World Radio Gardening

Miniature gardens

March 07, 2016 17:14 - 4 minutes - 6.26 MB

Miniature garden designs in cups and even solar lamps are a new trend in container gardening. The plants are easy to find in any garden centre, are cheap and easy to take care of requiring very little water and very occasional feeding. Hester Macdonald from the Swiss Gardening school has been finding out more about these tiny designs ideas.

Hydroponics

March 07, 2016 17:10 - 4 minutes - 6.22 MB

Hydroponics have long been used to grow plants without soil, and there is even documented evidence from the 1600s which show experiments on spearmint. However, there is a perception that they are messy and difficult meaning they have largely been resisted by the public. Hester Macdonald spoke to a couple who hope to change all that.

The Mount Vineyard

March 07, 2016 17:08 - 10 minutes - 14.3 MB

Over the past 20 years things have changed dramatically in the production of English sparkling and still wines. Lisa Greenwood and her husband moved to Shoreham in Kent , where they have approximately 10 acres of vines which were mainly planted in 2004. She told Ken Crowther about the amount of work involved in running the business.

Bumble bee numbers in decline

March 07, 2016 17:05 - 4 minutes - 6.14 MB

Bumble bee numbers have been on decline for several years. Dr Ben Darvil is Chief Executive of the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust. There are 24 species of bumble bee alive in the UK, but two species have already become extinct since the Second World War as he explained to Ken Crowther.

Invading berberis tamed

March 07, 2016 17:00 - 8 minutes - 11.5 MB

A berberis which has been growing at the Marks Hall Estate near Coggeshall in Essex has been dramatically reduced in size. The plant which came from the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew over 30 years ago had grown to more than 20ft across and 23ft high. Curator at Mark Hall, Jonathan Jukes explained to Ken Crowther why they have had to hard prune the shrub.

Farmers welcome cold weather

March 07, 2016 16:57 - 6 minutes - 8.32 MB

Frosts might not be to everyone’s liking but for farmer’s cold weather is natures friend as it helps kills bugs, stops slugs and helps breaks the soil down. Andrew McTurk is a market gardener who farmers in Brentwood in Essex he told Ken Crowther the cold weather does a lot more good than harm.

State of the art facility

February 16, 2016 11:44 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MB

Last year work began on a new state of the art facility at Tiptree fruit farms in Essex. Work has continued apace over the last few months and the site is close to completion. Ken Crowther has been back to see the progress and talk to Anton Thurgood about what the new unit will mean to the company.

Making Plans For A Small Garden

February 16, 2016 11:42 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MB

Having a small garden doesn’t mean that you can’t do a lot with it. The first step is to work out the aspect of the garden as this will influence the plants that you can grow. Bayer’s Anita Dent and Ken Crowther visited a small garden in Cambridgeshire to talk about the first steps in creating a small garden.

Growing banana plants

February 11, 2016 17:09 - 5 minutes - 7.75 MB

Senior Lecturer at Writtle College, Mick Lavelle is well known for his banana plants. Normally he would have cut and wrapped them by late October or early November, however, this year he didn’t do it until early January because it has been so mild. He told Ken Crowther about the best ways to grow and look after bananas.

Gardening in a new region

February 11, 2016 17:06 - 4 minutes - 6.29 MB

One of the things which can be difficult when you move to a new region is knowing what to do and when in the garden. The plants may be unfamiliar, the weather weird and you can’t ask your neighbours because they don’t speak the same language. Tara Lissner, Director of the Swiss Gardening School has advice to guide you through any questions you may have.

Winter flowering shrubs

February 11, 2016 17:03 - 5 minutes - 7.68 MB

There are lots of shrubs which are flowering early this year, in some cases very early. With some many plants flowering before they would normally does this affect the way they are pruned? Ken Crowther spoke to Tom Cole from Writtle College for his views on the best times to prune.

Farming and agricultural show

February 11, 2016 17:00 - 9 minutes - 8.79 MB

One of the country’s largest gardening and agricultural machinery distributors is Ernest Doe and Son based at Ulting near Maldon in Essex. Every year they hold a three-day show which attracts thousands of visitors who go along to see the latest in equipment on display. Ray Clark went along for a preview.

Working in gardening

February 11, 2016 16:57 - 5 minutes - 7.36 MB

Most people like looking at gardens even if they don’t like gardening. It is one of those pastimes which can be enjoyed whatever your age. If you enjoy gardening have you ever thought of turning your passion into a career? The world needs more gardeners as John Mason from ACS in Australia has been finding out.

Companion planting

February 11, 2016 16:55 - 5 minutes - 7.8 MB

Plants, like humans like to pick and choose who they hang around with. They all want their own bit of space and to achieve this some plants release a toxin through their roots directly into the soil which inhibits the growth of competing plants as Mike Thurlow reports.

The right rose for the right situation

February 11, 2016 16:52 - 9 minutes - 13.3 MB

Who doesn’t love a rose? They are one of the few plants that nearly everyone grows at some stage or another. It is also a plant that seems to survive even if the garden has become overgrown and neglected. Roses can look so much better if you choose the right one as John Mason from ACS in Australia explains.

Growing microgreens

February 11, 2016 16:49 - 8 minutes - 11.6 MB

It is not often in gardening that new ideas come to the fore, however, over the last few years there has been something new for gardeners to enjoy – microgardening. Adam Pasco has been finding out what it is all about.

Winter gardening advice

February 11, 2016 16:47 - 19 minutes - 27 MB

It might be winter, but that doesn’t mean you can stay inside as there aren’t plenty of jobs to get ahead with in the garden. It’s important at this time of the year to keep on top of jobs and prepare for the seasonal ahead as Adam Pasco explains.

Finding Colour And Fragrance In The Midst Of Winter

January 18, 2016 15:32 - 14 minutes - 19.7 MB

With spring in mind, Ken Crowther has been to the Royal Horticultural Garden Hyde Hall in Essex to meet garden manager Ian Bull to talk about the colour and fragrance you can still find in the midst of winter.

Thompson & Morgan’s top plant for 2016

January 18, 2016 15:29 - 11 minutes - 16 MB

As their top plant for 2016, Thompson and Morgan are showing off their fantastic range of petunia’s in their Petunia Parade with several new varieties in their spring catalogue. They are hoping to inspire UK gardeners and change perceptions of this great plant. Ken Crowther has been finding out more.

A flowering plant for winter

January 18, 2016 15:25 - 5 minutes - 7.98 MB

Not much flowers in January, however, shortly after Christmas the witch hazel will start to bloom and will continue whatever the weather. The scent is magnificent as is the bright yellow, orange and reds of the flowers when there is very little else about as Jonathan Jukes from Marks Hall near Coggeshall in Essex told Ken Crowther.

Caring for houseplants in winter

January 18, 2016 15:22 - 5 minutes - 8.23 MB

Houseplants require year round care but particularly in the winter months when light levels are lower. Fluorescent light will promote vegetative growth, giving shoots and leaves but does not give all round light which the sun gives. Tom Cole explains the best way to look after houseplants in winter.

Improvements to the gardens at Writtle College

January 18, 2016 15:18 - 4 minutes - 6.5 MB

One of the oldest universities in the UK, Writtle College on the outskirts of Chelmsford in Essex is in a unique location, set in a 220-hectare estate. Over the last few years the front entrance has undergone some improvement as lecturer Christine Lavelle told Ken Crowther.

Social media for gardeners

January 18, 2016 14:58 - 2 minutes - 3.51 MB

Garden Tags is a new social media resources for gardeners where users can share and enjoy other peoples pictures of plants. Social media expert Michael Perry believes the app is going to be a worldwide phenomenon as he explained to Ken Crowther.

Protecting plants on a windy spot

January 18, 2016 14:54 - 5 minutes - 7.04 MB

At the top of a windy hill in Essex you will find the RHS Garden Hyde Hall. It can also be a bit cold, meaning that some of the plants need more protection from the elements. Depending on their size they can be protected in the borders, whilst smaller plants are brought into the greenhouse as Heather Cutmore explained to Ken Crowther.

New winter garden at RHS Hyde Hall

January 18, 2016 14:51 - 3 minutes - 5.15 MB

Working has been taking place at the RHS Garden at Hyde Hall to transfer the flat landscape into one that matches the surrounding landscape by introducing mounds. The work has taken over four weeks and has involved moving 17,000 tonnes of soil. RHS garden manager Andrew Lodge told Ken Crowther about some of the plants being put into the new winter garden section.

Winter’s a busy time for gardeners

January 18, 2016 14:48 - 4 minutes - 6.35 MB

Many people think that the garden goes to sleep in winter, but there are still lots of jobs to do as it is a good time to get ready for the year ahead. Garden manager at the RHS garden Hyde Hall talked to Ken Crowther about some of the jobs that can be done now.

Bare root fruit trees

January 18, 2016 14:45 - 3 minutes - 4.21 MB

January is a busy time of the year for mail order company Thompson and Morgan as it is when they start shipping their bare root fruit trees. The year-old trees come in 9cm pots, on dwarf root stocks meaning they can be kept in pots on a patio and will only reach 6ft and will pollinate amongst themselves as buyer, Peter Freeman told Ken Crowther.

Petunia Parade

January 18, 2016 14:42 - 4 minutes - 6.25 MB

Petunia’s can’t be beaten for their versatility or flower power. It is for this reason Thompson & Morgan have picked them as their top genus for 2016. There have been some vast improvements made by the plant breeder including their weather resilience as managing director Paul Hansord explained to Ken Crowther.

Fishing for skate

January 18, 2016 14:38 - 10 minutes - 14.8 MB

Nick Boyce is one of the last remaining commercial fishermen in Essex, particularly in the Maldon area. Ray Clark had an early alarm call when joined him at 3am at Bradwell Marina as they went out into the River Blackwater in search of skate.

Looking after your pond throughout the year

January 18, 2016 14:36 - 4 minutes - 6.75 MB

Ponds charge with the seasons and have different care needs depending on the time of the year. Bernice Brewster from the Aquatic Consultancy shares her top tips for pond management through the year.

New projects for 2016

January 01, 2016 17:01 - 7 minutes - 7.2 MB

There are some exciting projects ahead for Bayer Garden including podcasts looking at gardening for children, planning schemes for vegetables or roses and gardening for wildlife. Anita Dent from Bayer explained the plan to Ken Crowther.

Hundreds of new plants

January 01, 2016 16:57 - 3 minutes - 5.08 MB

One of the real stars of the new Thompson & Morgan catalogue is a brand new vegetable – egg and chips a combination of the aubergine or egg plant and potato. Michael Perry from Thompson and Morgan told Ken Crowther there is potential for more duo vegetables in the future.

High intensity concept orchard

December 23, 2015 13:37 - 6 minutes - 8.72 MB

In a corner of north Essex Tendring Fruit is a young company which started only five years ago. To maximise space on the farm the idea was to create a high intensity concept orchard. The main business is growing apples and pears with the addition of plums, wild garlic and rhubarb. Simon Garnham told Ken Crowther how the business started.

Plants confused by warmer days

December 23, 2015 13:34 - 6 minutes - 8.85 MB

Whilst most people are enjoying the milder December days in the UK, gardeners are hoping for cold weather. It is not unusual to see fruit trees in full bloom. However, having a lot of flower now may mean they not have some many flowers in the spring which could cause problems for fruit growers as Writtle College Lecturer told Ken Crowther.

Warm weather effect on farming

December 23, 2015 13:27 - 3 minutes - 5.15 MB

What the weather is doing is very important to arable farmers. Over the last few years there has been a noticeable change in weather patterns. In the south of the UK, the fields are wet as you would expect in the winter however, it is much warmer. Ken Crowther asked Essex farmer Hugh Pegrum how this affected the crops.

Winter dahlia care

December 23, 2015 13:24 - 4 minutes - 6.35 MB

For champion dahlia grower Dave Gillam, dahlia’s have been his life since he was a child. He’s now cut down on the amount he grows and has them for garden colour rather than for showing. Dave explained to Ken the best way to care for them in the winter.

Winter flowering plants

December 23, 2015 13:21 - 4 minutes - 5.68 MB

Winter is often thought to be a dull time of the year in the garden. However, with a little planning and purchasing that need not be the case. There is a range of exotic, beautiful and interesting winter flowering plants. Geoff Hodge and Ken Crowther discuss what you can do to inject interest into the garden.

The Future Of Waste Disposal

December 14, 2015 14:55 - 5 minutes - 5.41 MB

A 25-year partnership between Suffolk County Council and Suez is turning the county’s household waste into energy. The site can treat 269,000 tonnes of waste a year, which generate enough electricity to power more than 30,000 homes. Ken Crowther took a tour of the site with Emily Pike to find out more.

Thinking Ahead To Christmas 2016

December 14, 2015 14:50 - 7 minutes - 7.21 MB

The Christmas pudding production might have finished production at Wilkin and Sons based in Tiptree, but it won’t be too long before they start production for Christmas 2016. As a 365 day operation, production continues all year to meet the demands of customers as Anton Thurgood told Ken Crowther.

Adam Pasco's Festive Pot Plant Celebration

December 14, 2015 14:49 - 14 minutes - 26.2 MB

Your home can be brightened up with the addition of a few pot plants; this is especially true at Christmas. There are so many seasonal favourites to add to your displays. Every room can have a pot plant, but choosing the right ones to succeed can be a case of trial and error as Adam Pasco explains.

Christmas Decorations For Free

December 01, 2015 12:16 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MB

The garden is a great place to find things to make Christmas decorations. Traditional favourites like holly, ivy and pine cones are very versatile and make cheap alternatives to shop bought decorations. Bayer’s Anita Dent has some tips on how to make something special without breaking the bank.

Small Is Beautiful

December 01, 2015 12:13 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MB

Thompson & Morgan are known for their plug plants which can be as small as your little finger up to something you can hold in the palm of your hand. Under a new direction they are moving into mature plant stock, plants in 3 to 5 litre pots as Graham Ward told Ken Crowther.

Mistletoe growing in mature lime trees

December 01, 2015 12:08 - 6 minutes - 9.6 MB

If you wander through Marks Hall near Coggeshall in Essex and look up in the trees you will notice mistletoe growing. Now that there leaves have fallen the mistletoe is easy to spot hanging like chandeliers. The berries are sticky and stick to the branches when birds wipe their beaks as curator Jonathan Jukes explained to Ken Crowther.

Coping with frost

December 01, 2015 12:06 - 4 minutes - 6.04 MB

As the weather turns colder, and the first frosts appear it’s tempting to rush out and bring every pot inside. Some plants benefit from being kept out for a couple of frosts as Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer at Writtle College explained to Ken Crowther.

Christmas at Kelly’s Turkeys’ in Essex

December 01, 2015 12:03 - 5 minutes - 6.72 MB

Workers have started processing the first of thousands of turkeys at a brand new million pound processing plant at Great Baddow in Essex which replaces a building destroyed by fire. Tim Gillett was shown around the giant processing plant by Kelly’s Turkeys’ founder Derek Kelly.

Plant for the garden or for the house?

December 01, 2015 12:01 - 9 minutes - 13 MB

There have been several similar enquiries to the postbag about plants which listeners are not sure if they are houseplants or garden plants, and if you can be moved inside or out. The World Radio Gardening team offer their tips and advice. If you have a gardening question email [email protected]

Christmas traditions

December 01, 2015 11:57 - 10 minutes - 13.8 MB

Christmas is a time of tradition. One bone of contention in many households is when do you put up your Christmas decorations? For Adam Pasco and his family the 1st December is when the decorations go up. There are plenty of plants in the garden that can be used to decorate the home.

Getting your garden in order

November 20, 2015 16:33 - 4 minutes - 5.58 MB

Lucy Chamberlain is Head Gardener at East Donyland Hall a private garden just outside Fingringhoe in Essex. The extensive grounds include a walled kitchen garden, bog garden, moat, tennis courts and huge herbaceous borders. Lucy told Ken Crowther about her plans for the coming weeks.

Remembrance poppies

November 20, 2015 16:30 - 3 minutes - 4.94 MB

The poem In Flanders Field by John McCrae was largely responsible for beginning the tradition of wearing red poppies for remembrance. The common poppy is the official county flower for Essex and next summer it is hoped a new array of poppies will be seen in surprising places as Peter Holmes has been finding out.

Keeping The Strawberry Crop Productive

November 13, 2015 14:40 - 19 minutes - 18 MB

There are two different types of strawberry being grown at Wilkin and Sons farm in Tiptree. One is grown in polytunnel and the other left uncovered. The everbearing strawberry plant produces at a different time of the year to the June bearing which was planted in late July and cropped in late September as grower Andre explained to Ken Crowther

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