Show Notes
Pumpkin Beth – Plant Fairs and seed swaps we found this page on Beth’s website that has masses of places to visit, seed swaps, open gardens. The website also has lots of interesting articles and news. Grantham Garden Centre reopens its doors with it’s new name and having undergone lots of work. River View at Goldings in the Clyde valley also opened its doors on Good Friday. Oakwood Clydedales have been out working in some of London’s Parks, they are out cutting the meadows and harrowing which creates less soil compaction and is better for the environment. Respyre is a Dutch company that has a new environmentally friendlier type of concrete Façade and Roofing product that allows moss to grow on it’s surface helping absorb moisture and lower noise levels in urban areas. Ames group which was Apta, La Hacienda, Artivesi, Kelkay and closed as the American company that owned them put the company into administration so if you need any items from any of these companies get them soon before they disappear from the market. Flymo have released a cordless battery powered mower. Peter has sown some 8 Ball courgettes, David likes the fact that courgettes grow quickly and produce masses of lovely tasting produce. It is also the time of year to plant lots of other vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, gherkins, and winter squashes to name a few. Be careful of frosts as lots of vegetables will struggle to cope if they get frosted and also try and keep the slugs away as well. The Garden Centre has a great range of seeds from Mr Fothergills and Franchi. David points out that seedlings must be handled very delicately when pricking out. Rhubarb is sprouting and it’s a great time to plant strawberries. Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Dig It
In this episode we suggest a couple of places to visit, some RHS partner gardens are open. Prebooking may be required so check with the gardens first. There is the Guided Swiss Garden Tour near Biggleswade and the Arley Arboretum and Gardens in Arley. Hozelock have launched a new range of tools with handles that can be changed to be longer or shorter to suit your preference and task at hand, the range cover hand tools and larger digging tools with a new spade which is meant to be an improvement on the traditional design. They have also have redesigned the hose connector and have hopefully fixed the more common issues, so it now has a lock on it, the hose grip has been reversed so it should be better at stopping the hose blowing off and the likely hood of leaks has been reduced. With these improvements Hozelock have once again innovated and improved a classic part so hopefully we will waste less water from dripping hoses and have less issues with them blowing off. It’s giant vegetable time, at the Malvern show on Friday the 25th to Sunday the 27th September. Gladys the Atlantic Giant pumpkin which weighs about 540kg is hopefully going to make it there from where it grew in Essex. A new Apple has been discovered in Luton. It is a cross between the James Grieve and a Newton Wonder. It’s Apple Day the weekend of 26th , 27th September at the Garden Centre, with fantastic displays of Apples, Support from Mid Shires Orchards and Jerry Edwards. If you have an apple that you don’t know what variety it is bring it for Jerry and he will hopefully identify it for you. We also chat about No Dig, and whether we can leave vegetable roots in the ground to rot down and whether double digging is now a thing of the past. Bill recommends pruning and tidying up your roses to stop wind rock from the winter winds. If you are going to plant any bare rooted plants this winter it’s time to get out and prepare the ground. Get the ground loosened up by digging the area, add some well-rotted manure or compost to the ground, clear any weeds or unwanted plants from the area, and then cover with landscape fabric to stop any new plant growth before you plant. Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music
In this episode Peter chats with Chris Collins from Garden Organic. Chris is currently the Head of Horticulture at Garden Organic and he tells us a little about what is going on in their 50th anniversary year. We learn why heritage seeds do so well in the United Kingdom and why organic gardening and working with nature can help you get a better yield from your crops. Chris tells us more about composting and bokashi. Composting is not just about heaping up your grass cutting in a pile, you need to work within certain parameters to make great compost. Using a Bokashi for your kitchen waste can generate a fertilizer tea and then compostable material, it is a Japanese technique that will allow you to reduce your food waste contributions to the council waste streams. We also learn a little about soil health, smells, and what certain plants growing in an area can point towards. Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for the music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Have you ever drunk the sap of a Tilia cordata or eaten a wild Garlic flower? In this episode learn about some unusual berries and plants and flowers you can eat. There are flowers to try which can make great colourful additions to the salad bowl or maybe pop in an ice cube. This episode it full of edibles that we have come across from historical resources and websites like the RHS edible flowers page. The plants and flowers mentioned may not be suitable for everyone so do your own research and check with a professional before eating. Thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for the music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair 11-13 September is at English Heritage’s Audley End House and Garden, Saffron Waldon, Essex Harrogate Autumn Flower Show Newby Hall and Gardens, 18th -20th September RHS Malvern Autumn Garden Show a celebration of gardening and food. 25th – 27th September Buckingham Gaden Centre’s Apple day on the 26th and 27th of September with Mid shires Orchards and Apple identification with Chairman of the RHS’s Fruit Group Jerry Edwards. Kew Gardens has a waterlily with leaves so big they can support the weight of a fully grown man. A notifiable issue with Sweet Chestnuts, they are getting movement controls imposed in the South as the disease spreads, so if you notice any weeping areas on their bark then it may be worth contacting Defra. Bulbs are now in stock in Garden Centres so If you are thinking of planting Snowdrops, Crocus, Daffodils, Bluebells or any of the other spring and early summer flowering bulbs it’s time to get into the Garden Centre and stock up. In this episode we also give you some tips on planting bulbs and how to prepare them in pots so if you want to bring them in when flowering they won’t go into shock and how to do a lasagna planting. Bill also shares how to get successive flowering and what to do with them so you can get them to flower for a few years to come. We also learn a little of the commercial flower markets in Holland, how the flower industry works and the interesting way Dutch auctions work. Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode Bill and Peter talk about the small amount of rain we have had! We then move on and discuss some gardening tales and myths. From ideas about companion planting which some think put off pests to slugs not being deterred by egg shells or copper strips. What is true and what is an AI myth or what just doesn’t work? Send us your comments and thoughts to [email protected] Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.