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I wince at the phrase “green fingers” – everyone can grow their own food

All you need it a little time to build your confidence.

WHEN YOU HAVE been growing your own food for a few years, it’s easy to forget what it felt like when you started out first. I am talking about that sweaty, daunted, vaguely frightened feeling – afraid to start, afraid to make a mistake, afraid to look foolish if it goes wrong.

I am reminded of something that a friend once told me when I asked her why she didn’t grow her own food. She said her dad gave her a beautiful flowering orchid once as a present, and instead of feeling gratitude she felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, knowing that it would only be a matter of days before she would kill it. The feeling in her stomach, she said, was ‘preemptive guilt’ that she couldn’t keep this beautiful living thing alive. Little wonder, then, that so many people who would like to grow their own food don’t ever start.

So, here’s a confession. In my first few years of GIYing I was completely and utterly useless at it. Voracious reading on the subject left me feeling none the wiser. A veg growing guide might, for example, tell you that you start growing garlic by sticking a clove in the soil – I would immediately wonder, “which end do you stick in the soil?” and riddled with indecision, I would be reluctant to even try. The first time I sowed carrots, I ended up weeding the little seedlings away, because I had no idea which were the weeds and which were the carrot seedlings.

Too much information at once 

Most people start their GIY journey by buying a book – usually some sort of a vegetable growing guide that has an A-Z listing of all the vegetables one can grow. This seems sensible and I’m all for people buying books (particularly if it’s our one!) but I always think that starting with a comprehensive guide to growing is like using the Kama Sutra to learn the basics of sex. What one really needs of course, is to keep it simple, start small and focus on vegetables that are easy to grow (like herbs and salad greens, for example). A couple of early quick wins will give you the confidence to keep going.

Incidentally, I wince whenever I hear the phrase “green fingers” – the idea that you are either born with an ability to grow things, or not, is deeply unhelpful. In reality, growing things is a skill and, like any skill, it takes time to master.

All of us have to go through that phase where we are novices and we have to accept the fact that we will most likely kill a lot of plants while we wait for our ability to catch up with our enthusiasm.

Once we’ve accepted that fact, it somehow doesn’t seem so scary. Let’s be honest, in the grand scheme of things, a couple of plants sacrificed for the greater good is not such a big deal. Don’t let yourself get derailed by occasional mishaps. Get back on the horse and try again. The most important thing is that we show up each spring ready to try another season.

Things to do in April

To do

April is the catch-up month – if you haven’t started this year’s GIYing, it’s not too late. Keep on top of weeds (with regular hoeing) and slugs (with regular squishing). ‘Earth-up’ early spuds as required. Water your tunnel/greenhouse if dry. Seeds raised indoors need to be acclimatised outdoors before planting out. This is called “hardening off”– bringing them outside for a few hours by day and back in at night for at least a week.

Sow

Indoors on a sunny windowsill: lettuce, tomato, pepper, chilli-pepper, cucumber, celery, celeriac, fennel, basil, leeks, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, parsley, courgette, marrow, globe artichoke. Indoors in small pots for planting outdoors later: beans (dwarf French and climbing French), runner bean, sweet corn and pumpkin.

Outdoors: broad bean, pea, beetroot, cabbage, spinach, Brussels sprouts, parsnip, spring onion, leek, carrot, radish, broccoli, turnip.

Harvest

April is a tricky proposition for the GIYer as new season crops are only starting to trickle in. The middle of this month might see the first asparagus and early spring cabbage. The other two star performers this month are sprouting broccoli and rhubarb. You could also be harvesting leeks, spring cauliflowers, kale, spinach, chard, lettuce, carrots (in polytunnel), radish, spring onions and wild garlic.

Recipe of the Week – Sicilian Style Purple Sprouting Broccoli

For the season that’s in it, we’re continuing our series of sprouting broccoli recipes with a Sicilian style dish that’s full of flavour.

Ingredients:

1kg sprouting broccoli
6 anchovy fillets (drained – retain the oil)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
12 black olives
125ml stock (chicken or veg)
125ml red wine
1 tsp butter
1 tsp flour

Heat the oil and simmer the onions, anchovies and olives for 5 mins. Add the broccoli and give it a good stir. Add the stock and the wine and then stir in a tablespoon of the anchovy oil. Season.

Cover and cook for about 10-15 mins. When the broccoli is tender, remove the lid and simmer for another few minutes. Take out the broccoli and transfer to a warmed serving dish.

Thicken the sauce by adding a roux made from the butter and flour. Stir the sauce until it boils and then pour over the broccoli. Serve with crusty bread, fried potatoes or rice.

Tip of the Week – Starting Celery and Celeriac

Celeriac and celery seeds are sown the same way, but while celery is succession sown (perhaps three sowings over the season), celeriac needs just a single sowing (as it stores well). Early April is a good time to sow them.

Sprinkle seeds liberally in to a 9cm pot filled with potting compost. These seeds need light to germinate so do not cover the seed with compost. Place the pot somewhere warm (a sunny windowsill or a heating mat). It’s slow to germinate so don’t expect any action for two to three weeks. Keep the compost moist (covering the pot with clingfilm or a freezer bag will keep moisture in and lessen the need for watering).

About two weeks after germination (when about 3cm tall), prick the seedlings out in to module trays (one seedling per module). They will be planted out in the ground about a month later (ideally by late May for celeriac).

GIY’s vision is for a healthier, more connected and more sustainable world where people grow some of their own food. Each year we inspire and support over 60,000 people and 800 community food-growing groups and projects around Ireland, and run food-growing campaigns, events and publications. www.giyireland.com

Michael Kelly is a freelance journalist, author of ‘GROW COOK EAT’ and founder of GIY.

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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Mar 25th 2013, 4:43 PM

    Great news.

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    Mute John Burke
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    Mar 25th 2013, 4:48 PM

    I thought the minister for cant do won’t do said it was unconstitutional? Do ministers get it wrong????

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    Mute Cillian Murphy
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    Mar 25th 2013, 4:54 PM

    And the self same minister also told us it was unconstitutional to reduce ex-Ministerial and ex-Taoiseach pensions…I wonder if he was wrong with that as well??

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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    Mar 25th 2013, 5:03 PM

    It’s two different questions. It’s unconstitutional for the state to take away upward only rent review unless it compensates the landlord (which is much too expensive). This case is about what “upward rent review” meant in the specific lease. It doesn’t get rid of the clause – it just says that it doesn’t mean what the landlord wanted it to mean. (Lawyer’s screw-up.)

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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Mar 25th 2013, 4:50 PM

    At last, a sane and sensible ruling on a matter ridiculous as to be incomprehensible. Well done, Mr. Justice Charleton.

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    Mute Marc Anthony Power
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    Mar 25th 2013, 5:10 PM

    Finally. .. sense is starting to show is face. … for to many years greedy landlords have ruined many potentially viable businesses

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    Mute Frank2521
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    Mar 25th 2013, 4:48 PM

    About time. Will it be retrospective? A lot of landlords worried tonight.

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    Mute Brian
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    Mar 25th 2013, 6:20 PM

    Any ruling that goes against Johnny feckin Ronan is alright by me.

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    Mute Kevin Smyth
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    Mar 25th 2013, 10:08 PM

    Johnny Ronan is a pirate.

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    Mute glangaurdatyabowsey
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    Mar 25th 2013, 4:49 PM

    fair ruling, but at the end of the day the landlord can set the rent and the tennant can choose to stay or go.

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    Mute James Comerford
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    Mar 25th 2013, 4:51 PM

    Well done, and your attitude will have the streets of our town and citys void of business. Is that what you wanted to achieve when posting such a ridiculously ill researched comment.

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    Mute John Doyle
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    Mar 25th 2013, 4:57 PM

    Its not that ridiculous of a comment. But Anybody who thought Upwards only rent was a good thing must’ve been high on something.

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    Mute John Stenson
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    Mar 25th 2013, 9:11 PM

    If you’ve nothing sensible to say then do us all a favour and say nothing.. if everyone had your attitude to business there wouldn’t be a business left in the country..

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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Mar 25th 2013, 5:51 PM

    This all came down to the particularity of the clause in the contract in that it said rent couldn’t fall lower than as agreed in 1987, and not “lower than was agreed at the previous agreement”. So if the lease contains a clause to the effect that the rent cannot fall lower than the most recent previously agreed level, then unfortunately this judgment isn’t going to have much of an impact.

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    Mute Alan Madden
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    Mar 25th 2013, 7:12 PM

    Fock Johnny Ronan. Another contributor to this beautiful mess we are in. Delighted with the ruling.

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    Mute Sham Rock
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    Mar 25th 2013, 6:21 PM

    On prima facie evidence, this is good news. It will be no harm for our builder class to abide by the rules of capitalism at all times, not just when it suits them.

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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Mar 25th 2013, 5:50 PM

    Good news for sure.

    Anyone know if upwardly rent is common around the world or is it just another Irish basketcase example?

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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    Mar 25th 2013, 8:38 PM

    Here & UK. Nowhere else AFAIK.

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    Mute Richard McCarthy
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    Mar 25th 2013, 8:45 PM

    A lot of rental contracts in some US states are on a short term lease bases,not anything like the long term rigid leases seen in Ireland, with the rental dependent on market conditions,it makes for a very flexible system.

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    Mute John Clarke
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    Mar 25th 2013, 8:43 PM

    This is a very wise and right decision by high court. These UORR’s were a throw back to the greed and excesses of the Celtic tiger years and are now putting people’s jobs in jeopardy. Rents should be set taking into account current market conditions/rates, and in any direction.

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    Mute Andrew Telford
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    Mar 25th 2013, 6:31 PM

    Can anyone enlighten ass to what was the intended purpose or benefit of this upward only legislation… Because I pretty much suspect it came about as a pure consequence of a a brown escalope trading hands on a golf course and serves no purpose

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    Mute Colin Tyrrell
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    Mar 25th 2013, 6:59 PM

    This ain’t the place to ‘enlighten ass’.

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    Mute dowthebow
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    Mar 26th 2013, 5:58 AM

    Or trade “brown escalopes”!!

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    Mute Richard McCarthy
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    Mar 25th 2013, 8:25 PM

    While very welcome this ruling comes too late for the many premisess across the country that were forced to close,this interference in the marketplace was and still is the main cause of the many job losses still seen across every town and shopping mall in the state.

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    Mute Andrea Rock Massey
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    Mar 25th 2013, 9:00 PM

    It won’t make any difference to the majority of business owners unfortunately. It is only happening for Bewleys because of a particular clause in their lease. If such clauses were in other leases we would have seen more cases like this already. UORR are counter productive and hopefully someday, something will actually be done about them. Do many businesses have shut their doors already because of them.

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    Mute Andrea Rock Massey
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    Mar 25th 2013, 9:02 PM

    *Too many businesses*

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    Mute Pat O Neill
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    Mar 25th 2013, 10:32 PM

    Hang on a second. Before the celebrations lets consider what has really happened here. Regardless of the merits of the particular clause put into this agreement (ok it’s fairly one sided) the courts have put their size 12′s into the middle of a legally binding agreement between two free and lawful parties whose spirit has now been violated. Forget for a second the current disadvantage to either party – that’s business after all. I for one do not like the idea of our judiciary taking what could be seen as a populist semi-political stance on a legal agreement between two parties engaged in of their own free will. When is a contract a contract? When is it OK for us to engage in an agreement and not be afraid the nanny state will rescind it?
    There can be very good reasons for UORR’s – like a fixed mortgage repayment schedule. This is a bad day for freedom, commerce and investment. It will end up like so many recent sticking plaster solutions to this mess we are in and will hurt a lot of people in unintended ways. No one will make another speculative commercial investment in this country for a long time. We never needed brave investors more and now we are thumbing our noses at them. There are no set rules anymore, young people should leave this basket-case banana republic as soon as they get a chance, this is going to take a generation to fix judging by the way we are going about it.

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    Mute brian magee
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    Mar 26th 2013, 12:20 AM

    How do new Bewleys not own the building? They’ve been there so long, did they own it and sell it?

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    Mute Mark Salmon
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    Mar 26th 2013, 7:17 AM

    1. Very few other countries see the need for these contracts.
    2. Most of them are doing better than Ireland.
    3. Prices rise and fall, thats commerce. Fixing prices is interference with market forces.
    4. It’s the duty of the courts to interpret contract clauses in disputes, that’s why they are there.

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    Mute Sergé
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    Mar 25th 2013, 9:04 PM

    If Bewley’s rent does indeed fall by 50 per cent, I would like to see even a modest decrease in the level of prices. Somehow I don’t see that happening.

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