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GQT At Home: Episode One

Kathy Clugston hosts the horticultural panel show from home.

Kathy Clugston is joined by Matthew Wilson, Anne Swithenbank and Matthew Pottage to host GQT from the comfort of their own homes, answering questions sent in by the audience.

This week, the panellists suggest ways to entertain children in the garden, advise on re-planting a terrarium, and discuss the best vegetables to grow in a garden.

Away from the questions - and before the current coronavirus restrictions came into being - Peter Gibbs went to meet Lawrence Shaw, Archeological Officer for the New Forest National Park Authority, who shows him some of the tree graffiti to be found in the forest.

Producer: Darby Dorras
Assistant Producer: Jemima Rathbone

A Somethin' Else production for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Sun 5 Apr 2020 14:00

Plant List

Q – If you had to self-isolate with only one plant for company – which would it be and why? (2 minutes)

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Anne – Lavender

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Matthew Wilson – Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina)

Pennisetum orientale (Oriental Fountain Grass)

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Matthew Pottage – Begonia ‘Rex’

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Q – How can I best use my garden to grow everyday vegetables for myself and my neighbours? How do I keep my slugs and bugs from eating the lot? (3 minutes 55)

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Anne – Beetroots, carrots, swiss chard, summer cabbages

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Q – I love growing vegetables and particularly varieties which you can’t get in the supermarket. When seeds are listed as new on the packets is it wise to choose them and try something interesting, or are they less likely to do well being untested? For example Wok Brok (Chinese Broccoli).Ìý (7 minutes 23)

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Matthew Wilson – Cucamelons

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Matthew Wilson Tips on Dividing (10 minutes 30)

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Matthew Wilson – Perennial Geranium

White Campion

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Matthew Pottage – Hemerocallis

Agapanthus

Hardy Geranium

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Q – I have a 5-year-old Apricot tree ‘Flavorcot’, fan trained on a west-facing wall. It seems a healthy tree growing well and with lots of leaves. But it has very little blossom and is only on 3 of the 7 arms. Last year I only had one apricot – how can I persuade this tree to flower more and produce blossom all across its branches, not just on the tips? (20 minutes 30)

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Q – My wife and I are looking forward to getting back in the garden after a long wet winter. However, we are the parents of an adventurous toddler. Does the panel have any tips on how the adults can get a gardening fix whilst entertaining a gardener in the making?Ìý (25 minutes 04)

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Q – I have 3 boys aged 8,6 and 3. I want to use the garden as much as possible for lessons. What suggestions do you have? I would like to grow vegetables and I am a total novice.Ìý (27 minutes 30)

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Q – I have been given a terrarium, but it fell over in transit. It was planted up with 5 small cacti using a black membrane and a small amount of compost and gravel. I would like some advice on how to replant it please. (30 minutes 45)

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Q – I have a south-west facing conservatory which a large Stephanotis floribunda climbing over the ceiling struts. It is about 6 years old and lives happily in a very large pot. When dusting the leaves I noticed they have 2 fruit that look like mangos. Are they edible and do they have seeds or a pip? (33 minutes)

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Q – Last year my daughter gave me a basket containing 3 Hyacinth bulbs. After they flowered I fed the plant until the leaves died down. I lifted the bulbs, dried them, and stored them in a plastic container in the shed. I re-planted the bulbs in a pot and now have what appears to be 5 plants, 3 of which have flowered. Do I treat the bulbs as I did last year or do I leave them in situ? (35 minutes 10)

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Q – Can you recommend plants which can be a good alternative to toilet paper? (37 minutes 40)

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Matthew Wilson – Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina)

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Kathy – Mulleiun (Verbascum Thapsus)

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Anne – Sea sponge

Broadcasts

  • Fri 3 Apr 2020 15:00
  • Sun 5 Apr 2020 14:00

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