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Friday 1 December 2023 Dublin: 2°C

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From the Garden: Looks aren't everything - consider growing celeriac in this year's veg patch
It is a delicious vegetable included in mashed potato or even grated raw.
From the Garden: Growing tired of leftover turkey? Put it in a pie
It’s time to start thinking about next year’s garden as 2020 creeps ever-closer.
From the Garden: Get over your squeamishness - manure is gold dust for your veg patch
In other news, here’s a recipe for some creamy Brussels sprouts to posh up your Christmas dinner.
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From the Garden: Eat your (locally grown) vegetables this Christmas
There is always a price to cheap food, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Buying a real Christmas tree supports local jobs and brings a certain magic to the home
A real tree is a much greener option than one made from plastic, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: How to get the most out of your leek crop
Some advice on growing leeks and a delicious recipe for a potato and bacon bake to include them in.
From the Garden: The debate about sustainable foods is getting louder... I've even found myself shouting at the TV recently
This week’s gardening column features tips for growing your own herbs and a recipe for root veg pie.
From the Garden: Making the most of polytunnel growing this winter
I feel blessed to have so much delicious, nutritious food to hand, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Food could be the biggest asset of all if climate change worsens
Growing your own food could be even more important in the future, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Using celeriac in more than just mashed potatoes
As Winter begins, there’s no better time to pickle some chilis or cook with more root vegetables, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Sow your garlic before Halloween to ensure a plentiful crop by next June
Although traditionally sown in December, putting the garlic in the ground now gives it the best chance of thriving in cold weather.
From the Garden: Using seaweed to compost at home before winter hibernation
Roasting root vegetables has become a staple in our house, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Harvesting, storing and pickling fresh pears this season
It’s difficult to tell when pears are ripe but there is a knack to it, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Storing, drying and stewing a large harvest of apples this season
Having your own fruit trees is both a joy and a challenge.
From the Garden: Succulent and almost-meaty to eat... Claytonia is a real alternative to spinach
Its real value is in providing us with winter greens from October or November right up until April, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: When it comes to harvesting and eating sweetcorn... timing is everything
There’s something so elementally enjoyable about peeling back a sweetcorn’s skin to find the beautiful shiny yellow kernels underneath, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Salvaging the last beets of the season and putting them in a kraut
Anyone growing beets will be preparing them for harvest next month.
From the Garden: Healthy back to school recipes to break free from the ham sandwich
Salads, stews and cold omelettes are great options for a back to school lunchbox.
From the Garden: How to make the perfect sauerkraut at home
Although the name is German, the probiotic food has its origins in China.
From the Garden: What to do when you have an abundance of vegetables
Large amounts of veg can be used up and kept for later in many ways.
From the Garden: How to upgrade your composting system
A delicious courgette salad recipe and some top compost tips.
From the Garden: Braiding garlic and pulling onions with the kids
This week is all about the alliums and making a spicy tomato salad.
From the Garden: Homegrown tomatoes are perfect for these 'Anytime Eggs'
Turnips are very easy to grow and because they produce a crop so quickly, they are an ideal candidate for late summer sowing.
From the Garden: If your garden is blooming, it can sometimes be difficult to know what to cook
Too much cauliflower? There is a recipe for that, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Some notes on immature onions and homemade ratatouille
Immature onions and homemade ratatouille are the focus from the garden this week, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Taking care of your plants and getting an early crop
A hardy crop of broad beans and homemade herbal tea is on the agenda from the garden, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: How to make the most of this super-abundant summer period
There’s plenty to do in the garden as abundant rain and improving temperatures mean everything is growing quickly, write Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Build your own insect hotel and bookings will start rolling in
An insect hotel will encourage more wildlife and biodiversity into the garden, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Tomatoes are the most high-maintenance of all veg plants - but they’re worth it
As well as specific watering methods there is the regular pinching out of side shoots to allow air to circulate around the plants, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: There are very few commercial growers left but you can buy direct from some of them
As consumers we have to vote with our wallets, eating in season and buying Irish, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: A strategic approach is required to water your tomatoes
Because they are a deep-rooting plant, it’s not effective to spray water at the soil, you need to get down to the roots, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: The Hungry Gap must be filled and this kale and gnocchi broth will do the job
Katie Sanderson cooked this recipe in the Kale episode of this season’s GROW COOK EAT and the reaction was amazing, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Carrots can be problematic to grow but the following tips will work
Many growing books will tell you to sow carrots in March or April but I always wait until May or June to sow mine, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: A little frost damage on the spuds - but not to worry they will recover
Learn to make ‘a one-pot veggie wonder that’s crammed with healthy vegetables, herbs and pulses and as an added bonus uses up stale bread too,’ writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: Learn to make nettle tea - it has a rich and earthy taste and is a super tonic
Obviously, if you are harvesting nettles from the wild, wear gloves or you will get stung, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: 'I worry about the implications of what Greta Thunberg’s saying for the cosy lives we lead'
It is remarkable to watch this young woman speak her truth to power, writes Michael Kelly of Grow It Yourself Ireland.
From the Garden: Learn how to really grow parsnips, earth up spuds and make wild garlic pesto
‘Most parsnip seed packets will tell you to sow them in February – don’t do it,’ writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: 'It seems an opportune time to write about sowing seeds in module trays'
‘The beauty of a module tray is that the roots of seedlings are kept apart which means you don’t upset them when you are transplanting them’, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: How to grow broadbeans? Start by avoiding cheap compost
It’s worth buying good quality potting compost – ideally one that is approved for use in organic production and peat-free, writes Michael Kelly.
From the Garden: 'Growing tomatoes is a hobby that became an obsession and then spiralled out of control into a mania'
Growing tomatoes is a double-edged sword because once you’ve tasted a proper homegrown tomato you really can’t go back to the bland shop-bought alternative, writes Michael Kelly.