Dig It

Bill has joined the podcast to share some of his knowledge from a life time in horticulture.In this episode we learn a little about Bill's introduction to growing plants, from his early days of harvesting in school to help feed his fellow pupils to growing flowers, bedding, and vegetables for the commercial markets of London and Birmingham. We talk through some of the changes and improvements to our industry and how the chemicals we can use now are very different to the ones we used in the 70's.We also learn a few tips on which way to wind your plants around canes in the Northern hemisphere and the benefits of different fertilizers and minerals to plants we are trying to grow,Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music.

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.

Manos Kanellos is hoping to join us on the podcast in the Autumn to help us with our Orchids, after a very successful Orchid Day and Terrarium workshop at the Garden Centre.Newbury Garden Show at the Newbury Showground, RG 18 9QZ on the 11th and 12 April.The Rare Plant Fair at the Old Rectory Quenington. GL7 5BN on the 12th AprilKingswood Walton and Tadworth Horticultural Society spring show 11th April Easton Lodge Open day 12th April at Easton Lodge, CM6 2BB.6 different gardens are opening in Long Crendon,  12 April as part of the National Gardens Scheme. Squires Garden Centre, Shepperton are hosting the Orchid Society of Great Britian Spring show Beth Chatto’s Gardens are also part of the National Garden Scheme opened by her and Husband Andrew, a 7.5 acre garden in Essex, CO7 7DB on the 14th AprilNewsTo mark World Water Day on 22 March 2026, GARDENA proudly announces the continuation of its global partnership with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, reinforcing a shared commitment to improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for children and families around the world.Hozelock also make great watering products that we stock at the Garden Centre.Dobies upgrades its Food Halls with a 1.5 million pound investment in 48 stores across the UK.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music

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.

In this episode David chats with the Treasurer Barbara about the joys of Allotments.Barbara shares a little history of the area and the allotments, and the fact that the Roundheads and Cavaliers once fought in the area. We learn of the changes of that she has noticed through her times in Buckingham and the impact this has had on the allotments and its holders. As a long-standing member of the community and management she shares some sage advice on the benefits of being part of a fun, engaging and helpful sector of Buckingham Society. Barbara also discusses her passion for growing both vegetables and flowers and how the pressures of modern day life has changed the ways the allotments work, the demand for plots and the way the allotments are used and how its rules evolve with the demands of society.More information can be found on their website

 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