2015 pictures

We are looking for new members

The Broadmeadows garden is looking for new members, there are a few free beds.

The annual fee is €20 for 1 bed.

We are also planning to organize events for people to meet and kids to play.

If you are interested, or have questions, feel free to send an e-mail to broadmeadowgarden (at) gmail.com.

Strawberries, yum!

Strawberries tend to take up a big amount of my allotment as there's no beating the taste of freshly picked home grown strawberries. I picked the 1st 2 ripe berries today, yum!

If you haven't got strawberries planted by now it will be too late, you need to put them in by autumn. If your neighbour has some you may be able to pot on runners. They are new plants that the original one make at this time of yr.

If you have put them in make sure to net them, the birds love them as much as we do. Don't forget to feed them, tomatoes or comfrey feed is good, and place a mulch of straw or dry materials around the plants to stop fruit from rotting.

Enjoy!

Sometimes it pays to be lazy

Look what I dug up with the weeds on the allotment today. Enough new potatoes for dinner. They grew from spuds I missed when digging last years. So don't worry if you don't get it all done by the book sometimes it pays to be lazy!!

Slugs and snails and puppy dogs tails!!

This year I'm trying not to use any chemicals. May that be fertilizers, plant food, weed killers or pest control. So far my biggest problem has been slugs and snails. So here's what I'm trying.

Coffee grounds ( used ones) - these seem to work but need replacing after rain.

Sand - apparently they do t like a gritty surface.

Beer traps - jam jars buried with beer at the bottom. They are attracted by the beer smell and drown happy and drunk.

Removal - today I went put after the rain and collected a couple of dozen. They are in the picture below!! Most were hidden under plants but I got them!

Fingal Howth BioBlitz 2014

Please find attached the details of the next An Taisce Green Communities event, which is being held as part of Ireland’s annual Bioblitz event. Organised at 4 sites around Ireland this year, including the Hill of Howth, where Wildlife recording activity will be run from the Deer Park Hotel. I have attached a map with this email locating the venue. An Taisce Green Communities Programme will be participating in the Howth Head Bioblitz event, which is being coordinated by Fingal County Council and the National Biodiversity Data Centre.

Ireland’s BioBlitz brings together scientists and recorders in a race against time to see how many species can be recorded in a 24-hour biological survey of four of Ireland’s heritage sites. The public is invited to observe the activities, to interact with the recorders and to participate in the range of other activities arranged by the host venues.

During Friday the 23rd of May the Bioblitz event will run at the Deer Park Hotel on the Hill of Howth:
The event in its entirety will run from 5pm on Friday the 23rd of May until 5pm on Saturday the 24th of May.
The draft programme for Friday the 23rd is as follows:

5:00 pm Butterfly Walk and talk by Robert Moss – Green Communities Programme. Meet at Deer Park Hotel.
7:00 pm Biodiversity talk by Mary Tubridy. Deer Park Hotel.
9:30 pm Moths Ireland Talk by Cian Merne – Moths Ireland. Deer Park Hotel
9:30 pm Moth trap demonstration and ongoing recording of species by Cian Merne – Moths Ireland. Meet at Deer Park Hotel.

10:30 pm Bat Walk – Bat Conservation Ireland. Meet at Deer Park Hotel.

As part of the recording activities we will be completing NBDC recording sheets during the Butterfly and Bat Walks. All Wildlife records are valid including birds and wild flowers. Therefore bringing binoculars and Bird/Flower/Tree/Butterfly/Moth field guides will be a good idea. Outdoor clothing essential,  bring a rain coat just in case! A picnic will be provided at some point. Bring a snack with you if you can.

For further information and to reserve a place please contact Robert Moss at: rmoss@eeu.antaisce.org

Rhubarb

The  rhubarb is looking great this year. Don't forget to harvest some soon as it can't be used after June. This is to allow the plant to recover and get big for next year. So get picking and make some rhubarb and custard yum!!!!