Dig It

In this episode Bill and Peter suggest a visit to Toddington Open Gardens on the 4th and 5th July and also if you are passing they both like Poplars Garden Centre as a great place to visit or pop in for tea and cake if you are going past on the M1. In Northamptonshire we have Irthlingborough and Drayton Parslow in Milton Keynes.Hanging baskets are looking good now, but are food hungry so feed them with a high potash feed (K) like TomoriteThe Hertitage Seed library was at the NEC for Gardeners World live and at the show they were asking people to bring in seeds and plants that they think might be heirloom varieties. You can get seeds from them which you won’t find in most Garden Centres.Grass is on the telly a lot at the moment with the World Cup on. Bill shares some of the methods of commercial turf cultivation and growing. With our lawns at home in the summer experiencing less rainfall ideally they need to be watered but it’s best not to aerate in dry spells as this opens up the ground and will cause evaporation. Granular fertilizer as well can cause issues if it doesn’t rain after application, if you want to use a fertilizer then a liquid one is probably best.If you have bedding geraniums cut the flower stalks off once the flowers start going over, deadhead surfinias to encourage more flowers. If you are feeding your plants it’s best to do it in the morning, and if possible do it on a cloudy day so there is no chance of water droplet magnification which can cause leaf burn from the sunlight. Bill also tells us of other plants we can trim back to encourage more flowering next year and a great recipe for a winter fat ball for your birds. Make sure you keep your bird baths filled up with fresh clean water. If you have Strawberries try Slug gone pellets to help keep the slugs from eating them.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Peter and Bill chat about Bedding, Bokashi, and fertilizer. Bill suggests a few places to visit starting with Goring on Thames, Fritwell and Hanslope who have open garden weekends. We chat about bedding for flower beds and how the fashions have changed. We used to do 3 plantings a year but now we mainly do just summer bedding. Bill talks us through ways to plant, numbers to get a nice balance and some suggestions as to what will make a good display. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Episode Peter Talks with Chris Hepburn, Senior Sales Manager of Hozelock.Chris has been with Hozelock for many years and worked his way up through the company and gained a fantastic knowledge of the Horticultural Watering Marketplace. We chat about where the company first started and why, and where the first ideas for the first products came from. Hozelock has a great reputation as a British manufacturer and we learn how this has happened and their drive to always be an attainable, reliable and ecological product in the garden watering sector. Without them we would still be putting our thumbs over the end of our hosepipe, some of our range can be found online or for the full range, come and visit the Garden CentreHozelock has brought to England some Market leading products and some ideas from further afield, we learn about how across the world the Male to Female ½ inch hose connector has become a standardised fitting, and also a brief history of hoses, their makeup and their fittings. We also get an insight into the amount of product testing and large number of different materials that go into their products.We also hear about how Hozelock is evolving as a manufacturer to keep pace with the changing marketplace and how it is growing and diversifying its range to stay abreast of new ideas and additions to the watering range and also how its range now encompasses products that don’t just fit on a hose and spray water, like its range of composters.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter and Bill chat about some news items. Chelsea is sold out and opened to the general public Tuesday 19th May. Our friends at Malvern Garden Buildings have a stand and are exhibiting again. It may be a controversial year as one of the designers is getting criticised for using an AI app to design gardens. Peter has found a new range of pencils from Sprout World that have seeds in the end so you can grow things from your old pencil. Bill suggests writing labels from the top down and put a date on it so you know when you started them. It is also very important to protect your young seedlings from late frosts. Young plants still need protection.If you fancy visiting a Garden, Aspley Guise has many houses with open gardens on 24th May. Ramsden near Witney Oxfordshire also has 15 gardens open on the 24th. On the 30th gardens are open in Moggerhanger Bedfordshire and Carterton in Oxfordshire. If these aren’t local to you have a look at the NGS website, Pumpkins Beth’s website or the Open Gardens website.Sir David Attenborough has had his 100th birthday.Taylors bulbs have won a Gold medal at the RHS Malvern show, next for them is the Chelsea Show, could it be another Gold Medal?Peter learns the fact that his Tomatoes are too cold as the undersides of the leaves are going purple and the fact that he might be overwatering his Courgettes. If you have lost seedlings in the recent cold spells, you still have time to replant seeds or pop in to your local Garden Centre and buy some young seedlings.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Peter chats with Bill about his recent Sweetcorn planting and why he failed and yet Bill had a totally different result.For places to visit locally, we have 80 West Hill Aspley Guise 31st May and Latimer Park Farm, Chesham, 30th May. If you fancy something different then have a look at Pumpkin Beths What’s on page or The National Gardens Scheme.Bill gives us some great tips on early season lawn care and there is still time to plant a few bedding plants like night scented stocks, impatiens and cosmos. It’s also time to start succession planting your vegetables and you can put your runner beans and broad beans in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.

Time to feed your Daffodils as the bulbs have put a lot of energy into flowering and as the flowers are dying off you can give them some foliar feed to help them put more energy into the bulb for another good show next year. It is also worth deadheading them after flowering but leave the rest of the foliage for at least 6 to 8 weeks after flowering before cutting down.It’s time to plant Onions and Shallots, David grows both, sets are quicker so if you haven’t planted any yet it’s probably best to sow sets now. Peter Likes Silverskin Onions but hasn’t grown them yet and Onions are a great way to keep cats off your vegetable patch as cats don’t like the smell of them. If they go to seed either chop the flower heads off early or do as David does and leave them for the bees as they love Onion flowers.Time to get your Sweet Peppers in as they take a while to set fruit, but keep them warm and frost free as they don’t like the cold. Peter loves Padron Peppers so he will be planting his this week.We also need to plant our Globe Artichokes now, a large plant so perfect for people who have lots of space. They make a good plant for the border if you like a nice architectural plant.If you are planting Asparagus crowns early spring is a good time to get them in. They do take a few years to establish before you can crop them but they can live a long time, 15 to 20 years.David shares a new idea for recycling and what he uses to germinate his seeds in. At the Garden Centre we sell Fibrepots which are another great product that you can plant your young plants out in without disturbing the roots. Newspaper pots are another option for those that like to recycle.To plant your seeds in we recommend getting new seed compost each year, to improve drainage you can add Perlite and check the date of the seed as some seeds go off after a couple of years and germination levels drop.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Events to go and see:Bridgewater Plant Heritage Spring Fair at RHS Bridgewater, Salford, Manchester. M27 2 LJAlpine Garden Society Cleveland show on 4th April at HURWORTH GRANGE COMMUNITY CENTRE, 41 HURWORTH ROAD, HURWORTH PLACE, DARLINGTON, DL2 2BNDorothy Clive Gardens Spring plant Fair on 6th April at Willoughbridge, Market Drayton, Shropshire. TF9 4EUOverstroud Cottage, Great Missenden, Bucks opens on the 5th AprilIn the News:Some Garden Centre Groups have expanded and some have gone, but do they give us the best displays or any better pricing or is that still the draw of the larger independents.Local Councils are now hopefully going to start taking clean, used, non-black plant pots in your recyclingPotatoes:There is still time to get your first earlies in. Swift like it’s name is a great first early as are Pentland Crown and Rocket, best planted with some fertilizer like Q4 or Chicken Manure Pellets, and chitted in a cool, light place before you plant them. David’s favourites to grow are Charlotte and Nicola and he thinks Swift and Rocket are great too, Peter loves Desiree. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 In this |Episode David and Peter Chat about the early spring flowers and which one signifies the start of Spring. Dr Johnathon Jones thinks its magnolias, what do you think?The Greenfingers Charity is having its releaf days throughout the year. A Charity climb up Kilamanjaro has been organized to help raise funds as well as lots of other events scheduled for the year.A petition for making the UK peat free is being given to the Government and with all the industry’s hard work to change the offer so far there is no confirmed date despite the Government’s pledges to ban peat in Horticulture. Millbrook Garden Centres sell to the British Garden Centre Group making 77 centres in the group.With the bedding season on the horizon we have a new range of early flowering drop ins for your hanging basket or all the plug plants are in now if you have a frost free area to grow them on for the next 6 to 8 weeks. Seed potatoes are selling well and there is still time to get some. David has had moderate success with growing basil with half of his crop germinating. Peter is going to try and germinate some tomatoes on his allotment this year.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Episode we chat about upcoming events and shows, plants we are starting to sow now, and some items from the news.Show and Open daysPotato Day and Green Fair, Border Events Centre, KelsoAlpine Society Spring Show, Humphrey Perkins School, Barrow upon Soar, Loughborough. LE12 8JUSouth Molton Panier Market Plant Fair, South Molton Pannier Market, Broad Street, South Molton EX36 3ABPlant Heritage hosts Evening with David Hurrion, on Zoom or in person at St. Andrew's Church Hall, Churchgate House, Downside Road, Cobham, Surrey. KT11 3EJ Central Exhibitions Homes and Garden Show, Middleton Hall, Milton Keynes shopping Centre.Alpine Garden Society Garden Show, Kirkbie Kendal School, Lound Road, Kendal LA9 7EQRare Plant Fayre, The Bishops Palace, Wells, Somerset BA5 2PDIn the NewsBarcham Trees goes Robotic. They have upgraded their tree production line to be completely robotic. Peter went to Corner Corner Restaurant and saw London’s biggest commercial indoor vertical farm growing salad and herbs.Matthew Biggs designed Hospital Garden in Hertfordshire is still growing and The Apple House at Serge Hill recently held a conference on how Outdoor space and gardens can transform patients outlooks and the benefits it brings to their well being.What we are plantingWe discuss Tomatoes grown in Hozelocks GroBag Waterer the benefits of Marigolds grown close by, David has had success with Sungold, and Dwarf Marigolds. Peter has grown Beefsteak Tomatoes. David then tells us about his Potato growing method and how it improves the soil structure, as it’s now about time to start thinking about First Early Potatoes. David is not a fan of Chicken Manure Pellets or Q4 Fertilizer, he relies on the compost but many of us do use fertilizer and we all agree on the benefits of earthing up.Finally we discuss treating your lawns with Chafer grub Nematodes as it’s that time of year and once treated the nematodes will last a year or two. Peter scarifies, reseeds and feeds his lawn and after all the rain recently Moss has grown well so Peter is treating his with Evergreen Complete a feed, weed and moss treatment. If you want to listen to a proper Grass expert listen to this podcastMusic kindly provided by Chiltern Music Therapy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode David and Peter chat about a few News items, the record breaking amounts of rain we have had in January - the rivers are breaking their banks and lots of areas of the country are flooded - compost heaps, the new Stiga AI robot mower and British Garden Centres have secured another site at Dronfield. It’s still bare root season and Peter talks of his plans to plant another bare root Cox’s Orange Pipin, another Cherry and some more RaspberriesDavid tells us about Simiane shallots which he has grown from seed and also the red and white onions that he grew from sets. The other thing David has planted is Dwarf French Marigold, a flowering plant that over the years Gardeners have used for keeping whitefly away, but David has found they also help keep cats away. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Episode David and Peter chat about seed swaps, snow drops and our top 5 houseplants.Events and Places to Visit:18th Bletchley Seed swap is happening on 14 February 2026 - 10-2pm Address: Freeman Memorial Methodist Church Hall, Buckingham Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK3 5HH just £1 entryGatton Park Snowdrop Open Day  Sunday 01 February 12.00 pm - 5.00 pm. The Park and gardens are open to view a spectacular display of snowdrops. Heralds of spring and a sure sign that warmer weather is on the way. Gardens open 12 noon – 5pm Online booking: £7 adult, children free. On the day: £9 adult, children free, subject to availabilityHole Park Snowdrop & Plant Fair Sunday, February 1st at Hole Park Gardens, Benenden Road, Rolvenden, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 4JA. From 11:00 am. Entry Cost: £8 per Adult and £2.50 per child (aged 5-17 years). Under 5’s enter free of charge. Tickets include entry to Hole Park Gardens. With more than a dozen dedicated growers and nurseries from across the South East. Hole Park's garden team will also be on hand to answer your gardening queries and the Coach House Tea Room will be open for refreshments. The Bishop's Palace Snowdrop Month Daily from Sunday, February 1st, throughout February. Address: The Bishop's Palace & Gardens, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2PD. From 10am to 4pm daily. Entry Cost: Standard admission is £15 for adults, £7 for children (5-17 years), under 5s free. This ticket is valid for 12 months. Explore 14 acres of RHS partner gardens with extensive snowdrop displays and winter borders using a printed guide.Colesbourne Snowdrops daily from Sunday, February 1st, until March 1st. Colesbourne Park, Colesbourne, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 9NP. Experience the stunning and historic snowdrop collection at Colesbourne, known as "England's greatest snowdrop garden". Colesbourne Gardens is the premier place to see snowdrops in bloom. The collection is probably the most varied of any garden on display, with over three hundred varieties. Early Spring Show, Iris & Cyclamen at RHS Garden WisleyOn Saturday, February 14th RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB between 10am–3.30pm, which is free for RHS members,you can discover some of the best early spring flowering iris and cyclamen. Visitors can enjoy rare collections and competition classes as well as a photographic exhibition, unusual plants for sale and friendly experts available to answer your questions.Come and get the new range of Heritage seeds from Franchi this season, not in yet but will be released for sale shortly, ready for this years growing season.Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition provides a unique platform for emerging talent to showcase their skills and ambition. The competition is open to anyone across the UK and Ireland.Scotland’s Gardens Scheme unveils 457 garden openings for 2026Having just finished houseplant week we wanted to share with you some varieties that we do well with. The Houseplants we discuss are our mini Showbox Houseplants, a range of mini mixed houseplants, all are tough, easy to care for, and cheap so make great starter plants. Phalaenopsis Orchids a wonderful flowering plant often used as a great, long-lasting,  colourful gift. Dragon trees or Dracaena the low care houseplant that seems to do well without much water, best kept in a bright position out of direct sun and cold draughts. Fittonia is a delicate looking Houseplant which we discuss which has a great colourful foliage that likes a damp soil and does well in dappled light. Tradescantias are another plant first bought to England in the 17th Century, from South America, it’s easy to propagate, care for and if cut back regularly will make a nice, compact and colourful foliage plant. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the episode we learn more about Apples and Orchards. Claire is Chairperson of Mid Shires Orchards Group and shares some of her amazing knowledge on varieties, rootstocks, the different types of Apples and what happens at Woughton on the greens community orchard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.