World Radio Gardening
733 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★ - 7 ratingsThe world’s first streamed #gardening radio station providing advice, interviews and music for all #gardeners anywhere.
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Episodes
Christmas at Kelly’s Turkeys’ in Essex
December 01, 2015 12:03 - 5 minutes - 6.72 MBWorkers 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 MBThere 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 MBChristmas 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 MBLucy 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 MBThe 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 MBThere 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
Plants on the move
November 13, 2015 14:38 - 2 minutes - 3.3 MBAutumn is a good time for planting, and it’s also a good time for transplanting. After flowering herbaceous plants can be lifted and divided, but what’s unusual about herbaceous plants is they can be dug up, split up and replanted in the same spot as The Sun’s Steve Bradley explained to Ken Crowther.
Sowing crops for next harvest
November 13, 2015 14:36 - 5 minutes - 7.93 MBArable farmer Hugh Pegrum’s family have farmed the land in Epping since 1880. All the crops are combinable, so no root crops like potato or sugar beet. All the autumn cultivations have been done, and the wheat for the 2016 harvest has just been planted as Hugh told Ken Crowther.
Fibrous and tuberous begonias
November 05, 2015 14:39 - 9 minutes - 13 MBA popular question to the World Radio Gardening team is ‘what’s the difference between fibrous and tuberous begonias?’ And how do you look after them? Ken Crowther and Geoff Hodge discuss this and other questions from the World Radio Gardening post bag.
Good year for honey
November 05, 2015 14:36 - 3 minutes - 4.35 MBEssex bee farmer Mike Coe says it’s been a good year for honey, despite hives being lost through wasp attacks. He told Peter Holmes that it has been a bit of a blow for bee farmers but they’ll bounce back by splitting hives and starting again.
Brightening up your garden
November 05, 2015 14:33 - 3 minutes - 5.35 MBNow that summer has passed the garden can start to look a bit drab. To inject some much needed colour into the garden Writtle College lecturer, Tom Cole plans to tackle his containers. The geraniums have been removed and are being replaced by Forget-Me-Nots.
Plants for autumn colour
November 05, 2015 14:31 - 9 minutes - 13.4 MBRiverside Nursery in Hockley, Essex is run by John and Bo Galsworthy. The nine acre site between Hockley and Hullbridge sits in the Crouch Valley. John took Ken for a tour around the nursery to look at some of the best plants for autumn colour.
Growing Vegetables Throughtout The Year
November 05, 2015 14:01 - 14 minutes - 20.3 MBThere’s no reason to let your allotment or vegetable plot remain empty through the winter months. There are loads of winter vegetables to grow including garlic, onions and shallots as Thompson & Morgan’s vegetable man Colin Randall explained to Ken Crowther.
Brighten Up Your Day With Houseplants
November 05, 2015 13:59 - 13 minutes - 18.7 MBAt this time of the year, houseplants aren’t as happy as they are in the summer. Just because your plants are inside, it doesn’t mean they are not affect by the change in season. Low and poor light levels can have an adverse affect, but that doesn’t mean they won’t pick up in the spring as Bayer’s Anita Dent told Ken Crowther.
Winter in the garden
November 05, 2015 12:42 - 9 minutes - 13.2 MBWinter will soon be upon us, but will it be a mild one or will we have frosts and snow? Steve Bradley from The Sun newspaper and Ken Crowther discuss what the changing weather means for the garden and how to make the conditions work for you.
Spring flowering bulbs
November 05, 2015 12:39 - 3 minutes - 4.27 MBIf you want your garden to be filled with colour next spring, now is a great time to plant spring flowering bulbs before the colder weather sets in. Kris Collins from Thompson and Morgan spoke to Ken Crowther about the best times to plant.
Cambridge University botanic glasshouse
November 05, 2015 12:36 - 12 minutes - 16.5 MBThe 80 metre glasshouse range at Cambridge University’s Botanic Garden is a suite of house connected by a corridor. Broken into sections the display showcases a variety of plants giving year-round interest. Head of Horticulture Sally Pettit told Ken Crowther about its history.
Feeding your lawn in autumn
November 05, 2015 12:32 - 9 minutes - 13.1 MBAutumn is a good time of the year to inspect your lawn for problems and treat before the temperature drops and the lawn stops growing. John Clowes treated his lawn in October and the grass is looking good as he told Ken Crowther.
Pruning pyracantha
November 05, 2015 12:31 - 10 minutes - 14.7 MBKen Crowther and Geoff Hodge answer your gardening questions and queries, including when is the best time to prune pyracantha and can you propagate old pear trees. If you have a gardening question email [email protected]
A giant among annuals
October 22, 2015 18:58 - 3 minutes - 4.7 MBPeeking over the gardens of Colchester is a giant sunflower grown by Malcolm Bacon. This 11ft 3in Russian Giant is in the running for Thompson & Morgan’s UK’s tallest sunflower competition. Peter Holmes has been out in the north Essex town to see if he can spot it.
Ken's Gardening Podcast 18th June
October 22, 2015 18:52 - 47 minutes - 64.8 MBKen's weekly gardening podcast.
Autumn colour
October 16, 2015 18:43 - 7 minutes - 10.6 MBThe Sun’s gardening correspondent Steve Bradley has a life-long interest in autumn colour, and this year the colours have been stunning. Steve told Ken Crowther how the Americans track their autumn colour from space using satellites and can watch the colour moving 80 miles south a day.
Growing on Japanese koi carp
October 16, 2015 18:40 - 8 minutes - 7.36 MBAllan Joyce runs the Tranquil Waters Aquatic Centre in High Ongar. The 15-acre koi farm in the heart of the Essex countryside is registered by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority and Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science). He explained to Ken Crowther how the centre is run.
Autumn flower garden action plan
October 08, 2015 09:47 - 17 minutes - 23.7 MBThe foliage is changing from the greens of summer to the golden hues of autumn before the leaves finally fall as we move into winter. There are things to do, things to enjoy and things to plant in the garden as Adam Pasco explains.
Gardens of Audley End
October 08, 2015 09:43 - 8 minutes - 11.2 MBAutumn is a great time to visit the gardens at Audley End. The trees, many which date back from the late 18th century, are a spectacular sight of yellows, oranges, reds and bronze. The 10-strong gardening team are lead by head gardener Alan North who spoke to Tony Fisher about the work maintaining the grounds.
Avoiding garden injuries
October 07, 2015 10:52 - 4 minutes - 6.56 MBEvery year thousands end up in hospital or at their doctors after sustaining an injury whilst gardening. Overdoing it can lead to a range of injuries, with back and neck problems high on the list. Australian horticultural expert John Mason has advice to help avoid injury.
Soil testing and worm composting
October 07, 2015 10:49 - 15 minutes - 21.7 MBWhen planting in the garden it’s a good idea to test whether soil is acid or alkaline as different plants will grow in different soils. If you have never tested the pH level of your soil or measured the level of major nutrients then your plants might struggle to grow properly as Adam Pasco explains.
Spring in Australia
October 07, 2015 10:47 - 5 minutes - 7.95 MBSeptember heralds the start of spring in Australia, but as the country is so large gardening jobs differ in different parts of the country. In the south, the cool temperate areas mean there is still the chance of a frost whilst the Gold Coast and Western Australia are frost free. Garden expert John Mason offers his spring garden tips.
Growing cucurbits
October 07, 2015 10:44 - 9 minutes - 13.4 MBLeading horticultural expert John Mason has spent the last three months researching and writing a book about curcubits, that’s your melons, cucumbers, marrows, squash and pumpkins. Australia’s spring season runs from the start of September to the end of November and makes an ideal time to plant curcubits as John explains.
Autumn colour at Marks Hall
October 07, 2015 10:40 - 4 minutes - 6.46 MBAutumn is a great time to visit Marks Hall in Essex as the geographical themed planting produces a spectacularly colourful display. Curator Jonathan Jukes took Ken Crowther on a tour to see some of the highlights.
Advice for new beekeepers
October 07, 2015 10:37 - 5 minutes - 7.05 MBBrian Spencer, Secretary of the Chelmsford Beekeepers Association is a relative new comer in the beekeeping world having only kept them for 10-years most of the beekeepers have been keeping them for 30 to 40 years. He told Ken Crowther what it takes to become a beekeeper.
Growing fruit in the garden
October 07, 2015 10:34 - 9 minutes - 12.5 MBMalcolm Withnall from Hadlow College believes amateur gardeners are missing out a few tricks when it comes to growing fruit in the garden. Professional growers achieve enormous success with huge yields of high quality fruit, whereas as amateur growers are getting the exact opposite as Malcolm explained to Ken Crowther.
Bumper harvest of soft fruits
September 30, 2015 14:11 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBThis year has been great for soft fruit production, with bumper crops of blackberries, raspberries and sloes perfect for making sloe gin. But when should you pick them? Many wait until after the first frosts, however, Bayer’s Anita Dent has other plans as she told Ken Crowther.
New cosmos for 2016
September 30, 2015 14:08 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBThe nights are drawing in and the weather is getting colder making it the perfect time to plan your planting for the year ahead. Thompson & Morgan ‘s new seed catalogue has a number of varieties to look out for including their flower of the year the butter-yellow cosmos, ‘Xanthos’ as Michael Perry explained to Ken Crowther.
Tiptree’s busiest time of the year
September 30, 2015 14:04 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBWith Christmas rapidly approaching the factory at Wilkin & Sons limited in Tiptree, Essex are busy preparing for the production of their brandy butter. Factory manager Dan Green spoke to Ken Crowther about their preparations for the festive season.
Belton House, Lincolnshire
September 10, 2015 13:09 - 6 minutes - 9.27 MBBelton House sits in formal Italian and Dutch gardens and an historic 1300 acre deer park. The Orangery and Italian Garden was built by English architect and garden designer Sir Jeffry Wyatville, who was responsible for the remodelling of Windsor Castle in 1824. Weekend gardener Helen Farmer told Ken Crowther about her role at the National Trust property.
Gunby Hall Gardens, Lincolnshire
September 10, 2015 13:07 - 7 minutes - 10 MBThe gardens at Gunby Hall Gardens in Lincolnshire date back to the 17th century, with planting by Peregrine Massingbred in the 19th century. Head gardener, Clive Ironmonger has worked on the grounds for 23 years, and whilst the path layout remains the same the gardens have steadily evolved. Ken Crowther went for a stroll around the grounds to learn more.
Getting the most from your garden
September 10, 2015 12:51 - 5 minutes - 7.34 MBGarden designer Jason Lock believes that if you want to get the most out of your garden, design is the way forward. Working with a garden designer can save costly mistakes as Jason Lock from the award winning East Anglian garden designer firm Deakin Lock told Ken Crowther.
Work of the HTA
September 10, 2015 12:50 - 5 minutes - 7.66 MBPart of the work of The Horticultural Trades Association is to get people gardening, as well as protecting the interests of gardeners and growers. Ken Crowther spoke to Carol Paris, HTA Chief Executive about her role and how to encourage the gardeners of the future.
Jekkas herbs
September 10, 2015 12:48 - 4 minutes - 6.16 MBOrganic gardener and author Jekka McVicar is well known for her cultivation and use of herbs. Working with Johnsons seeds she created a range of herbs with her name on. The range includes familiar names as well some less well known varieties as Ian Cross explained to Ken Crowther.
Changing times at Johnsons seeds
September 10, 2015 12:46 - 5 minutes - 7.8 MBJohnsons will be a familiar name to buyers of flower and vegetable seeds, having been sold in a number of different outlets across the country for nearly 100 years. Retail Marketing Manager Ian Cross told Ken Crowther how they have gone back to basics with the range.
Year of the cosmos
September 10, 2015 12:42 - 3 minutes - 5.37 MBNext year, 2016 is the year of the cosmos. Rachel Cole seed buyer for Mr Fothergill’s has been trialling different varieties ahead of the event. In particular they have incorporated some of the dwarf and tall varieties to show the different range of colour you get as she told Ken Crowther.
Tomatoes on trial
September 10, 2015 12:32 - 7 minutes - 9.99 MBIn the polytunnel at Fothergill’s seeds more than 150 different varieties of tomatoes are being grown. Whilst the older varieties still prove popular, the newer ones are more disease resistant as Technical manager Tracy Collacott from Mr Fothergill’s seeds explained to Ken Crowther.
The Blight Of Vegetable Growers
September 07, 2015 09:01 - 16 minutes - 15.2 MBThe disease blight is a serious problem for potato and tomato growers causing collapse and decay. It is prevalent during warm and humid weather and can be particularly damaging to outdoor crops. Thompson & Morgan vegetable expert Colin Randall told Ken Crowther about how they are carrying out trials which may help eradicate the disease.
It's Harvest Time
September 07, 2015 08:59 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBAs we move into autumn, the growing season slows down and it is time to pick the crops which have been growing all summer. It is a favourite time of the year for Bayer Garden’s Consumer Advisor, Anita Dent who took Ken Crowther for a wander around the garden.
An Extended Strawberry Season
September 07, 2015 08:57 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MBBritish strawberry growers Wilkin & Son are enjoying a good harvest which now extends into September and October. The use of polytunnels and new varieties has helped extend the season. Anton Thurgood, who is Farm Manager at the Tiptree farm, spoke to Ken Crowther.
August At Hyde Hall Is Hedge Cutting Time
August 21, 2015 13:26 - 15 minutes - 34.8 MBHedge cutting is a huge job at Hyde Hall due to the different varieties of hedging grown. An expert eye is needed to ensure a straight line is achieved on a long run of hedging. Ian Bull explained to Ken Crowther how they tackle such a big task.
The kitchen garden in summer
August 19, 2015 11:52 - 11 minutes - 15.2 MBIt has been great year for growing zucchini or courgettes says Adam Pasco. He’s been growing a few different varieties this summer including Zephyr, which develops a creamy-yellow skin with a green tip to each fruit and offers something different to the usual green courgettes.
Gardening into autumn
August 19, 2015 11:49 - 17 minutes - 24.3 MBFor an instant display autumn-flowering colchicums are hard to beat with their simple growing instructions. These season popular bulbs produced their flowers in autumn, but do not produce leaves until the spring as Adam Pasco explained.