The Potato Experiment @ Prospect Cottage.

Monday last was August 1st, also known as Lammas or Lughnasa. In the not so distant past this was a time of fairs and horse trading in honour of Rhiannon, the horse Goddess of the Underworld. There is still one remaining horse fair held on this day which is I believe held somewhere in Galway. Here in Arigna we like to harvest produce on this day  as it is also a celebration of the abundance of the season. A time of gathering and preserving in preperation for the Winter which is just around the corner.

In April we planted Potatoes using a method new to us. Newspaper was placed on the ground, potatoes on top then covered with a thick mulch of rushes (straw could also be used). See post Blueberries, Potatoes & Rushes published on 11th April for more info and pics.

The variety planted was Colleen. Wow, the results far exceeded my expectations, I admit I was dubious. The Potatoes are clean, just pull back the mulch and there they are. Good yield, the amount above is from 2 plants. The size was a bit erratic, some very large Potatoes, some small. All in all we are well pleased and shall definitely use this method again.

In the new gravel garden, see post Elephant Hawk Moth & Gravel Garden published June 8th, everything is filling out nicely. The pots with mostly succulents in are doing particularly well. It is the sunniest spot. Many of the plants have flowered for the first time. Really love the little flower on this one.

In the vegetable garden Oregano is flowering now. The Bees just love it. Some of the flowers will be dried for use in teas. It is useful for colds, headaches and gastro-intestinal disorders. With the addition of a teaspoon of honey it makes a delicious tea. The leaves can also be infused to make a hair conditioner or added to your bath water to promote relaxation.

More Garden Musings from Prospect Cottage.

Equisetum arvens, the bottlebrush like plant in pic, commonly known as Horsetail or Mare’s Tail, hated by many people as a pernicious weed does have many benefits. It is high in silica, which fixes calcium in the body, making it a good herbal remedy for osteoporosis. The plant also has strong diuretic properties. For the organic/natural gardener it is Horsetail’s fungicidal properties that make it a useful plant. It is particularly useful as a preventative for blight on Potatoes and Tomatoes. To make the preparation collect the whole plant, foliage and stems. For each oz pour on 2 pints of hot water and allow to stand for 24 hours. Strain and use undiluted. If you have dried Horsetail 2ozs makes 10 litres of spray.Most of the beds in the garden have now been planted up. This bed has a mix of Broccoli, Peas and Onions. The large plants at the end of the bed are Oreganos, the golden variety is slower growing than the green. The Bees love the flowers of Oregano. I was a bit premature planting out the Peas as they have been hammered by the wind and heavy rain, but they will come on.Lots of Silverweed about at the moment, a member of the Potentilla family, it likes the damp ground we have here. Geese are said to be partial to the leaves. Its traditional herbal use was as a treatment for bleeding and for cosmetic uses such as the removal of freckles.