Trevor's Kitchen Garden How I grow my own food and how you can too.

Rush and District Horticultural Show was held at St Maur’s GAA Centre, Rush, Co Dublin, on Saturday 11 July. I chanced my arm and entered a 3 pod set of Enorma broad beans, 8 strings of blackcurrants and a 6 pod set of Rondo peas. Considering there were 11 other pea class entries I was delighted to see a ‘first prize’ sticker beside my plate of peas. A little praise goes a long way, just like the smell of comfrey tea!

Meanwhile, the three strawberry plants are continuing to generously yield delicious fruit. Each day I pick a couple of freshly ripened strawberries to take in a lunchbox to my Department pof Agriculture office. I notice the plants are also sending forth runners in the hope they will land on fertile soil to form new plants. Now is the time to help the runners to root and grow into new plants which will fruit along with their parents next summer.

All I need to do is collect a few plant pots, fill them with good soil and place them in the vicinity of the sprawling runners. Then I, gently using a ‘wish-bone’ shaped twig, pin the runners in the pots of soil. As long as they are not let dry out, the new plants should grow away happily and develop a good root system. Once the plants are growing well in their pots, I will transplant them to their final position when they are to fruit next summer.