Horticulture

Inflation and weather double whammy for vegetable sector

Inflation and weather double whammy for vegetable sector Irish field vegetable growers were hit with a double whammy of rising price inflation and extreme weather events in 2023, which has posed profitability challenges for the sector, the recently published Horticulture Crop Input Prices 2024 report has revealed. The report, which provides up-to-date […]
16 March 2024

Horticulture Crop Input Prices 2024

Horticulture Crop Input Prices 2024 The Horticulture Crop Input Prices 2024 report from the Horticulture Development Department provides a comprehensive analysis of the state of input price inflation within the Irish horticulture sector for the year 2024, building on annual insights since 2021. The report highlights a significant increase in input prices […]
11 March 2024

Four years of significant input price inflation in the horticulture sector

Four years of significant input price inflation in the horticulture sector Input price inflation in the horticulture sector in Ireland has been significant in recent years and 2024 is no exception, with average input prices rising across the horticultural sector. The Teagasc Horticulture Development Department has taken a snapshot of input prices […]
21 February 2024

Teagasc welcomes horticulture apprentices with sportsturf and agriculture intake imminent

0 Teagasc welcomes horticulture apprentices with sportsturf and agriculture intake imminent The Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens welcomed the first ever land-based apprenticeship class recently. Ten horticulture apprentices from across Ireland completed their first week of block training and look forward to the two-year programme. Each apprentice is […]
1 November 2023

How plants in your garden remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

How plants in your garden remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere Analysis: They’re up there with forests, bogs and oceans as serious players in the business of taking and storing carbon from the atmosphere. Plants are nature’s unsung heroes when it comes to combating climate change. You often hear about carbon emissions […]
22 September 2023

Is an Apprenticeship in Sportsturf Management a career option for you?

Is an Apprenticeship in Sportsturf Management a career option for you? The first apprenticeship in Sportsturf Management is due to commence in September 2023. It is a two year course leading to a Higher Certificate in Sportsturf Management QQI Level 6. Learners can apply via Teagasc and SOLAS. What does a Sportsturf […]
31 July 2023

Innovation drivers in horticulture

0 Innovation drivers in horticulture Dermot Callaghan, Head of the Horticulture Department, examines some of the challenges and opportunities facing the horticulture sector. With a €521 million farm gate value, the horticulture sector is spread across two key sub-sectors – horticulture food (€417 million) and amenity horticulture (€104 million). The sector is diverse […]
9 July 2023

Beautiful plants which thrive in acid soils

Beautiful plants which thrive in acid soils One of the great beauties of the late-spring garden is the abundance of acid soil loving plants doing their thing. Chris Heavey, Lecturer at the Teagasc College in the National Botanic Gardens, has many favourites and first among them is Magnolia, which comes in evergreen […]
25 June 2023

Beyond Peat, potential peat alternatives for Irish horticulture

Beyond Peat, potential peat alternatives for Irish horticulture To highlight the work being done to meet that challenge, we spoke to the core Beyond Peat Mushroom team: Senior Research Officer Helen Grogan, Technologist Brian McGuinness, Specialist Advisor Donal Gernon, and Research Officer Eoghan Corbett. Peatlands are natural reservoirs of carbon and biodiversity, […]
25 June 2023

Ripe for the picking

Ripe for the picking Seeking to bolster the market for Irish apples, a new screening project will develop in-depth blueprints of customer preferences, allowing growers to focus on producing the most desirable varieties. The market is ripe for the development of Ireland’s dessert apple sector. Across the globe, demand is increasing for […]
12 June 2023