Hay Festival
Peter Gibbs hosts the horticultural panel programme from the Hay Festival. Matthew Wilson, Bob Flowerdew and Pippa Greenwood answer the questions from the audience.
Peter Gibbs hosts the horticultural panel programme from the Hay Festival. Matthew Wilson, Bob Flowerdew and Pippa Greenwood answer the questions from the audience.
This week they discuss keeping plants in campervans, how to prevent onion rot and the best edible plants for a greenhouse. In the features Pippa Greenwood visits the Westonbury Mill Water Gardens to discover the benefits of water in planting and the panel recommend their favourite gardening books.
Produced by Dan Cocker
Assistant producer: Hannah Newton
A Somethin' Else production for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4.
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Fact Sheet
Q – Last year I sowed 5000 onion seeds of ‘Santero’ and 5000 onion sets – when they dried, the onions from sets had rot but the seeds didn’t – why is this? Ìý
Bob – Soil conditions are very critical for allowing rot into plants – The seeds and sets grow in different stages. By using a soil mill, you can damage the basal plate – if that’s bruised it can let the rot in. It’s not a good idea to push sets into the ground – better to put them on the surface, cover them with some soil until they have managed to root then brush the soil away.
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Q – Soon I will be living in a small campervan - can the panel recommend any plants to improve the aesthetic of the van?
Matthew – Bonsai trees.
Pippa – it’s going to be difficult – you could grow something in a long, slim trough-shaped container that you could train up a trellis – maybe with variegated Ivy and a Clematis. You could also plant some spring bulbs in the base.
Bob – Herbs: Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Mint and Oregano.
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Q – I have a greenhouse in my school garden, it’s in full sun and has little ventilation – what edible crops can we grow that will harvest before July 20th? Ìý
Pippa – Put some ventilation in there – the temperature will be too high without it. Take out a pane of glazing to create a window. Early crops of strawberries and tomatoes. Also lettuces.
Bob – Fruit plants in big pots: Gooseberries, Blackcurrants, Redcurrants and some grape vines – ‘Siegerrebe’ and ‘Boskoop Glory’ varieties are good. Bring them inside from February. Ìý
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Q – I have a problem with my rose bush – can you help?
Pippa – It’s a classic example of proliferation, the petals are really densely packed – a lot of them are green with the orange colour in the centre and right in the middle there is a collection of buds and more growth. It’s a second rose growing from the centre – it is usually caused from physical damage – it could be frost or hail at the wrong time. It could also be a virus or a mycoplasma – I would remove the potentially infectious plant.
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Q – How do I differentiate weeds from the other small plants?
Bob – I would sow in a pattern such as an H shape – this will help to know where your plants should be growing. ÌýYou could also take a handful of soil from the area and plant it up separately, everything that grows out of that will be a weed and should help you to identify the weeds in the future.
Pippa – I would sow straight lines. Before you sow the seeds you should cultivate the soil and remove the large crop of weeds.
Matthew – you can create a herringbone pattern by sowing in alternate patches of straight lines.
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Q – We plant edible plants for the public to pick and use – we have acquired a south-facing bank with stony, dry and unproductive soil. Which herbs and fruit can we grow to provide interest for 12 months of the year?
Bob – Nuts; Hazels/Cobs/Filberts – especially red-skinned are good on a dry, stony soil.
Matthew – You could produce wine from vines on the stony bank – start small but they will work well after the roots are very deep into the ground. Use the rule ‘2 bottles per square yard’ (9 square feet/ 0.8 square metres).
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Broadcasts
- Fri 3 Jun 2016 15:00´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4
- Sun 5 Jun 2016 14:00´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4
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Podcast
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Gardeners' Question Time
Horticultural programme featuring a group of gardening experts