Though attentions have been turning towards the new season, a rare snowfall in Ireland gives me chance to check in on some indoor growing, in particular the two basil plants from Superquinn and Lidl I have been pitting against each other.
It’s now just over ten days since the basil plants were purchased. I’ve been harvesting [...]

Winter is fizzling away (the snow this morning aside!) so it’s time to look at what needs to be germinated in February.
A reliable source informs me that last frost (hereafter: “F-Day”) is the first week in April for Ireland and that in Dublin it’s a week before that (on account of the sea and concrete). [...]

Growing sunflowers have two great advantages. The first is that they are pretty. I don’t think anyone will contest that.
The second is that they produce sunflower seeds if pollinated sufficiently. As well as being convenient to eat, they also possess an array of health benefits.

Towards the end of last season, when the head of the sunflower looked decidedly downbeat, [...]