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This is the first year I have ever grown aubergines and I have obviously been very lucky to start in such a good summer. This variety is Black Beauty and it looks there'll be quite a few fruit on each plant, which have lovely leaves and beautiful purple flowers, so very pleased with my first attempt. #organicveg

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August morning in the tunnel and the squash are doing well. This is the most promiscuous veg family in terms of cross pollination. The seeds I saved from last year's Uchiki Kuri squash have produced a hybrid - it is not an Uchiki Kuri, but looks good, so fingers crossed it tastes good too!

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It's going to be a very good year for tomatoes, due of course to all the unexpected sunshine! These are Caro Rich from Irish Seed Savers, an orange variety that's extra high in Beta Carotene. This year's crop is the best I've ever seen in my 10 years of growing them. #organicgrowing #heritagetomatoes

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Can you spot this welcome visitor to the tunnel today? He's blending in so well with the bark chips that I nearly stepped on him. Hope he'll eat a few pests while he's in there basking in the heat!! #pestcontrol

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This year's garlic, lifted and ready for drying. It has been hit by garlic rust this year, (see orange dots on the stalks) but luckily that doesn't affect the bulbs at all and I can replant the biggest of each type in October. Best looking this year is Iberian and biggest is Provence I think, but all are a good size despite the lack of rain!! #organicgarlic

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BBQs and summer salads - it doesn't get much better than that. Love eating all the edible flowers around now! #edibleflowers #saladdays

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Thanks to my young gardening apprentice, Miss Holly Powell, for keeping the tunnel going while we were on holidays. It's all starting to get going in there now! Thanks Holly. #homegrown #lovegrowingstuff

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It nevers ceases to amaze me how our veg scraps, cardboard, teabags and garden waste turns into this stuff. It's called Gardeners Gold, because it's the best thing you can add to your soil. #homemadecompost #gardenersgold

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A chilly May morning in Dundalk Grammar School, but we still got all the beetroot and coriander sown (seed saved from last year’s crop) and our baby sunflowers potted up. They are safely back in my tunnel now waiting for the weather to improve! #schoolgardens #seedsaving #organicgrowing

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Hard to believe this was only yesterday in the beautiful Spring sunshin. The TY girls getting the raised beds ready for seed sowing of carrots and salads in St. Vincents. Many hands make light work! #schoolgardens #organicgardening

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Getting some spuds planted at last. I've dug my drill, filled it with fresh seaweed and the spuds go in on top. I'm planting very well chitted (sprouted) Great Scot, a second early and Pinellas, a main crop, both Heritage varieties from Irish Seed Savers. Grew these last year and both were lovely spuds, but did suffer blight by August. #heritagepotatoes #irishseedsavers #growyourown

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Planting Red Baron red onions in the raised beds this morning in St. Vincent's. A very reliable variety. #organicgrowing #schoolgardens

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The soil may still be a bit cold, but you can get your peas off to a flying start indoors in loo roll tubes. When they are growing well in a few weeks, just plant the whole tube into the soil and it will completely disintegrate. #spring #sowingpeas #heritagepeas

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These little tomato seedlings that I sowed in mid February are ready to be potted on into their own pots now. They will still live in the house until late May or so, until the tunnel is warm enough for them to go into the beds in there. #organicgrowing #heritagetomatoes

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Time to get the spuds ordered. I'm growing a blight resistant variety - Sarpo Mira- again this year - floury and reliable. I get my organic potatoes and onion sets from Fruithill Farm in Cork. Highly recommended them, they have a huge range of products for organic growers. #sarpomiraspuds #organicgrowing

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Here's the result of the seed sowing I did a few weeks ago : tomatoes, peppers, chilli's, aubergines, basil and sweet peas (in the loo rolls) If you want grow any of these, it's time to sow your seeds and keep them in a warm place indoors. #growyourown #heritagetomatoes

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The boys have all gone to the Dundalk match, so it's a seed sowing night-in for me! Time to sow peppers and tomatoes as they need a long growing season, especially in Ireland. But only sow indoors now if you can guarantee to keep the seedlings in a warm and well lit place - otherwise wait a few weeks. #sowingseason