Midwest Radio Gardening Show

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Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 15/05/2021 May 15, 2021

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The growing season has begun in earnest. This week the programme looks at how to keep on top of weeds and Paraic reminds us of the importance of feeding at this time of the year. There's a great selection of vegetables available now for planting and many can still also be sown from seed – broccoli, kale and cabbage all feature this week. The programme contains considerable discussion on tomatoes which are now coming into flower with the sungold variety coming in for special mention. Paraic also focuses on organic solutions to pest control – nematodes are now available as preventative measure for leatherjackets, slugs and snails, while for those growing hostas the benefits of garlic wonder are explained. There's information on adding magnesium and iron to soil, planting peoney roses and growing green manure. Listeners questions include how to prevent rhubarb running to seed, good ground covering perennials, the difference between using mini and composted bark, suggestions for small weeping trees, tips on growing eucalyptus trees, storing daffodil and tulip bulbs over the summer, growing hybiscus, and planting out petunias, begonias, cosmos and sunflowers at this time.

Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 08/05/2021 May 08, 2021

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The growing season continues to be challenged by weather conditions and cooler temperatures have held back any significant growth so far this year, however temperatures are set to increase and that means growth should be visible very soon. Paraic gives some advice on general feeding patterns for the next couple of weeks to give plants that all important boost to maximise growth and advocated removing any visible dead material at the same time. There's information on sowing seeds, and conditions are idea for vegetable plants. It's also tomatoe planting time and Paraic looks at totem and tumber varieties for anyone wishing to plant tomatoes outside. In anticipating of an explosion in weed growth there's advice on how to keep weed problems at bay and for those looking for some long last summer colour there's a special feature on cottage garden plants – nepeta, geum, salvia, day lily, phlox and lupins are all discussed in detail. Other topics this week include frost damage on potatoes, feeding laws, the many different varieties of plants that are referred to as palms, and the use of nematodes to deal with soil borne pests. Listeners questions feature malus as a pollinator, unwrapping tree ferns, aphid attack on leylandii, mixing different kinds of climbers, american mildew on gooseberry plants and the flowering process of lupins.

Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 01/05/2021 May 01, 2021

Show notes

May the first brings lots of traditions and this week Paraic reminded listeners of an old celtic tradition of leaving yellow flowers at neighbours houses as a symbol of good fortune for the season ahead. Cooler nighttime temperatures persist resulting in continuing scorching on younger plants, so again Paraic gives a timely reminder of the need to protect and maintain softer plants indoors for another week or so. There's some colour now available in hardier plants such as calceolaria and nemesia – both feature in some detail on the programme. There's also information on feeding plants right now, Paraic recommends feeding all plants at this time of year as growth firmly starts to take hold. There's advice on how to get rid of briars, bee friendly greenfly treatment and how to prevent hares from damaging hornbeam hedging. Listeners questions include recommendations for blight resistant seed potatoes, gogi berry plants not fruiting, how to prevent bluebells spreading, treatment for damaged camelias, propogating cherry blossoms, tips for sowing root crops in garden soil, moving plants in general and transplanting rhodedendron from pots into the ground.

Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 24/04/2021 Apr 24, 2021

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Daytime temperatures are on the increase and the foreceast is for ideal gardening weather so this week the programe focused on protecting softer plants and new growth against any night frosts while also boosting growth that has started to take hold. Potato stalks should be covered if exposed and plants can still be split for this year. Active growth also means that plants need feeding and Paraic reminded listeners to watch for watering, particularly in pots and containers. The programme features a discussion on herbs including savoury and helichrysum and colour this week is provided in the form of miniature sunflowers and celosia. Listeners questions feature pruning and planting bottlebrush, scarifying a lawn, problems with laurels in seaside locations, growing a Williams pear tree, planting out petunia seedlings, pruning conifers, cotoneaster and hydrangea hedges, growing japanese gladioli, grafting a plum tree and growing tomoatoes in a vegepod.

Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 17/04/2021 Apr 17, 2021

Show notes

Frost damage remains a risk at the moment, so, amid reports of scorching on new growth, Paraic gives advice on how to overcome any temporary setbacks during April with recommendations for trimming off any damaged growth. Additionally, feeding to reinvigorate plants should set them up for a good growing year. As growth kicks in more generally, now is the time to prune hydrangeas, roses and other summer flowering plants. There is information on growing vegetables from seed – turnips (snowball and milan varieties), parsnips (gladiator), broccoli (green magic), carrot (maestro), cabbage (primo) and beetroot (rainbow mix) are all featured. And, for those seeking some summer colour, hardy annuals such as godetia, cornflowers, night scented stock and calendula are good options which can all be sown easily now. The cape mallow, passiflora and fig tree also feature on the programme this week. Paraic discusses the drift planting approach to cover bare areas and suppress weeds, while listeners questions include greenfly damage in leylandi hedging, growing whitethorn from cuttings, transferring asters out of doors, maintenance of a mature weeping ceder, planting up a vegepod, growing wisteria and tree planting for privacy.

Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 10/04/2021 Apr 10, 2021

Show notes

Colder night time temperatures continue to present a challenge for young tender planst and this week the programme opens with some good advice on how best to protect plants from frost damage. Paraic advocates the use of garden fleece over the coming week for plants already in the ground and suggests that planting out is held off for a little bit longerr until temperatures improve. The programme looks at semi frost hardy plants that can be sown at the moment – lavatera barnseley baby, parahebee avalanche and geranium roseanne are all easy to grow options with long flowering results. As the season is late this year there's still time to move plants and Paraic has advice on the best approach depending on the plants involved. There's information on how to treat laurels going yellow, forsythia not flowering, moving daffodils, maintaining a poinsettia and planting a low flowering border. Liseners questions also include sowing a wildflower meadow, sowing azaleas, begonias, strawberries and red profusion tomatoes, what to do with a leatherjacket infestation in a lawn, pruning lavender and promoting flowering in a camelia.

Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 03/04/2021 Apr 03, 2021

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Recent frosty nights have had an impact on tender young plants and early buds this season so Paraic opened the programme this week with a timely reminder about protecting new growth against sub zero nighttime temperatures. There were also some great ideas for Easter colour with dianthus, gerbera and osteospermum all featured in detail. Paraic advised on a range of topics including planting strawberries in raised beds and vegepods, moving daffodils while still 'in the green' and starting off a beehive. The programme also looked at some suitable climbers for a long shade favouring wall. Listeners questions this week explored why azalea buds may not be opening, sowing peas from seed, repotting seedum and the benefits of a chelsea chop, trimming back hebes, climbing hydrangea and escallonia, protecting rocket from flea beetle, transplanting sycamore, care of indoor plants such as anthuriaum and mother-in-law's tongue, and planting suggestions for a low flowering bed.

Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 27/03/2021 Mar 27, 2021

Show notes

As spring is a little slow to get up and running this year the programme this week looked at jobs that can still be done by way of tidying up the garden. Paraic recommended getting out the secaturs and trimming back any plants that might benefit from pruning. He also encouraged listeners to consider purchasing plants early in order to avoid disappointment should stocks become scarce due to unprecedeneted demand. Easter is just around the corner and there are lots of options to introduce some colour to gardens with some really vibrant pansies and osteospermum available at the moment. Vegetables can be sown outdoors now, and with potatoe planting in full swing there was some timely advice for those growing this much loved staple. It's also time to prune back hydrangeas and Paraic had some great tips for planting projects for with children. Listeners questions on the programme included transplanting laurels, liverwort in shrubs, starting a new garden from scratch, sowing sweet box shrub and revitalising a dehydrated box ball, supporting calla lillies during growth, plants for north facing border, care of bromeliads and a plantscape to compliment a garden fountain.

Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 06/03/2021 Mar 06, 2021

Show notes

In this programme, the first of 2021, Paraic looks at all the different tasks that can be undertaken as gardens unfurl from winter and awaken into spring, from tips on general tidying up chores to considerations on what to plant for the upcoming gardening year. There's information on lawns and a discussion on the benefits of planting a wildflower lawn which is especially suited to certain coastal conditions. Brexit and other factors have impacted the availability of seed potatoes this year which are in much demand at the moment. Those available include Vita Bella, Cara, Foxton and Navan and Paraic recommends getting them early amid predictions of scarcity to come. Many vegetables can also be planted and the programme features a segments on planting vegetables in both a belfast sink and a vegepod. While its important to protect seedlings at night time, hardy plants are perectly fine to put into the ground right now, and it's also a great time for divisioning with hostas, agapanthus, snowdrops ad arum lillies all coming in for mention. Listeners questions included suggestions for ground cover for an alpine planted area, enriching soil for potatoes, planting a rockery, cutting back broom and pampas grasses and small trees that can be grown outside in pots.

Midwest Radio - Weekly Gardening Advice Show 31/10/2020 Oct 31, 2020

Show notes

Windy conditions courtesty of Storm Aidan has yielded a lot of fallen leaves and in this final programme for 2020 Paraic discusses using leaf litter over the coming weeks to start or add to composting. It's almost November – a month to propogate, plant and protect. There's advice on taking cuttings, sowing bare root hedging and protecting tender plants from cooler temperatures and nighttime frosts. Apple, pear, plum and cherry trees can all be planted now. It's also a time to clean out greenhouses and polytunnels, divide plants such as hostas, and plant up bulbs either in the ground or in pots as they generally won't last the winter season in bags. Listeners questions included moving and caring for camelias, dealing with large groups of millipedes, spraying for blackspot on escallonia, using Zero to remove moss from apple trees and tips on getting rid of ivy. In addition, there's advice on companion planting potatoes and mustard seed to help control wire worm, growing orange trees in Ireland, pollinating mulberry trees, and overwintering lillies, begonias and dahilas.

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