Home & Garden - Spring / Summer 2014

Home Garden &

Spring/SUMMER 2014 www.southernstar.ie

Interiors | Lighting | Paints | Gardening Advice | Sowing Guide

Your guide to the perfect West Cork home and garden

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03

Home&Garden

Welcome to our Home and Garden magazine for Spring/Summer 2014 The recent sunny days have definitely put a spring in everyone’s step and got us all thinking about getting out in the garden or sprucing up our homes.

In this super 20-page publication you’ll find lots of articles, advice, images, ideas and hopefully some inspiration too, to help you get the most from your West Cork home and garden. Enjoy!

All the best, The Southern Star team

Gardening | Interiors | Electrical | Clothing | Equine | DIY | Agri products

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04

Home&Garden

Choosing colours

BY TERRY Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;DRISCOLL

can be mind-boggling!

AT last, spring has arrived and perhaps it has spurred you into thinking about getting your paintbrush out and freshening things up.

However, when it comes to choosing colours, it can be mind-boggling.

A considerable amount of my work revolves around doing colour consultations, so I totally understand how challenging choosing the right colour can be. There is just so much choice.

With any interior design project, colour plays a pivotal role. It provides the foundation for the entire scheme. I believe, when you are deciding on colours, there are some important things to consider. To help, there are a few key things to remember.

Whether, you are thinking of painting just one room or tackling a larger project, you need to think about the whole home and the feeling you are aiming to achieve.

Ideally, your home should flow. There should be a sense of continuity.

This does not mean that it has to be bland or boring. Having a well thought-out colour scheme will create a calm harmonious home.

Over the years, our tastes have swung widely. The days of vivid terracotta and clashing green, are well gone. We have outgrown the neutral magnolia and beige phase and we are back, wanting colour again. This time though, we want it to be

calm and understated, gentle tones uplifted by a carefully considered splashes of colour.

Develop a plan So, the first thing to do, is develop a colour plan. If you are intending on doing just one room, still work out a plan that you can continue, when it comes to redecorating other areas later. In addition, developing a plan, will prevent you adding to the array of part used paint pots, left over from previous paint dilemmas!

Right, this is where it gets interesting and the fun begins!

Your colour plan should consist of a subtle main

colour combined with up to four stronger accent tones.

Decide on your main colour, this will then form the base of your colour palette for your entire home. If you are keeping your existing furnishings, select a colour that works effectively with them.

Maybe, if you are less restricted then consider using your favourite colour, bearing in mind that it should reflect the houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character and not be over powering. In fact, the main colour should not jump out at you at all.

First, it needs to be one that you can comfortably live with and second, its purpose is to provide a quiet backdrop for your furnishings and the other accent tones.

Colourtrend, Little Green and Farrow & Ball, all have a wonderful selection of colours.

At the moment, two of my personal favourites, are the smoky greys and the upbeat greens. The greys are striking and modern while the greens look bright and fresh.

Pale soft shade Your base colour should cover upwards of 70% of your homes walls, so choose a pale soft shade, complementing it with four stronger accent shades. However, before any painting begins, you have to ensure that your chosen colour palette works successfully.

Mistakes can be very costly and time consuming, so you have to get it right.

The available light level effects paint dramatically and colours absorb light, so it is vital that you see how they react and appear in your home. Colour will vary, depending on where it is, so you need to see it in different areas in both natural and artificial light.

Painting several sections with match pots can become messy so Colourtrend came

05

Home&Garden up with a great idea, putting it on A4 card.

The fantastic thing about the cards is that you can simply attach it to the wall and you can move it around easily. You need to see the colour in the brightest and darkest areas of the room.

Doing this, will give you a much clearer picture of how it will actually look. If you decide on a different paint brand, then apply the same principal, use the match pot to paint some heavy card instead. It will make life far easier.

Slightly different With the accent tones, you might think that four is not enough for a whole house, but remember, they will appear slightly different in each room. When you are thinking about where to use the accent colours, I would tend to head to the less obvious areas. Instead of painting the fire breast, why not paint the recessed sections either side instead.

If you have a feature wall, then it is already that, so why not opt to paint a different wall.

This will add interest and individuality to

your home. To work properly, accent walls needs to have clearly defined boundaries.

When you are working out how much paint, you require, as a rule of thumb, one litre will cover approximately 10 square metres of smooth wall. Rough or new walls will require slightly more.

As an approximate guide, a five-litre pot, should be enough to do two coats in a 10 foot by 10 foot room. Always, ensure that the paint is suitable for where it is going, ie a kitchen or bathroom.

Try to get one that is washable, especially if it is likely to be marked or there is a threat from small mischievous hands!

When it comes to cost, price does vary by brand, but like most things, you do get what you pay for.

With the more expensive brands, the coverage and durability can be far superior,1 • Barryroe Garden March 2014:Layout saving you money in the end.

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Whether you are decorating just one room or more, create a colour plan.

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Move the card around, see it in the brightest and darkest areas of the room, under natural and artificial light.

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When you are choosing where to put the accent tones, think about the less oblivious areas, creating individuality and interest.

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Home&Garden

Bodged DIY jobs causing marital stress!

A study of 2,000 people revealed that just four in ten attempts at home improvement proved a success.

a room and immediately regretted the choice of colour – repainting almost straight away.

Scratched surfaces, poor paintwork, spills, stains, wonky shelves and picture frames are some of the most common bodge jobs inflicted on our homes.

The most common bodge jobs also included missing bits while painting, spilling paint on the carpet and putting up laughably wonky shelves.

A nervous one in five men have desperately tried to cover up a bodged job from their partner without them knowing, while one in four couples saw rows flare up once the tools were brought out.

While attaching things upside down, going gung ho without using instructions and seeing things collapse almost instantly were also common mistakes made.

A spokesman for the Command Brand from 3M, which commissioned the study, said: ‘It can be all too easy to underestimate the difficulty of certain tasks and using particular tools.’

‘Traditional tools like the humble hammer and nails appear to create the most problems as accidentally making holes in the wrong place, drilling through pipes and putting up pictures and shelves that instantly fall down feature highly on the list of common home improvement mistakes.’

The study also found over a third of people have painted

And the results showed just 43 per cent of home improvement jobs DON’T end in failure.

Worse still – one in four people have injured themselves in some way when trying to fix up their house, with more than 75 per cent of injuries being caused by drilling or hammering.

Given the true extent of the lack of home improvement skills, it is perhaps no surprise that nearly a fifth of those polled wouldn’t even trust their partner to hang a picture.

An honest one in four women said their partner was very good at starting a new job around the house – but less

MOST COMMON BODG E JOBS

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good at actually getting it finished.

In fact, 45 per cent of women get nervous when their partner attempts any sort of handiwork in the home.

The most common reasons for feeling uneasy were ‘because something usually goes wrong’ or because they thought it would most likely end in an argument.

A third of nervous ladies said the definition between what they think looks good and what their partner considers a job well done is vastly different.

The Command Brand spokesman added: ‘The best way to avoid the common pitfalls involved in home improvements is to ensure you surround yourself with tools, ideas and advice to make the job as easy and drama-free as possible.’

‘There are always options for making tricky jobs easy and a variety of shortcuts that those in the know can use to get the same results, without the hassle or risk of catastrophe.’

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08

Home&Garden

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Plant Focus

Our favourites for May Aubrieta deltoidea (or Purple Rock Cress) Everyone is familiar with this spring plant for its groundcover. It loves to scramble over rocks and creep into nooks and crannies.

In fact it will root in the poorest of soils and happily grow in the crevices of a dry stone wall or in crumbling mortar. It can spread up to 1.5ft.

Immediately after flowering, cut it back hard. Don’t be afraid to remove all the foliage as well as the dead flowers. In a very short time it will replenish itself and form an attractive nicely shaped mound for the remainder of the season.

Malus (Crab Apple) These are deciduous trees with beautiful flowers and attractive fruit, just like ordinary apple trees. While the crab apple is often grown for the ornamental value of its flowers, its fruit is excellent for making apple jelly (rather than eating raw). Crab apples may be planted in any reasonablysized garden. They are quite Winterhardy and are rarely damaged by frost. Standard garden soil is fine, preferably well-drained.

Maus “Adams” is a particularly pretty tree with pink flowers in April follwed by small glossy red apples.

09

Home&Garden

May gardening to-do list

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10

Home&Garden

Beautiful rosemary flowers

a new garden

Perfect month to start

APRIL is the perfect month to start a new garden or to resurrect an old one. Anything you plant now will be bursting with growing potential and any cleared ground will be warm enough to give roots a good home.

The key to most new garden ventures is to start small and to be thorough. Most gardens are long term projects so there will be plenty of time to build on what you have started over the coming months and years. Fertility is important and ideally you should have enough compost or well-rotted manure for the number of beds you want to dig.

As a fast tip: you can buy good organic fertilisers to use for the first year and you should get pretty good crops. It is preferable to add some bulky feed from year two on, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let lack of compost hold you back from digging a bed or two and getting started.

WORDS Joyce russell | PHOTOS BEN RUSSELL

Raised beds These require a little investment of time and money but they do make for a tidy garden and somehow it seems easier to look after a bed when it is so clearly defined.

Raised beds tend to dry out in hot weather, so you will need to water at such times.

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11

Home&Garden

s in

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e ready e beds ar

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plant ou pots and

Sowing and planting Lots of flowers and vegetables can be sown in April and you don’t have to wait until the beds are ready before getting the seed packets out. Plants can be started in pots, tubs, trays etc and these should be ready to plant by the time the beds are finished.

You can buy in young plants if you prefer: there’s a reasonable range of varieties available from on-line suppliers, garden centres and market stalls.

See Joyce’s useful sowing and planting guide on page 18 Harvest The ‘hungry gap’ is a thing of the past and there should be plenty to eat from the garden in April. Purple sprouting broccoli is abundant in the outdoor beds as are kale and cabbages. The first mange tout peas are ready in the polytunnel and the first strawberries won’t be too far behind. Keep harvesting chard, spinach and salad leaves to get the best from these crops before they bolt.

Look for shru

bs that produc e something

special

Shrubs and trees These can be some of the longest-lasting specimens in your garden; so don’t rush to buy without a bit of preparation. Check out how big a new purchase is likely to grow, before you buy and plant.

Look for shrubs and trees that produce something special. This can be blossom in spring, fruit in summer, or beautiful autumn foliage for example.

Polytunnel This is a good time of year to put up a polytunnel. You will be rewarded with crops throughout the year and a dry place to garden when the weather is bad. Even a small structure can grow a surprising amount of treats like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and strawberries and you can eat salad all year round. Larger structures can house almost any crop you want.

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12

Home&Garden

Containers You don’t have to have a big garden in order to grow vegetables. It helps, of course if you want to be self-sufficient, but if you just want to try a few favourite things, then it’s surprising what you can grow in a row of containers and pots.

A sunny corner of a back yard, or along the edge of a patio, can provide the perfect setting for a mini-garden. There are some beautiful pots available: place these in more visible spots and let your inner-recycler reign where looks are less important. An old fish box makes a useful bed for salad leaves; large plastic buckets and empty cattle feed tubs can be used for anything from potatoes to fruit trees provided you make some drainage holes in the bottom; and wooden tomato crates can be useful too if they are lined with polythene so compost doesn’t fall through the gaps. And of course you can always buy, or make your own, growbags.

Carrots from a 25cm pot

e grown

can b Tarragon

d from see

Filling containers You can buy compost at any garden centre and this is fine for small pots.

If using homemade compost for starting seeds, it’s worth putting a 2cm layer of bought compost over the top. Potting compost is usually finer than the stuff from the garden heap and it will get seedlings off to a weed-free start; roots will soon find their way down into your own nutritious compost.

If you have a large container, you can put a mix of soil, compost and rotted manure (which can be bought in bags from garden centres) in the base.

Again, top this with potting compost if you are sowing seeds, but if growing larger plants then your own mix will be fine.

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Feed and water Containers need a lot of water. The compost must never dry out and for some thirsty plants, like peas and beans, it must be kept moist at all times. Most containers will need some water every day in dry weather. Buy a watering system and timer if you are likely to be away a lot!

You should start using a liquid feed after 6-8 weeks: the nutrients in potting compost run out around this point if plants are growing well. Liquid feeds are useful for any plant that is swelling fruit, or working hard to grow a good crop.

See Joyce Russell’s regular gardening column in The Southern Star

13

Home&Garden

Floor Sanding

Container tips: Salad leaves Mange tout peas

Climbing beans Carrots First peas in April

Potatoes

Courgettes

Strawberries

Pumpkin Aubergines and Peppers

Sow thinly and cover with a scatter of compost, or buy in small lettuce plants.

Protect from slugs.

These need a deep pot to grow well. Push seeds 3cm deep and 5cm apart. Keep watered at all times and provide support for tall varieties.

Sow seeds 8cm apart in a deep container.

Train up wires or bamboo canes. Keep compost damp at all times.

Scatter two pinches of carrot seed in a 25cm pot and cover with a thin layer of compost. Protect from slugs.

Two seed potatoes will fit in one bucket.

Plant them underneath a 10cm layer of compost and earth up by adding more compost as stems grow.

These need at least a 30cm pot filled with compost. Sow two seeds per pot, and thin to leave the strongest one to grow on. Keep watered.

One plant per 20cm pot filled with good compost, or put several plants in a large container. Protect fruit from slugs and birds.

Feed when fruit is swelling.

You can grow a pumpkin in a large container, but don’t let the compost dry out and feeding is vital for large fruit.

Put plants outdoors in late May. Grow against a sunny wall. Grow under cover if cold and wet. These plants only do well outdoors in a hot summer.

Herbs It’s a good idea to grow herbs close to the kitchen door. A raised bed makes harvesting easy and herbs can look really pretty if you choose some variegated leaf varieties. A half barrel, or old wheelbarrow also makes an attractive herb bed, or you can grow herbs in a cluster of pots.

Herbs can be grown from seed. This is a good way to raise annual plants, but it’s worth buying a plant, rather than a packet of seed, if you only want one of each perennial variety.

Rosemary can make a large bush, but it is a bit susceptible to frost damage and the whole plant can be lost in a very cold winter. I like to grow rosemary in a pot and to move it to a sheltered place for the winter months.

Chives can be grown from seed, but it’s easiest to buy a potted plant, or to split an existing clump. Chives can be cut regularly and they will keep growing back. I like to leave a plant or two to flower: they look pretty and the flowers are edible too.

Parsley produces strong plants if grown from seed. A sowing in April and another in July will provide plenty of plants for a year-round harvest. Buy in plants for fastest use: you can even grow on individual plants from the pots sold in supermarkets.

Thyme likes a well-drained soil. Choose a dry, sunny spot for this plant to thrive.

It should last many years if in the right place.

Sage is hardy and will stand through the winter. It isn’t too fussy about where it grows, but it can form a large straggly plant if you don’t pick and use, or trim stems yearly.

Curry plant is a more recent addition to garden shops.

The plant stands through the winter and gives off a strong scent of curry all year round.

Use leaves to add spice to your cooking.

Coriander, dill, basil and tarragon can all be sown in pots, or drills, in April. These herbs like a fertile moist soil and all are easy to grow, although basil does best under cover. Protect from slugs when plants are small.

Grow herbs near the kitchen door

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Home&Garden

Let there be light!

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Home&Garden If you are trying to find smart ways to enhance your home with light – here are some tips to get started :

such as wall sconces throughout your home will enlarge your interiors visually and make you want to linger in them longer.

Natural light changes you and your home’s mood When is the last time you went into a dark closet and felt warm and happy?

For most of us the answer would be ‘not lately’. Natural light is needed for all humans to thrive and our skin, eyes, hair, mind and wellbeing need natural light to be healthy.

At the same time – your home reaps the benefit as well. Natural light can kill bacteria that loom in dark and wet spaces in your home and it creates an ambience that can’t be rivalled by artificial lighting sources.

Design your home with wise window placement: If you are in the process of designing your home or you at least have some flexibility in the placement of your furniture, remember these tips with natural light. In Ireland, because we’re in the Northern hemisphere the sun rises in the east and sets in the west (via the south) so think about how you can best take advantage of these parts of the day for you and your family. Consider your lifestyle – are you a morning riser and enjoy the sun waking you or would you rather save the morning daylight for your main living areas. Or do you prefer to sit and enjoy a long sunset in the evening. Or both?

Get it right and it can really add the ‘wow’ factor to your home.

Illuminated and bright rooms make your home feel more spacious For those of you who struggle with trying to make your interiors feel larger, natural light and illumination can fool the eye. Dark rooms with larger furniture and well-lit rooms with less furniture can have the opposite affect when it comes to interior design. Consider using multiple lighting sources in the evening, to avoid dark areas in your home. Ambient and task lighting

layered fabric curtains often keep out much-needed natural light. Consider using lighter-weight fabrics such as cotton or linen, depending on the season, thus allowing moderate temperatures and light to filter in more easily.

Use houseplants as an excuse to let in natural light Greenery and houseplants go hand-inhand with healthy green living for humans and letting in natural sunlight into your home. Give yourself an excuse to open your window shades daily by using greenery around your home. Houseplants in a sunroom or growing in a kitchen garden can be perfect for growing herbs and small plants. Small terrariums grown on a side table or hanging in your bathroom are great for areas where you don’t have a lot of space. Either way plants give you an excuse to let in more light!

Natural light can be maximized with versatile window treatments In many homes the problem isn’t the sources of light through adjacent windows, rather the ability to let light in effectively.

Take a look at your current window treatments. Heavy blinds, thick drapery and

it’s important to make sure that you put in place a range of lighting solutions in place to suit the task in hand, time of day or simply your mood: • Define your dining zone - zone out the eating area in a large kitchen/ diner with large striking pendant lights.

Hanging them low will allow the shades to take centre stage, but make sure they’re high enough not to get in the way.

•

Light up your cooking zone - make light of cooking! Create a practical space to prepare meals by adding lights above your cooking station. Adjustable task lighting will allow you to direct the light where you want and need it most.

•

Light up your alcoves - dark kitchen corners? Make the most of unused space by fitting shelving storage into your alcoves. Install lighting behind to illuminate your kitchen accessories and cooking products

Choosing the best lighting fixtures for your interiors There are so many lighting fixtures on the market – we as homeowners are fortunate to have so many! Walk through your home at different times of the day to determine what activities you do the most in each room – relaxing, reading, working, playing, dining, entertaining, pampering etc.

Then choose lighting that compliments your interiors and allows you versatility in your everyday living.

Light up your kitchen – it’s where we spend a lot time!

We tend to spend a lot of time cooking, eating, socialising, overseeing homework or reading the papers in our kitchens. So

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Home&Garden

Tips for 2014

TOP TIP

g!

16

If you are apprehensive about using bright new colours in your home, start with the smallest room and see how you like it.

Less is more when it comes to decorative objects. Choose objects, photos and art that mean something to you – making your home personal and unique to you.

Rich fabrics are very much en vogue for 2014. Velvets, suedes and even corduroy are taking the place of cottons and linens.

These fabrics are durable and suitable for the darker colour schemes popular this year.

Floral patterns are favourites, year-in year out. Why not try mixing patterns to modernise the look of your home.

Ethnic prints, fabrics and upholstery are also looking popular this year Don’t be afraid to mix different colours, textures and finishes. Your home can reflect an eclectic array of styles.

Lighter coloured woods are in this year.

Honey and caramel tones replace the darker tones popular in recent years… giving your space a lighter, fresher feel.

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17

Home&Garden BATHROOM The free-standing bathtub continues to grow in popularity.

Classy and luxurious, it allows you to create a truly unique look and feel in your bathroom.

Recycled glass tiles, especially in greens and blues will give you bathroom that suitably aquatic feel.

Give your bathroom that added element of luxury…get a TV fitted (be sure to get this done by a professional). Then have a good old soak in the bath while watching your favourite programme – even if it is the 9 o’clock news!

Under-floor heating, particularly in bathrooms adds that real sense of luxury. It’s also a surprisingly cost-effective heating method.

The wet room is an increasingly popular concept. Tiles all round with a floor sloped towards the drain allow you to open up your shower space by doing away with shower doors and enclosures.

KITCHEN Trends towards fewer upper cabinets in the kitchen allows more space and scope when it comes to light fixtures. It’s less about undercabinet lighting and more about adjustable task lighting so you can direct the light where you want and need it most.

Large-scale backsplashes behind cookers, sinks and other work areas, in natural materials such as marble and limestone are popular for 2014.

Brass, aged, gold and black are the go-to metals and colours for kitchen hardware this year especially against backdrops of iron and graphite shades.

BEDROOM The ‘less is more’ concept is once again to the fore in bedroom design for 2014. Too many accessories or pieces of furniture will make the space look and feel cramped. Clean lines and simple design are the way to go.

It’s really important to design your bedroom the way you want it. Don’t worry about what visitors will think…they’re never going to see it, right?

A large wall painting or piece of art could add that refreshing, envigorating edge to the room that you wake up in every morning.

Off-blacks, greys and whites are popular colours in the bedroom for 2014.

That said, blue and all its variations is high in the rankings too. Contrasted with white it creates a happy upbeat feel and thus gives an ideal start to your day.

Soft mood lighting is important to help you wind down and relax in the bedroom, which in turn helps you to get a good night’s sleep.

Once again, ethnic, and particularly Moroccan prints and designs are staking a claim on the bedroom area. Canvas prints, curtains, screens and bed linen are all trending strongly for 2014.

Natural tones and materials (including wood, stone, metal and even brick) are in for bedrooms in 2014.

18

Home&Garden

VEGETABLE SOWING & PLANTING GUIDE can sow (S) or plant (P)

best time to sow (S) or plant (P)

harvest

Note: some of the early and late sowings do best if given extra covering (or heat for tender crops) and if early or late varieties are used.

JaN

Feb

Mar

aubergiNe

S

S

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beaNS brOaD

P

SP

SP

beaNS FreNch/ruNNer

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May

JuN

Jul

P

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SP

SP

beetrOOt brOccOli

S

S S

SP SP

SP SP

SP P

bruSSelS SPrOut

S

S

P

P

cabbage (SuMMer) cabbage (SPriNg) carrOt

S

S

P S SP

S

S

S

S

cauliFlOwer

S

S

SP

SP

celeriac

S

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P

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S

SP

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SP

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SP

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P S

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SP

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S P S

SP

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FlOreNce FeNNel garlic Kale

P

P

KOhl rabi lettuce (SuMMer) lettuce (wiNter) leeK

S

ONiON (SetS) ParSley ParSNiP Pea

P

PePPer POtatO PuMPKiN raDiSh

S

S P

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SP S

P S

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SweDe SweetcOrN

S S

S SP

SwiSS charD

S

SP

S S P SP

SP

S P S

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turNiP

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NOv

Dec

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tOMatO

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ShallOt SPiNach/SPiNach beet

SP

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Oct

P

SP

cOurgette/MarrOw

SeP

SP P

S

cucuMber

aug

S

P

SP

P

P

S

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19

Home&Garden

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