1 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:07,000 Hello and welcome to Gardening with Ben. You'll go to a podcast for all 2 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:12,359 things green and growing. I'm Ben, your allotment guide and here to help 3 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:17,600 you cultivate your garden and your passion for plants. Whether you're a seasoned gardener 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:22,679 or just starting out, this podcast is for you. Each episode will dig 5 00:00:22,719 --> 00:00:27,879 into tips, tricks, and techniques to make your garden and allotment thrive from 6 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,920 planting, sewing, and growing. We will share all the tips and add 7 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:37,679 advice. We will also have regular episodes talking about what we have been up 8 00:00:37,719 --> 00:00:42,799 to on the Alltment. So sit back, grab a brew and enjoy today's 9 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:50,439 episode. Hello, and welcome back to Gardening with Ben for a brand new 10 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:54,600 podcast. It's been a few days since our last podcast, but we're back 11 00:00:54,719 --> 00:00:57,719 with another one. And yeah, we've got a few days off work now, 12 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:02,960 so we're back here recordings some more podcasts for you to listen to while 13 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,959 you're out in the garden in the allotment, walking your dog, or sat 14 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,359 with your morning brew. While we're back with another episode. And today it's 15 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:18,879 Saturday, and I really do wish summer would come. I think we're all 16 00:01:18,879 --> 00:01:23,159 wishing that at the moment. One week it's absolutely boiling, and then the 17 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:29,280 rest it's back to really miserable UK weather, which we'd expect in winter time, 18 00:01:29,719 --> 00:01:33,719 but it's still quite warm and we're still getting lots of produce off. 19 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:38,640 To be honest with you, we've been down at the allotment today and yeah, 20 00:01:38,879 --> 00:01:42,400 I've had a busy day down there, and today's job has mainly been 21 00:01:44,079 --> 00:01:49,519 weeding, as per usual, always lots of weeding to be done and watering, 22 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:55,359 yes, watering. It's not rained here much in Sheffield, so I've 23 00:01:55,519 --> 00:01:59,000 had to water it like when I've been digging and stuff. It's been quite 24 00:01:59,079 --> 00:02:04,879 damp on top but really bone dry underneath. So we've been giving plenty of 25 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,840 water to the crops today. And also I've been harvesting. I've been harvesting 26 00:02:09,879 --> 00:02:16,400 my peas. My peas are absolutely getting ready and we're picking a load of 27 00:02:16,439 --> 00:02:21,719 those off at the moment and they taste absolutely delicious. I'm so happy with 28 00:02:21,879 --> 00:02:25,360 how well we've done with the peas this year. This has probably been the 29 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,520 best crop that I've ever had on my allotment side, and more often than 30 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:36,080 not I've had them eaten in the past by my birds, pigeons, you 31 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,319 name it. They've all been eaten. But this year we've had a fantastic 32 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:44,319 crop, and I think it's all down to how well I protected them this 33 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,759 year from the animals and the elements. I started them off in my shed 34 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,400 in seed trays grow to a decent height, and then once we were ready, 35 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:59,159 I transplanted them all outside into the ground and we made sure we covered 36 00:02:59,199 --> 00:03:04,280 them with plenty off netting so that nothing could attack them, and it worked 37 00:03:04,319 --> 00:03:08,080 really well, and I've had a fantastic crop, and I've got loads more 38 00:03:08,319 --> 00:03:13,000 left to pick, Like this is the second picking I've had, and yeah, 39 00:03:13,039 --> 00:03:15,400 we've still got loads more on there. And obviously if we keep picking 40 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:22,080 them, hopefully they'll keep flowering and they'll keep harvesting. But we have planted 41 00:03:22,199 --> 00:03:25,319 a later crop as well the other week, so hopefully we'll get a later 42 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:30,680 crop of peas towards the end of the year. Fingers crossed, And again 43 00:03:30,719 --> 00:03:35,360 we've given them plenty of protection to stop them from getting eating and nibbled away. 44 00:03:36,439 --> 00:03:38,479 Hopefully the mice and the rats don't find them and eat them. But 45 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:43,199 touch wood, they're still growing pretty well at the moment, and we're keeping 46 00:03:43,199 --> 00:03:49,199 them watered and not we're keeping them a bit weed free. Obviously, we 47 00:03:49,439 --> 00:03:53,080 get quite a lot of weeds growing, but we're keeping them plenty of weed 48 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,520 free. And you need some weeds as well anyway, because it deters the 49 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:59,639 slugs from eating them all. If it will completely weed free, all the 50 00:03:59,639 --> 00:04:04,280 slugs go fam So that's my excuse anyway, and that's what I'm sticking to. 51 00:04:04,919 --> 00:04:10,960 We've also been busy working on our website at the moment. We're getting 52 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,639 that built so that we can bring in more information and share more tips and 53 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:19,240 advice with you. And also I've launched a new newsletter what's going to be 54 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:25,480 coming out in August. Hopefully it will produce regular updates for you all and 55 00:04:25,759 --> 00:04:30,800 sharing with you what's going often, what's happening on our social media, and 56 00:04:30,879 --> 00:04:35,959 just sharing daily tips, earn regular advice with you all to help teach you 57 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:40,399 and show you what I'm getting up to down at the allotment. So there 58 00:04:40,399 --> 00:04:44,560 should be a link in the description so that you can sign up to the 59 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,240 newsletter to get these updates. So all you have to do is click on 60 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:51,680 the link and fill in your name and your email address, and then you 61 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:58,519 will receive regular updates from me as well. And we'll be sharing regular updates 62 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:03,560 off when we upload new YouTube videos, sharing the podcasts, sharing regular tips 63 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:08,279 and advice with you all. So make sure you all click it and sign 64 00:05:08,399 --> 00:05:13,199 up to the newsletter. We've already had quite a few people signed up already, 65 00:05:13,199 --> 00:05:16,040 so thank you for those that have recently signed up to it, and 66 00:05:16,079 --> 00:05:19,439 I hope you enjoy it. I'm trying to bring you as much content as 67 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:25,160 possible and share lots and lots of tips and advice with you. We've also 68 00:05:25,439 --> 00:05:30,600 recently been featured on MSN dot com as well, sharing what I get out 69 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:36,160 of gardening, from my mental health to the fresh produce and all the delights 70 00:05:36,199 --> 00:05:42,360 of having an allotment. And yeah, that got posted on MSN the other 71 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:47,319 day. I did share it on my Instagram for you to see and on 72 00:05:47,319 --> 00:05:50,319 my Facebook page, So if you've not seen it, go on to my 73 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,759 Facebook page because it will still be there and the link should be there for 74 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,079 you to read as well, So have a look at that. So the 75 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,000 website will be launching soon. We're working hard on that at the moment, 76 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:08,199 and hopefully lots more stuff will be coming onto it. So what else are 77 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,000 we getting up to this weekend? Well, tomorrow I might do some more 78 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:15,879 harvesting. I've got some lettuce ready for harvesting as it's starting to get to 79 00:06:15,959 --> 00:06:18,120 the end of it now and it's starting to turn, so we need to 80 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:24,959 get that lettuce harvested and eaten. We've also got some beetroot to harvest. 81 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:28,720 They're looking quite big at the moment, so we're going to harvest some bee 82 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:30,639 root and I'm going to try them in my air fire. I'm going to 83 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:35,040 be looking up recipes and seeing how I can actually try cooking them in the 84 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:41,000 airfire. I'm also going to try and cook some potatoes in the airfire as 85 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:46,160 like really thin slices as well, So hopefully we'll see how well they get 86 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,040 on, and I'll be sharing a picture with you how well we get on 87 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:53,720 with them. We've also got some more logan berries to harvest. I noticed 88 00:06:53,759 --> 00:06:58,560 quite a lot of red ones on there as well, so make sure I 89 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,040 get all them picked. Because every time I go down to the allotment, 90 00:07:01,639 --> 00:07:05,759 the blackbird flies off, so I know it's hanging around eating stuff at the 91 00:07:05,759 --> 00:07:11,480 moment. So that blackbird must be getting absolutely fat off all my fruit and 92 00:07:11,519 --> 00:07:14,720 everything at the moment, and I see it around my futures a lot as 93 00:07:14,759 --> 00:07:17,879 well, so I don't know if they like eating futures, so I'm keeping 94 00:07:17,879 --> 00:07:23,360 an arm mister blackbird. Obviously, I don't mind him being there eating some 95 00:07:23,439 --> 00:07:27,360 of the fruits, so he can help himself to some of it, but 96 00:07:27,519 --> 00:07:30,639 I'd best pick some for my own self as well. But I have got 97 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:35,319 to watch him next year because he ate all my gooseberries. So we need 98 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:42,120 to make sure that our gooseberries are well protected next year from mister blackbird so 99 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:46,319 that he doesn't eat them all. And I want some next year, yet 100 00:07:46,399 --> 00:07:49,560 every single one of them. He must like gooseberries. Blackbirds must like them. 101 00:07:49,759 --> 00:07:55,199 So if you want to feji blackbirds, get some goosebries because they'll absolutely 102 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,360 love them. So yeah, that is one thing I do need to make 103 00:07:58,399 --> 00:08:03,319 sure off next year. But yeah, hopefully we're going to get some tomato 104 00:08:03,319 --> 00:08:09,000 plants sorted out tomorrow. Our looking at them outside in my garden and they 105 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:13,560 are getting quite big now. They're not growing as fast as what they grow 106 00:08:13,639 --> 00:08:18,519 in my greenhouse or the polytunnel, but they are getting quite big now, 107 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:20,680 so we need to start supporting them. We need to put some canes up 108 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:26,759 them. We need to nip off all the little shoots off them to make 109 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:31,279 them grow nice and tall and focus on growing the fruit as well. There's 110 00:08:31,319 --> 00:08:35,279 lots of flowers coming on them, so they are doing pretty well. But 111 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:39,200 like I said, they're not growing as fast as what they would do inside 112 00:08:39,279 --> 00:08:43,240 a polytunnel or greenhouse. But the reason why I grow them outside is so 113 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,960 that they keep watered. If they're in my polytunnel, they'd soon dry out 114 00:08:48,399 --> 00:08:54,240 and I'd probably risk getting the tomatoes split and stuff like that through uneven watering. 115 00:08:54,639 --> 00:08:58,919 So that's one of the reasons why I grow on my tomatoes outside so 116 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:03,960 that we do get a good crop of them. So we've got all them 117 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:07,960 to do tomorrow. We've also got to have a look at what other seeds 118 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,720 we're going to start planting. We're going to carry on planting some more seeds 119 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:16,919 so that we get a long harvest of produce. We'll probably look into growing 120 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,559 some beetroot, some more lettice. I want to get some more lettuce in. 121 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:24,840 We'll probably plant some spring onions, possibly some carrots, some more carrots, 122 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,360 so we need to look into them, and we need to look into 123 00:09:28,399 --> 00:09:31,600 planting some more potatoes as well. As I'm starting to harvest on my early 124 00:09:31,639 --> 00:09:35,360 potatoes now, so we need to get some more potatoes in so that we 125 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:41,039 get another crop later on in the year. And hopefully these will be ready 126 00:09:41,279 --> 00:09:46,080 by possibly beginning of October something like that, and if it gets cold at 127 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:50,600 them or moving into the polytunnel so that they don't get killed off by the 128 00:09:50,639 --> 00:09:54,720 frost or anything. So hopefully we're going to get some more potatoes in. 129 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:58,399 So if you wanted to grow some more potatoes, now is a good time 130 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:03,159 to start planting them so that you get like crop. Obviously, they won't 131 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:07,200 sell seed potatoes and stuff like that in the garden centers now, so if 132 00:10:07,279 --> 00:10:11,200 you wanted to grow potatoes, I'm going to be growing from the supermarket ones. 133 00:10:11,399 --> 00:10:16,679 Yes, people do say that they can cause issues, but my dad 134 00:10:16,799 --> 00:10:20,879 has grown and from the supermarket for years and years and he's had never had 135 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,720 a single issue growing them. So we're going to have a look into growing 136 00:10:24,799 --> 00:10:28,080 some more. So, yeah, that has been what we've been up to 137 00:10:28,399 --> 00:10:33,120 at the allotment. Tomorrow, hopefully we'll get another episode for you tomorrow. 138 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,759 It'll probably be another late one as obviously I'm going to be talking about what 139 00:10:35,759 --> 00:10:39,360 I've been up to the allotment, so make sure you stay tuned for that 140 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:43,159 episode. If you're not following my podcast, do give it a follow, 141 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,720 give it a like, leave a comment. Feel free to share it to 142 00:10:46,799 --> 00:10:52,440 a few people or to loads of people. It's up to you. So 143 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,799 thank you for listening. Until next time, remember, keep smiling, keep 144 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:05,600 shining, and keep guardening with everyone. Thank you for joining me on this 145 00:11:05,759 --> 00:11:09,600 episode of Gardening with Ben. I hope you've have found some useful tips and 146 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:16,519 integration for your own gardening and allotment journey. If you've enjoyed today's episode, 147 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,759 please make sure to follow and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a 148 00:11:20,799 --> 00:11:24,840 new episode. And if you have a moment, I'd love for you to 149 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:30,639 leave a review and share the podcast with fellow gardening enthusiasts. Your support helps 150 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:35,639 us grow this community and continue bringing you great content. We can also follow 151 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:41,679 us on social media on every platform for all Gardening with Ben for daily gardening 152 00:11:41,759 --> 00:11:46,360 tips and of days, happy gardening, and until next time, remember, 153 00:11:46,879 --> 00:11:52,240 keep smiling, keep shining, and keep gardening with Ben.