Herb growing Ireland – How to grow herbs – Herb growing workshop – Gretas Herbs Annascaul, Dingle

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  As the winds And floods of 2015 pass behind us we must look forward to Spring 2016! The days are lengthening so it is time to raise our spiritsand reach toward nature as it slowly resurrectsfrom the dark, sodden earth.

  Out come the old biscuit tins full of last year’s half-emptied seed packets. I have also

  managed to salvage a few home-gathered varieties such as milk thistle and perilla. These days I buy online, the seed sites are extremely informative and extremely tempting! I tend to go over my seed orders several times as I get carried away. I have to curb my enthusiasm or ‘should I say avarice’ for wanting everything that catches my eye – like a child in a sweet shop!

  I have developed a fondness for kale and Swiss chard as unlike cabbage they are troublefree: no caterpillar attacks and no club root or other nasty afflictions. I have a new kale variety called ‘Thousand Head’ on my list this year which sounds promising! Oriental varieties also excite my palate. I can’t wait to try a few new ones such as  choy sum‘Purple Stem’ which can be used young in salads or later cooked like spinach. I will be keeping an eye out for stock plants of new herb varieties but these are harder to come by.Recent additions include golden cotton lavender and lime mint.

  I start sowing the hardy reliable varieties such as lettuce, rocket, parsley and mizuna in early February as soon as temperatures hit 10ºC. Details of the glasshouse and newspaper technique I use (under advice & tips) can be followed on my website

  www.gretasherbs.com. By the time March has arrived, my daily ritual of sowing and

  potting up increases with determined dedication. There is a sacredness in it all: as the

  daylight extends so does my work load from morning until night.

  Last summer was a washout yet nature still provided certain rewards – the greens grew abundantly! I will not mention the failures. Despite the many trials of gardening in a dismal, coastal climate, I can never let go of the hope for a hot, dry summer which gives red shine to tomatoes on the vine, pink\ochre skies in the evening time and as the sun goes down the gathering of tools amidst the scent of sage and lavender. Good memories like those ignite my optimism! I await the first sticky bud burst from the horse chestnut tree! I can hear the rhythm of gardening in my heart – it is time to get growing.

  How boring life would be if it was all too predictable!

Sweet Peas

We are nearing the final days of summer and what a disappointment it has been. I will be very surprised if my large bed of sunflowers ever develop any flower heads- what sun will they worship?  My sweet peas that usually enjoy a good shower of rain are equally disillusioned: all flowers need sunshine! It is wise practice to liquid feed sweet peas generously on a weekly basis and keep cutting them – at least I can enjoy their fragrance in my home as my summer dalliance days outside are sadly non-existent.

Pots of both sweet and Greek bush basil are performing surprisingly well in the polytunnel. Careful watering is crucial in these humid conditions; avoid wetting the foliage as rot will quickly set in. When harvesting always pluck the tops as this encourages bushiness. Foliage plants such as willow, holly and our beloved fuchsia are thriving in this rain soaked land however blossoms are getting destroyed on many flowering perennials and bedding.

The new purple pod mangetout pea ‘Shiraz’ is a great success and adds superb colour to salads. Swiss chard and Russian kale are both abundant so I must count as blessings some of the offerings nature produces despite the weather! The only pest infestation I encountered were aphids on my young fennel plants and scented geraniums. I purchased an organic spray to combat these. I am very lucky as I rarely have any pest problems. Herbs are resilient and many contain volatile oils which omit powerful aromas. This often creates a dual effect deterring certain pests such as aphids while attracting other beneficial insects such as hoverflies.

At the end of summer I like to reflect on the growing season which has passed. Nostalgia sets in as I observe the canvas of nature fading to sombre colours. But already I have begun a list of new varieties for next year! I look forward to growing  Santolina ‘lemon Fizz’ and the ‘Ladybird’ poppy variety which I spotted at Bloom – Although I am told it’s been around for years it’s new to me – evidently developed using a species from Russia in the 1870’s. Plants have wonderful stories to tell!

I am taking several trips abroad this winter so who knows what I will discover! I hope to visit the renowned garden ‘La Mortella’ on the Isle of Ischia in the bay of Naples. This garden was created by the English composer, William Walton and his Argentinean wife who believed there was a connection between music and gardening. He loved the isolation and composed there for 35 years. A return visit to the Botanic Gardens in Malaga is also on my itinerary. I enjoyed a guided tour there almost ten years ago when they were doing major rejuvenation and landscape work. It has one of the best palm collections in the world. Sometimes I dream of another place another time when I was one of those eccentric plant hunters of the last century! But for me today if I come back with a handful of collected seed from some exotic or unusual plants then my adventure will have been in vain. A gardener’s passion is all about finding another plant with which to enjoy the next love affair!’