1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,680
Speaker 1: Welcome to Gardening with Ben. You'll 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 --> 00:00:29,519
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 --> 00:00:39,439
roll up your sleeves, and let's get started on this

11
00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:46,679
year's gardening journey. Hey everybody, and welcome back to Gardening

12
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,759
with Ben. Well, it's Thursday already, and wow, yes, thankfully

13
00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,439
the week is flying by and I'm so excited for

14
00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,280
the weekend. I'm ready for the Big Bird Watch, which

15
00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,119
we'll talk about in tomorrow's episode. But yeah, I'm definitely

16
00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,359
excited about it. I can't stop talking about it. Hopefully

17
00:01:07,359 --> 00:01:09,640
we'll get lots of feathered friends down there. But yeah,

18
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,799
look forward to tomorrow's episode where we'll be talking all about

19
00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,799
the Big Bird Watch. And yeah, so what have we

20
00:01:17,079 --> 00:01:21,840
been up to well. We have obviously been working this

21
00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:24,439
week so have not been down to the allotment, but

22
00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:30,599
we are trying stuff here at home and I've started

23
00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:34,159
my peppers off, my onions off, and my chillis off,

24
00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,920
and so far the peppers and the onions are growing.

25
00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,480
The peppers seem to have started really growing this week,

26
00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,599
as I've not had no sign of life on them

27
00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,879
for a couple of weeks. I must have planted him

28
00:01:49,879 --> 00:01:53,280
about twenty days ago, twenty five days ago, quite a

29
00:01:53,319 --> 00:01:57,000
while ago, and they were taken forever to Germany, and

30
00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,280
I was thinking, well, it's warm enough in my flat.

31
00:01:59,319 --> 00:02:03,040
This is the idea temperature obviously, because it needs to

32
00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,359
be about twenty five degrees to germinate the peppers, one

33
00:02:06,359 --> 00:02:08,599
of the reasons why I've started them off at home

34
00:02:09,159 --> 00:02:13,680
early to get them growing ready for this year. So

35
00:02:13,759 --> 00:02:15,280
I thought I'll try them at home this year. We'll

36
00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,360
start the nice and early and get them growing. And yeah,

37
00:02:18,599 --> 00:02:20,599
no sign of life. I thought I've bought a dodgy

38
00:02:20,599 --> 00:02:24,120
pack of pepper seeds, but nope, they are germinating and

39
00:02:24,159 --> 00:02:28,479
they're all popping through now, so hopefully in possibly about

40
00:02:28,479 --> 00:02:31,599
a month's time, we might pot them all up into

41
00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,039
individual pots, keep them growing at home until it's warm

42
00:02:35,159 --> 00:02:37,080
enough to take them down to the allotment to the

43
00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:41,400
shed to grow. So hopefully we'll have lots of peppers

44
00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,840
this year. That's my plan to try and grow lots

45
00:02:43,879 --> 00:02:47,599
of peppers, and obviously my onions. I'm starting them from

46
00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,719
seed this year and I'm growing some from set. So

47
00:02:50,759 --> 00:02:54,080
I'm going to show the difference between seed onions and

48
00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,800
set onions and show which ones do better. And I'm

49
00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:59,919
thinking it'll be the seed ones again because I've done

50
00:02:59,919 --> 00:03:02,280
it from seed before and the seed did do better

51
00:03:02,319 --> 00:03:04,719
than the sets, So I have to wait and see

52
00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:09,199
and see which ones actually do well. My chili is

53
00:03:09,599 --> 00:03:12,120
they have not even started growing yet, so I'm hoping

54
00:03:12,159 --> 00:03:15,840
that they'll start germinating soon or I'll have to start

55
00:03:15,879 --> 00:03:19,560
some more off because chilies are easier to grow than

56
00:03:19,599 --> 00:03:22,400
peppers usually. When I had did them last time, the

57
00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,639
chilis grew absolutely loads on the planet. I've not grown

58
00:03:25,759 --> 00:03:29,479
for about ten years now, but they did absolutely fantastic.

59
00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:31,800
So I'm hoping that they do germinate and they get

60
00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,360
growing and then we'll get lots of chilies as well

61
00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:39,360
this year. Now I might start some aubergine off as well. Soon.

62
00:03:40,759 --> 00:03:42,680
Now is the time to start aubergine off as well,

63
00:03:42,719 --> 00:03:46,319
obviously indoors where it's warmer and get them growing. So

64
00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:49,120
I might try a few aubergine this weekend and get

65
00:03:49,159 --> 00:03:54,280
them planted. We have also spent a little too much

66
00:03:54,360 --> 00:04:00,800
money online. Guess what I've bought now. Well, I were

67
00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,639
talking about watermelons and melons the other day and I thought,

68
00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:06,479
I'm going to go online and have a look see

69
00:04:06,479 --> 00:04:08,800
what seeds they are. So I added them all to

70
00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,280
my basket, all different varieties, and I thought, sod it,

71
00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:16,639
I'm purchasing them. So I purchased about six or seven

72
00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,519
different varieties and melons and watermelons to try and grow.

73
00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:22,879
So we're going to try lots of different varieties of

74
00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,959
melons this year, so make sure you stay tuned for that.

75
00:04:26,199 --> 00:04:28,399
And obviously I'm gonna be growing them in my polytunnel

76
00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,879
where it's hopefully warmer, and in pots. I'll be growing

77
00:04:32,879 --> 00:04:35,319
them in pots, so we'll have to keep them watered

78
00:04:35,519 --> 00:04:40,040
well and keep them really watered. So hopefully we have

79
00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,639
some decent melons. And yeah, obviously I'll be sharing the

80
00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,319
journey with you all. I'll be sharing all the photos

81
00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:50,279
online and updating you on the podcast how well they're

82
00:04:50,319 --> 00:04:54,079
actually getting on. So that is one and morephing ticked

83
00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,399
off on my list. Next thing to tick off on

84
00:04:56,439 --> 00:04:59,160
the list will be my different varieties are sweet peas,

85
00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:05,319
different varieties are geraniums, my different varieties are sunflowers, and

86
00:05:05,399 --> 00:05:10,360
my different varieties of squash as well. So hopefully I'll

87
00:05:10,399 --> 00:05:12,639
be able to purchase all them and get them growing.

88
00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,600
But yeah, I'm going absolutely mental with the seed growing

89
00:05:15,639 --> 00:05:18,839
this year. I don't know where I'm going to find

90
00:05:18,879 --> 00:05:22,000
all the time to look after these, but hopefully we'll

91
00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,639
find time and hopefully we'll get them all growing, and

92
00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,639
hopefully we'll get some produce from them. That's the main thing.

93
00:05:28,519 --> 00:05:30,560
It's so I spending all this money growing on it's

94
00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:34,920
whether you actually get produced from them. But yeah, hopefully

95
00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,279
we have a fantastic crop and hopefully some great results

96
00:05:38,319 --> 00:05:41,040
to show you all. But I'm so excited. I'm so

97
00:05:41,199 --> 00:05:44,639
excited for March. And I was just live on my

98
00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:48,040
TikTok account before I've recorded this, and I was just

99
00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:52,639
chatting to somebody online who follows this podcast. Ali. They

100
00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:59,079
shout out to you and we're chatting saying that everybody's

101
00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,480
excited to grow in seeds, and people can get carried

102
00:06:02,519 --> 00:06:07,759
away and follow the seed packets suggestion for growing too

103
00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:12,560
much and start sewing all the seeds pretty early, and

104
00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,360
sometimes obviously they don't germany or if you're going to inside,

105
00:06:16,399 --> 00:06:19,680
they'll get leg a. And the only seeds that I

106
00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:23,360
would start at this time of year are chilis, peppers,

107
00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:28,040
auber jeans, and onions and possibly leaks. I wouldn't start

108
00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,439
anything else off earlier, not my tomatoes, not my cucumbers.

109
00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,399
I'll start them all off in like March time April time.

110
00:06:35,759 --> 00:06:38,600
They soon catch up and they'll grow up properly. If

111
00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,399
they're in a greenhouse, they won't grow leg a. They

112
00:06:41,439 --> 00:06:45,920
won't have issues with germinating from the heat. But yeah,

113
00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,319
we everybody gets excited when they're growing for the first year,

114
00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,399
and they'll start really early. They need to hold off,

115
00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:58,319
hold off from sewing them seeds. But yeah, hopefully get

116
00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:03,000
planting pretty late on and you'll see me when I

117
00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:06,800
start sewing all my seeds. It'll possibly be like end

118
00:07:06,879 --> 00:07:09,720
of March time beginning of April time. I'll be going

119
00:07:09,759 --> 00:07:12,759
absolutely mental with sewing loads of seeds and we are

120
00:07:12,759 --> 00:07:14,800
going to label them all. This year, we're going to

121
00:07:14,879 --> 00:07:19,279
label up what I'm planting in what seed tray, so

122
00:07:19,319 --> 00:07:21,920
then there's no guessing at the end. My mum bought

123
00:07:21,959 --> 00:07:26,079
me some seed labels this year for Christmas, some wooden ones,

124
00:07:26,519 --> 00:07:28,199
so we're going to make use of them and we're

125
00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:32,199
going to write down all our plants on seed labels

126
00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,920
so that we know what we're growing. But I'm so

127
00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,959
excited for this year. I'm really determined, and obviously now

128
00:07:38,959 --> 00:07:43,040
that I'm doing more content with videos and with podcasts

129
00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,639
and everything like that, I'm sharing what I'm getting up to,

130
00:07:45,839 --> 00:07:49,519
so hopefully you'll all enjoy it and hopefully all enjoy

131
00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,879
the journey this year down on the allotment and sharing

132
00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,000
what I get up to. And as I always say,

133
00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:58,560
I'm an honest gardener, I'll show you what's successful and

134
00:07:58,639 --> 00:08:01,560
I'll show you what fails as well. There's no point

135
00:08:01,639 --> 00:08:05,199
being a gardener if you don't show what failures you have.

136
00:08:05,839 --> 00:08:10,480
Nothing ever always works, and that's what Obviously people show

137
00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,680
the show all the good stuff, but it's good to

138
00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:14,639
show the bad stuff as well so that they know

139
00:08:14,839 --> 00:08:18,360
it's not all easy to do, which is not it's

140
00:08:18,399 --> 00:08:22,399
a hard job to do, and I hope that you

141
00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,720
do enjoy these podcasts, and I hope that you do

142
00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,360
enjoy my allotment chaining. So we will be back tomorrow

143
00:08:28,519 --> 00:08:32,720
with tomorrow's podcast talking about the big bird Watch, and

144
00:08:32,759 --> 00:08:36,600
then on Saturday we will be down there getting all

145
00:08:36,639 --> 00:08:40,240
the footage and hopefully some birds. There's a strong storm

146
00:08:40,399 --> 00:08:43,679
coming on Friday night, everybody, so if you've got any

147
00:08:43,879 --> 00:08:50,879
like stand up greenhouses or loose bits on your greenhouse,

148
00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,240
make sure everything's secure, make sure your pots are secure,

149
00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,360
and everything will blow away because it's going to be

150
00:08:57,399 --> 00:09:00,799
a bad storm on Friday, so make sure you prepared

151
00:09:00,799 --> 00:09:04,759
for that everyone. So until next time, everyone, remember, keep smiling,

152
00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:10,720
keep shining, and keep gardening with Ben. Everyone, thanks for

153
00:09:10,799 --> 00:09:15,360
tuning in to today's episode of Gardening with Ben. I

154
00:09:15,399 --> 00:09:18,159
hope you've enjoyed our chat and picked up some tips

155
00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,080
to help your garden and allotment thrive. Don't forget to

156
00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:26,039
stay connected with me on all social media for even

157
00:09:26,159 --> 00:09:30,960
more gardening inspiration, updates and behind the scenes content. You

158
00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:34,679
can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Just search

159
00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,679
Gardening with Ben, hit that follow button or subscribe button

160
00:09:38,919 --> 00:09:43,320
and join our growing community of garden lovers. Until next time,

161
00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,919
everyone remember keep smiling, keep shining, and keep gardening with

162
00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:48,279
Ben