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 --> 00:00:18,280 reaping bountiful harvests. Each episode, we'll explore tips, tricks and tails from 5 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:24,800 the garden and allotment, sharing insights from ourselves and stories from our own back 6 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,719 garden adventures. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just getting your hands dirty for 7 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,960 the first time, there's something here for everyone, So grab your brew and 8 00:00:34,039 --> 00:00:40,920 gardening gloves and let's get growing with Gardening with Ben. Hello, and welcome 9 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:45,159 back to a brand new episode of Gardening with Ben. Well, it's been 10 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:49,600 a few weeks since our last episode. I do apologize I have been busy, 11 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:53,719 but we have been cracking on with the allotment. Now I've got a 12 00:00:53,759 --> 00:00:57,240 lot to fill you in on what we've been getting up to down at the 13 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,799 plot and what we're going to be doing. It has been getting warmer, 14 00:01:02,079 --> 00:01:04,359 he says that as it's going to start getting colder towards the end of the 15 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:10,519 week, but hopefully we will be getting lots done down at the plot in 16 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:15,359 the meantime. So what have we been up to recently. Well, I've 17 00:01:15,519 --> 00:01:21,599 purchased my Gardener's World ticket ready to go and see that which went to see 18 00:01:21,719 --> 00:01:23,799 last year and it was absolutely amazing. It's the first time that I'd ever 19 00:01:23,799 --> 00:01:27,400 been last year, so I definitely whipped up a ticket to see it again 20 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:33,239 this year. And it were great to meet so many different individuals from the 21 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:38,840 gardening world and some of the people that I know from seeing online and sharing 22 00:01:38,879 --> 00:01:41,719 their tips and advice. It were great to meet up with them and see 23 00:01:42,239 --> 00:01:47,200 them in action and their show gardens what they've done. So yeah, it 24 00:01:47,359 --> 00:01:53,560 has been a busy week down at the allotment recently, and like I said, 25 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,560 it has been getting warmer, so the bulbs have started coming up and 26 00:01:57,599 --> 00:02:02,000 started showing a lot more and this speeding up with the growth now and hopefully 27 00:02:02,159 --> 00:02:07,079 Fingers Crossed in a couple of weeks will start to have loads of flowers out. 28 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,360 We've already got the loads of crookses out which I've shared a load of 29 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:15,520 photos on my Instagram of them recently, and I've also shared a video today 30 00:02:15,719 --> 00:02:20,319 of my first bee of the year that I've seen down at the allotment and 31 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,080 it was there having all the pollen out of the crookers. And that is 32 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:28,879 why I always say why it is important that we should plant spring bulbs on 33 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:34,960 our allotments for the bees at this time of year. So that is one 34 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,280 of the main reasons, and I just want to share that with you. 35 00:02:37,319 --> 00:02:39,960 And it was like the bee crawling on the crookers, getting all the pollen 36 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,960 and the nectar from the crookus itself and it was just covered in pollen. 37 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:49,719 You could see it all over it. But yeah, that is something that 38 00:02:49,759 --> 00:02:53,319 I didn't want to share with you all today. So we've been busy down 39 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:59,400 at the allotment way of getting things ready for this year. It's a big, 40 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,639 long slog, but we're getting there. We're getting there. We're getting 41 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:08,199 absolutely loads done and every day I'm doing loads more down there. This past 42 00:03:08,199 --> 00:03:13,919 week, what I've been concentrating on is doing all my fencing downside of the 43 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:19,759 plot because a lot of it had collapsed from the wind damage and from posts 44 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,599 that had rotted and yeah, just a bit of wear and tear really, 45 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,039 so it was a case of getting all that fastened back up, which I've 46 00:03:27,039 --> 00:03:30,080 done one side today. I've finished that one side off down my plot, 47 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:35,560 which I did share a picture of it partially done last week, so that 48 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,599 i'll be ready for painting this coming springtime. I'm not gonna be painting it 49 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:45,039 yet because it'll poly just wash off, and the paint does wash off eventually, 50 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:49,800 so yeah, we'll be getting that painted in the next few weeks. 51 00:03:50,439 --> 00:03:54,319 But i need to fill the border in now, because I've put some edging 52 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:59,639 down the side to stop all the soil and the compost falling down onto my 53 00:03:59,719 --> 00:04:02,800 plot neighbor, because my plot is a bit higher than the neighbor's plot, 54 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,319 so it does tend to fall off. So I've put all proper edging down 55 00:04:06,319 --> 00:04:11,199 the side, and yeah, I'm going to fill it full of compost and 56 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,960 I'm hoping to get absolutely loaded. Glad he realized the plant down the side. 57 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,839 And then I'm going to plant a load of wires flowers down the side 58 00:04:17,879 --> 00:04:23,240 as well, so that it looks attractive and the bees come and the insects 59 00:04:23,639 --> 00:04:27,439 and it'll look an absolute picture. And then next at the end of the 60 00:04:27,519 --> 00:04:30,800 year, I'll be planting loads of spring bulbs down that side, because there's 61 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,240 not many spring bulbs in there at the moment, so I want that side 62 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:39,000 to look absolutely fantastic next springtime. And the same goes with the other side 63 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,759 of my plot. I need to sort out all the fencing on that side, 64 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,639 so that's one job that I need to do in the next few weeks. 65 00:04:46,439 --> 00:04:48,839 But we're getting there. We're getting there slowly, and I've got all 66 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:54,079 my paths covered now. They've got all wood chipped down so it's nice to 67 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:58,319 walk on. And yeah, it's a whole level now, which is a 68 00:04:58,399 --> 00:05:01,680 bonus because it won't level before I've sorted out all the paving slabs. That 69 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:06,279 all the paved paths are sorted, they're all looking fantastic. I've still got 70 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:11,000 all the beds to dig over, which won't take long. I think I've 71 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:15,720 got like sixteen to eighteen beds, so we've got to dig all them over, 72 00:05:15,079 --> 00:05:19,000 and I'm gonna really give them a good digging over this year. And 73 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:23,639 I'm gonna buy myself a sieve and sive out all the stones in the rubble 74 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,399 just to make it a bit more nice and better in the soil and get 75 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,639 rid of all them stones what are in there, and then I'm going to 76 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:38,279 feed them. I'm gonna put some more compost in so yeah, I've got 77 00:05:38,439 --> 00:05:42,439 a lot to get done in the shape of the beds, but we're on 78 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:46,560 track for getting it all ready for the springtime. I've never been so on 79 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,600 tracking my life on my plot. Usually I'm rushing around at last minute before 80 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:53,839 I'm planting my stuff out. But this year, my plot's going to look 81 00:05:53,879 --> 00:05:58,160 absolutely fantastic. And if it doesn't, please hold me to that because I've 82 00:05:58,199 --> 00:06:00,839 put so much time and effort into my plot this year that I do want 83 00:06:00,879 --> 00:06:06,480 to have good results down at the plot and just to show it off and 84 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:11,079 show what you can grow and teach other people to grow stuff and how easy 85 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:15,360 it is as well. And I've also purchased some stuff off of online which 86 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:20,079 I'm looking forward to come in when thing's come today to my parents and my 87 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:24,680 mum like what I've you ordered. It's massive box, so you'll have to 88 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:30,040 wait and see for what I've ordered. Hopefully we'll get some good results in 89 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:34,120 what I've ordered. But yeah, I've started creating a lot more content as 90 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:38,800 well for you, which I said i'd do this year because I've not been 91 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,800 doing much content last year. So I've started doing all the videos again. 92 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:47,120 I've started doing all the pictures and sharing stuff online with everybody. But it's 93 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,639 one step at a time. It does take a lot of time to do 94 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:54,000 all this stuff for you, and I'm trying to keep up to date with 95 00:06:54,079 --> 00:06:57,759 it. I have been sacking with the podcast over the last couple of weeks, 96 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:00,240 but I just can't wait now for spring to start, so in all 97 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:08,480 these seeds and hopefully once this cold weather does pass in the next couple of 98 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:13,800 weeks, hopefully we'll start to get the sunshine and start to get the warm 99 00:07:13,839 --> 00:07:16,399 weather. And then obviously one of the first things on the list what will 100 00:07:16,439 --> 00:07:20,800 be planting or a potatoes, And again I'm going to be planting them in 101 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:25,839 boxes this year, as I did that last year. And yeah, hopefully 102 00:07:26,279 --> 00:07:30,639 we're going to get a lot of stuff planted and going on, and I'm 103 00:07:30,639 --> 00:07:33,399 making use of all the space this year. It's going to be absolutely jam 104 00:07:33,439 --> 00:07:41,439 packed full of different vegetables of all different types and different varieties and just showcasing 105 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:45,879 what you can do, how you can do it, and the journey of 106 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,199 the allotment year. And that's my plan for the allotment this year. So 107 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:56,600 fingers crossed we do get stuff done down there, and I've got a lot 108 00:07:56,639 --> 00:07:59,720 to share with you. We will be going back to sharing some more tips 109 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:03,240 and in these podcasts coming up. Over the next few weeks, We'll be 110 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:07,639 getting quite a few more episodes recorded for you, so make sure you do 111 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:13,079 hit that follow, hit that subscribe button, and yeah, hopefully we're going 112 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:18,040 to be sharing a lot more with you. And thank you for listening to 113 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,319 today's episode. It has been a short episode, but I just thought i'd 114 00:08:20,319 --> 00:08:24,639 bring it up to date with what we've been getting up to, so we'll 115 00:08:24,639 --> 00:08:30,279 see you again next time round. So remember, keep smid, keep shining, 116 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:35,679 and keep gardening with Ben. Everyone, And that wraps up another episode 117 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:41,440 of Gardening with Ben. Thank you for joining me in this journey. Remember, 118 00:08:41,759 --> 00:08:46,159 every seed planted is a step towards a greener world, and every day 119 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:52,919 is a chance to grow something beautiful. Keep nurturing your gardens and your souls. 120 00:08:52,399 --> 00:08:56,559 Until next time, I'm Gardening with Ben, reminding you to let your 121 00:08:56,639 --> 00:09:01,799 garden be your sanctra. Happy gardening, and see you in the next episode. 122 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:09,519 Remember keep smiling, keep shining, and keep gardening with Ben.