Before I say anything else, I just have to admit that regular blogging is not going to happen any more. This year I'll try a bit of reverse psychology on myself and say I won't write much on this blog. Maybe that will cause me to surprise myself occasionally with a new blog entry?
Over Christmas I updated the permaculture part of our website, and I am busy putting together everything for a great course offering. First up are a few taster sessions, both in Cahersiveen and in Killarney.
I just wrote a piece about one of the more in-depth courses coming up after that.
'More Green!' is all about propagating plants - from seed, from cuttings, by grafting, budding, division, layering etc...
I'll sneak this in here, and make it count as a blog entry!
Just add time.
Good gardeners think long-term.
Do you have a healthy, strong-growing plant? Propagate from it now.
You may start by collecting the seed - you may start by taking a small cutting – or even just by pegging a shoot down towards the soil. The whole process may take a season. It will be two to three years before you are looking at a stong, well-grown plant that cost you nothing but a bit of knowledge and patience to produce.
I guarantee, by that time, you will be delighted to use it either in your own garden, or to swap it with friends for other plants.
If you have any kinds of plants in your life – even if it is only a geranium on a windowsill, or a few pots of herbs by the back door – then propagation is the Next Frontier!
You have nothing to lose and much to gain.
This course is for you if you have never done more than buying plants from a garden centre. The process of propagation will make you more intimately aquainted with your plants. Just watching the miracle of, for example, a dry little stick turning into a whole new plant with roots, leaves, flowers and fruit, adds a whole new dimension to your gardening experience.
On the other hand, if you have already tried your hand at growing your own plants before, and had dissapointing results, this course will be useful to you to gain an overview of your propagation options, and identify the right strategy for your problem. There will be time for questions on specific plant's propagation requirements.
Learning plant propagation is an open-ended learning process.
People often start out by seeing a leafy cutting in a jar of water on someone's windowsill and imitating this. Later, they realise that, with a little more knowledge, they can take cuttings of many other plants.
I remember, as a child, sticking an onion into a flower pot and - weeks later- proudly serving up my home-grown onion greens as a seasoning at dinner. Soon after, I planted fat runner bean seeds and had dreams of my bedroom turning into a green jungle as the plants stretched up along the window pane.
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At the moment, people are cutting back on all kinds of luxuries, and are assessing ways to make something out of very little. In that sense, propagation skills are valuable asset to have.
After taking this course, the range of plants you grow will expand manyfold as you get into the habit of asking friends and neighbours for tiny snippets which, in time, you can easily turn into magnificent specimens.You will be able to decide which propagation method to choose for which plant.
While I will mostly stick with giving general guidelines during this course, I will also outline specific techiques for plants particularly suited to the Irish climate, and those especially desirable or important, such certain herbs, vegetables and fruit.
We will also talk about grafting.
Grafting is an exciting form of propagation that offers many advantages over simply growing from cuttings.
Most fruit trees are grafted, in order to achieve higher and earlier yields.
My neighbour has a nice selection of low-maintanance shrubs in her garden. Pointing to a small willow tree, she said to me:"That one was sold to me as a weeping willow – but I suppose it wasn't one at all."
Looking at it now, we see many long shoots growing up from the ground – straight up in the air, with no weeping to be seen (or heard!).
Now, you have to know that small weeping willows are usually grafted. The weeping part flows down elegantly from the height that a straight root stock provides. Something must have happened to damage the growth of the tree above the graft - so the weeping willow part died off, and now the lower portion of the tree - the rootstock - is all that remains.
We now have the option of repeating the graft and turning a very unremarkable looking shrub into the elegant feature it was originally meant to be.
Growing from seed is easy with most of the seeds commonly available in shops. But once you explore a bit further, there is world of adventure waiting for you. Again, this can be done at very little cost. One packet of seed will supply you with an abundance for the garden, and more to give away. Many seed catalogues offer up an enticing range. Have you ever thought of growing one entire hedge of roses from seed? Or a small forest of eucalyptus trees? Crab apples to add colour to you native hedge? Alder trees for an inexpensive solution for that damp neglected corner of your land?
The amount of plant species to choose from is so much larger than one you would find in a garden centre. Many of these seeds will need a little bit of special treatment to germinate successfully. I will introduce you to the mysteries of seed dormancy, stratification, vermiculite etc, and guide you to success with your seedlings.
During this course, you will get a chance to do some practical propagation work. Groups are small, so there is time to address individual questions. You will also receive course notes to take home.
For bookings, go here.
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