A few people have asked me lately what to do to protect their spuds when there’s a blight warning in effect, so here’s my esteemed advice: set everything on fire and run away screaming. However, if you are one of the very zen people who has decided not to completely overreact (ie, me) and simply […]
Potato blight warning in effect? Here’s what to do Read More »
There’s a fresher air in Dublin this week as late summer breezes by and autumn blows in. My summer of discontent has been and gone and much like the changing of the seasons, my life has shifted in to a brand new phase. It’s been an arduous summer here at Fiona Grows Food, plagued with
I dig therefore I am Read More »
Ahem. Testing. Testing. *taps microphone*….if there is anybody out there, Fiona is back. Repeat, Fiona is back. Return of the craic. I know my lovely readers will have been wailing, keening, sweating and puking with severe Fiona withdrawal symptoms of late. I know you have all been sitting at home, wondering where I’ve been; spending
Parsnips are a great divider of opinion, you either love them or you hate them, there is no in between. I happen to adore parsnips, they’re one of my favourite vegetables, especially when roasted with honey and fresh sage. Parsnips are the vegetable that converted me from a vegetable hater to a vegetable grower, so
How to grow parsnips – using my foolproof arse test Read More »
Halloween is a scary time of year. Everywhere you look there are horror movies, monsters, ghosts, vampires and zombies. But perhaps the scariest thing about Halloween is that nobody really seems to know what it’s about anymore. Now, don’t get me wrong, I adore Halloween, it’s one of my favourite times of the year. The
A Super Natural Halloween Read More »
Garlic is a great all-rounder plant, it’s very easy to grow, packed full of flavour, deters pests in your garden and has antibacterial properties. More importantly, though – and arguably the best reason to grow it – garlic has been proven to ward off vampires and evil spirits, which is pretty nifty at this time of year.
How to grow garlic – and keep those pesky vampires at bay Read More »
There is one week every year, when the summer swiftly shifts gear into autumn. Sunshine takes a backseat to rain, elongated nights overtake the days and while the indicators have been signalling the end of summer for weeks, the seasons change lane in a matter of days. This is no three-point manouvre, no gentle tapping
One of my biggest pet peeves in the garden happens in autumn when I’ve harvested an entire bed of crops and then it lies empty until the following spring. Nothing upsets me more than an empty bed. While there are plenty of crops to plant over winter (more on that later),when you have a large
Green Manure: Why you should grow these crops in your vegetable garden Read More »
You know on Halloween, just before you’d go out trick or treatin’, your Ma would serve you up a steaming plate of colcannon which you’d eat reluctantly in the wishes of finding some cash hidden inside? No? Then you’re not bleedin’ Irish. Colcannon on Halloween is a distinctly Irish tradition for a distinctly Irish holiday.
Kale: why this lovely crop is the superhero of the veggie garden Read More »
Courgettes are one of the staples of a vegetable garden, they are prolific croppers and supposedly very easy to grow. But I’m going to let you in on a dirty little secret of mine: I’ve had an absolute disaster of a time attempting to grow courgettes most years. In fact, I have only been successful
How to grow courgettes – from a gardener who always kills them Read More »
