The easter weekend offers a wealth of gardening opportunities and this week Paraic looked at caring for early plants in pots and containers with emphasis on feeding and watering for healthy growth. Cucumbers, aubergines, pumpkins, marrows and courgettes can all be planted now while cottage garden plants such as old favourites like lupins, foxgloves, sweet peas, delphiniums and poppies can be planted now for colour in may and june. Other topics this week featured interplanting carpet roses with stem varieties for contrast, growing apple trees in pots and what to do with winter heathers that have finished flowering. Listeners questions included planting for August wedding colour, wild grass patches in lawns, pruning forsythia and how to care for young tomato plants that have been exposed to low temperatures.

As summer starts to beckon this week's programme looked at advance planting with hints and tips on preparing hanging baskets, patio planters and window boxes. There were great options for colour and edible fruits with geraniums, petunias, fuschias, begonias and other trailing plants for summer colour all becoming available now. Other topics included ground covering plants for banks, options for three foot bordders and climbers that are also suitable to use as cut flowers. Listeners questions ranged from pest control for greenfly, growing blackcurrants and raspberries in containers, dealing with frost-damaged forest flame and cutting back daffodils.

Colour for Easter opened the programme this week with some great planting suggestions available at the moment including Dianthus, Euryops, Nemecia and others. Paraic advised against planting out summer bedding as night time temperatures are still somewhat cool, however daytime temperatures are perfect for seeds and the programme looked at some alternative vegetables that can be sown now including chickory, chard, baby carrots,brussel sprouts and italian kale. There was advice on taking cuttings from orange fizz geraniums, planting lavender from harvested seed, looking after lillies in pots and growing celery. Questions this week included how to treat frost stained camelias, repotting houseplants and orchids, treating bacterial canker in apple trees and how to differentiate between Japanese and Chinese wisteria.

As Mother's Day twins with the start of National Tree Week this year today's programme looked at celebrating tree planting with many different native trees highlighted. Aquilegia (Granny's Bonnet) which comes into full flower now was featured and the programme went out and about to hear from Cregmore National School in County Galway where the school is planting up their newly acquired vegepod. Paraic discussed the challenges of planting trees too deeply, gave information on canker in parsnips and the programme looked at the life cycle of the Vine Weevil. Listeners questions included transplanting Japanese Maple, the correct depth and distance when planting Begonias, pollinating plum trees and reasons for poor flowering camelias.

With the good weather finally allowing us to get back into the garden property after winter this week's programme covered a range of tasks that can be tackled now from getting the lawn into shape and cutting back hydrangeas and roses to trimming hedges and sowing and setting seeds. There was a preview of plants offering colour and scent in advance of Mother's Day including camelias, orchids, anthurium and scented lillies. There was information on the care of fruit bushes at this time of year, moving strawberries, hand pollinating pears and recommendations for cabbage, potatoes and other vegetables suitable for a poly tunnel. Listeners questions included what to do with early flowering calla lillies, grafting apple scions to rootstock, treating bugs and other greenhouse pests and splitting and moving rudbeckia.

This week's programme focused on getting vegetables and other early summer plants started in the garden - Paraic discussed a variety of vegetable options from early salad leaves and speedy veg to sowing peppers, chillies and tomatoes from seed indoors. There were features on scented roses, semi mature evergreens and planting options for small plots. Listeners questions this week included how to grow oleander trees in Ireland, pest control of leather jackets and bugs on clematis, re-potting lemon scented geraniums, tackling the problem of rushes in a new lawn and trimming back weeping willows.

St. Patrick's weekend is just around the corner and that signals the start of the potato planing season. The programme this week featured an in-depth look at this much loved staple with advice on sprouting indoors, planting out, layering in pots, slug and scab resistant varieties and growing in tunnels. Daffodils are in full bloom and Paraic addressed reasons for buds failing to flower and when to move bulbs. Other topics included what to do with cuttings that have rooted, fruiting trees and plants for small gardens and how to control ivy growing between shrubs. Listeners questions included sowing wild flower seeds, hand pollinating peach trees and learning about bee-keeping.

The 2019 garden programme kicked off with a general look at how gardens

have fared over the winter period with lots of plants coming into growth

and flower a little earlier than usual due to the mild conditions. Roses

were in the spotlight as its a perfect time to prune and feed them now.

There was also a focus on summer flowering plants such as hydrangeas and

budleias which will all benefit from pruning at the moment while summer

flowering bulbs like dahlia and begonias can be planted inside now for

transplanting later in the spring. The benefits of gardening with

Vegeopds were highlighted as a great way for growing a variety of

vegetables while listeners questions included problems with bolting

onions, sowing herbs for sensory therapy, planting oregano to attract

bees around apple trees and how to deal with grubs and vine weavil on

bulbs that have remained in the ground over winter.

The final programme of the series for 2018 focused on putting the garden to bed for the winter period. Paraic advised on giving the lawn a final trim and on feed and moss treatments in preparation for Spring. The programme explored compost options including the use of seaweed and featured potatoes harvested this week. There was advice on patching up a hawthorn hedge, bringing on hyacinth bulbs and plants suitable for graves over the winter months. Listeners questions featured an Arum Lily with no flowers, damaged Bux trees, splitting and transplanting Hostas, sowing whitethorn and blackthorn from seed and using copper to deter snails.

High pressure and nighttime frosts have resulted in some fantastic autumnal gardening weather - this week Paraic advised on giving lawns a final mow and feed before the winter period sets in and spoke about planting fruit for next year. The programme looked at plants providing great colour right now including asters, the strawberry tree, achonites, liquid amber and winter heathers, considered options for security planting and gardening projects for children over halloween. Questions included cooking apples that grow well in the West of Ireland, taking slips from virginia creeper and boston ivy, trimming and planting dog roses, harvesting and storing potatoes, carrots and beetroot and trimming back weeping willow.