Latest news with #Jim
Scottish Sun
20 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
The essential gardening task you need to do to make your hanging baskets flower and last all summer
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IF you've recently been to a garden centre and bought yourself a gorgeous hanging basket, you'll need to listen up. Many of us will have hanging baskets outside our homes, but if a very crucial gardening task is avoided, they will not survive the summer. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Gardening experts have revealed a super simple gardening task you must follow to ensure hanging baskets thrive all summer long Credit: Getty 3 You'll need to take action now to avoid foliage fading and scarce blooms Credit: Getty 3 Fertilising is key to ensure hanging baskets stay healthy during hot weather Credit: Getty So if you want to ensure your baskets look beautiful all summer long, you've come to the right place and will need to take notes. According to gardening experts Jim and Mary Competti at This Is My Garden, many hanging baskets will experience foliage fading and scarce blooms during hot weather. They warned: "Unfortunately, most baskets that are purchased or planted in the early spring don't make it past mid-summer. 'In fact, sadly, some don't even make it to late spring without their foliage fading, and their once plentiful blooms becoming more scarce with each passing day." And it turns out that keeping hanging baskets in bloom is a mean feat if you're unequipped with the right advice and tools. As a result, the gardening maestros stressed that gardening enthusiasts "need to fertilise" hanging baskets to keep newly planted baskets flowering. However, fertilising hanging baskets is not a one-time task, but rather one that should be done regularly. Hanging basket plants have restricted soil available for energy absorption and cannot spread out to seek additional nutrients, which makes this process incredibly vital. Subsequently, Jim and Mary warned that without fertiliser, hanging baskets "simply will not be able to survive the entire summer". And it turns out that timing is essential when it comes to feeding. Cheap ways to bring vibrant colours to your garden all year round Unlike roses, which can be fed just a few times a year, plants grown in hanging baskets need a slow and steady stream of nutrients. Therefore, adding too much too quickly can encourage the roots and foliage to expand too fast, as the gardening pros recognised: "The result will be a plant that outgrows its basket and stops blooming because of it.' Top 5 Spring Gardening Jobs *If you click a link in this boxout, we may earn affiliate revenue Nick Grey, Gtech Inventor and CEO shared the tasks to crack on with as Spring arrives. 1. Clean your garden Make sure to clear away all leaves, soil and plant debris from your patios and flower beds; this creates a healthier environment for new growth, especially as we get into the summer months. Gtech's Garden Safety Kit includes durable gardening gloves and safety glasses; perfect for comfortability whilst tackling those outdoor tasks. 2. Weeding Early Spring is the best time to tackle weeds; if you can introduce some regular weeding into your routine, you can guarantee a tidy garden all year round. 3. Hedge maintenance Spring is the ideal time to tidy up overgrown hedges and shrubs, as regular trimming ensures healthy growth and reduces pest issues. Using a tool like the Gtech Lightweight Hedge Trimmer can help to keep your greenery looking sharp and neat. 4. Composting Starting a compost heap this spring is a pro-active, cost-effective way to harness nutritious soil for your plants and recycle organic waste that will benefit the overall health of your greenery and foliage. 5. Look after your lawn Lawn care is hugely important in assuring your garden stays looking beautiful. Make sure to rake away any excess leaves and trim your grass routinely. So if you want your hanging baskets to impress this summer, you should opt for a liquid fertiliser that contains more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen. While nitrogen promotes growth, phosphorus and potassium are essential for blooming. Unfortunately, most baskets that are purchased or planted in the early spring don't make it past mid-summer Jim and Mary Competti, at This Is My Garden Not only this, but a light dose of fertiliser should be applied to your baskets every 10 to 14 days for best results. Additionally, West Coast Gardeners recommended a 15-30-15 water-soluble fertiliser with micro-nutrients. They explained: "You can either use it every second watering at full strength, or use it every time you water, but at half strength." 8 must-have plants to brighten up your garden Nick Hamilton owner of Barnsdale Gardens has shared his favourite plants and flowers you should consider adding to your garden, borders and pots. Tricyrtis A spectacular plant that gives a real exotic feel to any garden with its orchid-like, spotted flowers giving the impression that this plant should be tender but it is 'as tough as old boots!'. Penstemon I love this plants genus of because most will flower all summer and autumn. They'll grow in sun or semi-shade in a well drained soil and produce a non-stop display of tubular flowers in an array of colours and colour combination to suit all tastes. Luzula sylvatica 'Marginata' With the evergreen leaves edged with yellow it's great asset is that it will grow in sun or shade in any type of soil and is great as groundcover in the hardest spot to fill - dry shade. Eryngium x zabelii 'Big Blue' A stunning, nectar-rich plant that will feed the beneficial insects in your garden. Leave the flowerheads once they have turned brown because they look stunning with winter frost and snow, extending the plant's interest period. Sarcococca hookeriana 'Winter Gem' If you need winter scent then look no further than this compact, evergreen shrub. The scent is stunning and the evergreen leaves create an excellent backdrop for the summer flowers. Cornus sanguinea 'Anny's Winter Orange' A dwarf version of 'Midwinter Fire' the very colourful stems create a stunning winter display, particularly on sunny days. Rosa 'Noisette Carnee' A very well-behaved climbing rose that is perfect for training over an arch, pergola or gazebo. The small, 'noisette' flowers are blush-pink and produce the most amazing clove scent constantly from June to November. Sanguisorba hakusanensis 'Lilac Squirrel' I've never seen a squirrel with a drooping, shaggy lilac tail, but this variety will give your garden an unusual and different look throughout summer. It does need a moisture retentive soil but will grow in sun or semi-shade. To ensure your hanging baskets thrive, simply dilute the fertiliser with water to ensure a lighter dose. But note that if you have forgotten to water your baskets and they have become bone dry and the plants are wilted, you should avoid fertilising them. Instead, water hanging baskets regularly and wait until the soil has absorbed enough clean water to become soft and the plants have perked up. Following this, you can then safely continue your regular fertiliser schedule. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Philanthropist honoured for role in mentoring youth science and tech excellence
Helping mentor thousands of Canadian students in pursuing their passions in science and technology has garnered a prominent city philanthropist their thanks. Article content Article content On Saturday, former Calgary oilman Jim Gray was presented an award for continually inspiring the organization he founded 35 years ago that would become today's MindFuel Foundation. Article content The Calgary-based program encourages high school and post-secondary students to develop their technology and science ideas, many of which have led to scholarships and even valuable commercialized products. Article content Article content Article content 'Jim is a builder — he sees a problem and gets things done,' said Cassy Weber, who's been the CEO of MindFuel for the past 13 years. Article content 'He's so amazing and today is an opportunity just to share Jim's wisdom.' Article content In the 1980s, he founded the Alberta Science Foundation, which would eventually become MindFuel, that's developed youth interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Article content At its core is a six-month immersive effort among students to develop prototype solutions to real-world problems, which were presented Saturday at the University of Calgary to a panel of 20 judges who'd pick winners among high school and post-secondary categories. Article content Article content It involved 220 students aged 15 to 25 from across the country. Article content Article content 'Thirteen per cent of those projects become commercialized within an average of 4.2 years and it's unintentional on our part,' said Weber, who's been involved in several tech startups. Article content 'We get these young people engaged and involved and help them navigate the tech system but these are their wins, their work.' Article content Over the years, those concepts have attracted $32.5 million in venture capital, she said. Article content Among those who participate, 45 per cent are able to garner major scholarships with 92 per cent of them being awarded more than one, she added.
Axios
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
New book tackles the legend of Jim from Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn"
A new book unpacks Jim in Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" — a fictional enslaved Black man who is one of the most memorable characters in American Literature. Why it matters: For more than a century, Jim has been a source of sympathy, ridicule, anger, and protest due to the Black dialect he uses throughout the novel, but scholar Shelley Fisher Fishkin says that he's been misunderstood. The big picture: " Jim: The Life and Afterlives of Huckleberry Finn's Comrade," released last month by Yale University Press, comes out amid renewed interest in the Twain character. Percival Everett recently won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel, "James," which reimagines Jim from an illiterate enslaved man as often portrayed to a savvy and literate soul who has more agency. Fishkin tells Axios she wanted to explore how we've viewed Jim throughout the decades and how he has shaped American culture. The text in Twain's classic hasn't changed throughout the years, "but we've changed," said Fishkin, one of the world's top Twain scholars. Catch up quick: " The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" tells the story of Huck, a young, uneducated white boy, and Jim, an escaped slave, as they travel together down the Mississippi River on a raft. The pair must avoid mobs of slave hunters and robbers along their journey and develop a sense of care for one another. The book uses racist epithets of the time, and Jim speaks in a language that critics say today resembles offensive minstrel shows in the late 1800s — all of which have generated demands for the novel to be banned. Yes, but: Fishkin says Twain was being subversive in the use of Jim's dialect and criticizing all the racist stereotypes with a humanized portrayal. "Jim is the smartest character in the book. It's a mistake to assume he's there to be ridiculed. In fact, he becomes a father to Huck," says Fishkin, who wrote the 1993 literature critic classic, "Was Huck Black? Mark Twain and African American Voice." Fishkin says Jim is a complex character who is really the first Black father portrayed in American literature. Zoom in: In her new book, Fishkin takes on the historical myths and models of Black men in post-Civil War America. She then gives us a rundown of the debates of Jim and the novel's use of racist language that have generated pushback from liberals and conservatives. Fishkin then presents the reader with an innovative exercise in one chapter, exploring what Jim would say about everything in his own dialect. She ends with a lesson on how some high school teachers are presenting the book today and what lessons can be learned when the book "is taught correctly."
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Ex-Celtic and Scotland boss Strachan will always be a Hibee at heart
Former Man United, Leeds and Aberdeen great on bus journeys and schoolboy sing-alongs Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... For a man who never wore the jersey, save for a couple of guest appearances in testimonials to honour time-served veterans, Gordon Strachan's Hibernian heart remains an important element of his character. The things he's done in football and in life can, according to the man himself, be traced back to schoolboy days riding on the upper deck of the No.16 bus, belting out Hibs songs with his pals as they made the journey from Muirhouse to Easter Road. First taken to one of Scottish football's most iconic old grounds by dad Jim, the son was able to repay the favour more than once over next few decades. Including, in a tale familiar to anyone who understands the game's ability to unite generations, a final visit just four weeks before his father's death. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How deep is his affection for the club? Well, even when following his dream as an aspiring professional, Strachan made time to visit Tynecastle for one very special derby win back in 1973. And he still considers David Gray's Scottish Cup-winning goal at Hampden in 2016 as one of his most enjoyable moments in football. When you consider the domestic and European glories he enjoyed in a playing career that took him from Dundee to Aberdeen, Manchester United and Leeds, not to mention the triumphs he masterminded as Celtic manager, that's quite the distinction. 'I owe a lot of who I am to the people of Leith,' said the former Scotland boss, adding without hesitation: 'When I was getting brought up, whether I be younger, whether I be older, I owe where I am right now to these people. 'My first memories of Easter Road? Going with my dad. I went to see Aberdeen, Hibs against Aberdeen. I think it was a tournament, it wasn't actually a league, it was a kind of, I don't know what it was. I remember Charlie Cooke playing for Aberdeen, I think. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'So that was it. My gran used to live just round the corner from Easter Road. But I used to go there, when I was younger. 'On a Saturday, I'd make it for the end of the second half really, or just the end of the second half, where the gates would open. I used to be at Leith Links a couple of times. 'I'd play there and just run up with me and my mates and get in, because the gates would open and you'd get in for nothing. Or you'd get a lift over with some fella. 'In those days, you'd get a lift over and that was it, you'd go in for nothing. So that was my introduction.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Easter Road 'Cow Shed' antics and Tynecastle derby glory Recalling his afternoons in a covered area of the north terracing familiar to fans of a certain generation, Strachan – speaking in partnership with Esports Insider - added: 'So when I used to go there, we went to a bit called the Cow Shed. I was in the middle of it at first, opposite the main stand there. I kind of upgraded myself to the Cow Shed, doing a bit of singing. 'Not got a clue what I was singing about, no understanding what I was singing about. And you look back and go: 'What were you thinking about?' But I didn't know at the time. 'I used to get number 8 or the 16 bus to the game. That was the bus from Muirhouse. 'Did what boys did. Got on the top deck, sat at the front, started singing songs again. And made your way to the game.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad David Gray's 'emotional' Scottish Cup winner a special favourite Signed by Dundee as a schoolboy, Strachan moved from supporter to player. With the rare exception of the lucky few who get to sign for 'their' team, this usually means a severing of allegiances. Up to a point. 'When I started professional football, I kept the link,' he insisted. 'But it was more a link with Leith. I probably speak more about Leith much more than I speak about Hibs. 'But f you ask me about the history of any of the Hibs players between 1965 and 1972, I've got a great knowledge of it. But after that, when I was playing professional football, I still went to the 7-0 win at Tynecastle with my mates! 'When I got into the first team at Dundee, that was it. I took it professionally. I always hoped the Hibs did well, but the club I was working for at the time, that was the main thing. So that was it really. I kind of downed tools as Hibs fan. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But I still look back at 2016 and one of the best occasions I've ever been involved in. When they won the Cup, I was there as a pundit and it was emotional, to say the least. 'My father had passed away recently, and I thought: 'What a time to go dad, you could have seen a cup win at last!' So it was quite emotional. 'I took my father to his last game four weeks before he died, a Hibs and Hearts game just before he died. So he took me to my first game, and I took him to his last game. It was quite ironic that. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think of myself as from Leith. I'm proud of Edinburgh, but I think of myself from Leith. So anything that's happened in Leith, I still go to the community centre there with my cousin, Pauline, who runs the Leith community centre. 'I still go there. Me and my wife kind of help out now and then. My mum still helps out with stuff. 'I still go to Silverknowes Golf Club, I was there last week talking to the old guys and having a chat. So it's still a big part of my life, really.'
Press and Journal
2 days ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Aberdeenshire engineering boss Jim Craig on how he created £10m family business empire
Jim Craig's journey from a hands-on apprentice to the founder of Aberdeen-headquartered JCE Group is a story of determination, family values, and entrepreneurial spirit. Growing up he had a knack for fixing things and showed particular interest in radios. After leaving Torry Academy at the age of 15, he started an apprenticeship which was the start of his journey to building a successful business. Now the 79-year-old is founder and chairman of off-grid and grid-connected renewable energy solutions specialist JCE Group with a turnover of £9.8 million. The dad-of-three always had a 'hankering' to be his own boss but to be able to share it with his family has 'made it all worth it'. During his time at school Jim wasn't entirely sure what career path he wanted to take. But he did know that he had a keen interest in fixing things. It was this which led him to join Dow & Nicholson as an apprentice winder in 1960. He said: 'My father tried to get me to go into engineering but I wasn't very keen on it. 'I dabbled a lot with radios and stuff like that and had a knack for electrical things. So I ignored my father's advice and followed my own gut feeling. 'Dow & Nicholson were seen as the premier electrical company in Aberdeen. 'So I went there and served my time as an apprentice winder.' In the late 1960s Dow & Nicholson was then taken over by mechanical and engineering firm Balfour Kilpatrick. Jim, also dad to Jackie, said: 'My boss at that time was reading things in the P&J, regarding some kind of activity that was going on in the North Sea. He asked if I would like to go and find out about it. 'So they gave me a little white van and I started going around the doors to find out what this activity was.' It was of course the start of the oil and gas industry and Jim found himself speaking to a number of companies including BP and Shell. The company transitioned from quarries and granite manufacturers to the marine oil and gas. Jim, who married Sandra in 1963, said: 'As the momentum grew, so did the amount of companies switching to oil and gas. 'I remember bumping in to Ian Wood as a young lad when he worked for his father's company Wood and Davidson. He was a bit of a hippie then. 'I also saw Jimmy Milne. There was a whole bunch of young, enthusiastic people.' In his mid 20s, Jim became offshore manager for the firm and travelled around the world to places such as Norway and the Middle East describing it as 'an exciting time for a young lad'. By 1979, Jim had 100 people working for him but it was then he started to realise the ambition to be his own boss and a 'hankering' to work for himself. JCE Group was formed and he started to work for Shell, specialising in the explosion proof (EX) business. Turnover for his first year of business was £55,000 with only himself as an employee. Two years later, in 1981, he made the decision to stop working offshore and started his own control engineering business onshore. The great-grandad-of-three said: 'By that time, I felt confident enough because of my connections in the industry. 'I knew a lot of people. I could go knocking on doors, which I had to do to gain business. 'One of the first things was approach an old school pal of mine who was the managing director of Richard Irvin. 'He gave me an office in the Richard Irvin building in the quay and a shed in York Place and we started building control panels.' One of Jim's first members of staff was his daughter Alison Cox who joined straight from school at the age of 16. A short time later Jim was given the opportunity to buy the European assets of American company Crouse-Hinds. To do the deal he and Sandra had to remortgage their home and he admits it's a move that kept him awake for 'many nights'. It was then Jim's son Martin joined the firm. Both Alison and Martin are now joint managing directors of the JCE Group which currently employs 55 people. JCE continued to grow and they made the move to a new factory in Tullos before relocating to Wellheads Industrial Estate in Dyce in 1988. JCE Group was there for 10 years before, in 1999, Jim decided to take another big step for the business. He said: 'We made a decision that we didn't want to pay rent anymore. 'Because we were reasonably well off, we decided to build our own factory in Blackburn Industrial Estate which was new and starting off. 'It's ironic. The industry was dead again as there'd been another crash. 'I remember standing outside with Martin and we looked at this huge building and said, 'are we mad?' 'And we both said, 'no, we're not mad, we're going to carry on'. '26 years later it's the best move we ever made.' The industry recovered and JCE Group became the only EX manufacturer in Scotland. Jim, who is chairman of the Grampian MS Therapy Centre, said: 'We're the only one left and I think we will soon be the only one in the UK. 'Our competition is mainly in Spain and Italy. We're in a niche market. 'EX needs a lot of professionalism, intelligence, and making sure that whatever you do is 100% correct and safe. 'We've been in business since the early 80s, in the EX market, and we've never had one complaint. 'Not even a murmur.' Although Jim turns 80 in September he's got no intentions of stepping back from the business. The keen gardener has hopes one day of his grandchildren taking over the running of the firm. He said: 'We're a true family company. 'It is my intention, my wish, or my hope that the grandchildren within the company will take over from their parents. 'Martin and Alison run the business and I do business development and look after the youngsters. 'As long as I'm happy and healthy I'll still be here.' Jim has come a long way from his time as a young boy growing up in Torry and would always encourage anyone who dreams of starting their own business to give it a go. He said: 'I would congratulate the person and let them know the easiest stage is starting a business. 'The difficulty comes from staying in business. But this is overcome by hard work and keeping on top of cash flow. Try not to borrow and work within your means. 'If you do this, you'll enjoy the experience. 'I really take my hat off to anybody who wants to start a business, because I think everybody should.'
