Newbie from Cavan.

Darwin. · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:08 pm Post subject: Newbie from Cavan.

Hi everyone, I'm Ronan. I moved to Cavan 3 years ago and I have a one acre site. I never grew anything before that so I'm still finding my feet. I have an 8' x 14' greenhouse and a 10' x 26' polytunnel for veg, all I grow outside is fruit and berries. I planted an orchard with 16 various fruit and nut trees but it'll be quite a few years before they produce.

I'm looking forward to picking all your brains and hopefully learning a lot to help make my garden a success.

carma · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:35 pm Post subject:

Hi Ronan, I am lookin forward hearing whats happenin in Cavan. Good luck with the plot. Very Happy

Sugar_Ape · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:50 pm Post subject:

Hi Ronan and welcome to IG!

Darwin. · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:09 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the welcome.

I haven't been too adventurous with my growing yet but I've got big plans over the next few years. I intend increasing the space I have given over to veg for each if the next three years and I'll have plenty then.

I've just put in a wildlife pond so I'll have to see how that developed and I've just planted an oak that was meant to be 14 years old but it's about 6m so is probably more like 10. I can't wait to see what wildlife that brings into the garden.

Sive · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:15 pm Post subject:

Welcome Ronan, that all sounds so exciting, good luck with it all. As for your oak, I can't believe how successful our own oaks are and how quickly they develop. I even have some that I started off as acorns, and they will never need staking. If I started all over again, I would plant all my trees as whips and let them root naturally without all the hassle of stakes and ties. I'm weary of nursing the bigger trees....and losing some of them too.

Darwin. · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:19 pm Post subject:

You must have a lot of room if you have more than one Oak Sive. I'm worried mine is going to smother some of the trees in the orchard or the roots will rip up the biocycle.

The front lawn is big and I wanted to put it there but the boss woman said no. It's down the back about 24m from the house which is just about far enough.

davidk · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 10:11 pm Post subject:

Hi Ronan and welcome

Sive · Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 11:05 am Post subject:

We have a bit over an acre, Ronan, and seven oaks, four of them grown from acorns. If I grow any more, I'll be looking for a friendly local farmer to give them homes !

Darwin. · Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:18 pm Post subject:

What age is your oldest oak?

I'd hope to have a good 40 years left in me and mine still won't be anywhere near fully grown at that stage.

Sive · Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:39 pm Post subject:

We have it planted nearly 6 years, and it was a fairly standard garden centre-sized one when we planted it........not sure how old it would be in total....but it's now a good solid proper tree settling in for, I hope, a good long life. I won't be here to see it grow much beyond its adolescence.....as they can live for 300-400 years...and I would prefer not to be around in another 40 years, but certainly hope you are !

Keith g · Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 11:45 am Post subject: Re:

Hello Ronan, welcome along to the site, I'm in cavan also and have been here for a year or so. The folks here a very helpful and knowledgeable, you won't go wrong.

Keith.

Darwin. · Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 1:37 pm Post subject:

Hi Keith.

We aren't getting the best gardening weather in Cavan at the minute are we? I'm going to do some raised beds in the greenhouse now but I have no idea when I'll actually get putting anything into them.

Keith g · Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 3:47 pm Post subject: Re:

You bet, the weather has been very cold this year, the soil will be very cold anyway, probably best wait until mid april all going well.

Keith.

Edlyn12 · Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 7:05 pm Post subject:

I give a huge warm welcome to Darwin.Enjoy gardening.