Dig It

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

In This Episode...Frost Protection: Peter shares an essential seasonal tip on laying fleece over your newly planted crops to shield them from late-season frost.Microgreens & Salads: David discusses his progress with microgreens and his method for planting Basil as a microsalad crop.Carrot Success: We explore the unique benefits of growing Carrots in pots for better pest control and root quality.Broad Bean Tapenade: Peter reveals his favourite recipe for a broad bean tapenade—the perfect way to use your harvest.Upcoming Events & FeaturesKew Gardens Orchid Festival: Taking place from 7 February to 8 March 2026, this year's Kew Gardens Orchid Festival celebrates Chinese biodiversity with stunning displays in the Princess of Wales Conservatory.Thriplow Daffodil Weekend: Don't miss this iconic event on 21st and 22nd March 2026. Tickets are available on the Thriplow Daffodil Weekend  and often sell out early.Marathon For a Cause: Our Head Chef, Josh, is running the London Marathon on Sunday, 26 April 2026, to raise vital funds for Cystic Fibrosis.Special Guest: Manos KanellosJoin us on Saturday morning, 21st March, for a special talk by orchid expert Manos and in the afternoon for a class on how to create a Terrarium (tickets needed)Topics for discussion during the morning:Bring Your Orchid: If you have an orchid at home, bring it along for expert advice!Expertise: Manos works for Growth Technology, a specialist company that has spent years driving the orchid industry forward with high-quality products.Must-Read Book: He is also the co-author of the highly acclaimed book, "Growing Orchids at Home", published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.  

In this Episode we chat about upcoming events and shows, plants we are starting to sow now, and some items from the news.Show and Open daysPotato Day and Green Fair, Border Events Centre, KelsoAlpine Society Spring Show, Humphrey Perkins School, Barrow upon Soar, Loughborough. LE12 8JUSouth Molton Panier Market Plant Fair, South Molton Pannier Market, Broad Street, South Molton EX36 3ABPlant Heritage hosts Evening with David Hurrion, on Zoom or in person at St. Andrew's Church Hall, Churchgate House, Downside Road, Cobham, Surrey. KT11 3EJ Central Exhibitions Homes and Garden Show, Middleton Hall, Milton Keynes shopping Centre.Alpine Garden Society Garden Show, Kirkbie Kendal School, Lound Road, Kendal LA9 7EQRare Plant Fayre, The Bishops Palace, Wells, Somerset BA5 2PDIn the NewsBarcham Trees goes Robotic. They have upgraded their tree production line to be completely robotic. Peter went to Corner Corner Restaurant and saw London’s biggest commercial indoor vertical farm growing salad and herbs.Matthew Biggs designed Hospital Garden in Hertfordshire is still growing and The Apple House at Serge Hill recently held a conference on how Outdoor space and gardens can transform patients outlooks and the benefits it brings to their well being.What we are plantingWe discuss Tomatoes grown in Hozelocks GroBag Waterer the benefits of Marigolds grown close by, David has had success with Sungold, and Dwarf Marigolds. Peter has grown Beefsteak Tomatoes. David then tells us about his Potato growing method and how it improves the soil structure, as it’s now about time to start thinking about First Early Potatoes. David is not a fan of Chicken Manure Pellets or Q4 Fertilizer, he relies on the compost but many of us do use fertilizer and we all agree on the benefits of earthing up.Finally we discuss treating your lawns with Chafer grub Nematodes as it’s that time of year and once treated the nematodes will last a year or two. Peter scarifies, reseeds and feeds his lawn and after all the rain recently Moss has grown well so Peter is treating his with Evergreen Complete a feed, weed and moss treatment. If you want to listen to a proper Grass expert listen to this podcastMusic kindly provided by Chiltern Music Therapy

In this episode Peter chats with Ian Cross from Mr Fothergills seeds. Mr Fothergills are one of the largest seed suppliers in the UK and supply seeds to over 30 countries with a 70% market share in Australia and New Zealand. Surprisingly, Sunflowers and Beetroot are some of their best selling types of seed.Mr Fothergills has released a new Oh Sow Simple range of seeds this year which are designed, as the name suggests, to be the perfect range of simple starter seeds. They will grow with easy to follow instructions and sensible numbers in the packet. The ranges have been selected to be easy to grow and germinate. Ian gives us some great tips for growing plants from seed, from light conditions to warmth, and a brilliant idea of what to do with baby carrots that you have thinned out. Ian also gives us some ideas on reducing pests by planting lots of different types of plants to encourage lots of different species of animals. For example Blue Tits love eating aphids so giving them plants they like can help encourage them into your garden, Marigolds have a great scent to help ward off whitefly so plant them next to your Tomatoes.Ian also gives us some great suggestions for plants to grow in 10 litre pots that will give you some ideas for lovely tasting, high value veggies on your balcony or if you have a small garden.

In this episode David and Peter chat about a few News items, the record breaking amounts of rain we have had in January - the rivers are breaking their banks and lots of areas of the country are flooded - compost heaps, the new Stiga AI robot mower and British Garden Centres have secured another site at Dronfield. It’s still bare root season and Peter talks of his plans to plant another bare root Cox’s Orange Pipin, another Cherry and some more RaspberriesDavid tells us about Simiane shallots which he has grown from seed and also the red and white onions that he grew from sets. The other thing David has planted is Dwarf French Marigold, a flowering plant that over the years Gardeners have used for keeping whitefly away, but David has found they also help keep cats away.