Free Green Business Workshops 2012

GreenBusiness.ie (GB.ie) and the Green Hospitality Programme (GHP) announce their joint Free Regional Workshops under the umbrella of the EPA’s BeGreen programme.

Read more: Free Green Business Workshops 2012

Whose Sick Idea Was it to Ban Every Blooming Thing?

By: MICHAEL VINEY. Another Life: The Pot Held a primrose plant in full flower and violets blooming in green moss. It hardly needed the “Get well soon” message: this sang out from the springing leaves and petals, the living hedge bank fragrance.

Read more: Whose Sick Idea Was it to Ban Every Blooming Thing?

GIY Week 2012

GIY Sow a Seed Week takes place from April 14th to 21st – GIY groups nationwide will be hosting events to reach out to their communities, backed up by a big publicity push from us nationally.  There are also 4 regional Gatherings in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast (where speakers include Klaus Laitenberger, John McCormack, Kitty Scully, Dermot Carey, Peter Dowdall, Kay Synott and Trevor Sargent).

Read more: GIY Week 2012

HortiTrends Weekly Comment & News Digest April 12th

Apologies to those of you who clicked directly through to your specific news sector only to find it was not updated. Sorted for this week and updated with every thing except 'Todays News'.

In last weeks newsletter we carried the article Bloom Phoenix Questions Raised Over Awarding of Tender for 'Bloom in the Park' 2012 Event Management. We had a response from a Bord Bia spokesperson that we have now included in the article. It basically say's 'All is Well' and that it is all systems go for Bloom 2012. In the article Tourism Ireland Pitch up at Philadelphia International Flower Show you will see that they targeted 265,000 potential visitors while vitually next door, with 10 times that number expected to visit is Floriade 2012.

Read more: HortiTrends Weekly Comment & News Digest April 12th

Garden Market - Recent Consumer Research Findings

Consumers General Outlook on Gardening - There are two distinct ways that gardeners look upon gardening:

1. Necessity and a chore
2. Pleasure and an active hobby

Read more: Garden Market - Recent Consumer Research Findings

Invasive Species Ireland Newsletter

In this newsletter we have information on:

1. Invasive Species Ireland Forum 2012
2. Be Plant Wise
3. Himalayan balsam bash 2012 - get involved

Read more: Invasive Species Ireland Newsletter

Teagasc Seeks Licence for Research on GM Potatoes

An application by Teagasc to the Environmental Protection Agency for a licence to conduct research on the potential impact of genetically modified (GM) “blight-resistant” potatoes has been endorsed by the Agricultural Science Association.

Read more: Teagasc Seeks Licence for Research on GM Potatoes

HortiTrends Weekly Comment & News Digest April 5th

We had a fantastic response to our advertising offer and have have extended it to close of business April 13th. We met some great people at the recent Tulip Naming Event in the Botanic Gardens. One person made the comment that they liked the site but that it was hard to tell the difference between what was real news or just simple advert plugs. We cannot argue with that opinion. Without the support of these advertisers it would be impossible to do what we do.

Read more: HortiTrends Weekly Comment & News Digest April 5th

Teagsac GM Potato Project Defended

Perhaps inevitably there has been criticism over plans to test GM potatoes, resistant to late blight, in Ireland. The recent announcement of the plans came from the Irish agricultural development agency, Teagsac. The plans relate to the cultivation of a modified Desiree potato, transformed with the Rpi-vnt1.1 gene, which confers resistance to P. infestans/late blight. The gene was taken from the wild potato species Solanum venturii and inserted into the cultivated potato.

Read more: Teagsac GM Potato Project Defended

Home Grown Aubergines Now Available

Home grown Aubergines will be available in commercial quantities for the first time in Ireland this year and will result in considerable import substitution. Locally grown produce always has an edge in freshness and taste as the fruit can be left to ripen longer on the plant. The first fruits are being harvested at the moment, with the main season due to start soon.

Read more: Home Grown Aubergines Now Available

Teagasc Announces 2012 Walsh Postgraduate Fellowship Programme Awards

The Teagasc Authority recently announced the award of 49 new postgraduate fellowships, mainly to PhD level, under its Walsh Fellowship Postgraduate Programme. These awards represent an overall investment of over €4 million in training the young scientists who will help drive forward Ireland’s growing agri-food industry.

Read more: Teagasc Announces 2012 Walsh Postgraduate Fellowship Programme Awards

Letter to the Editor - National Tree Week 2012

As we sign off on National Tree Week 2012, I want to thank you for your very kind and helpful support in featuring and promoting coverage of Tree Week in the Hortitrends newsletter. We are delighted to say that this year’s Tree Week was a great success overall with hundreds of events taking place around the country generating a lot of positive interest and coverage for trees.

Read more: Letter to the Editor - National Tree Week 2012

Inflammatory Research

By: CLAIRE O'CONNELL. IF YOU’LL PARDON the pun, inflammation has become a hot topic in recent years. Research is pointing to the body’s inflammatory response as a factor involved in more and more conditions, including arthritis, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Read more: Inflammatory Research

Agrohomeopathy - Martin Byrne

Agrohomeopathy - using homeopathic remedies for natural pest control and treatment of plant disease. I am a registered homeopath specialising in the area of agrohomeopathy - the use of homeopathic remedies for plant pest control and the treatment of plant disease. The remedies are natural and non-toxic and are safe to use in the garden and farm.

Read more: Agrohomeopathy - Martin Byrne

John Lord Says 'Beware of Pyracantha Leaf Miner'

A small batch (thankfully) of my pyracanthas had what I thought was a fungal leaf spot, which they can be prone to. On closer inspection it turned out to be Pyracantha Leaf Miner. Into the wheelie bin they went - bonfires being a thing of the past in this country.

Read more: John Lord Says 'Beware of Pyracantha Leaf Miner'

Seawater and Greenhouses Could Solve Africa’s Food Crisis

Everything about Seawater Greenhouse is counter-intuitive. You do not have to know much about agriculture to know you don't grow things in a desert, you don't grow things using sea water, and you don't make your key target markets war-torn failed states.

Read more: Seawater and Greenhouses Could Solve Africa’s Food Crisis

Minister Coveney Announces the Opening of the On-Line Mapping Facility 2012 INet

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, today confirmed that the on-line mapping facility on the 2012 iNet, his Department's online application facility for the Single Payment Scheme, has now gone 'live'.

Read more: Minister Coveney Announces the Opening of the On-Line Mapping Facility 2012 INet

Young Horticulturist of Year Competition Irish Final 2012

This year, more than 270 people contested in the heats of the YHOY competition held at several different venues throughout Ireland. Participating Colleges were Kildalton College, Cork-IT, IT-Blanchardstown, the National Botanic Gardens, Greenmount Campus, Bray Institute of Further Education and Grow Your Own Future.

Read more: Young Horticulturist of Year Competition Irish Final 2012

Government Launches Innovative Africa Agri-Food Development Fund

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Eamon Gilmore, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Simon Coveney and Minister of State for Trade and Development Mr Joe Costello recently launched a €2 million Africa Agri-Food Development Fund.

Read more: Government Launches Innovative Africa Agri-Food Development Fund

Countdown Underway to Greenmount Centenary Show 2012

The Greenmount Centenary Show is being heralded as one of the showcase family attractions for this summer. With less than 100 days to go, the Show will take place on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 June 2012, 100 years after the first students commenced their education at Greenmount.

Read more: Countdown Underway to Greenmount Centenary Show 2012