1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Gardening with Ben, your go to podcast for 2 00:00:03,839 --> 00:00:08,800 all things green and growing in twenty twenty five. Whether 3 00:00:08,839 --> 00:00:12,720 you're a seasoned gardener, a budding enthusiast, or just curious 4 00:00:12,759 --> 00:00:16,719 about cultivating your own slice of nature, you're in the 5 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:21,039 right place. Join me Ben as we explore practical tips, 6 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,760 inspiring stories, and the latest trends in gardening to make 7 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:29,480 your outdoor space bloom with life, from a lotment adventures 8 00:00:29,559 --> 00:00:32,840 to wildlife friendly gardening. I'm here to help you grow 9 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,520 your passion and read the rewards. So grab your gloves, 10 00:00:36,679 --> 00:00:39,399 roll up your sleeves, and let's get started on this 11 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:47,119 year's gardening journey. Hey everyone, and welcome back to Gardening 12 00:00:47,679 --> 00:00:51,560 with Ben. It's the weekend. The weekend is finally here. 13 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:56,439 Let' us celebrate. Let'us shout from the rooftops because Saturday 14 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:01,840 is here and there's no snow. All gone. Thankfully, Hopefully 15 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,640 when I get down to the allotment it's all gone. 16 00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:07,000 But everywhere that I've been around there's not been any 17 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,760 snow around, so fingers crossed, it has all gone. So 18 00:01:10,799 --> 00:01:13,840 I'm so excited to get back down to my allotment 19 00:01:14,079 --> 00:01:18,799 today and hopefully get some work done down there, and 20 00:01:19,239 --> 00:01:21,760 if the temperature goes by what it will like Yesterday 21 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,480 on Friday, it were actually a decent day, So hopefully 22 00:01:25,799 --> 00:01:28,920 we'll be productive down there and it won't rain and 23 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,560 we'll be able to do plenty of work until the 24 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,359 weather changes in it's frosty or it's raining or it's sleeting. 25 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,760 It fingers crossed will get something done. Well, we're definitely 26 00:01:39,799 --> 00:01:43,799 going anywhere it is on our list to go. So 27 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,000 what are we doing at the allotment this week? Well, 28 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,560 We've got lots to be getting on with. And this 29 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:55,079 week I'm going to be obviously filling up my bird 30 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:58,439 seed I do that on a weekly basis until I 31 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,040 get some squaw will prove bird feeders where it doesn't 32 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:06,920 all go away go down straight away. But yeah, we'll 33 00:02:06,959 --> 00:02:10,960 be filling up my bird feeders, and then obviously feeding 34 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,000 the cat because the cat waits for me as soon 35 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,120 as I get to my allotment. My dad feeds it 36 00:02:15,159 --> 00:02:18,199 every single day, but I've feed it at weekends. So 37 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:22,840 we'll be feeding the pussy cat. And then hopefully I'm 38 00:02:22,879 --> 00:02:26,120 going to be watering my sweet peas and my geraniums 39 00:02:26,599 --> 00:02:28,599 because last week when I went down it we're all 40 00:02:28,599 --> 00:02:32,560 frozen up all my water container, so I weren't able 41 00:02:32,599 --> 00:02:35,159 to water anything. But the plants won't need much water 42 00:02:35,199 --> 00:02:37,879 at this time yet. There's plenty of moisture around, so 43 00:02:38,039 --> 00:02:40,759 hopefully they're all still alive. But we'll give them more 44 00:02:40,759 --> 00:02:42,719 water this week. So we've not watered them for quite 45 00:02:42,719 --> 00:02:45,319 a while, and we'll be planting them out in the 46 00:02:45,319 --> 00:02:48,800 springtime when it does warm up and hopefully when the 47 00:02:48,879 --> 00:02:50,800 chance of frost has passed, because we don't want to 48 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,800 kill them off as soon as we put them out. Obviously, 49 00:02:53,879 --> 00:02:56,199 we've grown them through the winter period and they're in 50 00:02:56,199 --> 00:02:59,759 my greenhouse. It's not a heat of greenhouse, so if 51 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,759 this sur ivor until springtime, I'll be happy. If not, 52 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,560 we've given them a try, but hopefully save some money 53 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,199 by doing it. So yeah, we'll be doing that. We're 54 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,240 watering them and then we're going to start digging over 55 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,400 some of my beds again. Last time I dug them 56 00:03:14,479 --> 00:03:18,159 over around October time, so it's been about three months 57 00:03:18,159 --> 00:03:20,680 since we've given them a dig over. Obviously, there's no 58 00:03:20,759 --> 00:03:23,319 weeds growing in them, it's too cold for any weeds 59 00:03:23,319 --> 00:03:25,599 to be growing, but we just dig them over so 60 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,280 that the frost can get into the soil, break it 61 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,319 up and kill any roots what are growing in there 62 00:03:31,319 --> 00:03:34,400 if we keep turning it over. So we'll keep doing 63 00:03:34,479 --> 00:03:37,360 that all the way up to maytime, when I will 64 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,719 be planting stuff out. Obviously the weeds will start growing 65 00:03:40,759 --> 00:03:42,719 around March time and stuff like that, so well be 66 00:03:43,159 --> 00:03:47,360 digging it over more regularly than once every three months. 67 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,159 So we'll be doing that, and then I'm going to 68 00:03:50,159 --> 00:03:52,599 be filming some videos as well down there. I've made 69 00:03:52,599 --> 00:03:55,120 a list of all videos what I want to film 70 00:03:55,159 --> 00:03:58,240 this weekend, so hopefully we'll be getting some content back 71 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,680 out on YouTube again because some people obviously pre first 72 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,960 seeing the visuals rather than just listening to me. So 73 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,599 hopefully we'll be doing some videos down there. And I've 74 00:04:09,719 --> 00:04:14,400 ordered a new phone holder for being at the allotment, 75 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:19,000 so as well as obviously recording on my tripod, it 76 00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:21,680 goes on a band that goes around my neck, so 77 00:04:22,199 --> 00:04:24,600 you can actually see, like what I'm doing with my hands, 78 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,040 so I can like film potting up or saw in 79 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,199 my seeds and doing stuff like that, you can actually 80 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,600 see it from my perspective as well. So we're going 81 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:37,560 to hopefully get some new camera angles on videos. It 82 00:04:37,639 --> 00:04:40,199 all sounds professional, but trust me, the videos won't be. 83 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,480 We just do it for the fun and obviously people 84 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,160 like to watch them, so we'll be doing that. But yeah, 85 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,839 we've got that to do. And then obviously in a 86 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:54,759 couple of months, hopefully we're going to be painting on 87 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,600 my beds up because all the wood paints all washed 88 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,079 off now. It doesn't last fi years like most of 89 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,720 them say on the tin. They only last a couple 90 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,560 of years a year at the most. So I tend 91 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,199 to paint every couple of years just to spruce them 92 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,160 up and look nice. Obviously you don't need to paint them, 93 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,720 but it protects them from rotting a bit more faster, 94 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:19,319 and obviously it makes it look nice esthetically, so it 95 00:05:19,439 --> 00:05:22,120 looked good for photos and stuff like that, so we'll 96 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,800 be painting all them up. I do hopefully need to 97 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,600 try and source some wood chip for because my paths 98 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,199 could do with real wood chipping this year. I put 99 00:05:32,199 --> 00:05:35,439 a load down last winter and obviously it rots down 100 00:05:36,079 --> 00:05:38,879 over the year, so hopefully we'll try and get some 101 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,519 wood chip sorted down for the allotment. Last time my 102 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:44,680 neighbor got a load from the council so we'll have 103 00:05:44,759 --> 00:05:47,480 to see if he can speak to his contact and 104 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,000 hopefully get some woodchip down on the paths. But there's 105 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,800 loads of jobs to be doing this winter time, and 106 00:05:53,879 --> 00:05:56,800 this is the time when you're doing all them odd 107 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,959 little jobs around the allotment, sprucing it up, tiding it up, 108 00:06:00,079 --> 00:06:03,680 doing any repairs, and getting it all planned and ready 109 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,079 for next year, well this year now. And it's the 110 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,480 exciting part because come March time, I'm going to be 111 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,600 starting all my seeds. All my seeds will be getting sown, 112 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:15,959 and I'll be going down there regularly to water them 113 00:06:15,959 --> 00:06:18,680 at night and stuff like that. So we'll be having 114 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,839 lots to get getting on with down at the allotment. 115 00:06:22,199 --> 00:06:25,279 So it's going to be a busy few months coming up. 116 00:06:26,319 --> 00:06:28,279 But I s can't wait to be sorry my seeds. 117 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:32,519 That's my favorite part of the year. So in the seeds, 118 00:06:33,519 --> 00:06:36,759 seeing them Germany, planting them out and then seeing the 119 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:42,079 produce what's produced on them. It's so heartwarming seeing the 120 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:47,800 final product really of what you've done and seeing how 121 00:06:47,959 --> 00:06:51,560 it's actually grown and how fantastic it is. So yeah, 122 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,680 that is our day round up down at the allotment. 123 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,879 Hopefully we'll get as much done as possible, and tomorrow's podcast, 124 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,439 obviously we'll be talking about what we have actually done. 125 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:04,920 So hopefully we can say that we've done some stuff 126 00:07:04,959 --> 00:07:08,360 down there. And obviously soon I'm going to be preparing 127 00:07:08,439 --> 00:07:10,879 for the big bird watch down there. I'm going to 128 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,279 get a load of different varieties of seed and hopefully 129 00:07:14,519 --> 00:07:16,920 get some pictures of some birds down at my allotment, 130 00:07:17,519 --> 00:07:20,920 and yeah, fingers crossed, hopefully we get to see some 131 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:24,199 birds down there. I've been seeing bluteds down there regularly, 132 00:07:24,319 --> 00:07:27,079 robbins down there, and I might try and get some 133 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,360 blackbirds down there, so I might get some sultan as 134 00:07:29,439 --> 00:07:33,279 amazons because blackbirds absolutely love them. So if you wanted 135 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,600 to attract the blackbirds, get some sultan and amazons and 136 00:07:36,639 --> 00:07:39,160 just put me in a little bowl. Obviously put them 137 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,480 high up because he attract the rats and stuff like that. 138 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,959 But yeah, trying to attrack some blackbirds to your garden 139 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:50,839 as blackbirds are absolutely beautiful. So hopefully we're gonna get 140 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,639 plenty done down at the allotment. Obviously, I'm posting more 141 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,199 and more videos on my Instagram stories, my Facebook stories 142 00:07:58,279 --> 00:08:01,199 so you can follow along on my day. How what 143 00:08:01,199 --> 00:08:04,759 we're getting up to and yeah, and I've been sharing 144 00:08:04,839 --> 00:08:08,360 posts as well on my Facebook page of little blog 145 00:08:08,399 --> 00:08:12,319 ideas and what to do were Amaryllus, what jobs need 146 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,839 doing in the garden in January? What needs to be planted? 147 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,160 So yeah, we're posting lots of different things. And yesterday 148 00:08:19,199 --> 00:08:24,240 I posted a post on how to prevent slugs from 149 00:08:24,279 --> 00:08:27,920 eating everything? Stop slugs from eating everything? If only we 150 00:08:27,959 --> 00:08:30,240 could do that? But yeah, I might talk about that 151 00:08:30,279 --> 00:08:32,159 in one of my podcasts. Actually will do that as 152 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,919 one of my podcasts, How to stop slugs from attacking 153 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,519 everything in your garden? What you can plan to stop 154 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:44,759 them attacking everything, and hopefully getting some projects out of it, 155 00:08:44,879 --> 00:08:48,039 because my neighbor he gets absolutely loads of slugs on 156 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:51,159 his allotment, but thankfully touch wood, I don't get many. 157 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,840 Whether it's because I let the weeds disguise all my vegetables. 158 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,480 But yeah, hopefully we'll be recording that podcast well for 159 00:09:00,519 --> 00:09:04,799 you soon. So I hope you all have a fantastic day. Everyone. 160 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,200 Make sure you do it out in the garden. Make 161 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:10,840 sure you do something like feed the birds orful water 162 00:09:10,879 --> 00:09:12,720 bowl up from to have a little drink out of 163 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,279 Just go outside and enjoy some fresh air today everyone, 164 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:21,799 and I hope that you have a fantastic weekend. Until 165 00:09:21,879 --> 00:09:25,759 next time, everyone, remember, keep smiling, keep shining, and keep 166 00:09:25,799 --> 00:09:32,279 gardening with Ben. Everyone. Thanks for tuning into today's episode 167 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:36,039 of Gardening with Ben. I hope you've enjoyed our chat 168 00:09:36,159 --> 00:09:39,279 and picked up some tips to help your garden and 169 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,720 allotment drive. Don't forget to stay connected with me on 170 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:48,200 all social media for even more gardening inspiration, updates and 171 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:52,440 behind the scenes content. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, 172 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:56,440 and YouTube. Just search Gardening with Ben. Hit that follow 173 00:09:56,519 --> 00:10:00,200 button or subscribe button and join our growing community, our 174 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:05,759 garden lovers. Until next time, everyone, remember, keep smiling, keep shining, 175 00:10:06,039 --> 00:10:07,519 and keep gardening with Ben.