1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:04,480 Welcome to Gardening with Ben, the podcast where we dig into the soil of 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:09,080 our gardens and the depths of our green funds. I'm your host, Ben, 3 00:00:09,359 --> 00:00:12,839 here to guide you through the joints of gardening, from sowing seeds to 4 00:00:12,919 --> 00:00:18,399 reaping bountiful harvests. Each episode will explore tips, tricks and tails from the 5 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:25,399 garden and allotment, sharing insights from ourself and stories from our own back garden 6 00:00:25,559 --> 00:00:29,839 adventures. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just getting your hands dirty for the 7 00:00:29,879 --> 00:00:34,520 first time, there's something here for everyone, So grab your brew and gardening 8 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:41,000 gloves and let's get growing with Gardening with Ben. Hello everyone, and welcome 9 00:00:41,039 --> 00:00:46,640 back to Gardening with Ben. Well, we're back for a brand new episode. 10 00:00:46,719 --> 00:00:51,039 So what have we been up to down at the allotment today, Well, 11 00:00:51,079 --> 00:00:54,240 it's about four days since we've blast been down to the allotment. Earned 12 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:59,719 since then, Wow, the weather has been mental. We've had wind with 13 00:00:59,759 --> 00:01:07,319 high rain, we've had hot sunshine. So I wasn't knowing expecting what to 14 00:01:07,359 --> 00:01:11,719 see when I went down to the plot because I don't get a chance to 15 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,760 go when I'm on day shifts to the a Lot Monks. Obviously, I 16 00:01:14,799 --> 00:01:19,840 worked seven till seven, so I wanted to go down and it's always a 17 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:23,680 surprise when I get there to see what it actually looks like, or thinking 18 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:29,680 all my tulips are going to be battered and destroyed and it'll just look a 19 00:01:29,719 --> 00:01:34,359 complete mess and horrible. But no, it actually looked really, really well. 20 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,439 Some of the tulips had had it, but there was still a lot 21 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,359 there that looked absolutely fine. And there's still a loads of more tulips coming 22 00:01:42,359 --> 00:01:48,799 out every single day, Like a lot of my red ones and cream ones 23 00:01:49,079 --> 00:01:52,680 have had it now, and now all the purple ones and the black ones 24 00:01:52,719 --> 00:01:57,359 are coming out, and all the striping colored ones. So we're getting absolutely 25 00:01:57,439 --> 00:02:00,799 loads of different tulips coming out at the moment. And it's been an absolutely 26 00:02:00,879 --> 00:02:06,920 amazing sight down at my optment seeing all the different colors appearing down on the 27 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:12,319 plot and how well they've all grown this year. There's a lot of spaces 28 00:02:12,879 --> 00:02:16,400 where some of the old ones haven't come up or they've not grown obviously from 29 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:21,800 where I've been digging and been tidying up and rearranging my plot. I've lost 30 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,479 some in the process. So I'm taking plenty of photos so that I know 31 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:29,879 where the gaps are, so hopefully next year we can fill them in and 32 00:02:30,039 --> 00:02:32,319 get even more color down to the plot. But obviously that's going to be 33 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:38,520 another expensive job buying more tulips, because tulips are quite expensive, and obviously 34 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:42,560 high sims are as well. But higher sims are absolutely gorgeous when they come 35 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:46,400 out of this smell amazing. So hopefully we'll be investing in some more spring 36 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:52,560 bulbs in November. It'll soon be here before you know it. But hopefully 37 00:02:52,759 --> 00:02:58,120 we'll get some more spring bulbs in this year for some amazing colors in springtime. 38 00:02:58,599 --> 00:03:01,360 So that'll be a job on my to do list in November. But 39 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:06,759 yeah, what have we been up to today down at the plot? Well, 40 00:03:06,759 --> 00:03:10,080 I'd ordered a load of seeds the other week and they've all been delivered 41 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:14,520 to my parents' house. So I went to go and collect more. And 42 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:19,400 what seeds did we get? We got some different varieties of squash. I 43 00:03:19,439 --> 00:03:23,439 did this the other year. I grew some different varieties of squash and had 44 00:03:23,479 --> 00:03:27,560 some good success and some bad success. Some didn't grow, some did grow. 45 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,479 But I thought I'd give it another try and grow plenty of different varieties 46 00:03:30,479 --> 00:03:35,199 of squash again this year. So it was a multi pack off Amazon, 47 00:03:35,319 --> 00:03:39,120 like six different varieties. So we've planted all them seeds and got them in 48 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:46,039 and hopefully they'll be germinating in a week or two. And yeah, we've 49 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:53,560 also planted some black tomatoes. I think they're called indigo indiago or something like 50 00:03:53,599 --> 00:03:57,680 that, but they meant to be black. I think they were like a 51 00:03:57,719 --> 00:04:00,479 bluey blackie color. And I've never go on black tomatoes before, so I 52 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,879 thought, I'm going to try and see what they look like, see what 53 00:04:02,919 --> 00:04:09,439 they taste like, obviously, but I'm always up for trying something new each 54 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,479 year, and this year is the year that I'm going to try black tomatoes. 55 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:18,279 I'm also purchased some lemon cucumbers. Now, they don't taste of lemons, 56 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:25,319 apparently they look more like lemons rather than taste. And I've never tried 57 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:30,480 them before. I've always just stuck to growing market more cucumbers, so I'm 58 00:04:30,519 --> 00:04:32,959 still growing the market more ones, don't get me wrong, but I am 59 00:04:33,079 --> 00:04:39,120 trying some different varieties. I'm trying the lemon ones this year, so we're 60 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,279 going to give them a try and see how well they grow and if they 61 00:04:42,319 --> 00:04:46,040 do get a good success. But we'll say, we'll see how they get 62 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:51,480 on and hopefully we'll get some good cucumbers from them. So what else did 63 00:04:51,519 --> 00:04:56,560 we plant? Some flowers were planted all those sunflowers. Now again, I 64 00:04:56,639 --> 00:04:59,519 did this the other year. I bought a lot of different varieties of some 65 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,120 flowers, planted them all and we had some amazing blooms. Now this we 66 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,480 didn't get any sunflowers last year, but the year before that, that's when 67 00:05:06,519 --> 00:05:11,279 we did it, and it was absolutely fantastic. I had red ones, 68 00:05:11,319 --> 00:05:15,360 I had black ones, I had yellow ones. So I've done the same 69 00:05:15,399 --> 00:05:19,000 again this year. I bought a multipack six different variets, and we've got 70 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:21,560 the teddy bear ones, we've got the red ones, we've got the black 71 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:26,759 ones, we've got white ones, and we've got the giant ones. So 72 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,399 we're going to have hopefully a spectacular amount of sunflowers down at the plot again 73 00:05:30,439 --> 00:05:34,639 this year. And a lot of the time I'm just growing some of these 74 00:05:34,959 --> 00:05:40,360 obviously photos and stuff like that, and obviously for the insects and just to 75 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:45,360 make it look absolutely glorious. And I obviously see a lot of videos online 76 00:05:45,879 --> 00:05:49,600 of tips and techniques, and one of the tips that I saw about people 77 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:56,240 saving the sunflower canes and using them for making wigwams for the beans to climb 78 00:05:56,319 --> 00:06:00,480 up and stuff like that. So sunflowers coming handy for growing them. And 79 00:06:00,519 --> 00:06:08,439 obviously canes are really expensive to buy, but sunflowers, the sunflower stem is 80 00:06:08,519 --> 00:06:12,920 absolutely so thick and so strong that you will be able to have some good 81 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:18,240 wigwams from it, and it will be great for the appearance and to saving 82 00:06:18,319 --> 00:06:23,160 money and there like. Obviously, sunflowers are easy to grow once you're getting 83 00:06:23,199 --> 00:06:27,399 past the stage of the slugs not eating them. But if you don't plant 84 00:06:27,399 --> 00:06:30,439 them out when they're too small, plants amount when they've grown quite a bit, 85 00:06:30,079 --> 00:06:34,279 and you should be all right from the slugs. Obviously, just try 86 00:06:34,319 --> 00:06:39,879 and protect them as well from them by putting like I use brambles and stuff 87 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:46,680 to protect stuff from slugs, like the brambles that crawl everywhere that are really 88 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,680 sharp, but I put them around the plants so that as soon as the 89 00:06:49,759 --> 00:06:54,879 slugs try to crawl over them, they'll just pierce themselves. And obviously like 90 00:06:54,959 --> 00:06:58,920 eggshells and stuff like that work well. So we're going to be planting a 91 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,800 lot of different sunflowers as well this year. So we've sorted all them out, 92 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:08,759 and we've also planted some climbing beans. Now, I grew some yellow 93 00:07:08,759 --> 00:07:12,160 ones the other year, but we've got quite a few different varieties. We've 94 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,160 got some purple ones, we've got some yellow ones, and we've got some 95 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:19,519 speckled colored ones as well. So I planted all them as well today. 96 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:28,279 So I think fingers crossed. I am at the stage where I've planted all 97 00:07:28,319 --> 00:07:30,920 of my seeds. Now I think I'm done with planting seeds for the time 98 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:35,879 being, until later on in the season when I'll be planting some more beetroot, 99 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:40,519 and some more lettuce, and more carrots, more spring onions. But 100 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:44,319 the best thing about growing them is that you've grown on like a rotation, 101 00:07:44,959 --> 00:07:47,199 Like you plant a few and then you wait a few weeks, and then 102 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,800 you plant some more, so that you've got a continuous crop throughout the summer 103 00:07:50,839 --> 00:07:55,279 period and you're not just picking them all at once. If you get me, 104 00:07:55,759 --> 00:07:59,279 you've always got some crop on the go, because when you're growing like 105 00:07:59,399 --> 00:08:03,160 lettuce, it all seems to be ready at the same time, and it's 106 00:08:03,199 --> 00:08:07,519 hard to eat it all at the same time. You end up giving loads 107 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:13,000 away and it all seems to bolt as well at the same time, Like 108 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:16,519 it gets to a certain stage and then it goes to seed and it starts 109 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,600 growing all over the place and it's just a mess. But yeah, try 110 00:08:20,639 --> 00:08:24,519 and keep growing crops throughout the season. So we'll probably wait until the end 111 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:30,040 of April and we'll start some more lettice off and again at end of May 112 00:08:30,199 --> 00:08:33,360 and end of June, so that we've got a crop throughout all the year. 113 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:37,480 And yeah, I think I've done well with planting all my seeds. 114 00:08:37,519 --> 00:08:41,120 We've got all growing in my greenhouse. My greenhouse is full to busting the 115 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:45,360 seeds. Like I've put up extra shelvy in this year and I've filled it 116 00:08:45,399 --> 00:08:50,519 all up literally nearly already. And the worst thing is is that I'm obviously 117 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:56,559 going to be transplanting them also into all individual plot pots, so heaven knows 118 00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:01,840 where I'm going to plant put them all in my house. And at the 119 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:05,159 moment, i'd been having a bit of trouble with kids down at the allotment. 120 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:09,879 They keep going in my shed touch wood. They've not caused any damage 121 00:09:09,919 --> 00:09:13,399 in my shed, They've not disturbed anything. They've left my plants alone. 122 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,480 Whether they're just going in there to have a luck. I don't know, 123 00:09:16,519 --> 00:09:18,279 but it seems to be on a weekly basis at the moment. So I 124 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,519 want to get a camera in there just to see if if we can identify 125 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:28,600 them and send it to the police, etc. But fingers crossed that don't 126 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:33,879 cause any damage, because if they're destroy my plants, I'd be absolutely heartbroken 127 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:37,840 and all that time and effort and money into the plants as well. So 128 00:09:39,159 --> 00:09:43,039 fingers crossed they don't cause any damage down there. So it has been a 129 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:48,600 very busy day today and I'm going to be back down at the plot tomorrow. 130 00:09:48,639 --> 00:09:52,240 I don't know what the weather forecast is, but it were absolutely gorgeous 131 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:56,080 today. I could should have been outside working outside in the garden, but 132 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,159 I had all these seeds to plant and that was my job on my list 133 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:05,039 today. So hopefully tomorrow we're going to be doing some planting. We've got 134 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:09,080 some lavender to get planted, what I purchased the other week. Now, 135 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,279 I've just left that in my shed. At the moment, it had dried 136 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:16,639 out, so I've left it soaking so that it's got a good chance of 137 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,159 surviving when we moving into the garden. But it's finding space to put it 138 00:10:20,159 --> 00:10:24,879 at the moment because my all my beds are filled up with spring bulbs, 139 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:28,519 and there's areas that I'd like it to be, but obviously with the spring 140 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:33,639 bulbs that I can't disturb them at the moment, So I'm going to have 141 00:10:33,639 --> 00:10:37,720 to find somewhere to put these five lavender plants that I purchased. I've always 142 00:10:37,759 --> 00:10:41,159 wanted some lavender down on the plot to attract the bees, and again, 143 00:10:41,279 --> 00:10:46,039 it smells absolutely gorgeous. So the more I can do in looking after my 144 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:50,759 plot and encouraging the bees to come down there, that's what it's all about 145 00:10:50,799 --> 00:10:54,320 this year. So it's been a very busy day down at the plot and 146 00:10:54,600 --> 00:11:00,559 fingers Crossed will have another busy day down there tomorrow and hopefully gets lots and 147 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:05,000 lots of stuff done and just continue my allotment journey. I want to show 148 00:11:05,039 --> 00:11:09,039 you a lot of stuff of what I'm growing this year, and I'm trying 149 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:13,399 to do as many videos, many photographs, and just sharing it all with 150 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,000 you this year. Like last year, I let you all down, I 151 00:11:16,039 --> 00:11:20,039 didn't share much, I didn't do any videos, I didn't do any live 152 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:24,039 streams down there. But this year I'm going over the top and I'm just 153 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:28,039 posting, posting, posting lots of photos every little day of everything that I'm 154 00:11:28,039 --> 00:11:31,919 doing now on the plot, and I hope you're all enjoying it. If 155 00:11:31,919 --> 00:11:35,360 you follow me on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, that's why I share all 156 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:39,159 my videos and my streams, And if you do see my post, please 157 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,399 do give them a like. It helps push it out, and a comment, 158 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,600 a comment always pushes it out as well, So I like in a 159 00:11:46,639 --> 00:11:52,120 comment, you don't have to share it like some comments push it out. 160 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:56,559 So please do keep liking and commenting. And I know I don't always apply 161 00:11:56,639 --> 00:11:58,799 to all the comments, but I do read them and I do see a 162 00:11:58,799 --> 00:12:03,120 lot of them. But I am trying to apply back to as much as 163 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:07,279 possible at the moment and keep up to date with you all because it's going 164 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,240 to be exciting year this year. I can feel it. We're going to 165 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:16,360 have an amazing year down at the allotment and hopefully a bountiful harvest to share 166 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:20,759 with you all. Well, not to share the fruit and vegetables with you, 167 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,679 but to share the pictures and the progress with you all. So thanks 168 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:28,480 for listening to today's episode. I hope you've enjoyed it. Hopefully we'll come 169 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,840 back tomorrow with another episode telling you everything what we've been up to down at 170 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:37,080 the plot. So remember, as always, keep smiling, keep shining, 171 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:43,519 and keep gardening with Ben. Everyone, and that wraps up another episode of 172 00:12:43,799 --> 00:12:48,080 Gardening with Ben. Thank you for joining me in this journey. Remember, 173 00:12:48,399 --> 00:12:54,039 every seed planted is a step towards a greener world, and every day is 174 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:58,559 a chance to grow something beautiful. Keep nurturing your gardens and your souls. 175 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,639 Until next time, I'm gardening with Ben, reminding you to let your garden 176 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:09,440 be your sanctuary. Happy gardening, and see you in the next episode. 177 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:16,240 Remember keep smiling, keep shining, and keep gardening with Ben.