by Liz Mahony

The first couple of lines from Rudyard Kipling’s poem, ‘If’, came to mind the other day: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs!..”

One of my neighbour’s hens had forced her way through the metal confines of her run. She was happily plucking away at the grass and earth in the garden area, totally oblivious to my consternation and Saffron’s interest!

Receiving no reply from my text to said neighbour, I realised the situation was solely in my hands. I approached the problem in totally the wrong way forgetting about my professional dog training skills. Thus I tried to hem her in assuming she would return back into the run through her escape route. But, she had other ideas! She wasn’t going to give up her new-found freedom that easily, proceeding to run hither and thither like the proverbial ‘headless chicken’. Please forgive the deliberate pun!

My actions panicked her further, so she kept trying to force her way back into the run by sticking her head into various narrow spaces in the metal fence, through which the latter part of her body had no hope of following! Then Saffron decided I needed her help and got rather excited. Having twice despatched her offers of assistance with a ‘flea in her ear’, I took a deep breath, slowing down to take stock of what, if anything, I had currently achieved! The first realisation was that my efforts so far had only exaggerated the circumstances. Gathering my wits, I went off to get a cup of hen food and opened the main gate to the run after grabbing a towel from the kitchen.

The towel was a last resort. I didn’t fancy handling her, as I was certain to get pecked or clawed in the ensuing debacle. If the worst came to the worst, I might have to throw the towel over her and then secure her with a rugby tackle! Fortunately, it didn’t come to that! Instead I began to review the situation in a more grounded manner.

Firstly, I chucked some hen food into the run to keep the other hens focused on food rather than also escaping through the open gate to join their wayward companion in her escapade. That worked except the lady on the outside decided she didn’t want to miss that food, so she once more vainly attempted to force her way back through the metal bars instead of through the open hole that I’d intentionally aligned with the food inside. I’d imagined she might be clever enough to remember the hole and go back through it again. What a vain hope!

After another deep breath, I backed away from her even further to encourage her to come nearer to the open gate and out of the paddock to which she kept seeking refuge from me. The danger with the paddock was that it had two equine inhabitants who would either have crushed her under their hooves or chased her around the field and panicked her even further. But, luckily, they were oblivious to the excitement.

Steadying my nerves, I slowly advanced on her from the opposite direction to the open gate and began shaking the container with the remaining food. At first, that

made her run the other side of the open gate between it and the fencing and more vain attempts to squeeze through more narrow, unrelenting gaps! Time for me to back away again.

Taking yet more deep breaths, I slowly approached her again. Each time she ran the wrong side of the gate until finally she strutted inside, as though nothing untoward had happened, rejoining her companions while I slammed the gate shut. Heaving a sigh of relief I rewarded them all with the remains of the feed and blocked up the hole in the fence.

And what has the above got to do with dog training, I hear you ask? In a word: Everything! Just bear with me for a little longer. At the beginning of this episode, I, too, was running around like that proverbial ‘headless chicken’, and getting nowhere. I couldn’t even think of a solution, let alone do anything constructive. At the beginning, I didn’t even contemplate that my training skills might possibly apply across a spectrum of animals.

However once I took myself in hand, employed deep breaths, my brain started working again, and a plan unfolded effortlessly. The panicked hen no longer sensed my own trepidation so she calmed down too which then allowed a greater chance for my plan to work.

The moral of my story is that if we, ourselves, lack self control when dealing with our own pets, how can we expect our dogs to show restraint since they copy everything we do?

by John Hosford

As we move into May, we hope the days are finally warming up, but gardeners must remain vigilant. Beware of cold nights early in the month. While those living near the coast may have seen the last of the frosts, venturing just five or eight miles inland can bring you into contact with late seasonal freezes. Always keep a watchful eye on the forecast and keep frost protection fleece, cloches, or cold frames ready to protect your tender plants.

Watering

Preparation for drier days is essential this month. Install taps in strategic locations, particularly in or adjacent to your greenhouse, cloches, and frames, as well as near hanging baskets, window boxes, and patio containers. For those with numerous containers or recent plantings, an automated watering system with a time clock is a worthwhile investment, especially if you plan to be away for prolonged periods.

To manage resources effectively, conserve and store water in water butts. Mulching beds and borders with bark mulch or well-composted farmyard or stable manure will further conserve moisture and suppress weeds. If you cannot source manure locally, consider ‘Gee-up’, made in Blarney, Co. Cork. When sourcing any manure, ensure it is free from weed seeds or roots.

Vegetables

May is a busy month for both indoor and outdoor sowing. If you have not yet started courgettes, pumpkins, squashes, vegetable marrows, sweet corn, runner beans, or French beans, these may be sown indoors early this month. Sowing seeds individually in 9-12cm biodegradable pots helps cut down on waste and minimises transplanting shock. These can be planted out at the end of the month or in early June once they have been thoroughly hardened-off.

Continue successional sowing of beetroot, cabbage, carrots, salad onions, lettuce, radishes, swedes, and turnips outdoors, sowing thinly in well-prepared soil. Celery can be planted out towards the end of the month, while cauliflower and broccoli should be sown now for a spring 2027 harvest.

Brussels sprouts can be moved into their final cropping quarters now, spaced 90cm apart with 90cm between rows. As they occupy space for a long period, you can optimise the ground by intercropping with quick-maturing crops like lettuce, radishes, or kohl rabi. Protect sprouts against cabbage root fly by placing cabbage collars around the neck of the plants immediately after planting. In autumn, ensure they are supported with robust stakes to prevent wind rock, and use Enviromesh to deter caterpillars and pigeons.

Fruit

To ensure a clean harvest, tuck straw under strawberries to protect the fruits from rotting and to prevent soil splashing onto them. Newly planted fruit trees and bushes require consistent watering during dry spells. Additionally, currants, gooseberries, raspberries, and loganberries will benefit greatly from an application of well-rotted farmyard manure, garden compost, or spent mushroom compost.

Under Cover

Now is the time to plant up hanging baskets and containers, keeping them indoors and frost-free until the end of the month. Gradually acclimatise them to the outdoors as they establish. Bedding plants, geraniums, and fuchsias should also be hardened off in preparation for summer displays.

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and aubergines are ready for larger pots or grow bags. Opt for the deepest grow bags available, as shallow versions dry out too quickly. Ensure plants are not crowded, as proper spacing reduces the risk of disease, mould, and pests. Cordon tomatoes require regular tying and side-shooting; snap off small shoots with your thumb and forefinger, or use a sharp, disinfected knife for larger ones to prevent the spread of viral diseases.

Glasshouse management is crucial as temperatures rise. Apply shading using a wash or fit roller blinds to the exterior. Alternatively, fine mesh netting can be used on sunny days. Morning watering and ‘damping down’ paths will increase humidity and discourage red spider mites. Weekly feeding with an organic seaweed-based fertiliser is recommended for all indoor and container plants. For a unique touch, plant ‘Tumbling Tom’ tomatoes or cascading herbs in hanging baskets.

Keep a sharp lookout for pests such as whitefly, greenfly, vine weevil, and lily beetles. Lily beetles are easily identified by their bright red colour and should be removed by hand to prevent damage to leaves and flowers. Biological controls for various pests can be sourced from Mr. Middleton in Dublin or Fruit Hill Farm in Bantry.

Lawns

Mow established lawns regularly and apply feed if you have not already done so. Any remaining tasks for sowing new lawns should be completed early this month to allow for establishment before the peak heat of summer.

Hardy Annuals

Sow hardy annuals in informal drifts for a natural look. In one-sided borders, position taller varieties at the back, tapering down to the front; for island beds, place the tallest plants in the centre. Avoid making the soil too rich, as this can encourage foliage at the expense of flowers.

Excellent varieties for May sowing include Eschscholzia (Californian poppy), Limnanthes (Scrambled Eggs), Nigella, Calendula, and Nasturtiums. Echium ‘Blue Bedder’ is particularly attractive to bees, while others like Orlaya, Ammi, and Poppy “Ladybird” provide wonderful texture and colour.

Chelsea Flower Show

A true highlight of the gardening calendar, the Chelsea Flower Show takes place this year from May 19-23 in the grounds of The Royal Hospital, Chelsea. For those unable to attend in person, the BBC provides extensive coverage, offering a wonderful insight into the world-class show gardens and floral displays.

I have driven several electric cars in recent years and only twice have I been able to reach the manufacturer’s claimed range when giving the battery a full charge. It happened with Hyundai’s Ioniq 9 last year and last week the revised Xpeng G6 also lived up to its claimed range of 470km when fully charged.

We have all heard jokes about people putting on weight while waiting for their E.V. to charge. It’s tempting to have a tea or coffee and a fancy cake if you have to stop at a roadside filling station to charge your electric car. But last week I did a few short walks while waiting for my Xpeng to charge at Supervalu in Walkinstown. So instead of putting on weight while waiting to charge, you can also lose weight.

I was very impressed with the Xpeng, which along with BYD and Smart are the Chinese brands currently being imported by the MDL group.

It’s massive car and my daughter, who is my regular travelling companion, kept commenting on how spacious the interior was. She is very colour conscious and was impressed with the lovely touches of light grey on the seats and dash area. A full length sunroof adds to the bright interior feel. Overall the interior has a minimalistic and clean look to it.

Plenty of room in the back seat for three well-built adults and with a flat floor no complaints from the person sitting in the middle. The boot is a decent size at 571 litres, rising to 1,374 litres with the rear seats folded down.

Most of the controls are incorporated into the massive 15.6-inch screen on the dash. From that screen you can find everything you need to know about driving the car, how to open the bonnet, the boot, the electric charge point and the glove box.

I read recently that that in Europe, at least, there are plans to bring back a few old style buttons for air conditioning and radio. That would definitely be a sensible idea as it’s very dangerous for the driver to take his/her eyes off for the road for just a few seconds to find something on that huge screen. I think most of us have trained our bodies to find buttons on the dash without fumbling to find them.

The Xpeng is similar in looks to a few other electric cars currently available, most notably Tesla’s Model Y, some of Kia’s new EV range and the Skoda Enyaq. My test car came in Artic White, which is similar to a shade of white that Tesla use. 

As usual you get two vanity mirror in the front for driver and front seat passenger. But I noticed that in order to see the vanity mirrors you need to fold down a piece of material that covers the mirrors. 

Prices for the RWD Standard Range version that I drove have been held at €42,000, as has the price of the long-range version at €49,440. The range in the latter version is 525km. Naturally like all electric cars, it takes off like a greyhound and the max speed is 202km, if it’s penalty points you are after!

I really enjoyed my time in the Xpeng and it charges really fast, so fast you can only take a short walk.

 I got a lot of people asking me about the name and how is it’s pronounced. We don’t have many words in the English language starting with ‘X’ apart from X-Ray and Xylophone.The name Xpeng reminded me of an old television ad in the eighties promoting a product for cows called Cheno Unction. The manufacturer’s advertising line was: ‘‘It’s a quare name, but great stuff.’’

This is when the garden really comes into its own. After months of rest, it’s up and at’em at every chance we get to be outside. Thanks to a couple of fantastic French helpers our land is looking really good this year despite the front field still being an impenetrable wall of brambles worthy of Sleeping Beauty’s hedge of thorns. The dreadful weather we had at the start of the year meant that we could not get a tractor in to do the work of stripping it and now it is too brimming with nests and small critters to disturb. That job will have to wait until Autumn when everything starts to die back, and everyone has reared their young.

Not to worry…the rest of the garden is looking spiffy. The tunnel is a nursery full of incubating seedlings, sprouting lettuces, broccoli, and spinach, and radishes. The potatoes are in. The rhubarb is ready to pick. The raspberries are cut back and weeded in their beds, and the strawberries are already growing in their bathtubs. The season is looking good. Getting your hands dirty has been proven to be beneficial to both our mental and physical health. In addition, nothing tastes quite as good as a vegetable you have grown yourself. As a new show on Netflix declares: ‘The future is agrarian’. Growing food is wonderful. It’s good for the soul, the belly and the pocket. In these uncertain times it is also good for the future.

Many of us in West Cork are lucky to have a bit of land to grow food on. You don’t need much. It is surprising how productive a small vegetable patch can be. For those who don’t have any land, many communities have allotments which can provide lots of lovely fruit and veg.

Growing your own has always been a “hobby” of a certain group of people, but it wasn’t so long ago that everyone was at it. Even in towns, people grew the basics: potatoes, carrots, cabbage/leeks and lettuces in their back garden. Out in the countryside it was common for a family to grow most of their vegetables, keep chickens and rear a pig, or keep a cow for milking.

It may sound like a charming past-time, but the recent oil crisis should make us sit up and take note. As an island nation dependant on transportation for most of our food, we need to become more self-sufficient.

Ireland imports 80 per cent of its food and that’s a trend that is growing. Food imports jumped from 8.6 per cent to 9.4 per cent of merchandise imports between 2023 and 2024. Many are foods like bananas or avocados, which don’t grow in our climate. Fair enough. We might miss them in a crisis, but we won’t starve for lack of pineapples if we grow fruit and veg that thrive in our climate. We imported 96,000t of bananas in 2024. But we also imported 56,000t of apples. 

That’s crazy. Here’s some more crazy stats: According to the CSO, Ireland imported 104,500t of potatoes in 2024, along with133,500t of prepared potatoes. In addition, Ireland imported 44,700t of onions, 28,800t of carrots/turnips,28,000t of tomatoes and 21,000t of cabbage. All vegetables which grow very well in our climate. And yet all around me are beautiful fields full of…grass. There are a few fields of corn, a field of onions, and of course a strawberry farm. That is not great for food security, now, is it? This year the European Union advised its citizens to stockpile 72 hours of water and food “in case of emergency”. Ireland needs to take a long hard look at our food security. Family vegetable plots, community allotments, and more farmers growing food will help us get through a lot longer than a 72-hour emergency.

Globe artichoke, ‘Cynara scolymus’,  is a classic bitter herb, as well as a delicious food. The leaves are the part most frequently used medicinally for lipid control, of which the key types are triglycerides (fats/oils), phospholipids, and sterols (cholesterol). It is also used for liver-bile support and digestion. The immature flower buds are used as food.

The leaf has long been employed by herbalists as a bitter digestive tonic, particularly in cases of bloating and slow digestion, heavy meals, or low appetite. It increases bile flow, which aids the body in managing lipids (triglycerides, phospholipids and sterols) and may lessen feelings of fullness after rich meals.

Artichoke leaf is then a ‘bitters-and-bile’ herb. It works well for those who have mild digestive sluggishness and feel better after bitter foods, and it helps the liver and gallbladder with their regular fat-handling tasks. The edible buds are also very healthy, as they are low in fat while rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are also exceptionally high in vitamin C and folate; they also supply essential minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. All in all, the globe artichoke is a very useful plant in the garden.

Artichoke is not the ideal herb for someone with gallstones, bile duct obstruction, or active gallbladder problems because it can increase bile flow. It can also cause an allergic reaction. So, if you are allergic to any of the daisy families, you need to be more careful when using this plant. Similar to the majority of bitter herbs, it is advisable to use them sparingly and sensibly, particularly during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The globe artichoke is an eye-catching perennial that prefers a sunny location. It likes soil that retains moisture and drains well. It should not be overcrowded or left in heavy, wet clay. It thrives in rich soil that has been enhanced with compost or well-rotted manure. Because plants develop into big, architectural clumps, space them widely, around 75 to 90 cm apart.

You can purchase new plants in the spring or grow it from seed. It is preferable to start seeds indoors in late winter or early spring, harden them, and then plant them outside once the risk of frost has subsided. Once established, the plant is resilient and can last for several years; older clumps are kept strong by splitting them every four or five years.

Harvest the buds for cooking when they are fully grown but still firmly closed. Smaller side buds may be taken later in the summer after the main bud has been harvested. If you leave some buds they will expand into attractive, thistle-like blooms that attract bees and other pollinators.

The leaf is the part used in herbal remedies. Prepare this tea by pouring boiling water over dried leaves and leaving it to infuse for ten to fifteen minutes. The only problem is that it is very bitter. Unfortunately, it is this bitter quality that contributes to its health benefits. Drink this tea about 30 minutes before a meal to maximise its therapeutic effect.

This plant has a lot to offer in the garden. It has a striking architectural structure, and it lasts many years. Also, many pollinators love it, and it offers both culinary and medicinal benefits.

We spoke in detail last month about the new windows and doors grant, recently launched under the Individual Energy Upgrade Grant. First of all, I need to make a correction to one of the grant rules, which has been clarified by SEAI in the meantime. My understanding was that, in order to be eligible for the window or door grant, all your windows or doors in the house would have to meet the minimum SEAI specification (a U-value of 1.4 W/m2K or lower). This was always the rule for window and door grants under the One Stop Shop Scheme and would normally mean replacing all the windows or doors. I have since been informed by SEAI that they will offer the grants towards a partial window or door replacement, but that it is a one time grant, you can only make the claim once. Obviously you still need to meet the minimum insulation standards we discussed last month, which may be harder to do if only changing a few windows. 

This month we are continuing on the glazing subject, discussing sunrooms. Sunrooms or conservatories are great spaces for capturing heat when the sun comes out and making the most of a site with a good view. These glass-walled retreats are a common architectural feature on both old and new houses across West Cork. However, as we move toward higher insulation standards for retrofits and new builds, the humble sunroom is coming under the microscope. While they feel warm on a sunny April afternoon, they can often be the ‘weakest link’ in a home’s thermal envelope. There are also complications regarding how they are treated in BER assessments.

Firstly, let’s look at efficiency. I’m sure we have all experienced fully glazed sunrooms that get roasting hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. This is simple physics: glazing allows for solar gain. While this ‘free’ heat can be useful, it can quickly lead to overheating, and the heat loss during nights and winter usually outweighs the gains. In terms of heat loss, a wall built to modern standards will be almost 4.5 times better at retaining heat compared to the best triple-glazed window. Finally, the ‘form factor’ of these spaces is often inefficient. They are usually three-sided structures attached to the main house, often with vaulted ceilings. This creates a high proportion of heat-loss area; glazing, walls, floor, and roof, in comparison to the useable floor area.

If you are designing a sunroom from scratch, my advice is to reduce the proportion of glazing. Aim for a solid roof with a few rooflights and no more than 30 per cent glazing on the walls. This provides ample solar gain while minimising heat loss. If you are clever with the design, this shouldn’t restrict how the space captures views or connects to the surroundings. To be fair, most sunrooms on new-build homes already follow these principles; in fact, it would be nearly impossible to meet current building regulations with a fully glazed space that is thermally part of the house.

This leads to my second point: existing sunrooms that are more or less fully glazed. I’m currently sitting in one while writing this article. It’s a slightly overcast April day; about 16 degrees Celsius outside and 28 degrees inside with the door open! We don’t have any heating in this space, and the door into the living room is an external-grade door. We don’t use the room much in the winter; it’s great in spring and autumn, if we have sunshine, but as soon as it gets dark, it’s very cold. In the height of summer, it needs all the doors open to stay cool. Despite this, it is still a useful space, and I’m glad we spent the time and money repairing it when we moved in rather than demolishing it. My advice if you have this type of sunroom is to treat it as a seasonal space: don’t try to heat it, and ensure it is thermally separated from the rest of the house when temperatures drop. You could also consider closing in part of the roof and walls with insulated panels; I have seen some very effective examples of this.

How sunrooms are treated in your BER (Building Energy Rating) roughly follows the principles above:

Separated: If it is thermally separated from the rest of the house (e.g., by an external-grade door), is mainly glazed, and has no fixed heating, it is not counted as part of the house’s internal floor area.

Included: If these criteria aren’t met, for example, if you have a radiator in there, the room is counted as part of the heated envelope. This generally leads to a poorer BER rating because of the high heat loss through the glass.

This classification becomes important when looking at the SEAI window, door and heat pump grants, which all require a certain level of insulation of the home. If your sunroom is classified as part of the house, it is likely to negatively impact your Heat Loss Indicator (HLI). This is a critical metric, as the heat Pump Grant requires an HLI of 2.3 or lower. It is  also one of the routes to grant compliance for windows and doors.

Sunrooms are not necessarily a bad thing; they can be very useful spaces. It is simply important to be aware of their impact on your energy use, BER, and grant eligibility.

Heads up: For those planning a BER soon, from May 24, 2026, the BER scale is being simplified from 15 categories (A1, B2, and so on) to a basic A to G scale. This is part of wider changes to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) at a European level. We will dive into this in more detail next month.

As always, if you would like to get in touch about anything in this article or your own retrofit project, feel free to reach out: ruairi@retrofurb.ie.

Every year International Dawn Chorus Day celebrates the natural wonder of birdsong and in particular the dawn chorus, a phenomenon that takes place every morning during the breeding season and starts even before the sun rises writes Branch member Nicholas Mitchell. This year it is on Sunday, May 3 and you can tune in to RTÉ Radio 1 that morning, shortly after midnight, or you can enjoy it in your own garden, local park or surrounding countryside.

Avian spring migrants started leaving their over-wintering grounds in Africa many weeks ago and have been arriving at their northern hemisphere breeding grounds, including Ireland, since April. These summer visitors, like Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat, have all added to the chorus of birdsong that began with our resident birds as far back as February. This means that, by the time we get to May, the volume and variety of the chorus has increased manyfold, especially at dawn and dusk.

That is why the West Cork Branch of BirdWatch Ireland hosts a dawn chorus event most years during May. However, every so often, we run a Dusk Chorus event instead. And this is one of those years. The birdsong at this time of day does not have quite the same impact that it does at dawn, in that the chorus does not build to a crescendo. However, it is not without its benefits. There is the obvious bonus of not having to set an alarm clock at some unearthly hour. Another is that the birdsong is more ‘spread out’ and less of a wall of noise. This allows different birdsong of each bird to be separated and highlighted more easily for the audience. Also this time of day makes it more appealing as a family event.

The event will start at 8pm in the Long Strand car park, Castlefreke. We will gather there for a while and then probably walk up into the woods behind. It will last an hour or so and, as with most Branch outings, it is free of charge and open to everyone. Any walking will be on good paths and appropriate footwear is recommended, as is warm clothing and, most importantly, midge repellent!

BirdWatch Ireland West Cork Branch News

Upcoming outings being held by the Branch are:
Sunday May 24: Dusk Chorus at Long Strand, Castlefreke
Sunday May 31: Cape Clear Island

Visit our website www.birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie for more information about these events. For more information about the Branch, contact Fiona O’Neill at secretary@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie.

Facebook @BirdWatchIrelandWestCork

Instagram @birdwatch_ireland_west_cork

We spoke back in February about the significant changes to several SEAI grant schemes. As of February 3, 2026, heat pump grants have increased to a maximum of €12,500. This total now includes a new €4,000 Renewable Heat Bonus (essentially a boiler scrappage scheme) and a €2,000 Central Heating Upgrade grant, alongside existing supports. Crucially, this level of funding is now available through Better Energy Homes individual grants – which previously capped out at €6,500 – as well as the One Stop Shop, (OSS) route. Grants for attic and cavity wall insulation have also seen an uplift.

At the start of March, the highly-anticipated Windows and Doors grant launched under the individual measure scheme, previously only available under the OSS grant route. This rollout included higher supports for households receiving certain Social Protection payments and new attic insulation grants specifically for first-time buyers. Additionally, homeowners who previously received a grant for cavity or internal wall insulation may now qualify for a second wall insulation grant.

From what we’ve seen through our own business, the window and door grant is causing the most confusion – which isn’t surprising. The rules and application process are more complex than most other measures, and the full details aren’t always clear on the SEAI website. This month, I want to dive deeper into the intricate details of these new grants.

First, let’s cover the straightforward requirements:

Property Age: Your house must have been built and occupied before 2011.

Performance: New windows and doors must meet a U-value of 1.4 or better (a U-value measures heat loss; the lower the number, the better the insulation).

Contractor: You must use an SEAI-registered contractor.

Timeline: You must apply online via the SEAI Better Energy Homes portal before you start the work.

Payment: You have the work completed, pay the contractor, have a BER assessment completed afterward and then claim the grant back.

The complexity lies in the ‘fabric-first’ criteria specific to windows and doors. To qualify, your home must meet one of the following:

Heat Loss Indicator (HLI): You must achieve an HLI of 2.3 or lower after the windows/doors are fitted. This is the same metric used to determine heat pump readiness.

Advisory Report: Alternatively, your BER Advisory Report must show your walls and roof as being rated ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’.

Confirming eligibility is tricky and depends on the age of your home and your current BER status.

If you have a BER (Post-July 2021): You likely have the new-format Advisory Report. You can check this immediately to see your current HLI and wall/roof ratings.

If you have a BER (Pre-July 2021): These older reports don’t display this level of detail. The full data would need to be requested from the SEAI for review, which usually requires professional assistance.

If you don’t have a BER: You will likely need a pre-BER assessment to check eligibility and determine if upgrades to your attic or walls are required first.

Note on 2005-2010 Homes: Houses in this age bracket often meet the ‘Good’ wall and roof definitions by default due to the building regulations of that time.

In all cases, a final BER is required to claim the grant. If you are relying on an existing BER to check compliance, it makes sense to use the same assessor for the final BER to ensure consistency. If starting from scratch, most assessors, including ourselves, now offer a combined ‘pre-and-post’ BER service for these grants.

Finally, keep in mind that this is a ‘whole house’ upgrade. You cannot get the grant to replace just a few windows while leaving poor-performing ones behind. If you’ve upgraded some windows recently (within the last 10 years), they likely already meet the 1.4 U-value and can be retained, provided you can supply a Declaration of Performance from the original supplier.

As always, if you would like to get in touch about anything in this article or your own retrofit project, feel free to reach out: ruairi@retrofurb.ie.

Gardening By John Hosford

As April unfolds, the days are lengthening, and with the clocks having shifted forward to Summer Time at the end of March, we now enjoy those extra evening hours. This extended daylight offers a wonderful opportunity to catch up on various gardening tasks. There’s plenty to do this month, from seed sowing both indoors and outdoors to weeding, planting, and pruning.

Cut back evergreen shrubs

Start by cutting back evergreen shrubs. It’s an ideal time to prune Mediterranean shrubs such as lavender and rosemary; make sure to cut them back to healthy buds. Avoid trimming into old, lifeless wood, as this may not reshoot. Plants like Fatsia, Hebe, and Escallonia can benefit from a light trim, while Ceanothus, Choisya, Daphne, Mahonia, Rhododendrons, Camellias, Azaleas, and Sarcococca should be pruned after flowering, ideally in May or June.

Deadhead daffodils 

Deadheading daffodils and other spring bulbs is essential after the flowers have faded. This practice diverts energy back into the bulbs, helping them bulk up for an even better display next year. If you have water lilies that have outgrown their space, now is the time to divide them. Carefully remove the plant and use a sharp knife to cut the root ball into sections, ensuring each has at least one shoot and some roots. Replant these sections into pond baskets filled with aquatic compost.

Feed trees, shrubs and perennials

Feeding trees, shrubs, and perennials is also crucial this month. Specialised feeds are available for lime-hating plants like Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias, Skimmias, Sarcococca, and Kalmia, which will thrive with an application. Roses should also receive their monthly feed with a special rose fertiliser, followed by another application in May and June. When applying fertiliser, spread it out at a distance proportional to the height of the tree or bush, as roots typically expand to a distance equal to the plant’s height.

Vegetable garden

In the vegetable garden, sow peas in a sunny, sheltered position, planting them in a flat-bottomed trench about 5cm deep and 15cm wide, spacing them 7.5 cm apart in a single row or in two rows 30 cm apart. Remember to support them with robust wire netting. For potatoes, plant out second early and maincrop varieties, ensuring second earlies are set 30cm apart in rows 30cm apart and maincrops 37 cm apart. Earthing up first earlies protects the stems from cold weather and encourages more tubers to form. This process can be repeated as later varieties emerge above ground. Protect young crops with a double layer of extra-strength frost protection fleece, cloches, or cold frames.

You can also sow carrots and cabbages in prepared beds, covering them with fleece or insect-proof mesh to protect against carrot fly and cabbage white butterflies, whose larvae can devastate brassicas like cabbages, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Additionally, sow courgettes, vegetable marrows, pumpkins, squashes, cucumbers, melons, sweet corn, runner beans, and both bush and climbing French beans in 10 cm pots in a heated, frost-free area indoors. You can plant one seed per pot or two and select the strongest seedling once they emerge. These can be moved outdoors at the end of May or early June after hardening off.

Tomato plants can be planted in their fruiting quarters this month, whether in greenhouse soil, grow-bags, or large pots. Trailing varieties are perfect for hanging baskets or window boxes but must be kept frost-free.

Fruit garden

In the fruit garden, mulch raspberry canes with organic matter such as well-composted garden compost or stable manure. If those aren’t available, the excellent Gee-up from Blarney, Co. Cork, is a great substitute and widely available in garden outlets throughout Cork County. Indoors, geraniums, pelargoniums, fuchsias, and streptocarpus should now start receiving regular weekly liquid feeds. A seaweed-based fertiliser works well, and these plants should be fed weekly until early October to encourage healthy growth and blooming.

Citrus trees should begin receiving special citrus feed. Once the frost has passed at the end of May, they can be moved outdoors, provided they have drainage holes. Houseplants will require more frequent watering, and it’s best to stand them in a sink while watering, allowing them to drain without standing in water for more than 30 minutes.

April flowers

April also brings a delightful array of flowering plants. Bergenia showcases white, pink, and red flowers on glossy, leathery leaves and serves as excellent ground cover for early colour. Brunnera, with its green and variegated varieties, offers dainty blue flowers. The profuse blooms of crab apples are followed by attractive autumn fruit, while dogs tooth violets present low, clump-forming bulbs for shade. Dicentra spectabilis, or bleeding heart, boasts tall, elegant foliage.

Exochorda produces profuse white flowers, while Fritillaria persica captivates with purple spires of bloom, best planted as bulbs in autumn. Flowering cherries offer a stunning display of pink and white flowers, and some varieties feature attractive polished bark. Pulmonaria provides early colour in low-growing shades of blue, red, and white. Many rhododendron varieties will be in bloom this month, thriving in lime-free, ericaceous compost and benefiting from annual feed with a specific Rhododendron/Azalea fertiliser. Tulips will also be in flower, presenting a variety of colours, so remember to protect them from slugs.

For bedding and patio plants, containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets can now be planted and established in a greenhouse. Use fresh compost and include a slow-release fertiliser. Ensure window boxes have drainage outlets before planting.

Lastly, keep your lawn in check by mowing regularly, starting with the blades at their highest setting. Gradually lower the setting by the end of the month. Feed established lawns, aerate to rake out thatch, and give your lawn a spring feed. If you’re establishing new lawns, prepare the ground properly.

April is a vibrant month in the garden, full of opportunities to nurture and enjoy your plants. 

Happy gardening!

Canine Corner by Liz Mahony

Since my youth, I’ve been an avid people and animal watcher totally fascinated by interactions between the human and animal species. And it has never lost its appeal for me. So, over the beautiful weekend we experienced a fortnight ago, I took Saffron, my Boxer, into Dunmanway, to sit outside my favourite cafe to watch the world go by in the town square. She particularly loves this pastime, believing that anyone who appears on the pavement is specifically interested in saying hello to her

Not only that, the girls in the cafe spoil her, bringing out a bowl of water especially for her and giving her cuddles. She’s a gentle dog and affectionately leans into them, appreciating all the attention. There are only two small tables with four chairs outside the building, set pretty close together. While we were sitting there, a lady, having placed her order at the counter inside, arrived out and began hovering around the second table, making it obvious that Saffron was bothering her. I might add that Saffron was, in fact, sitting on my left side, and furthest from this person.

Yes, she was looking hopeful to make her acquaintance but, other than that, her manners were impeccable!

During the ensuing conversation, it transpired that this woman had had dogs in her childhood and had experienced no problems with them or any others. However, a recent encounter with her brother’s dog had frightened her because he had allowed him to bark at her in an intimidating manner, which made her feel very uneasy. Despite her discomfort, instead of dealing with the dog’s bad behaviour, her brother suggested that all she had to do was say ‘hello’ to the dog and stroke him which would appease him!

I fully understand that many of us are less than sympathetic to our siblings when they appear to overreact to a given situation but in this instance I was able to sympathise with her plight. She realised that her own fear was exacerbating the circumstances but there was much more to this.

Firstly, her brother was allowing his dog to behave rudely to visitors instead of teaching a more polite way to ‘meet and greet’ them. Suggesting that his sister approach the dog stroke him in order to calm him down was quite a feat. Not only that, by condoning this action, both his sister and the dog’s owner were simply reinforcing this bad behaviour, and over time, this appeasement rather than education, could lead to an escalation of it.

Let’s put this scenario into human terms. Would it be in order for a child to rudely confront a visitor and intimidate him/her? I think not! And would we, as parents, allow it? Again, I think not. Then why do we allow a dog to do it? It’s unjust to both dog and visitor.

The lady in question couldn’t believe that Saffron wasn’t barking at her. But then, she hadn’t really looked at her in a meaningful way. She just imagined that because her brother’s dog was ill-mannered and confrontational, ergo, all dogs are like that. When you translate that view into general terms, it means that, as dog owners, we are starting off at a disadvantage. People seem prepared to believe the worst in others – and, more importantly, their dogs. It puts a huge responsibility on us, as owners, to prove them wrong, not for our own sakes but for the good of our precious canines.

The more people decide that dogs are all ill-mannered, likely to bite, noisy or confrontational, the more open spaces, towns, and so on, are going to become ‘no-go’ areas for us and our companions. And the more that happens, the harder it will be to re-open those spaces to us. And if that occurs, it will be even harder to convince people, other than dog owners, that our canine companions are actually welcome in our urban and country life.

Where can we start to remedy this situation? Firstly, I think we have to prove to others that our dogs can behave politely in all situations. That means training them at home and socialising them outside the family milieu – just like I was doing with Saffron on that Saturday. It means teaching our dogs to behave on every occasion and rewarding them for it.

Secondly, we really have to address this business of picking up after our dogs in towns and areas where there will be human contact. Apart from the hygienic point of view, it doesn’t look so good seeing dog excrement left lying on pavements and, as already said, it doesn’t help our case for allowing us to socialise our dogs in any and all areas. In doing so, we might help others to see our well-behaved dogs as pleasant individuals rather than an unruly collective!

The season that all gardeners long for is upon us. Recent weather has been challenging to say the least, but just like the longed for Spring, hope of brighter days, fresh growth and new beginnings are in the air writes Mattie Keane of Future Forests.

There is nothing quite like Spring bulbs bursting into flower to announce that Spring has finally arrived. While many bulbs are planted in autumn, some can also be planted while actively growing in the Spring or ‘in the green’ as it is called in the trade. Some of my absolute Spring favourites like bluebells, snowdrops, winter aconites and even wild garlic (allium ursinum) tend to establish really well when planted this way. Spring is the time to visit your local woodlands in the hope to come across carpets of these native wildflowers in full bloom – a sight so breathtaking it can stop you in your tracks. That magical woodland effect can be recreated at home by planting swaths of these bulbs underneath deciduous trees or in lightly shaded areas where they will naturalise freely over time.

Japanese flowering cherries are rightly highly-regarded for their showy displays, but there is another group of flowering cherries that are a little bit less known, but should not be overlooked. Just like our native blackthorn – another prunus – (Prunus cerasifera) flowers before the leaf emerges in Spring and its branches are smothered in single white flowers. This common species is called Cherry plum and goes on to produce quite large red or yellow fruits in the Autumn, these can be eaten fresh, but are usually cooked or used in preserves and it is often included in our permaculture hedging mixes. One of its best-known cultivars, Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’ produces masses of striking pink flowers in early spring, followed by attractive dark foliage. 

Forsythia is a firm Spring favourite, it is such an easy shrub to grow and many people will recognise its pretty, bright, golden yellow flowers, that for me are a definite reminder that Spring is well and truly here. This versatile shrub responds well to trimming and can even be used as a flowering hedge. It does flower on old wood, so best to prune it immediately after flowering to ensure plenty of blooms for next year. Forsythia x intermedia ‘Spectabilis’ is the most well known form, but other varieties like ‘Weekend’ with its large, abundant flowers and ‘Manchuria’, a compact and early flowering variety, offer something a little bit different.

Another yellow flowering shrub that I admire is Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Grandiflora’. Its branches are famously pliable and it is used to make high quality paper in Japan hence its common name, ‘The Paper Bush’. This unusual shrub can start to flower in late Winter, but more often in Spring. On bare stems, it produces large, yellow, fragrant flowers. It is hardy to around minus-five degrees Celsius, so benefits from a sheltered position, ideally near a wall and somewhere you’ll pass regularly to enjoy its delicious scent. It also grows beautifully in a container. I have seen several mature specimens thriving here in West Cork, with thoughtful placement, it can be a true garden treasure.

Spring flowers will bring beauty to your garden, but having early flowering plants is also a massive benefit to pollinators, do keep in mind that single rather than double flowers are generally much easier for pollinators to access. Another Spring favourite of mine that adds a completely different feature to the garden is catkins, Hazel is really striking at this time of the year, as is alder, and willow is a particularly vital early food source for pollinators and so lovely when covered in its showy catkins. 

The bare-root season is drawing to a close at the end of March. If you’ve been considering planting an orchard, creating a native hedgerow, or getting a few trees into the ground, there is still time but you need to do it soon.

We are very well stocked at Future Forests, with new exciting deliveries landing in every week. If it’s a bit cold outside, you can always warm yourself with a light bite or a hot drink from the Coffee Bee, which is open Thursday to Sunday, year round. We look forward to seeing you.

At one time in Ireland, the average adult consumed over six kilos of potatoes per day or just over two tons per year! If you consider there were over eight million people eating this staple food, it is estimated that over 330,000 hectares were cultivated to grow this amount of potatoes. These were not the varieties that we are familiar with today but mostly the dreaded Lumper variety described as “wet, tasteless and unwholesome” potato variety that triggered the Irish ‘Potato’ Famine. Today about 9000 hectares are grown (producing an impressive 370,000 tons) and our average annual potato consumption is just 85kg a person, which is still two-and-a-half times higher than the world average. Despite this you may be surprised to learn we still import over 50 per cent of the potatoes consumed in Ireland.

We have ideal growing conditions in West Cork and we are finding many of our customers here at Deelish are getting fantastic returns on their home grown spuds! This season we have over 20 varieties in stock. Each year we try to source new varieties, as well as stocking tried and tested favourites such as Roosters and British Queens. For this month’s article, I thought it would be a good idea to have a look at how to grow your own. 

There is plenty of time to plant this wonderful vegetable, which is traditionally planted on St.Patricks day but can also be planted as late as May.

Seed potatoes are dived into three main groups listed below:

First earlies; Plant early to mid March. 10-12 weeks to mature. Less chance of blight but smaller harvest. Popular varieties; Orla, Duke of York, Sharpe’s Express, Home Guard

Second earlies; Plant mid March to early April. 12-14 weeks to mature. Small chance of blight. Good selection Medium harvest. Popular varieties; British Queens, Charlotte, Nicola. Maris Peer

Main crop; Plant in April. 18-22 weeks to mature. More chance of blight. Large harvest. Popular varieties; Rooster, Golden wonders,  Kerr’s pink, Sarpo Mira.

Chitting
Once you have decided which varieties you want to grow, it is time to ‘chit’ (spelled with a c)! Seed potatoes, particularly earlies and second earlies benefit from ‘chitting’ prior to being planted. This process encourages strong shoots to sprout over several weeks to encourage faster growth and heavier crops once they’re in the ground.

From late January/February, chit your seed potatoes by setting them out in seed trays, shallow boxes or empty egg cartons in a cool, bright, frost-free position to allow them to sprout. You will notice that the immature ‘chits’ are all at one end (called the rose end). Place the rose end upwards. Sturdy ‘chits’ will form and should grow one inch in length. Be careful not to let them get any longer, as they can break when planting out, slowing down the growth. Main crops don’t necessarily need to be chitted.

Planting out
Once you are happy with your chitted seed potatoes and the weather seems right, you are ready to plant! Here in West Cork, it is possible to plant seed potatoes right through the year under the protection of glass houses and polytunnels. Outside it is possible to plant out after the last frost, (typically mid to late March). The soil should be freshly dug over and weed free.The traditional way is to dig a narrow trench 12cm (5in) deep. This can be lined with compost or even grass clippings for a better crop. As potatoes are hungry growers, I also add organic horse manure or chicken pellets, as well as seaweed to the trench at this stage. The seed tubers are spaced 30cm (12”) apart for earlies and 37cm (15”) for main crop varieties. The rows should be 24” (60cm) apart for earlies and 75cm (30in) apart for maincrop. Planting depth is also important, as if they are planted too shallow they are unlikely to produce large tubers and too deep they will struggle to  grow at all. The ideal planting depth is just over 4-5” (10-13cm) depending on the size of your seed potatoes.

There are other ways of growing if you do not have a large garden, or any garden at all! Small crops of potatoes can be grown in large, deep containers (rubble sacks and stacked tyres also work) and this is a good way of getting an early batch of new potatoes. Line the bottom 15cm (6in) of the container with potting compost and plant the seed potato just below this. As the new stems start growing, keep adding compost until the container is full.

Aftercare
It is important to ‘earth up’ potato crops as the shoots emerge above ground, to protect them from frosts which blacken the shoots and delay production. Simply draw some soil over the top of the shoots to cover them again.

If there is a chance of a late frost, cover the new shoots with a garden fleece or straw. Remove when the threat of frost has passed.

First earlies and second earlies in particular require plenty of water during prolonged dry weather especially when tubers are starting to form. This is also a good time to feed with an organic liquid concentrate. This will strengthen the plants against disease and improve yields.

When the stems reach a height of 23cm (9”) above ground they should be earthed up again to prevent tubers near to the soil surface from turning green.

Weed out any unwanted plants along the trenches through the season (if the potatoes are growing well, there won’t be many).

Harvesting
Harvesting times will vary depending on the growing season, weather conditions at harvest time and the size of tuber you want. Start to harvest first earlies as ‘new potatoes’ when the plants begin to flower, approximately 10-12 weeks from planting. Tubers will generally become larger the longer their growing period.

Maincrop varieties are usually left for at least two weeks after the leaves and stems have withered, to allow the skins to set. Cut down the stems with secateurs to just above soil level as the leaves wither and yellow, or if they show signs of blight. After harvesting, leave the tubers on the soil surface for a few hours to dry and cure the skin. Once dry store them in paper or hessian sacks in a dark, cool but frost free place. Avoid storing in polythene bags as potatoes will ‘sweat’ and rot. Some main crop varieties tend to taste sweeter a few weeks or months after harvesting, as the starches change to sugar.

Common problems
Potato blight: This is the most common disease in our wet, warm summers. The initial symptoms are a rapidly spreading brown watery rot, affecting the leaves, and stems. Tubers can be affected too, and have a reddish-brown decay below the skin, firm at first but soon developing into a soft rot.

Remedy – Spray potato crops with a protective fungicide even before signs of blight become apparent. Copper sulphate is used as a preventative, not a cure. Add 50g Bluestone (copper sulphate) to two litres of hot water. In a separate container add 60g washing soda to three litres of hot water. After half an hour, mix the two liquids and spray directly onto the potatoes, making sure to spray under the leaves as well. Do not spray if raining, as the mixture will not stick. Use a watering can in the absence of a sprayer and ensure to clean it thoroughly after use. This five litre mixture is enough for 20 square metres. Begin spraying this potato blight treatment from about June, particularly when periods of wet weather are forecast and spray again after a few weeks to protect any new growth. 

We have also had great feedback from gardeners spraying with horsetail concentrate available as a concentrate here at Deelish. If plants do become infected they should be removed and destroyed. Where potato crops have already developed tubers then these can be saved by cutting away the foliage and stems. Leave the soil undisturbed for 2/3 weeks to kill off any lingering spores so that they don’t infect the crop when it is lifted. 

Always try and grow potatoes on new ground or rotate every year if possible. Keeping the potatoes fed with a good organic fertiliser containing plenty of trace elements will also help with preventing blight. 

If you want to grow main crop potatoes but worry about blight, another option is to grow any of the following; Sarpo Mira, Axona along Vitabella (one of my favorites) as  well as  many more varieties  have  all been bred for high blight resistance.

Potato blackleg: Potato blackleg is a common bacterial disease which causes black rotting at the stem base. Initial infections cause stunted growth and yellowing stems. If tubers form, the flesh may be grey or brown and rotten.

Remedy – Blackleg generally infects individual plants rather than entire crops and does not spread between plants or persist in the soil. Remove and destroy any infected plants, improve soil drainage and plant blackleg resistant potato varieties such as Charlotte.

Potato scab: This disease causes raised scab-like lesions on the potato surface. It does not affect the taste of the potato, and is easily removed on peeling. 

Remedy – Common Scab on potatoes is best controlled by improving poor soil conditions with the addition of organic matter and by keeping potato crops well watered throughout the growing season. Use any infected tubers first and do not store them. Home guard is well known variety for scab resistance.

Eelworm: Initially, crops display patches of poor growth and affected plants may show chlorosis and wilting, with poor top growth. These symptoms develop from the ground upwards. Heavily infested plants die prematurely and yield a poor crop of under-sized tubers. 

Remedy – There are no pesticides available to home gardeners, which will control  eelworms, and so crop rotation should be used to avoid spreading the pest and to reduce infestations. Some varieties are more resistant. Nicola (another of my favourites) and Picasso have good Eelworm resistance.

Slugs: Slugs cause damage to both the foliage and to the developing potato tubers. Damage is fairly obvious as the culprits are easily identified by the silvery slime trails that are left around the plant foliage and on the soil surface.

Remedy – There are a multitude of ways to kill or remove slugs and snails including homemade remedies such as beer traps. Use eco-friendly slug pellets or you can try nematodes or copper barriers. Sarpo Mira, Golden wonders and a few others have good slug resistance.

One of the attractions of growing the humble potato is just how easy it is to grow, and how much you get in return for a bit of planning, chitting and digging! It is also an excellent crop to grow on new ground where you plan to grow other vegetables in future seasons. Don’t let any of the above common problems put you off giving them a go, as they really are a joy to grow!

Feel free to visit us here at Deelish for all your gardening needs and many more gardening tips. Wishing you all the best with the 2026 growing season ahead.