Episode 648: A Big Tree Down, Compost Going Out and My Top Tips for Successful Seed Germination

About this episode

This episode covers the completion of major winter gardening tasks, including tree removal and the start of seed sowing.

This week’s episode has been a satisfying mix of big winter jobs finally completed, steady progress in both the kitchen garden and the allotment, and the start of the busy seed‑sowing season. Here’s a written look at everything covered in Episode 648. Kitchen Garden Update The biggest achievement this week was removing the large elm tree that had taken root beside the greenhouse. What looked manageable from the ground turned out to be around five metres tall, meaning a scaffold tower was needed to safely take it down. As you said in the episode, climbing up reminded you that heights still aren’t your favourite place to be, but the job needed doing and it’s now complete. With the stump cut low, a Dalek compost bin has been placed over the top. This is a method you’ve used many times before. By excluding light and keeping the area damp with added compostable material, the stump slowly rots away over a year or two. It’s simple, inexpensive and avoids the need for heavy machinery. The thinner branches have already been shredded for woodchip, which will be used around the garden and in the chicken coop. The thicker pieces will dry out and become winter fuel later in the year. It’s…

People in this episode

Host: Richard

Topics covered

• gardening
• seed germination
• composting
• winter jobs
• self-sufficiency

Keywords

• gardening
• compost
• seed germination
• elm tree
• self-sufficiency
• kitchen garden
• allotment

Mentioned in this episode

Products: seed potatoes, woodchip, elm tree

Places: kitchen garden, allotment, greenhouse, Dalek compost bin, chicken coop

More episodes of The Veg Grower Podcast

• Episode 661: Early June Chaos: Wild Weather, Busy Bees and Successional Sowing · June 8, 2026 · 31 min
• Episode 660: Embracing Tomato Fortnight & Sowing French Beans in Early Summer · June 1, 2026 · 31 min
• Episode 659: Battling the Heatwave & Finding a Rustic Vision for the Kitchen Garden · May 25, 2026 · 32 min
• Episode 658: The Week the Weather Turned… and I Finally Got My Bees · May 18, 2026 · 33 min
• Episode 657: Sowing Winter Cabbage, Tackling Allotment Overwhelm & Our April Book Review · May 11, 2026 · 27 min
• Episode 656: Highlights From the Gardener’s World Spring Fair · May 4, 2026 · 33 min