Archive for category: Gardening

What are we doing in February in the garden ?

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February is a good month to take care of the soil! Add manure, compost to top soil and mulch. Keep weeding also (where needed – remember to leave a lot of space for animals who are dependant of these ‘messy’ habitats). Mulch is important to keep the path ok, as it is raining a lot. Mulch is also good to put on the beds to help warm up the ground.

We had some onions started in the glass house and planted them in one bed (and a bit outside too).  We cut out the old wood off berries but we were a bit puzzled by the beds with winter fruiting / summer fruiting (so we must remember to keep a record of what is planted in each bed… but it is sometimes difficult). We’re planning to refresh our bulb collection, Dahlias are so beautiful (and edible..) and we already have daffodils out. Cabbage and Kale are harvested regularly and we have some lovely purple sprouting broccoli.

We are also going to start tomatoes seedlings indoors to be planted mid-May outside (or mid-April in a polytunnel).

There is always something to do in the garden so come along to help us for a little bit if you are in the Dublin 3 area.

Winter Gardening in Dublin 3: December Jobs for Community Garden Volunteers

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December may feel quiet in the garden, but it’s an important month for preparation and care. While growth slows, there are plenty of tasks to keep a community garden healthy and ready for spring. Here’s a short list of jobs for volunteers:

1. Tidy Up Beds and Paths
Remove fallen leaves, dead plants, and debris from vegetable beds and pathways. This helps prevent pests and diseases from overwintering and keeps the garden looking neat.

2. Protect Tender Plants
Use fleece or cloches to shield vulnerable plants from frost. Mulching around perennials and shrubs will help insulate roots during cold snaps.

3. Prune and Cut Back
Prune dormant fruit trees and bushes, such as apple and currant plants, to encourage healthy growth next season. Cut back dead stems on herbaceous plants, leaving some seed heads for birds.

4. Compost and Soil Care
Turn the compost heap to keep it aerated and add winter greens like vegetable peelings. If beds are empty, consider adding well-rotted manure or compost to enrich the soil for spring planting.

5. Plan for Next Year
December is perfect for planning crop rotations, ordering seeds, and scheduling planting dates.

6. Wildlife Support
Hang bird feeders and keep them topped up. Birds need extra food in winter, and their presence adds life to the garden.

Even in the colder months, these small tasks make a big difference. They protect plants, improve soil health, and keep the garden welcoming for both people and wildlife. So wrap up warm, grab your gloves, and enjoy the crisp winter air while caring for your community space!

🌿 Nature Thrives at Mud Island Community Garden! 🌿

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A recent biodiversity survey by SETU Waterford student and Mudisland neighbour Sally Parsley reveals that the verges around Mud Island Community Garden are buzzing with life!

✅ 18 plant species identified
✅ 83% are native & pollinator-friendly
✅ 5 top pollinator plants spotted (including Common knapweed & Creeping buttercup)

🌱 Grasses dominate the area, but wildflowers like Wild Rocket and Ox-eye Daisy add color and food for pollinators. However, no threatened species were found and two invasive plants (Japanese Knotweed & Butterfly Bush – the traitor!) need our attention.

🐦 Bird bonus: 20 species recorded in and around the garden, including Robins, Blackbirds, and the threatened House Sparrow. This urban green space is a true wildlife haven.

💡 What can you do?
✔ Plant pollinator-friendly flowers
✔ Help remove invasive species (Note from Sally: ‘some cultivars now don’t spread their seed and buddleia davidii can be managed by cutting back hard after flowering so the seeds don’t set’)
✔ Share your wildlife sightings

Together, we can keep North Strand blooming for bees, birds, and biodiversity! 🌸🐝

📚 Source: Biodiversity survey of flora in the verges of Mud Island Community Garden, 4th Dec 2025, by Sally Parsley, SETU Waterford. Available HERE.

What to do in the garden in November ?!

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We have a good harvest (constant!) of brassicas with cabbage and kale that members can come and pick up after helping out (weeding, cleaning and turning the compost heap is always appreciated!). The Brussel sprouts are nicely coming along but we’ll leave them for now. If the stalks are falling, it is a good time to support them especially when there is high wind!

We can plant some more garlic (always a good idea after Halloween 😊). The cloves like a cold spell for their development. Good idea is to cover with straw or fleece for frost protection. Some hardy varieties of BEANS and PEAS like Aguadulce (beans) and Douce Provence (peas)  can be sowed directly outdoors at this time of the year. Overwintering of shallots and Onions sets can go in now for an early summer crop. It’s a good time to sow spinach and chards in protected areas, our chards are very happy in the garden at the moment.

It’s a good moment to plant fruit trees and bushes, but we did that last year so we will not add any this year. The pears and apple trees might need a little pruning?

It’s also a good time to divide our rhubarb crowns and mulch them heavily for protection during the coming cold spells.

Finally, it’s a good time to clear old crops and compost them, add compost and sow green manure in preparation of the coming Spring! Covered bare soil will keep nutrients better.

We should put fleece tunnels or cloches over sensitive crops like our Afghan Gandana and add windbreak wherever possible as well as check that the greenhouse is in good shape!

Never a dull moment in the garden!!

Emergency Meitheal and what happened in 2024?

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The garden is always full of activities and we are grateful of all we have achieved throughout the years (see all the events posters and help we got in 2024!)

This week we are calling an Emergency Meitheal on Saturday!

We need lots of help to prepare for our annual Open Day and to catch up with lots of planting. If you could commit to an hour or so tomorrow it would really help us. Activities will include:

– Preparing beds for planting.
– Planting out our abundance of seedlings. Painting (but not the artistic kind!).
– Labelling plants & making labels.
– A bit of DIY.
– Weeding pathways.
– Watering thirsty plants and trees.
– Enjoying our fecund garden ; )

Thanks from Mud Island!

 

 

What’s new?!

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We garden every Tuesday and Saturday afternoon 2 to 5 pm and new gardeners are always welcome.

We do an introduction to the garden and planting plan on the first Saturday of each month as and when needed. When it gets warmer and the garden needs more watering we’ll hopefully open up again on Thursday afternoons for gardening, and on Sundays for recreation – we’re all volunteers so it’s dependent on people’s availability.

The Muddy Craft & Crochet Circle meets in the Cottage on Friday afternoons (3-5pm) and our new Repair Cafe was launched on the last Sunday of March, 2.30 to 5.30 pm.  Bicycles were fixed, clothes repaired, crockery mended the Kintsuki way and knives & garden tools sharpened!  The Repair Cafe will continue on the last Sunday of every month. Next one is Sunday 30th of April (same time!).

March in the garden

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Hello

March will be a great month for the garden!

Friday 24th in the morning – free event with Dermot and planting potatoes – all you ever wanted to know about growing spuds!

Saturday 25th – all day extravaganza with the Five Lamps Arts Festival & our annual spring Fair!

Sunday 26th sees the launch of our #RepairCafé! (More on this later).

Mud Island Open Day, June 11th 2022

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After a two year absence, we’re delighted to be able to hold our usual annual Open Day.  This year it will be on Saturday 11th June from 2 to 5 pm.  Expect live music, arts & crafts, Wooly Farm animals, refreshments and lots more!  It’ll be a chance to see all the developments in your local community garden, enjoy some refreshments from the newly renovated cottage on site and catch up with friends and neighbours.

We’ll circulate more details as well as a poster for the Open Day shortly. In the meantime, as always, we’re looking for volunteers to help run the Cottage Cafe which is a great fund-raiser for the garden.  We’re also looking for donations of sweet and savoury treats to sell.  If you’d like to commit an hour of your time for the fun of working in the cafe, or would like to bake something for it, please let us know.

See some of you in the garden on the 11th June!

Planting News

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