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 --> 00:00:40,840 been up to on the allotment. So sit back, grab 11 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:47,799 a brew and enjoy today's episode. Hey everyone, and welcome 12 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:52,840 back to Gardening with Ben for hopefully another long episode 13 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,119 for you to listen to today. Well, today we have 14 00:00:56,479 --> 00:01:00,399 been down at our allotment. Obviously this is coming out Sunday, 15 00:01:00,399 --> 00:01:05,000 but I've recorded it on Saturday. We've had a absolute busy, 16 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:09,319 busy day down at the plot today. And yes, I'm 17 00:01:09,359 --> 00:01:11,799 starting to feel the cold while I'm down at the allotment, 18 00:01:11,879 --> 00:01:15,400 so I need to start wrapping up. It's obviously still 19 00:01:15,439 --> 00:01:18,480 good temperatures out there, but after I'd been down there 20 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,400 for a bit, I was starting to feel the cold, 21 00:01:20,879 --> 00:01:23,040 and I was ready to come home and get back 22 00:01:23,079 --> 00:01:26,280 in the warmth again. And it's not even winter yet, 23 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,719 so we've got all this to come. But I do 24 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,719 love being down there, especially at this time of year. 25 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,719 It's nice weather to be down and it's been a 26 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:40,159 perfect day for gardening. No rain, no bit of showers 27 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,280 or any cold wind or anything like that. It was 28 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:47,799 just a decent day down there. So what have we 29 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,079 been up to today at the allotment. We've been having 30 00:01:50,079 --> 00:01:52,159 a little bit of fun. If you've not watched any 31 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,599 of my latest videos, we had et down at the atment, 32 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,719 and if you watch the videos you'll find out why 33 00:01:58,879 --> 00:02:02,640 Et was down there. Okay, but yeah, we're having a 34 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,000 little bit of fun down there. And also when I 35 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,960 got down to the allotment today, I usually go into 36 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:13,400 my shed and give put some food out for the cat. 37 00:02:13,479 --> 00:02:16,159 What's around on the allotment. The kittens are around anymore, 38 00:02:16,199 --> 00:02:19,199 they've moved on, but the main cat is still around, 39 00:02:20,319 --> 00:02:22,719 so we usually give it some food. And I went 40 00:02:22,759 --> 00:02:26,719 into my shed and wow, my dad had been busy 41 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,240 all week while being at work, tidying up in my shed, 42 00:02:30,439 --> 00:02:34,479 sorting things out, moving things around, and yeah, he started 43 00:02:34,479 --> 00:02:36,639 doing some work for me in the shed and making 44 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:40,039 some improvements down there for me, which has been absolutely 45 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,159 fantastic of him, as obviously I want to get it 46 00:02:43,199 --> 00:02:47,479 all renovated through the winter period, get it all repainted 47 00:02:47,479 --> 00:02:50,639 and looking good. But yeah, my dad's been busy and 48 00:02:50,719 --> 00:02:54,039 the tidying up and doing a few odd jobs which 49 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:55,840 I don't get a chance to do, and my dad's 50 00:02:55,879 --> 00:02:58,599 better at doing them than me sometimes. But yeah, my 51 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:03,599 dad's he's not young himself, so I always worry about 52 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:07,960 him being down there doing stuff and burning himself out, 53 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,400 but he enjoys going out and being active still while 54 00:03:11,439 --> 00:03:14,080 he can, and while he can make the most of 55 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:18,280 it moving around down on the allotment. But yeah, my 56 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:20,800 dad's obviously got an allotment and he's being busy on 57 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:23,400 his plot, tidying it all up ready for winter. But 58 00:03:23,479 --> 00:03:26,039 he must have thought, oh, I like going down there's 59 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:27,800 not much left to do on my plot. I'll go 60 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,879 and do some bits for Ben, which has been a 61 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:34,400 blessing in disguise. So yeah, a big shout out to 62 00:03:34,439 --> 00:03:37,280 my dad. My dad's the one that got me into gardening, 63 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,639 and again his dad got him into it because he 64 00:03:41,719 --> 00:03:44,000 used to grow all fruit and vegetables and look after 65 00:03:44,039 --> 00:03:46,759 his garden and everything like that. So it does run 66 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:52,280 down in the genes. And yeah, I've been very busy obviously. 67 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:54,960 Yesterday I talked about all the jobs that I wanted 68 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:56,599 to do now at the allotment. I didn't get a 69 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,120 chance to do them all, but I got a lot 70 00:03:59,159 --> 00:04:02,800 of the jobs to which I had written down to do. 71 00:04:03,599 --> 00:04:06,680 And one of my main jobs this weekend is to 72 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,479 clear at the top of my plot, which looks absolutely atrocious. 73 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,120 They were bind weed all over the leaves all over 74 00:04:13,159 --> 00:04:15,520 the place from the trees what had fallen. Now, you 75 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,959 couldn't see the paths, you couldn't see the beds. What 76 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:19,800 we were up at the top of the plot where 77 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,759 the herbs had been wearing. There's like mint up there 78 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:25,279 and stuff like that, because there's nothing else for what 79 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,319 will grow much up in the area because it's a 80 00:04:27,319 --> 00:04:31,800 shaded area. So we just stuck some bits and and yeah, 81 00:04:32,439 --> 00:04:35,000 I managed to get half of that done, which was 82 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,000 what I wanted to do. I set myself in alarm 83 00:04:38,079 --> 00:04:41,800 clock as I like to schedule things and tick things 84 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,000 off as I do to fit everything in. So I 85 00:04:44,079 --> 00:04:46,399 set myself in alarm clock of time to do it 86 00:04:46,439 --> 00:04:48,759 in and I managed to get it all done what 87 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,959 I wanted to do to do. There's still a lot 88 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,600 more to do of that area, but we'll finish that 89 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,279 off tomorrow. Fingers crossed. We might have to go into 90 00:04:57,319 --> 00:04:59,959 next weekend to finish it all off because it's a 91 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:02,800 It's an area that I don't look after much. It's 92 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,560 just an area what I've just tied it up to 93 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,319 make it look smart, if you get me. It's not 94 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,920 an area that I'm too fussed about. But obviously we 95 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,160 have to keep them looking tidy for inspections and stuff 96 00:05:15,199 --> 00:05:18,000 like that on the allotment, which unfortunately we get, so 97 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,360 we have to make sure it's spick and span for them. 98 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,079 But yeah, I've been busy doing all that, and obviously 99 00:05:24,519 --> 00:05:28,160 I've been doing some videos as well for you to watch. 100 00:05:28,959 --> 00:05:32,879 I'm starting to do a video for every day on YouTube. 101 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,399 That is my plan, that is my target. Obviously, I'm 102 00:05:35,439 --> 00:05:38,839 doing a podcast every day for you and obviously when 103 00:05:38,879 --> 00:05:40,680 I'm down at the allotment of the weekend, I have 104 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,120 to try and film six episodes for you all to watch, 105 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,160 like different little short, little videos for you all to watch, 106 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,319 which is obviously getting that done doing my allotment. It's 107 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,040 quite a push, but we are managing to do it. 108 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,360 So what have we done down at the allotment today 109 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,600 as well as clear the top area, Well, today we 110 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:08,120 have I've been busy harvesting my Christmas potatoes. Yes, I've 111 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:11,240 harvested my Christmas potatoes. I expected them to be ready 112 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:15,600 around December time, but the plants have died off and 113 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,079 I thought, well, they're not going to grow anymore, now, 114 00:06:18,199 --> 00:06:22,439 might as well harvest them. So that was one video 115 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,120 which I filmed, which is on YouTube now if you 116 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,279 want to go and have a look of me harvesting 117 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,600 my Christmas potatoes and I'll let you see how well 118 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:34,199 we actually did. Now I'm happy with the results of them. 119 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:40,480 But one of them was a complete failure. But three 120 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:46,079 boxers of the potatoes did absolutely fantastic and I've brought 121 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,959 a load home. So I'm going to be eating chippies 122 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,560 now for the next few weeks, which is fantastic because 123 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,079 I just shove them in the air five I've got 124 00:06:54,079 --> 00:06:57,480 a special chipper what just chops them into chipsy shapes 125 00:06:58,079 --> 00:07:00,519 and I just stick them in the air five minutes 126 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,680 and they taste absolutely delicious, and there's a seasoning out there. 127 00:07:04,879 --> 00:07:08,279 I don't know if you've tried it, but it's to 128 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,839 make them cheesy chips. So I just stick them in 129 00:07:10,879 --> 00:07:12,720 a bowl and sprinkle some of this on and mix 130 00:07:12,759 --> 00:07:14,040 it all in and then put them in the air 131 00:07:14,079 --> 00:07:19,720 five for ten minutes and they taste absolutely gorgeous, absolutely 132 00:07:19,759 --> 00:07:22,240 over the moon with them. So I've got them to 133 00:07:22,319 --> 00:07:25,079 last me for a few months, which will keep me going, 134 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:29,639 which is saving me money obviously, So they'll be having 135 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,160 with my tea every single night. We'll be having some 136 00:07:32,279 --> 00:07:36,959 chippies throughout the winter period, which is good because obviously 137 00:07:37,439 --> 00:07:41,079 you're spreading their produce out over the winter period as well, 138 00:07:41,519 --> 00:07:45,199 save you're having to go out and buy stuff. And 139 00:07:45,279 --> 00:07:48,439 what else have we been up to. We have sorted 140 00:07:48,439 --> 00:07:51,920 out all my sweet peas. I've been showing in my 141 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,480 tall video recently of my sweet peas and they were 142 00:07:55,519 --> 00:07:59,759 all becoming leg eu and I wanted to pinch them back, 143 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,639 and I explained about that in the video which i'll 144 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:06,399 be coming this week, that pinching them back helps bush 145 00:08:06,439 --> 00:08:10,120 them out. They'll be smaller flowers on them, but they'll 146 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,279 be more bushy and they'll get more flowers on them, 147 00:08:14,399 --> 00:08:18,160 whereas if you usually leave them not pinched out, they'll 148 00:08:18,319 --> 00:08:20,800 grow bigger flowers on them and bigger long as stalks 149 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:24,279 on the flowers. So that is the reason. So if 150 00:08:24,319 --> 00:08:27,199 you're wanting them to look at like a nice display, 151 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:29,600 pinch them out to keep them busher. But if you're 152 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,360 wanting them for vases and stuff like that, I suggest 153 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,519 not pinching them out. So we'll talk about that more 154 00:08:35,639 --> 00:08:39,720 in another episode later on down the line. What else 155 00:08:39,759 --> 00:08:42,840 have we done as geraniums. We've finally dug them all 156 00:08:42,919 --> 00:08:45,399 up out of the ground before the frost comes. We've 157 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:47,679 not had a frost at all this year so far, 158 00:08:48,279 --> 00:08:52,279 well this winter, autumn winter, we've not had a frost yet, 159 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,919 which is amazing. Like this time of year you've usually 160 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,559 had a frost at least, but we've not had no 161 00:08:58,759 --> 00:09:01,440 frosts around here whatsoe. So I managed to get them 162 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:03,879 out before the frost gets them and kills them, and 163 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,000 we've potted them all up. We put them in my 164 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,480 shed and we're going to keep them watered and hopefully 165 00:09:09,639 --> 00:09:12,919 look after them throughout the winter period and keep them 166 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,440 keep them alive, because that's what we want to do. 167 00:09:16,639 --> 00:09:21,600 So we've got that all sorted and that's another job 168 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,639 ticked off my list. So we've got quite a few 169 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,159 more jobs left to do down at the allotment. Tomorrow. 170 00:09:27,759 --> 00:09:30,000 Obviously I do my weekly tour video which I'm going 171 00:09:30,039 --> 00:09:33,720 to be doing down there, and I'm filming my blog 172 00:09:33,919 --> 00:09:35,720 of what I get up to down at the allotment 173 00:09:35,759 --> 00:09:39,120 as well. But there's quite a few other videos which 174 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,159 I want to film and we need to sort of 175 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,879 salve your out. Tomorrow I'm going to be sorting them 176 00:09:44,919 --> 00:09:47,960 out for a video for your all to watch. I 177 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:52,360 took some cuttings earlier in the year and they've rooted, 178 00:09:52,399 --> 00:09:55,600 They've took well, and I just want to put them 179 00:09:55,600 --> 00:10:00,120 into bigger pots fresh compost and tidy them up and 180 00:10:00,519 --> 00:10:03,519 give them a big boost and then I'll be planting 181 00:10:03,519 --> 00:10:07,039 them out next year in my allotment. So we want 182 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,840 to encourage them to grow better and keep on looking 183 00:10:09,919 --> 00:10:13,679 better and hopefully we'll get some nice salvea plants next 184 00:10:13,759 --> 00:10:16,720 year for free, which is always a bonus. Been a Yorkshireman, 185 00:10:16,879 --> 00:10:20,600 we always like everything for free or cheap or half price. 186 00:10:21,279 --> 00:10:25,720 But yeah, I'm looking forward to next year. We're putting 187 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:27,879 a lot of effort into my allotment this year. Obviously, 188 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,480 like I say, I've not got as much time down there. 189 00:10:31,519 --> 00:10:33,360 I've only got two days a week down there at 190 00:10:33,399 --> 00:10:36,039 the moment throughout the winter period. Obviously, when it gets 191 00:10:36,039 --> 00:10:38,519 to summer and lighter nights, I can stay down there later, 192 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,080 but we are only there for the weekends at the 193 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:43,600 moment for a few hours. And like I say, it 194 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,879 gets cold, so wanting to come home after a short 195 00:10:46,919 --> 00:10:50,840 while down there. So we've got the salveya to sort 196 00:10:50,879 --> 00:10:54,159 out tomorrow. We've obviously got the rest of the top 197 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:57,240 area of my plot to sort out and finish off, 198 00:10:57,879 --> 00:11:00,559 and which other jobs are down on modest I want 199 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,519 to sort some of my paths out. Hopefully we're going 200 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:08,519 to be doing that. And there's nothing else really down 201 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,000 there what I need to actually get done and sorted. 202 00:11:13,279 --> 00:11:17,000 There's nothing burning to get done, which is good. I'm 203 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:20,559 I'm on top of stuff. I'm in front. I've got 204 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,159 a lot of it cleared and ready for next year. 205 00:11:23,279 --> 00:11:25,720 So yeah, it'll be a case of just once I've 206 00:11:25,759 --> 00:11:27,879 cleared this top area, it'll be a case of just 207 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,399 tidying it all up and sorting my beds out and 208 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:32,519 screwing them all back together and then painting them all 209 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:36,600 next year. But my allotment is coming on fantastic. I'm 210 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,879 happy with how it's all looking, and it's looking fantastic, 211 00:11:39,919 --> 00:11:43,360 and then obviously through the main winter period it'll be 212 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,120 the time when I'm sprucing up all my shed getting 213 00:11:46,159 --> 00:11:48,639 it all painted. Like I said, I want a new 214 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:53,840 potting shelf where I can record myself, film myself and 215 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:58,000 make it make some good episodes for the videos as well. 216 00:11:58,279 --> 00:12:01,000 I know everybody's liking the videos been back at the moment, 217 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:04,840 which is fantastic and I'm happy about so hopefully we're 218 00:12:04,879 --> 00:12:07,320 going to keep this up. This weekend is going to 219 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,159 be busy as well, recording all these podcasts for the 220 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,279 week ahead. I like to film them all on Saturday 221 00:12:12,279 --> 00:12:14,679 and Sunday so that you've got on for the week 222 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,159 as obviously, when I finished work, I'm tired, so I'm 223 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:22,240 not necessarily wanting to record them, but you will get 224 00:12:23,159 --> 00:12:27,000 an episode every single day this week, believe me. And 225 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,240 thank you for everybody that's commented saying I'm glad the 226 00:12:30,279 --> 00:12:33,519 podcasts back, and thank you to everybody that's listening to them. 227 00:12:33,919 --> 00:12:36,559 Over one hundred people each episode or listening to them, 228 00:12:37,039 --> 00:12:40,600 and so yeah, keep sharing it out everybody. The more 229 00:12:40,639 --> 00:12:44,200 people that listen, the better they will get out to everybody. 230 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:48,720 So until tomorrow's episode. Tomorrow's episode, we will be talking 231 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,679 about everything that we've got up to on Sunday, so 232 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,840 make sure you're tune in for that episode. Until next time, everyone, remember, 233 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,799 keep smiling, keep shining, and keep gardening with Bet. Everyone, 234 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:06,679 thank you for joining me on this episode of Gardening 235 00:13:06,799 --> 00:13:09,960 with Ben. I hope you have found some useful tips 236 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,559 and instrogiration for your own gardening and a lotment journey. 237 00:13:13,919 --> 00:13:17,279 If you have enjoyed today's episode, please make sure to 238 00:13:17,399 --> 00:13:21,000 follow and subscribe to the podcast so you'll never miss 239 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:23,600 a new episode. And if you have a moment, I'd 240 00:13:23,639 --> 00:13:25,879 love for you to leave a review and share the 241 00:13:25,919 --> 00:13:30,279 podcast with fellow of gardening enthusiasts. Your support helps us 242 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:35,200 grow this community and continue bringing you great content. You 243 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:39,000 can also follow us on social media on every platform 244 00:13:39,039 --> 00:13:42,639 for All Gardening with Ben for daily gardening tips and 245 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:47,960 of days, happy gardening. And until next time, remember, keep smiling, 246 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,600 keep shining, and keep gardening with Ben.