treatment for aphid and greenfly with lupins, boxwood, beech and roses being particularly susceptible at the moment, while plants featured today included Geranium Orange Fizz and a special pink ribbon plant in support of the upcoming Mayo Pink Ribbon Cycle. With soil conditions at an optimum Pauric noted that it is a great time to get things into the ground. Other topics discussed this week included earthworm casts, planting hanging baskets, using green manure to supress weeds around potatoe plants and controlling grubs in pots. Listeners questions featured growing Myrtle, fruit plants in pots, sowing roses at this time of year and climbers suitable for a pergola.

Mid April hearalds the time when plants really start to open up and with moisture levels remaining low Pauric noted that conditions are ideal for planting over the Easter weekend. It's also the time to start hanging baskets with trailing petunias, fuschia, lobelia and nastursiums all available now. Pauric gave tips on growing sweet peas, rhubarb and feeding strawberries while hardy hedging plants were featured for exposed areas. Listeners questions included controlling slugs organically, growing mouse melons, treatment of japanese knotweed and the care of camelias.

Garden design was the main feature of the programme this week. Pauric examined how we use our gardens and gave a hints and tips on how to make your garden work for you. He advised on strategies for planting, looked at different features and materials for various life stages and explored discussed different ways to combine indoor and outdoor life. The programme also discussed a variety of plants available now and included some listeners questions.

With plants now coming into their own Paraic recommended applying a tree and shrub fertiliser and advised on the best approach to use. The programme also highlighted feeding houseplants with recommendations on different feeds and featured cottage garden plants such as shasta daisy, asters, lupins and foxgloves. Bee friendly plants featured again this week while Paraic discussed the importance of planning for your location when choosing plants and hedging in particular. Listeners questions included controlling ivy, planting sprouted potatoes, ground covering plant for shade, treatment of club root in brassicas and growing spinach. Other plants discussed this week featured mother in laws tongue, royal burgundy, phalaenopsis, pear trees and montbretia.

On this week's programme Pauric discussed protecting tender plants from frost and encouraged cutting lawns, and feeding lawns and plants in general. The programme focused on Grow Your Own with shallots, sets, onions and horseradish all available now and Pauric talked about Petit Posy - an alternative to brussel sprouts. The simplicity of using seed tapes was also highlighted for sowing a range of plants and Pauric reminded listeners that now is a perfect time to plant herbs for Easter. Listeners questions included sowing sunflower seeds, transplanting strawberry plants from outdoors to tunnels, controlling and eradicating scutch and wild meadow grass, moving and pruning cherry blossoms and the use of garotta and other activators for compost.

It's the start of the potatoe planting season and this week's programme featured hints and tips on getting planting underway including an in-depth look at different varities that are suited to Irish conditions such as Sharp's Express, Red Duke of York, Setanta and Foremost. Paraic recommended planting indoors now in preparation for transplanting outdoors in a few weeks time. The programme also focused on spring flowering plants with camelias, magnolias and forsythia discussed. Other topics included hedging for bogland areas and seaside locations, the treatment of overgrown ivy, and the importance of worms and how to get them back into the garden. Listeners questions ranged from creating an avenue of trees on a driveway to gardening with children and planting scented roses.

This week's programme featured Shamrock in advance of St. Patrick's Day with a discussion on the history of the plant, growth and care of the different varietes plus options for sending it to loved ones overseas. With improved temperatures lawn care, feeding and maintenance was also covered on the programme while Paraic reommended tidying herbaceous border plants, hoeing out young weeds, trimming apple and fruit trees and generally feeding plants with shrub and tree fertiliser. Listeners questions included yellowing daffodil leaves, the care of indoor plants such as orchids and figs, pruning acers, bee freindly hedging, sowing mushrooms from kits. Climbing plants such as ivy and clematis were also discussed in depth with recommendations for planting and climbers suitable for different locations.

On this week's programme, the first of 2017, Paraic focused on sowing plants inside to bring them on before transplanting outdoors. Summer flowering bulbs such as begonia, gladioli, arum lily, dahlia and agapanthus all featured with a range of varieites recommended for colour and volume. Paraic also discussed planting vegetables including seed potatoes such as red duke of york, orla & colleen. Steps for the control of lawn moss were explained and Paraic also advised on replanting storm damaged mature trees and hedging. Listeners questions included planting rhubarb, blueberries and onions, repotting Christmas cactus and suggestions for bee friendly plants.

Colder temperatures signal the time to protect softer plants and the final programme of the current season advised on protecting plants over the winter period. Paraic discussed plants that provide good foliage colour in colder months including liquid amber, nandinia blush pink, smoke bush and winter heathers. Tips and hints included the importance of trimming back the tops of newly planted hedging, harvesting carrots and ground covering plants for sloped areas. Listeners questions featured planting bulbs in pots and containers, sowing green manure, winter flowers for window boxes, lifting and storing dahlias and using a step approach when covering an outdoor wall with climbers.

Garden designer Terry McEneany joined Paraic this week and the programme explored many aspects of garden design from form and function to location, lifetsytle and maintenance. Terry looked at different approaches to designing a garden including common challenges and how to plan for changes over the years. Questions included the use of artificial grass, disguising sceptic and oil tanks, designing outdoor cooking areas and trees suitable for long avenues. Other topics featured this week included mixed hedgerows, damaged viburnum davidii, problems with roses and winter flowering shrubs, plus advice on fruiting fig trees and how to ripen pumpkins.