1 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:05,919 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Gardening with Ben. You'll go to 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,439 a podcast for all things green and growing. I'm Ben, 3 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:13,400 your allotment guide and here to help you cultivate your 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,079 garden and your passion for plants. Whether you're a seasoned 5 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,519 gardener or just starting out, this podcast is for you. 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,879 Each episode will dig into tips, tricks, and techniques to 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:30,000 make your garden and allotment thrive from planting, sewing, and growing. 8 00:00:30,199 --> 00:00:33,640 We will share all the tips and add advice. We 9 00:00:33,679 --> 00:00:37,039 will also have regular episodes talking about what we have 10 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,799 been up to on the alltment. So sit back, grab 11 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:47,640 a brew and enjoy today's episode. Hey everyone, and welcome 12 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:54,640 back to Gardening with Ben. Wow, it's Saturday already. Where 13 00:00:54,679 --> 00:00:59,000 has this week gone? It's absolutely flown by. Well it 14 00:00:59,119 --> 00:01:03,119 certainly has been a cold week, hasn't it. But fingers 15 00:01:03,159 --> 00:01:05,799 crossed will be able to get to the allotment today, 16 00:01:05,879 --> 00:01:08,840 depending if it's snowed or not when I've recorded this, 17 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:13,159 I don't know, but yeah, hopefully it's not snowed and 18 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,560 hopefully I can get down to the allotment. Well what 19 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:22,879 are we planning on doing this weekend? Well, I'm planning 20 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:30,319 on doing all my strawberry beds area and around near 21 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:38,000 where all my phone less blackberries are growing, all my 22 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,120 grape vines, and I'm going to be sorting out all 23 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:44,480 around them, which is going to be a pretty big 24 00:01:44,599 --> 00:01:48,159 job as this probably will last me the most of 25 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,959 the weekend to be honest, but we'll have to see. 26 00:01:51,239 --> 00:01:57,200 And I basically want to get all my BlackBerry canes 27 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:02,640 tied up, fastened to the fence so portered, and yeah, 28 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,159 get all my strawberry beds trimmed back, get all the 29 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,800 old leaves off, what are dying off or gone funny 30 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,960 on them, just freshen them all up and make them 31 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:18,439 look ready for next year. So that's going to be 32 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,919 a pretty big job in itself. And then I'm going 33 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,639 to tidy up all my paths, sort out all that 34 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:28,560 and yeah, that area should then be done after that, 35 00:02:29,039 --> 00:02:32,080 and then hopefully if I get all that done this weekend, 36 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,400 then next week's tasks I'll be starting off to get 37 00:02:36,439 --> 00:02:40,479 my shed ready for the massive revamp, which I'm looking 38 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,479 forward to as I need to start looking at ideas 39 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,479 on how I want to make it look on the inside. 40 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,680 I want to spruce it up, make it look good 41 00:02:50,039 --> 00:02:52,879 as I want to use it as an area where 42 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:58,560 I can start filming videos in there, doing demonstrations, sharing 43 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,879 miss so in my sea, we need some transplanting all 44 00:03:01,879 --> 00:03:05,439 my plants and just doing like weekly videos in there, 45 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,719 keeping you all up to date with everything that's growing 46 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,280 and what's not growing. As you know, I'm an honest gardener. 47 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:15,560 But yeah, I'm looking forward to getting all that done 48 00:03:16,039 --> 00:03:20,159 and getting it all spruced up ours. It doesn't need 49 00:03:20,199 --> 00:03:21,719 a lot of work doing on the inside, but I 50 00:03:21,759 --> 00:03:23,479 am going to strip it all back and do it 51 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,680 all afresh and make it look good for next year, 52 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,639 give it all the pain, brush out, sweep down, and 53 00:03:30,879 --> 00:03:33,199 do any repairs that need doing to the roof, which 54 00:03:33,759 --> 00:03:35,840 one of the pieces is missing, so we need to 55 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,840 repair the roof. We've got that to do. And also 56 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:45,319 I've ordered some winter wash for my fruit trees, so 57 00:03:45,439 --> 00:03:47,840 hopefully I'll be able to get that done soon. I 58 00:03:47,879 --> 00:03:50,199 want to get them all sprayed down. I need to 59 00:03:50,199 --> 00:03:54,560 put some of that green sticky tape round the trunk 60 00:03:54,599 --> 00:03:57,039 of them to stop anything from crawling up on them 61 00:03:57,319 --> 00:04:01,199 nesting on them over winter. So yeah, we've got plenty 62 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:05,360 to keepers going. And obviously once I've done inside my shed, 63 00:04:05,719 --> 00:04:08,840 I'll be doing in cyber Polytunnel as that is one 64 00:04:08,879 --> 00:04:12,680 of my goals for next year to start growing again 65 00:04:12,719 --> 00:04:16,199 in my polytunnel. I'm going to continue growing my tomatoes 66 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:20,720 and cucumbers outside because they do absolutely fantastic. They did 67 00:04:20,879 --> 00:04:24,319 really well, but I'm going to look at growing my 68 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:30,639 some melons and some peppers and some chilis in cyber 69 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,040 Polytunnel next year. Now the thing is we're doing that 70 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,720 is that I'm going to have to look into setting 71 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,079 up irrigation for them, as obviously I won't be able 72 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,639 to go down to the allotment every day of the 73 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,079 summer as obviously I'm working now on Monday Friday, so 74 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,399 I'll only be down at weekends. So I'm gonna have 75 00:04:51,399 --> 00:04:55,000 to look into irrigation for them. And I've done this 76 00:04:55,079 --> 00:05:00,560 once before. I set up a water butt we've dripper 77 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,839 heading off it, so then they were dripping not fast, 78 00:05:04,959 --> 00:05:08,560 but like just a gentle drip every so often and 79 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,759 fill the water but up and it'll last for ages. 80 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:18,439 So I'll either do that or I'll use bags as 81 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,480 I've used them in the past and they're really good 82 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:24,360 as well. You're fastened the bag onto the side of 83 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,439 the polytannel and again it has drippers leading from it 84 00:05:27,959 --> 00:05:31,720 and they'll you can like twist them to the speed 85 00:05:31,759 --> 00:05:35,079 of the drip that you want. But yeah, I think 86 00:05:35,079 --> 00:05:38,600 I might do that again next year. And obviously it 87 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,160 just keeps them watered. Obviously it's not a big water 88 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,600 and just a gentle drip, but it's getting some water 89 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:46,199 to the roots if you get me so then at 90 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,639 least it'll keep them watered. And obviously my dad will 91 00:05:49,639 --> 00:05:51,800 pop down every so often to give stuff a water 92 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:57,720 for mix is pretty good like that. But hopefully we're 93 00:05:57,759 --> 00:06:00,240 gonna get a lot of stuff done this winter. Are 94 00:06:00,519 --> 00:06:05,439 depending on the weather obviously, but soon I will actually 95 00:06:05,439 --> 00:06:08,439 be able to sit back and relax and not do 96 00:06:08,519 --> 00:06:10,920 anything because I don't think my shed will take me 97 00:06:10,959 --> 00:06:14,079 a long time to do it. Possibly will take me 98 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:17,480 back a month to do it all our Obviously, painting 99 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,639 is a big job, and putting up new shelving and 100 00:06:21,759 --> 00:06:24,560 just clearing out all the rubbish what's in there, as 101 00:06:24,639 --> 00:06:28,079 you don't realize how much rubbish you do accumulate when 102 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:32,360 you're pottering around in the shed, like you just end 103 00:06:32,399 --> 00:06:35,040 up with loads of compost bags for that's one thing 104 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:37,480 that you end up with loads of compost bags and 105 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:46,360 seed wrappers and stuff like that, and plastic seed tags 106 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,600 what you write on to say what's in your seats 107 00:06:48,639 --> 00:06:50,519 and stuff like that. I tend to say them because 108 00:06:50,519 --> 00:06:54,040 you can use both sides, or you can standpaper it 109 00:06:54,079 --> 00:06:57,560 down and write over it again, and sometimes by now 110 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,399 it's washed off anyway back and a year, so then 111 00:07:00,439 --> 00:07:02,199 you can just use them again and right over them. 112 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,639 That's what I tend to do. So that is going 113 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,600 to be my job for this weekend, sorting out my 114 00:07:08,639 --> 00:07:13,560 strawberries and my blackberries. As I mentioned previously, I want 115 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,519 to build a pergoda on my allotment, not like a 116 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:22,480 posh pagoda. It's basically going to be a few posts 117 00:07:22,519 --> 00:07:26,480 fastened to my shed and going to have wires down 118 00:07:26,519 --> 00:07:30,040 the side of my plot to hopefully train all the 119 00:07:30,079 --> 00:07:34,000 local berries, all the blackberries, all the grape vines along 120 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:38,279 so that they're off of the ground and hopefully away 121 00:07:38,319 --> 00:07:42,720 from predators. But knowing mister Squirel, he will climb along 122 00:07:42,759 --> 00:07:47,600 the wires and I'll eat everything. But we can only try, 123 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:51,480 so I need to start ordering some wires and getting 124 00:07:51,519 --> 00:07:54,079 that sorted and work out how I'm going to put 125 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,120 the posts in, we out on falling over because knowing 126 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,600 I'll put some posts in and then they'll end up 127 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:03,600 falling over and it'll all collapse and all the branches 128 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,439 will break. But you're not allowed to use concrete on 129 00:08:06,519 --> 00:08:10,800 your allotment, so unfortunately, I just end up having to 130 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,000 put them into the ground and stamping them down, or 131 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,519 putting a brick outside of them to like wedge it in. 132 00:08:17,439 --> 00:08:21,839 That sometimes works. But if you've got any tips on 133 00:08:22,439 --> 00:08:26,519 keeping posts secure without them falling over, let me know. 134 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,839 As Obviously, like I said, I can't use concrete, so 135 00:08:29,959 --> 00:08:33,679 I've got to look at other options on keeping posts upright. 136 00:08:34,919 --> 00:08:37,960 But yeah, I'm looking forward to this. So we're gonna 137 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,200 order some bits and bobs. I'll obviously I have to 138 00:08:41,279 --> 00:08:45,960 order some wires, and I won't have to order any 139 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,720 get any wood in because I've got plenty of wood. 140 00:08:49,279 --> 00:08:52,279 If you don't know me, I'm a big wood order. 141 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,320 If I see wood available, I'll take it and I'll 142 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,799 save it. When I were down on the allotment the 143 00:08:58,879 --> 00:09:02,000 other day, one or the other tenants said to me, Ben, 144 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:03,720 have you got any wood that I can use to 145 00:09:03,759 --> 00:09:05,840 start this fire off? I went, yes, I've got wood 146 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:11,120 but it's not for burning. But yeah, I'm one of 147 00:09:11,159 --> 00:09:14,639 these that'll save every piece of wood for anything because 148 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:19,360 you never know when it might come in handy. But 149 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,440 I hope that we do manage to get down to 150 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,639 the ottment this weekend. Hopefully it's not snowed by the 151 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:28,480 time this podcast comes out, and hopefully we'll be able 152 00:09:28,519 --> 00:09:32,000 to start getting lots more stuff done. Like I said, 153 00:09:32,039 --> 00:09:34,080 I just want to finish off this little strawberry bed 154 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,279 area and where all the blackberries are and everything. Once 155 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:41,000 that's tided, then I can get onto the interesting stuff, 156 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,519 which is sorting out my shared, sorting out my polytunnel, 157 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,720 fixing any of the beds water damaged on the allotment, 158 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,320 and getting all them painted as well, which is going 159 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:53,519 to be a job in half. But I don't want 160 00:09:53,519 --> 00:09:56,919 to paint them all until springtime really, because if it 161 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,759 snows or if it rains throughout all of the winter, 162 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,559 it'll just wash off again. However good they say these 163 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:07,600 wood paints are, they do wash off. If anybody knows 164 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:09,840 a wood paint that doesn't wash off, let me know 165 00:10:10,399 --> 00:10:14,360 because I'll use it. But yeah, I end up having 166 00:10:14,399 --> 00:10:17,679 to paint them every couple of years. You don't have 167 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,320 to paint them. But obviously it treats the wood. It 168 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:23,000 protects it for a bit longer and stops it rotting 169 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,879 as fast, and it looks nice. I like my allotment 170 00:10:26,919 --> 00:10:30,799 to look esthetically nice as well, So hopefully we'll get 171 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,159 all that done. So I hope you all have a 172 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,399 fantastic weekend down at the allotment. Hopefully it isn't too 173 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,120 cold for you. I'll be wearing my body warmer. I 174 00:10:41,159 --> 00:10:43,919 may have started a bonfire again, keep warm around the 175 00:10:43,919 --> 00:10:46,960 bonfire if I have a bonfire, and I won't get 176 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,240 any word done because I'll just sit around fire. I 177 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,320 do love sitting around the fire and smelling the burning. 178 00:10:53,639 --> 00:10:55,960 I know that's weird, but everybody loves the smells like 179 00:10:56,039 --> 00:10:59,519 I love the smell of tarmac as well. So yeah, 180 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:03,279 hopefully we get that area finished and get it all sorted. 181 00:11:03,919 --> 00:11:08,919 So until tomorrow's episode, everyone remember keep smiling, keep shining, 182 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:16,240 and keep gardening with Ben. Everyone, thank you for joining 183 00:11:16,279 --> 00:11:20,240 me on this episode of Gardening with Ben. I hope 184 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,240 you have found some useful tips and inspiration for your 185 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,840 own gardening and a lotment journey. If you have enjoyed 186 00:11:26,879 --> 00:11:31,080 today's episode, please make sure to follow and subscribe to 187 00:11:31,159 --> 00:11:34,519 the podcast so you never miss a new episode, and 188 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:36,360 if you have a moment, I'd love for you to 189 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:40,600 leave a review and share the podcast with fellow gardening enthusiasts. 190 00:11:41,039 --> 00:11:45,519 Your support helps us grow this community and continue bringing 191 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:49,039 you great content. We can also follow us on social 192 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,840 media on every platform for all gardening with Ben for 193 00:11:53,039 --> 00:11:57,600 daily gardening tips and on days, happy gardening, and until 194 00:11:57,639 --> 00:12:02,840 next time, remember keep smiling, keep shining, and keep gardening 195 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:04,399 with them.