Latest news with #GerMurphy
Irish Times
10-08-2025
- General
- Irish Times
‘I'm disappointed by my vegetable yield. How can I do better?'
This is my first year growing vegetables in our family garden and the results so far have been mixed. Most of all, I'm disappointed by my beetroot plants, which never took off even though I gave them a good sunny spot. Any tips as to how I could do better next time? Ger Murphy, Dublin Typically raised from seed sowed in spring, this nutritious root vegetable is a staple of most kitchen gardens and allotments. Plants are fast-growing, typically taking seven to eight weeks to mature. While beetroot is usually considered an easy vegetable to grow, there are a few possible reasons why your plants haven't flourished. One is that you didn't thin out the young seedlings after they emerged. The seed of beetroot is what's known as 'multigerm', meaning that it's actually a tight cluster of several seeds which together produce several seedlings. To grow well and provide good-sized fruit, these typically need to be thinned down to just lone seedlings spaced 7.5cm-10cm (3-4inches) apart. Another possibility is that your seedlings didn't receive enough water. Beetroot likes a cool, moist but free-draining soil that never totally dries out. In very dry, hot weather such as experienced regularly this summer, it can struggle to grow well. READ MORE These kinds of growing conditions (as well as exposure to very cold temperatures shortly after sowing) can also lead the plants to 'bolt', where instead of their roots swelling, they start to produce flowers. For this reason, it's always a good idea to choose a bolt-resistant variety such as 'Boltardy, 'Pablo' or 'Red Ace'. Beetroot is also more likely to bolt when grown in a soil lacking in organic matter, as the latter is much more likely to quickly become overly dry in a warm, sunny spell. For this reason, it's a good idea to integrate some very well-rotted garden manure or home-made garden compost several months previous to sowing. Keeping young seedlings regularly well-watered is also important. Lastly, it may be the case that the soil in your garden is low in certain key plant nutrients, which will result in stunted growth. Next year, try integrating some handfuls of a well-balanced organic pelleted fertiliser such as Topmix ( ) into the soil, which will help to boost growth and produce happy, healthy plants.
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Louth County Council to temporarily pause housing grants
The council cited high demand and the volume of applications already processed this year as the reason for the pause. As of early May, 75pc of the council's projected 2025 funding allocation has already been committed. However, additional submissions will be made to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage if further funding becomes available. The measure aims to prioritise applicants with the most urgent medical or care needs and to ensure that the council can meet existing commitments. Housing Adaptation Grants are designed to support private homeowners who need essential home modifications, particularly older people and individuals with disabilities. Under current regulations, the council contributes 20pc to each approved grant. While the pause applies to general applications, those meeting Priority 1 criteria, such as individuals who are terminally ill, primarily dependent on family or a carer, or where home adaptations would support them leaving hospital or residential care, will continue to be accepted and assessed. These cases will remain subject to funding availability. The temporary pause is expected to last until November 2025, when the new applications may reopen under the 2026 budget allocation. Applications received during the pause that don't meet the Priority 1 criteria will be recorded but returned to applicants with an explanation of the current budgetary constraints. Ger Murphy, Director of Services at Louth County Council explained the decision: 'While I acknowledge that this course of action is not ideal, the Housing Grants team will endeavour to process as many existing Priority 1 cases and new emergency cases as possible within the remaining projected 2025 allocation.' 'We fully recognise that this decision will be difficult for many homeowners and families. However, it is essential to ensure that those with the most urgent needs continue to receive support and that we can meet our commitments under the current allocation,' Murphy added. Members of the public with questions regarding their eligibility or application status are encouraged to contact the council's Housing Grants team directly.
