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 --> 00:00:29,480 your outdoor space bloom with life, from a lotment adventures 8 00:00:29,559 --> 00:00:32,799 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 --> 00:00:46,799 year's gardening journey. Hey everyone, and welcome back to Gardening 12 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,320 with Ben for a brand new episode. There. I hope 13 00:00:50,359 --> 00:00:52,640 that you're all well, and I hope that you all had. 14 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 2: An amazing weekend. 15 00:00:54,479 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: And yeah, today we're going to talk about a halfway 16 00:00:58,399 --> 00:01:01,719 year and how well we've got on with our allotments 17 00:01:01,759 --> 00:01:06,680 so far. There's success, the failures, and the damn right brilliant. 18 00:01:07,159 --> 00:01:11,000 And it has been a tough year so far this year. 19 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,480 I must admit that I mentioned the other day that 20 00:01:14,519 --> 00:01:16,879 I only get down to the allotment now for a 21 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,560 couple of days a week. I tend to go sometimes 22 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,439 at night, just give it a quick water and form 23 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,519 a bit of content for people. But I only tend 24 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,599 to spend two full days down there now, which is 25 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:33,640 happy on Sunday. And allotments are literally a full time 26 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,200 job in themselves, and it's a struggle keeping up with 27 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,959 it in two days. Let me tell you that even 28 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,920 the bind weed is a job and half keeping on 29 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,400 top of all that. It grows so fast. And now 30 00:01:46,439 --> 00:01:49,040 that we've had all this heavy down poor rain, it's 31 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,599 going to shoot up everywhere, which is going to make 32 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,599 my life difficult. But we'll keep on top of it. 33 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,439 We'll keep smiling, we'll keep shining, and we'll keep gardening 34 00:01:58,519 --> 00:02:02,239 with them. And hope flight will keep on top of it. 35 00:02:02,239 --> 00:02:04,439 It keeps me going, it keeps me busy, and there's 36 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,599 always something to do with that. But yeah, what have 37 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,199 been our success as this year? Down on the allotment 38 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:16,039 so far this year? So starting off at the beginning 39 00:02:16,039 --> 00:02:18,800 of the year, and the first thing I usually pick 40 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:24,159 is my rubarb, and the roobarb was absolutely fantastic. It 41 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,039 started to come to its end now, but hopefully will 42 00:02:27,039 --> 00:02:30,599 get lots more up until August. We usually it died 43 00:02:30,719 --> 00:02:34,120 back at August time so that all the nutrients can 44 00:02:34,159 --> 00:02:37,199 go back into the roots of the plants into the 45 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,960 crown and it will then keep that food sort of 46 00:02:41,159 --> 00:02:43,840 in itself, and that will give it the encouragement to 47 00:02:43,879 --> 00:02:47,039 start again next year. Now we've had his roobarb plants 48 00:02:47,039 --> 00:02:50,840 in for twenty years and the absolutely fantastic they come 49 00:02:50,879 --> 00:02:53,879 back year after year, and the fruit that I get 50 00:02:53,879 --> 00:02:56,520 from it is amazing, and the crumbles that my mom 51 00:02:56,599 --> 00:03:00,840 mates are absolutely delicious. So we've got all that to do. 52 00:03:01,479 --> 00:03:06,199 And what else next up is strawberries. Now, last year's 53 00:03:06,199 --> 00:03:10,240 strawberries were absolutely rubbish. I had no strawberries whatsoever. They 54 00:03:10,319 --> 00:03:13,599 failed on me. They didn't do it well, and yeah 55 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,280 they were a total wash out. But we didn't get 56 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:16,719 much of. 57 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: The summer last year. It was absolutely useless. 58 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: But this year as been in the complete opposite. We've 59 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,639 had absolutely loads and loads of strawberry plants, fast strawberry 60 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,719 plants and feelings cost they'll all be sending out of 61 00:03:30,719 --> 00:03:33,120 the runners now so that we can start off extra 62 00:03:33,199 --> 00:03:36,080 plants maybe for next years, filling all the gaps and 63 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,840 hopefully double the amount of strauberies that we had this year. 64 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:41,039 Speaker 2: That's what I usually do. 65 00:03:41,159 --> 00:03:43,479 Speaker 1: I usually make use of all the runners, plants them 66 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,199 all out and filling the gaps and get even more 67 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,039 straubbies and must have about two hundred strawberry plants. You 68 00:03:49,159 --> 00:03:54,039 never have enough strawberries, trust me. And yeah, absolutely fantastic. 69 00:03:55,479 --> 00:03:58,479 Next up is our lettice. Our lettice has done absolutely 70 00:03:58,599 --> 00:04:00,759 amazing again, done very well. 71 00:04:00,919 --> 00:04:01,759 Speaker 2: I'm happy with that. 72 00:04:02,439 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: It's always done well. I'm not growing iceberg this year. 73 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:07,719 I've grown of course we can come in again lettice, 74 00:04:07,879 --> 00:04:10,759 which I disappointed actause I do love my iceberg lettices. 75 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,560 I should have grown some icebergs, but we've still got 76 00:04:14,599 --> 00:04:18,079 a good crop from them, and it's doing absolutely amazing 77 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:23,639 and yeah, hopefully keeping going for a bit time. Next 78 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,360 up is beat route. Now, my beat root's not done 79 00:04:26,399 --> 00:04:29,079 brilliant this year. I didn't know well we planted it. 80 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 2: I didn't want to do well. 81 00:04:30,079 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: We're growing it, and yeah, I don't think I'll be 82 00:04:32,639 --> 00:04:35,040 getting any beat root this year. We might get a bit, 83 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,319 but we'll see. There's only ways of trying and seeing 84 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,759 how we get on with that growing. Fingers crossed, we 85 00:04:41,879 --> 00:04:46,920 do get some beat route at least growing, but it 86 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,600 won't be very until probably it end of September oct 87 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:51,279 the time at our beat route. 88 00:04:51,959 --> 00:04:55,399 Speaker 2: Next up is our course jets. 89 00:04:55,759 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: Now, as courts are very slowly growing, the plants seem 90 00:04:59,639 --> 00:05:02,079 to be take keep further to produce any food on them. 91 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,439 I don't know why, but they're taking the time. They're 92 00:05:05,439 --> 00:05:08,839 getting bigger, so hopefully we'll get some coll jets coming 93 00:05:08,879 --> 00:05:12,560 on them and hopefully will be inundated, and then we 94 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:16,360 should have not planted the college jets. But yeah, I'm 95 00:05:16,399 --> 00:05:20,040 still waiting for my first green corse HT now yellow 96 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,079 corse jets. I've had quite a few of them off 97 00:05:22,079 --> 00:05:24,720 there from really well. I don't know why why they're 98 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,040 doing better than the green ones, but we're getting some 99 00:05:27,319 --> 00:05:31,519 yellow ones off, which I'm happy about. We've also had 100 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,600 some massive squashes off, absolutely amazing, the first time I've 101 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:36,920 ever grown. This variety that I've got. I think the 102 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:41,360 spaghetti squash. I'm not too sure, but they're absolutely massive. 103 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:43,839 I'll know what they are ones are quite inside them 104 00:05:43,879 --> 00:05:46,759 if they are spaghetti squash or if they're a different squash. 105 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:49,079 Speaker 2: I often again not. 106 00:05:49,079 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: Label with them up, so I don't know what variety 107 00:05:50,959 --> 00:05:54,040 they are, so after wait until I cut it into them. 108 00:05:54,519 --> 00:05:58,680 Next up is cucumber. Now as cucumber as plants fail 109 00:05:58,800 --> 00:05:59,160 or mate. 110 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 2: They didn't do very well. 111 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:03,959 Speaker 1: They didn't grow, so I've got no cucumber the plants 112 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,920 this year, which I'm highly disappointed at. I'm not happy 113 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,360 about because I do love cucumbers and usually they are 114 00:06:10,399 --> 00:06:13,519 pretty years to grow, but this year absolutely failed or 115 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,079 mate whatsoever. Then we've got smart plants. I didn't start 116 00:06:18,079 --> 00:06:20,399 any off from see this year. I bought my plants 117 00:06:20,399 --> 00:06:21,839 from the supermarkets, so they. 118 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 2: Were a bit bigger. 119 00:06:23,399 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: So they're doing well and we've got absolutely alerts on there. 120 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,959 We've got Moneymaker a variety, and we have got beef 121 00:06:30,959 --> 00:06:33,560 steak ones. The beef steak ones are the first time 122 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:34,079 I've ever. 123 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 2: Grown beach Day. 124 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,519 Speaker 1: I've never grown Beach State before, so hopefully we get 125 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,480 some good ones from them. They're absolutely massive. They're just 126 00:06:40,519 --> 00:06:44,560 not writing yet, so given time, they'll start writing in 127 00:06:44,639 --> 00:06:49,519 pretty soon, hopefully, fingers crossed. Then we've got as melons. 128 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,160 We've not grown as melons for about eight years now. 129 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:56,519 And yeah, I don't know what variety of the areas again, 130 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,439 I've not learned all them up, but they have got. 131 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 2: Melons on them and they're growing massive. 132 00:07:00,959 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: Of the plants that are growing all over the place, 133 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,720 we've tied them all up. They're absolutely fantastic now, so 134 00:07:06,959 --> 00:07:11,800 just to keep them fed and keep them going. Pepper 135 00:07:11,839 --> 00:07:17,600 plants have not grown peppers in about fifteen sixteen years, 136 00:07:18,319 --> 00:07:21,560 and I thought, beginning of January, I'm going to start 137 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,279 them off in my flat, get some plants growing, and 138 00:07:24,319 --> 00:07:26,480 we're going to grow some peppers because they need a 139 00:07:26,519 --> 00:07:29,680 long growing period. So we started them off. They got growing, 140 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,199 the plants did well, kept them alive in my flat, 141 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,879 and we started them off down at the allotment after that, 142 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,600 and they've got absolutely loads of peppers on them. They're 143 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,480 doing absolutely amazing. However, as I mentioned in my other podcast, 144 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,199 they're getting eating spits. So we're going to try a 145 00:07:45,199 --> 00:07:47,279 few ways to try and stop them from getting eaten. 146 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,839 See if you can stop that and hopefully get some 147 00:07:50,959 --> 00:07:53,240 decent peppers. And they're meant to be mixed. Cry to 148 00:07:53,279 --> 00:07:55,720 the colors. I think they're all green at the moment, 149 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:57,800 so we'll have to watch out for them changing color 150 00:07:58,160 --> 00:07:59,399 and seeing if we get some. 151 00:07:59,439 --> 00:08:00,959 Speaker 2: Different color peppers growing. 152 00:08:02,759 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: Then we have got our pumpkins. Now. I grew some 153 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,439 pumpkins last year. But again, like I said, the weather 154 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,439 wasn't fantastic. It was awful last year, and this year 155 00:08:14,519 --> 00:08:18,000 it's a lot better. And hopefully they're raping in time. 156 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,240 They didn't rapping in time last year. They didn't mark 157 00:08:21,279 --> 00:08:23,920 it at all, to be honest. So hopefully we get 158 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,079 the decent autumn weather to get them to ripen and 159 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:32,000 get some decent ones. Expecting some bekish ones. With all 160 00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:35,559 this rain that we've had the last today, last few days, 161 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:38,600 hopefully it'll make them swell and hopefully it gets some 162 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:45,240 decent sized ones growing sweet corn absolutely amazing. A lot 163 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:47,399 of people mentioning that they were struggling. We started a 164 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:51,080 week calling off. I started off and they did absolutely amazing, 165 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,080 planted them all out and there I was towards me. 166 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,000 I've never grown on that tall before. And they're still 167 00:08:57,039 --> 00:08:59,639 growing now. They're getting all the husks home, they're getting 168 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,039 the cops them. So hopefully we'll get a decent crop 169 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:07,720 of sweet corn this year. And I always put bottles 170 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,080 on them when they get to decent size and when 171 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,519 they start wearing brown, because that's when the basks smell 172 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:14,799 them and the squirrels, and then that's when. 173 00:09:14,639 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 2: They'll eat them and putting bottles over them. 174 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,039 Speaker 1: We're protect them from getting eaten, but obviously don't do 175 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,200 that until they starts to getting ready because they need 176 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:25,879 the pollination to pollinate it to make the sweet corn 177 00:09:26,039 --> 00:09:30,840 in the corps. So we've got that. What else next, 178 00:09:30,919 --> 00:09:34,919 there's plums are fruit in this year. They're not swallowing 179 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,240 as much. Hopefully all this rail will help them swell. 180 00:09:37,759 --> 00:09:40,080 Cooking apples absolutely. 181 00:09:39,519 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 2: Loads on this year. 182 00:09:40,879 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: Last year I didn't do very well because they're giving 183 00:09:43,519 --> 00:09:45,519 it a massive trimm back, but I left it this 184 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:47,480 year and we've got. 185 00:09:47,399 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 2: A load of cooking apples on. I'm after trimming. 186 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: This year's absolutely huge now and eating apples again, a 187 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:58,159 massive crop of them. Pears also doing fantastic, so we're 188 00:09:58,159 --> 00:10:01,720 going to get a lot of fruit halvest time round 189 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,320 end of August September, and that'll keep me going all 190 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,960 the way through winter and getting well. This garlic didn't 191 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,799 do too well this year. It could have done better. 192 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:15,480 Maybe it's down to me not looking after it enough. 193 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,600 But we've got some decent sized small ones, so hopefully 194 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:21,399 we're gonna try and make some hummus for them. I've 195 00:10:21,399 --> 00:10:23,919 never made hummers in my life but I tasted it 196 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:29,600 once and it was absolutely gorgeous. Red goosebries the first 197 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,080 year we've had a massive red goosberry crop, and they 198 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,200 were absolutely delicious. The only thing is with gooseberries is 199 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,360 that they've fallen out in a pretical year every time 200 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:39,519 you try and pull them off. But we managed and 201 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,240 we got some off and they were absolutely delicious. The 202 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,759 red ones are the sweet ones. Green ones are the 203 00:10:44,759 --> 00:10:46,440 sour ones. So I don't grow the green ones. I 204 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:51,200 just grow the red ones. But yeah, overall our crops, 205 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:53,799 I've done really well this year. So I've not done 206 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:57,200 a lot. I'm pleased with what's grown and how it's 207 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:01,080 grown and the results that we've got from it. So 208 00:11:01,159 --> 00:11:04,559 I hope you enjoyed this mid year catch up and 209 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,320 how well we're getting up to so far. So until 210 00:11:07,399 --> 00:11:11,120 next time, I want remember keep smiling, keep shying, and 211 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:57,000 keep guardening about everyone. Thanks for tuning in to today's 212 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:01,120 episode of Gardening with Ben. I hope you've enjoyed our 213 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,440 chat and picked up some tips to help your garden 214 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:07,840 and allotment ride. Don't forget to stay connected with me 215 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:13,480 on all social media for even more gardening inspiration, updates 216 00:12:13,519 --> 00:12:17,799 and behind the scenes content. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, 217 00:12:17,879 --> 00:12:21,840 and YouTube. Just search gardening with Ben. Hit that follow 218 00:12:21,879 --> 00:12:25,559 button or subscribe button and join our growing community of 219 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:31,120 garden lovers. Until next time, everyone remember keep smiling, keep shining, 220 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:32,960 and keep gardening with Ben.