Horticulture
Sarah Simpson crowned Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025
Sarah Simpson, a Horticulture Technician at the Teagasc, College of Amenity Horticulture, National Botanic Gardens, has been named Young Horticulturist of the Year 2025 after winning the Grand Final of the competition at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens on Saturday, May 10.
14 May 2025
New European Innovation Partnership project funding for Teagasc
Teagasc is one of a number of organisations to have been awarded funding for the implementation of new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) projects, focused on the theme of environmental sustainability.
13 May 2025
Straw shortages drive mushroom compost prices
Straw shortages have resulted in a significant rise in the price of mushroom compost, according to the Teagasc Horticulture Crop Input Prices 2025 report.
20 April 2025
Growing Futures: The Expanding Role of Horticultural Education in Ireland
As Ireland continues to embrace sustainability, climate resilience, and food security, horticulture is stepping into the spotlight, not just as a vibrant sector of the economy, but as a vital force in shaping our environmental future. John Mulhern, College Principal, tells us more.
14 April 2025
Going viral: How viruses can help fight mushroom pathogens
Research at the Horticulture Development Department at Teagasc Ashtown is exploring the potential use of viruses to combat pathogens in commercial mushroom cultivation.
06 April 2025
Input price inflation up 50.6% in field vegetable sector since 2021
Input price inflation in the field vegetable sector has continued at a rate of 5.4% during the period January 2024 – January 2025, and input costs have inflated 50.6% since March 2021.
31 March 2025
Horticulture sector continues to face input price inflation
The Horticulture Crop Input Prices 2025 Report, produced by the Teagasc Horticulture Development Department, has been published. The report shows that the trend of significant input price inflation in the horticultural sector since 2021 has continued for 2025.
27 March 2025
Rooting innovation: shaping Ireland’s apple future
A research initiative at Teagasc Oak Park aims to boost apple production in Ireland, exploring innovative training systems and rootstocks. The project focuses on improving yield efficiency and enhancing fruit quality, offering Irish growers strategies tailored to the local climate.
24 March 2025
The multiple benefits of a horticultural apprenticeship
John Mulhern, Teagasc College Principal at the National Botanic Gardens, speaks to Aisling O’Connell and Martin Tully, Tully Nurseries, on the benefits of Aisling’s undertaking of the horticultural apprenticeship programme.
20 March 2025
More Crops, Less Water: A Case for Smart Irrigation
Graham Fallon, Technician at Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, National Botanic Gardens, highlights the urgent need for smarter water use in Irish agriculture. Internet of Things-driven irrigation can cut waste, boost yields, and help ensure a sustainable future for horticulture.
04 March 2025
Everything farmers need to know about putting solar panels on sheds
Barry Caslin highlights how farmers, blessed with extensive roof areas ideal for solar panel installations, can turn these underutilized areas into energy-generating assets. This can help meet their energy needs & provide the potential to contribute to the national grid.
03 March 2025
Bubble trouble? Mushroom Disease Control
Joy Clarke, Teagasc Walsh Scholar, reports on the key results from her work on understanding how biocontrol and integrated pest management (IPM) approaches can support the mushroom sector in controlling disease outbreaks.
08 February 2025
The story behind your Christmas Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts season is in full swing. With Christmas nearing, growers are working hard to get these classic veggies onto Irish dinner plates. Love them or hate them, sprouts are a holiday staple. William Deasy, Specialised Vegetable Advisor, shares the story behind them.
21 December 2024
10 Things to Know About… Feeding the Future
On tonight’s episode, Monday, 25 November, of the television series 10 Things to Know About…, Teagasc scientists feature in an episode on ‘Feeding the Future’.
25 November 2024
The importance of Green Education: Insights from the Europea Seminar 2024
Teagasc Education staff attended the recent Europea 2024 course and seminar in Sopron, Hungary, which provided constructive insights into the state of green education across Europe, Graham Fallon, College Technician at the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, tells us more.
14 November 2024
Green Thinking - Plants for Bees
Dónall Flanagan, Teagasc Nursery Stock and Ornamentals Specialised Advisor, discusses the importance of ivy as a critical late-season food source for pollinators like bees and butterflies, highlighting its ecological benefits for biodiversity in Ireland.
06 October 2024
Mushroom for reflection
Delegates from Teagasc recently attended the International Society of Mushroom Science congress for a look at the ever-growing world of mushroom research.
29 September 2024
Sustainable Farming at Beechlawn Organic Farm
Padraig Glynn writes about Beechlawn Organic Farm, a leading organic horticulture enterprise in Ireland, growing a variety of vegetables using sustainable practices, which recently hosted a successful farm walk highlighting organic farming techniques and benefits.
14 September 2024
Grow herbs to give your garden a touch of the Mediterranean
Chris Heavey, Lecturer at the Teagasc College at the National Botanic Gardens, offers top tips on growing herbs, noting that on wet Irish summer days, they create a little Mediterranean oasis to cheer up both yourself and your kitchen.
29 June 2024
Wireworm IPM in field vegetable crops: An update on practical monitoring and risk assessment
William Deasy, Teagasc Specialised Vegetable Advisor, looks at recent advances in ways to monitor and assess the risk of wireworm damage with Martyn Cox of Blackthorn Arable Ltd., UK, who in 2022 completed a comprehensive review for CUPGRA to help growers combat the problem of wireworms.
15 June 2024
Setting the scene for automation in mushroom harvesting
The Irish mushroom industry was invited to Teagasc Ashtown, where the Teagasc Mushroom Automation Seminar took place on Tuesday, 11 June. The event focused on mushroom harvesting automation technologies.
13 June 2024
Teagasc at Bloom
Horticulture, education, forestry, crops and countryside management are all featured on the Teagasc stand at Bloom. Teagasc have joined with Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine at Bloom in the Phoenix Park, to create an informative and educational feature in the food village.
31 May 2024
Horticulture is Life - Teagasc at Bloom 2024
Bord Bia Bloom is one of Europe's premier horticulture events, drawing approximately 100,000 attendees over its five-day run. In 2024, Bloom will take place from May 30 to June 3, transforming the Phoenix Park in Dublin into a vibrant celebration of gardening, lifestyle, and sustainability.
30 May 2024
Teagasc students compete in HortiChallenge in Estonia
Aoife Hester and Chelirs Brecq, students in the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, will fly the Teagasc flag at the ongoing HortiChallenge 2024 in Estonia.
24 May 2024
ISNA Plant Fair heading to Kildalton College
Garden enthusiasts and plant lovers are gearing up for an exciting event as the Irish Specialist Nursery Association (ISNA) announces a plant fair at Teagasc Kildalton College, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny, on Sunday, May 19 from 11am to 4pm.
11 May 2024
Pointing the way forward for increased Irish apple production
The first Apple Research Update at Teagasc Oak Park involving industry stakeholders marked a pivotal moment for Ireland's apple industry, offering a comprehensive overview of advancements and future directions in applied research since the programme's inception in August 2022.
19 April 2024
Seeking alternatives to peat for the mushroom sector
Mushrooms are Ireland’s most successfully-grown horticultural crop, producing 67,000t annually or the equivalent of 6 million mushrooms harvested each day.
19 April 2024
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.
16 March 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.
11 March 2024
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.
21 February 2024