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GQT at Home: Salvias and Soap Nuts

Horticultural programme featuring a group of gardening experts, chaired by Peter Gibbs.

Peter Gibbs and his panel of experts answer your gardening questions. Joining him this week are Matthew Wilson, Bob Flowerdew and Anne Swithinbank.

This week, the panel are tasked with suggesting some herbaceous plants for a beautiful early June display. They discover one listener's natural alternative to laundry detergent, soap nuts, and share some other soap-alternative plants for the garden.

Away from the panel, we explore the world of Amelanchiers with Christine Walkden, and Claire Ratinon heads South East to speak with parakeet expert Dr Hazel Jackson to learn more about the UK's only naturalised parrot.

Producer - Dan Cocker
Assistant Producer - Aniya Das

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

Available now

42 minutes

Plant List

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

Ìý

Q – I have a north facing bed with three beautiful Hydrangeas. They’ve gotten too big and have started drooping over other plants in the bed. How can I support them and make them more compact?

(2 minutes)

Ìý

Matthew –

Hydrangea ‘Strong Annabelle’

Ìý

Q – I was late planting red onion sets last autumn, I’ve harvested them this year and they don’t seem to have grown. Can I replant these as sets or should I buy new ones and start again?

(5 minutes 45 seconds)

Ìý

Q – Last year my indoor Hibiscus plant stopped flowering and started to look peaky with mottled leaves. I re-potted it and left it on a sunny porch, and it has flowered but the leaves are getting worse. I think it might be a virus. How can I help it recover?

(8 minutes 4 seconds)

Ìý

Q – I have a Lobelia cardinalis 'Queen Victoria' and an arum lily, Zantedeschia aethiopica. Both are planted in recycled tyres with an oxygenation plant Elodea densa. How do I overwinter them?

(11 minutes 22 seconds)

Ìý

Feature – Claire Ratinon speaks to parakeet expert Dr Hazel Jackson all about these vibrant birds

(16 minutes 22 seconds)

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Q – In my vegetable garden I have two espalier trees, two conference pears which are separated by a Russet apple. About 20% of the leaves on the pear tree are now covered in orange blotches, and ‘warts’ on the underside. What have they caught, and can I cure it?

(22 minutes 55 seconds)

Ìý

Q – Every year I open my garden for the National Garden Scheme. Please can you suggest some herbaceous plants that will give a show in early June. I currently grow oriental poppies, Iris sibirica, Pulmonaria, sweet william, Allium, Camassia, Aquilegia.

(26 minutes 30 seconds)

Ìý

Matthew –

Cenolophium denudatum

Anthriscus sylvestris ‘R²¹±¹±ð²Ô²õ·É¾±²Ô²µâ€™

Pastinaca sativa

Euphorbia schillingii

Salvia ‘C²¹°ù²¹»å´Ç²Ô²Ô²¹â€™

Ìý

Bob –
Smilacina

Ìý

Anne –

Lupin
Thermopsis montana, False lupin

Baptisia australis, Blue false indigo

Ìý

Feature – Christine Walkden talks us through one of her favourite trees, the Amelanchier

(32 minutes 10 seconds)

Ìý

Q – In my attempt to avoid plastic, I have recently discovered soap nuts and use them as an alternative to laundry liquid. Would it ever be possible to produce our own soap nuts?

(37 minutes 20 seconds)

Ìý

Bob –

Saponaria officinalis

Broadcasts

  • Fri 15 Oct 2021 15:00
  • Sun 17 Oct 2021 14:00

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