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Sustainable Christmas tips from the Green Guru Michael Kelly of GIY

Author: Michael Kelly

Founder of GIY Michael Kelly and Muireann Ní Chíobháin's brilliant GIY Know-it-Allmanac aims to teach children how to grow and cook food as well as live more sustainably - and that includes having a more sustainable and environmentally friendly Christmas. Michael has been sharing his passion for sustainable and seasonal living for over 10 years now and he shares some of the things he has learned in order to have a more eco-friendly festive season.
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Grow It Yourself - November

Author: Michael Kelly

I attended a sustainability conference this week for Climate Finance Week hosted by Sustainable Nation and AIB that brought former UK climate change advisor Sr David King to Dublin. The weather before and after the event was biblical which was appropriate given that what we heard inside Dublin Castle was utterly, utterly terrifying.
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Grow It Yourself - October

Author: Michael Kelly

The summer harvesting of salads and tomatoes might be easing off a little, but it’s replaced by an abundance of apples. The joy of having your own fruit trees is that September brings gluts of fruit but on the flip side the challenge of having your own fruit trees is that you have do something with those gluts…! This week I have been grappling with buckets and trugs-full of apples.
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Grow It Yourself - August

Author: Michael Kelly

The veg patch feels like a hard task master right about now, churning out seemingly never-ending gluts of produce. There’s a level on which I feel grateful for this abundance, particularly when it’s all laid out in big beautiful trays, buckets or bowls. But there’s another level in which I feel “ENOUGH ALREADY”, particularly when said trays, buckets or bowls of produce have been hanging around the kitchen for 3 days and I know I have to do something with them.
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Grow It Yourself - Know Your Onions

Author: Michael Kelly

We’ve been eating onions for the last month or so, even though they are not ready yet. The immature ‘green’ onions are a delight to eat and can be used anywhere there is a requirement for a scallion. At this stage though, the onions are moving in to a territory where they are almost ready to harvest.
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Grow It Yourself - June - Irish Veg Growing in Crisis

Author: Michael Kelly

Michael Kelly highlights (again) the lamentable state of affairs in the commercial veg growing world in Ireland - and yet, despite everything, he feels that the tide is turning and there are some reasons for optimism. There are good news stories that could inspire young growers in to the industry - and, he says, “If this is to be Irish horticulture’s moment in the sun, it’s energy and innovation that’s needed”
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Grow It Yourself

Author: Michael Kelly

Mindful that Ireland has recently become only the second country in the world to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency, the Grow It Yourself movement has even more relevance now.
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Grow it Yourself

Author: Michael Kelly

I delivered a course on growing tomatoes at GROW HQ recently, and though I was ostensibly ‘at work’, it didn’t really feel like work to be teaching about growing tomatoes (don’t tell anyone though).
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Grow it Yourself

Author: Michael Kelly

“Grand bit of spring in the air” the lady said to me as we stood waiting for the pedestrian lights to go green. “It’s lovely” I said and smiled back at her. And it was lovely to be walking along the quays in brilliant sunshine carrying my jacket under my arm. The combination of brighter mornings, longer evenings and mild weather had put a spring in my step and I was feeling chipper. I suspect I’m not alone.
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Grow it Yourself

Author: Michael Kelly

Most people sow their early potatoes outside in the vegetable patch in March, but if you have a polytunnel or greenhouse you can get started right now for a super early crop (May). Some years ago I went on a course with Jim Cronin over at his smallholding in Co Clare, and he outlined this method, which creates very deep beds and gives you an abundant crop.
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