Gardening back to the future

"We have to go back to the future in our gardening," KFM gardening expert Yvonne O'Connor told a recent full house at the Kilcullen Flower & Garden Club.



'Back to the Future' was the title of her talk, which referred to using growing methods which came before the modern use of fertilisers and pesticides.

"A lot of the chemicals are banned now, so we're going back to the old biologicial controls," she said. "For instance, rhubarb leaves make a great insecticide, and onion leaves make a great fungicide."

Tea leaves have a role too, making a great fertiliser. All things which are great for the revival in home growing of vegetables.

"All this has kind of skipped a generation, and we're in some ways lucky that the recession came," Yvonne remarks. "There are people getting a new enjoyment out of growing their own stuff, instead of going down to the shop to buy it for instant use. Now they buy a packet of seeds instead, and there's no better enjoyment than growing a plant from a seed."

The only question is, will there be a surge in sales of loose tea now, instead of teabags, with all this need for a natural fertiliser?

Pictured with Yvonne (second from left) are Margaret Brennan, Mary Shortt, and Adrienne Thompson, chair of the club.

Brian Byrne.

This article originally appeared on the Kilcullen Page of the Kildare Nationalist.