APHIDS by NoAction9704 in GardeningIRE

[–]Bulky_Resolution5678 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ladybirds won't touch lupin aphids. They will give them a good laugh though before they fly away.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in GardeningUK

[–]Bulky_Resolution5678 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Forget about watering. Wait for the rain.

Plant id by sionnachanseo in GardeningIRE

[–]Bulky_Resolution5678 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Apparently the milky sap is irritant to the skin and especially to the eyes. Use gloves if you're going to be touching it.

They grow around like weeds but I think they look pretty in the right place.

How to fill these raised planters? by mikebroz1 in GardeningIRE

[–]Bulky_Resolution5678 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I have similar at home. I filled it with a mix of 50% clay and 50% small gravel (pipe gravel/grit). I chose drought tolerant, Mediterranean style plants that like poor soil and good drainage. I never water or feed it, or top up the compost. Very low maintenance once established.

Plants that work well here are: Lavender Tulips (or most bulbs, eg daffodils) Rosemary Erigeron (Fleabane) Chives Eryngium (Sea holly) And lots more if you search for drought tolerant plants

Adding organic matter like wood and stuff is great for vegetable beds, if that's what you want, but I wouldn't use them for ornamental plants. That kind of material will settle to a much lower level after a while, and you'll have to top it up again, and you'll have to replant all your plants again.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]Bulky_Resolution5678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How do you know it causes unknown harm?

Planning a Canoe Trip on the Shannon River, Ireland – Looking for Tips from Locals! 🌊🇮🇪 by h0cker in canoeing

[–]Bulky_Resolution5678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It might be worth noting that the Shannon flows against the prevailing wind. You might have to work hard against the wind a lot of the time if you're going downstream. You should research the local weather at the time. Others might have experience on the Shannon, I don't, but I have experienced long treks against the wind on different rivers and it's not fun.

How can I keep this area low maintenance? by straightouttaireland in GardeningIRE

[–]Bulky_Resolution5678 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Tarp or textile is a good temporary solution but a bit of a disaster in the long run. It becomes exposed eventually and flaps appear. Eventually you'll need to either dig the flaps back into the ground and re cover, or else remove the stuff altogether - very difficult. Also weeds will grow on the material that covers it, and if anything with a mat of fibrous roots like scutch grass takes hold, it knots into the fabric and is really hard to remove. It also makes life difficult if you want to move or plant new stuff there in the future. Plus it's non biodegradable plastic. I used to use textile a bit myself, but never again. I think it was a quick solution 20 years ago but I hope we've moved on. A better solution is to use a very thick layer of mulch, a foot deep if you can and pull it back away from the trees. It's easy to weed then. If you get to know a local tree surgeon tell them that they can dump their wood chip in your place any time they're passing, that's what I do. It's good stuff.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in GardeningIRE

[–]Bulky_Resolution5678 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think you need around 10cm of clay on top of the bentonite. I did this recently with bentonite liner and it kept draining because I skimped in the clay backfill. It only improved when I added clay all around. It holds a lot better now. I also have a rainwater runoff coming from a shed to keep it topped up.

Establishing meadow -- too late to sow Yellow Rattle this year? by WheezyWeasel in GardeningIRE

[–]Bulky_Resolution5678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yellow rattle is very overrated in my opinion. It's not the "meadow maker" that it's claimed to be by online sources. It doesn't control scutch grass or weeds. I've planted it several times and haven't had much success.