0:00:08 > 0:00:10Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Just for a few days at the end of April,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14you have this sequence of blossom,
0:00:14 > 0:00:18all sharing the same space at the same time in the garden.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22So you have the rich fullness of the crab apple
0:00:22 > 0:00:25and then that mass of flower on the perry pear
0:00:25 > 0:00:30and the Thai haiku in great goblets of flower.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33It's just this sumptuousness of trees
0:00:33 > 0:00:37filled with flower set against the spring sky.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43This week, we celebrate the charms of Pulmonaria.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Carol finds them growing in the wild, as well as meeting
0:00:47 > 0:00:49a gardener whose exceptional collection
0:00:49 > 0:00:52had a surprise addition to the family.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54It had a baby.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57As they do, cos they're quite promiscuous.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Any new vegetable growing tricks are always welcome
0:01:01 > 0:01:04and Joe has found a vegetable grower in West Yorkshire
0:01:04 > 0:01:08whose ingenious methods are already paying dividends.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12Wow! Look at your salads! They're miles further on than mine.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16We all like our gardens to be full of colour
0:01:16 > 0:01:19and this week we meet someone whose fantastic display
0:01:19 > 0:01:22is down to their devotion to the lily in all its forms.
0:01:35 > 0:01:42The spring garden is now a complete, solid carpet of flowers
0:01:42 > 0:01:44and I love it like this.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48But the truth is, most of those so-called flowers are weeds.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51They're not unwelcome but they are weeds and they can be thuggish.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53There's cow parsley and Jack-in-the-hedge
0:01:53 > 0:01:56and celandine and it's all spreading through it.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Whilst I'm not going to rip 'em all out -
0:01:58 > 0:02:01I think that would look horrid just with bare soil -
0:02:01 > 0:02:05if I'm not careful, they take over everything
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and you lose the precious plants that you want to keep.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10The way that I cope is, rather than weeding it all out,
0:02:10 > 0:02:12I just plant into it.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15These beds are essentially a little piece of woodland,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17but if you've got in your garden a shady border
0:02:17 > 0:02:21with trees or shrubs over the top, it's essentially mimicking a wood,
0:02:21 > 0:02:25so you need to choose woodland perennials that will thrive in it.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30The first one I'm going to plant is Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba'.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34It's got these beautiful, hanging, idiosyncratic flowers.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39You can get it... Dicentra spectabilis has pink flowers
0:02:39 > 0:02:42and the white will work really well in this bit.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45So if I just chop out a section...
0:02:46 > 0:02:49All these woodland plants like an open, loose soil,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53which is why I've brought some leaf mould with me.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56If you put that underneath it, particularly if your soil's
0:02:56 > 0:02:59a bit heavy or very sandy, that will give them the growing conditions they love.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02If you haven't got it, well, an open compost,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05a bark compost or garden compost will do the job.
0:03:05 > 0:03:12So Dicentra, which needs moist shade, will do fine in here.
0:03:15 > 0:03:16There it goes.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Pack some leaf mould around it.
0:03:18 > 0:03:25Now, that is cutting into the influx of the cow parsley
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and yet melding with it.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33That will spread by seed and it is the best way to let it spread
0:03:33 > 0:03:36and then just gather the seedlings
0:03:36 > 0:03:38if you want to move them and replant them.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42OK. That's in place there.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Now, the next one I'm going to plant is very different.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51This is Corydalis flexuosa.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55It comes from China and is a delicate, very beautiful plant.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00It likes woodland conditions with fairly moist soil and shade.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04You do need to keep dividing it regularly so it can renew itself.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07The final plant I'm putting in is Solomon's seal.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11This flowers in May with great arching glauca stems
0:04:11 > 0:04:14and greenish flowers hanging from them.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16It thrives in damp shade
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and if a hosta is growing happily
0:04:18 > 0:04:21you know a Solomon's seal will be happy there too.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25It spreads by shallow rhizomes and it's best not to divide it
0:04:25 > 0:04:28but let it quietly establish its own colony.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Now, that's a start. I'll add more of these plants
0:04:34 > 0:04:37to keep the feeling I want in this part of the garden,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41which are chosen plants being supported by welcome weeds,
0:04:41 > 0:04:43rather than being threatened by them.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46With a light touch, I can just keep that feeling
0:04:46 > 0:04:48rolling down the seasons.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Talking of seasons, a flower that is still going strong
0:04:51 > 0:04:54and was flowering in February were Pulmonarias.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58They have a particular charm which I love. It's a kind of modest grace.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Carol has been down to the New Forest
0:05:01 > 0:05:04to see them still at their best, flowering in the wild.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08At this time of year,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12we're all keen to bring a dash of early colour into the garden.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Pulmonarias do just that.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18In the wild, they've become increasingly scarce,
0:05:18 > 0:05:23but you can still find them if you know where to look.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Here at Exbury Gardens in Hampshire,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30scattered in this vast daffodil meadow,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34you'll find little pockets of this native woodland plant.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39You can always tell when a plant's held in great esteem,
0:05:39 > 0:05:44in fondness by people, cos it always has lots of common names.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Some of them in the case of Pulmonarias
0:05:47 > 0:05:49allude to the spotting of the leaves.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52One of its names is Spotty Dog.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56But most of those vernacular names actually allude
0:05:56 > 0:05:59to the propensity the flowers have got
0:05:59 > 0:06:01to change from blue through pink.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04So they're names like Joseph and Mary
0:06:04 > 0:06:07and Soldiers and Sailors.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09And here in this daffodil meadow,
0:06:09 > 0:06:14still these wild clumps of this wonderful plant.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18You can tell at one time this would have been full of trees.
0:06:18 > 0:06:19It would have been light shade,
0:06:19 > 0:06:24just the kind of place that Pulmonarias love to live.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29But the trees have gone and yet the Pulmonaria still survives.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31It's a real good doer.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Pulmonaria's adaptability and early flowering
0:06:35 > 0:06:40is what's made it such a popular and beloved sight in our gardens.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43But a few miles up the road near Ringwood
0:06:43 > 0:06:47is a garden that's devoted to Pulmonarias.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50In fact, Hazel Bishop has hundreds of them.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55Your garden's just smothered in Pulmonarias, isn't it, Hazel?
0:06:55 > 0:06:58It is. And they're all different.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00It's very hard to find two the same.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03- That's exceptional, isn't it? - This is beautiful.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05It holds its flowers high up.
0:07:05 > 0:07:11Yeah. Cos it's stature as well as flower colour and leaf spotting.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15- Totally exceptional, aren't they? - Yes, like this one here.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17This is called Cotton Cool
0:07:17 > 0:07:22and it was discovered in this garden by accident.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26- Named after your house? - It's named after the house, yes.
0:07:26 > 0:07:33I originally had two different Pulmonarias and it had a baby.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37As they do, cos they're quite promiscuous, aren't they?
0:07:37 > 0:07:40They had lots of babies but one of the babies had
0:07:40 > 0:07:43a long, thin, silver leaf with no spots on.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46- What excitement! Woo!- Well, I'd never seen anything like that before.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51That was 12 years ago and when Hazel's Cotton Cool
0:07:51 > 0:07:53was taken to RHS Wisley for trial,
0:07:53 > 0:07:58it came back highly commended for garden-worthiness.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00I've got this in my garden.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04It doesn't suffer from mildew, I can grow it out in full sun,
0:08:04 > 0:08:05it's utterly brilliant.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09I'm so thrilled to see some of the originals,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12or the progeny of the originals, in their place.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15The best of the flowering is almost over.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19I will then cut off the flowers and then all those little leaves
0:08:19 > 0:08:24will suddenly spurt up and make a huge rosette.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29- It does it very quickly.- They're like silver starfish.- Exactly.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31It only takes a couple of weeks
0:08:31 > 0:08:34and I'm looking for big, silver plants
0:08:34 > 0:08:36that will then give me pleasure
0:08:36 > 0:08:40right till the autumn, because they actually never die.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44They do go smaller in the winter but they're always above ground.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47That's one of the things about Pulmonarias.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50They're there right the way through, giving you pleasure.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54Such good garden plants. Now, how do you propagate these?
0:08:54 > 0:08:58I dig up a whole clump and split it all up.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03And one clump like this will make about 20 plants.
0:09:03 > 0:09:04Right. What time of year?
0:09:04 > 0:09:09Autumn. They stay in their pots over winter.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11- Have you ever tried doing root cuttings?- No, I haven't.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13If you've just got one plant...
0:09:13 > 0:09:15And it's very special then you could do that.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18But it's such a productive way of doing it
0:09:18 > 0:09:21and it's rather thrilling too to see those little cut-off stems
0:09:21 > 0:09:24actually producing new leaves.
0:09:24 > 0:09:25Plants for free.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30This is a plant that keeps on giving. From as early as January,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34it's an invaluable source of nectar for insects.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Even when its beautiful flowers have faded late in spring,
0:09:38 > 0:09:42its spreading foliage goes on to provide a glorious tapestry
0:09:42 > 0:09:44of ground cover throughout the year.
0:09:44 > 0:09:50What is it about Pulmonarias that you think is so very, very special?
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Oh, where do you start?!
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Everything. It starts flowering so early in the year.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00What surprises me is that it can grow in very, very dry conditions.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05And it's ground cover. It smothers all the weeds.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10It'll stand any amount of neglect. You couldn't ask for a better plant.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14- Anybody can grow them.- Yes. And everybody should,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17cos your garden is just such a recommendation for them.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19- It really is.- Thank you.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36A few weeks ago, I took some Delphinium cuttings
0:10:36 > 0:10:38and they've all taken pretty well, I think. There's always
0:10:38 > 0:10:41a slight element of doubt because, although there's some new growth,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44you can get a little bit of that without decent roots.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45But if I lift it up,
0:10:45 > 0:10:49underneath I can see a little bit of root sign coming under there.
0:10:49 > 0:10:55If I lift this one up, I can see some roots peeking out the bottom.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58So, little bit of root showing, some new growth,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00that means they've taken and it's time to pot them on.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03It is important to pot them on because the growing medium
0:11:03 > 0:11:07that is good for developing roots as cuttings
0:11:07 > 0:11:09is not good for feeding the plant.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Of course, the whole purpose of taking cuttings is to get
0:11:18 > 0:11:21more plants for the garden absolutely free.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24So it's worth looking after them. Time and trouble you can take.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26You don't want to spend money.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28There's always a slight moment of anxiety
0:11:28 > 0:11:31when you're taking these cuttings out of the pot.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35They look as though they've taken but, until you see the roots, you can't be sure.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Let's give this a go.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42There we are. You see? Good root system there.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46That one, not many roots, but that will take. What I'm going to do
0:11:46 > 0:11:50is just break that open on the surface there. That's come out.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52That's got a really nice root system.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55A good cutting. So we'll pot that up straight away.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58The mixture I'm putting it in is peat-free compost.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01I've added sift garden compost,
0:12:01 > 0:12:03a little bit of grit and perlite in there
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and that will give it a little bit of extra oomph.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09It is amazing how many plants you can create by taking cuttings
0:12:09 > 0:12:12and growing from seed. And if any of you are
0:12:12 > 0:12:16growing plants yourself at home and have some spare,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19then I've got a home for them.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22If you're coming to Gardeners' World Live in June,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25not only will you see the show gardens and see
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Rachel, Carol, Joe and myself,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32be able to shop and see fabulous plants at the plant stalls,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36but also, if you want to, you can take part in our living wall.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39A living wall is essentially a vertical border.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Planting in pouches and you can get a really dramatic,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45vertical effect, that will sustain and last.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47But you do need quite a lot of plants for it.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50So if you've got any spare from your garden,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54bring it along and we will include it in our display.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56If you want to know further details
0:12:56 > 0:13:00either about that or about Gardeners' World Live itself,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02you can find all that on our website.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10I think the most exciting aspect of producing all these plants
0:13:10 > 0:13:13is the display you get at the end of it.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17You can really create a dramatic impact by planting in volume,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20in groups of three and five and even seven.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25And you can't really fudge that. It's what transforms a border.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27We went to see a garden
0:13:27 > 0:13:31where the displays are absolutely astonishing, really dramatic,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36with a wide range of plants, and just one theme unites them all.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Each one of them, in some way or other, is a lily.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01'I've been growing lilies for approximately ten years
0:14:01 > 0:14:04'and I presently have approximately 2,000.'
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Ten years. Ten years, he's really loved lilies.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12When you grow one, you see how beautiful they are,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16and you've got to have more. And that's what he does.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20I have got to the point where I'm really obsessive about lilies.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Harry in the garden? Well, from about eight o'clock in the morning,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28five o'clock in the afternoon, with about 20 minutes for lunch.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30That's how long.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Lilies are almost the perfect flower.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Just what every flower should be.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40Six petals, they just look at you
0:14:40 > 0:14:44and really say, "You've got to love me because I'm so beautiful."
0:14:44 > 0:14:46I can do all the hanging baskets,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48I can do all the boxes on the house
0:14:48 > 0:14:51and I can go and clear up the mess he makes,
0:14:51 > 0:14:55but I'm not allowed to plant.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00There's no question about it. They have a tremendous wow factor.
0:15:00 > 0:15:06Wonderful colours. They grow very, very well. Quite tall. Sturdy.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10They don't flop about. So they're just a wonderful flower to grow.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16I can touch them, I can smell them. But that's about as far as it goes!
0:15:26 > 0:15:28This lily is Conca d'Or.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32It's an Oriental Trumpet. Very easy to grow.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Almost any soil, good quality soil.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38My favourite colour for a flower, yellow.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42It looks you straight in the eye when you view it.
0:15:42 > 0:15:43I'm also attracted by the anthers,
0:15:43 > 0:15:48the way they bobble about when the wind blows.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52He just loves the beauty of them, that they are absolutely perfect.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56And they have this wonderful perfume as well, which helps.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59As soon as one comes out it's, "Come, come, have a look."
0:15:59 > 0:16:01He's going to spend all day doing that.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Running and having a look at another one!
0:16:03 > 0:16:08At the peak of the Hemerocallis season,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11I spend in excess of two hours every day deadheading.
0:16:11 > 0:16:17And what I love about them is the tremendous range of colour,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19and they are very easy plants to grow.
0:16:19 > 0:16:25No particular conditions. And they propagate very easily.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Alstroemeria are quite easy to grow.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35They emanated in South America, I think Peru.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38They like free-draining soil.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Flower continuously from late May
0:16:40 > 0:16:43right the way through August-September.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46When they're finished flowering, what you do with alstroemeria
0:16:46 > 0:16:49is you pull the stem completely out of the ground.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52This encourages further shoots from underground,
0:16:52 > 0:16:56and you will easily get second flushes.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58If you're very new to growing lilies,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01the one I would highly recommend is Yellow Star.
0:17:01 > 0:17:08It's easy to grow, looks wonderful, everything about it is lovely.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10The other good thing about Yellow Star
0:17:10 > 0:17:13is it is very easy to propagate from the bulbils,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15which form in the leaf axles.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19I have had plants in bloom within two years of sowing the bulbils.
0:17:21 > 0:17:26Each year, I find that my appetite for gardening is getting greater and greater.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31I'm trying to pack more plants into smaller places.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Which means eventually the lawn gets smaller, the beds get bigger.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39I'd just like a garden full of colour and flowers.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43His garden is his passion. He loves his garden more than me!
0:17:50 > 0:17:54This is the perfect time of year to get on in the vegetable garden.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56These beds are slowly filling up.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59But to make the best out of every inch of ground,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01you do need to plan ahead.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05It is important to keep vegetables rotated.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08So I've planted potatoes in this section,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11and last year that was carrots, parsnips and celery.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14So that group will move up to this bed.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19Whereas this was potatoes and now it's legumes, that's peas and beans,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21and this section are all the alliums
0:18:21 > 0:18:23and will be followed by brassicas later on.
0:18:23 > 0:18:24So they move around.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26It doesn't have to be written in stone,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30you don't have to be too precise, but if there's a general rotation
0:18:30 > 0:18:34you stop the build-up of any specific pests and diseases
0:18:34 > 0:18:36to any one group of crops.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39In my legume bed are broad beans
0:18:39 > 0:18:42that have being grown in the greenhouse, now planted out.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46I got others planted directly into the soil. I've got peas planted.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50The next stage is to dig the trench and prepare for my runner beans.
0:18:51 > 0:18:56Really, I don't think about planting tender vegetables outside
0:18:56 > 0:18:59until at least early May and sometimes later on.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04But if the ground is prepared then it's all in position.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07I've dug out a trench so I can fill it up with compost.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Traditionally you can put anything in the bottom,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12it could be grass clippings, newspaper.
0:19:12 > 0:19:18The idea is to have an organic layer that will hold moisture.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Because runner beans really like moist feet.
0:19:21 > 0:19:27If they don't do well with all that beneath them, they don't deserve it!
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Right, now I can pull the soil back over the top.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34What I do at this stage, so I don't tread on what I've already dug up,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38is move my boards directly over the trench.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44I'm going to build a supporting structure using these bean sticks,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48which I've kept from the coppice which I pruned this winter.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Bamboos will do the job,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54anything that will support a fully laden beam.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57And it's fundamentally one stick per plant.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04I'm putting this up now for two reasons.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06The first is that it's ready.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08It means that when the weather is right,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10which could be any time in the next month,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13I can plant out or sow my runner beans.
0:20:13 > 0:20:14But also, it's psychological.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19By having this here it says summer's coming,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23the weather is getting warmer, everything is getting better.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25And I think it looks nice, too.
0:20:25 > 0:20:30That's reasonably strong that way, side to side,
0:20:30 > 0:20:32but very wobbly that way.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34So now they need bracing diagonally.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43Of course, runner beans need warm weather to grow.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45They're a tropical plant.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49And you can't make them grow if the soil or the air is too cold.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51But Joe has been to visit a gardener
0:20:51 > 0:20:53who has, if not cheated the seasons,
0:20:53 > 0:20:57certainly persuaded them to operate a little bit early.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05The area around Keighley in West Yorkshire
0:21:05 > 0:21:08isn't renowned for its record-breaking temperatures
0:21:08 > 0:21:09and light levels,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12but that hasn't stopped one man from harvesting crops
0:21:12 > 0:21:15at near impossible times of the year.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21Jack Furse has been tending allotments for over 30 years.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26His passion for growing vegetables kick-started his interest in hotbeds,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30one of the oldest methods of extending the veg-growing season.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35I can't believe this, Jack.
0:21:35 > 0:21:36I'm here in the southern Pennines,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39not exactly one of the warmest parts of the country,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42harvesting potatoes in late March,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45when most people in this country are putting their potatoes in.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47What's the secret?
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Well, I came across a passage in one of my old gardening books
0:21:50 > 0:21:53about the Romans doing this 2000 years ago.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58Basically, what they realised was that manure gave off heat.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00They didn't know why, but it gave off heat.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02So they put soil on top of it,
0:22:02 > 0:22:07then they put a frame on top of the soil and put a lid on it,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09so the manure warmed the soil,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13which warmed the air in which the crops were growing in.
0:22:13 > 0:22:14That's the principle.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17So in effect, you've created a whole new season
0:22:17 > 0:22:22to get another crop out of just by using a load of old rotting manure.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25- That's correct.- Pretty clever, those Romans, weren't they?- Yes, they were.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28So what sort of temperatures are you getting underneath here
0:22:28 > 0:22:30to really get these plants growing?
0:22:30 > 0:22:34- I've got a thermometer here, let's check it.- OK.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Wow, getting on for 25 degrees Celsius, which is amazing.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Really warm under there considering the air temperature
0:22:40 > 0:22:44- is 12 degrees at the moment, something like that.- That's right.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- What else have you got growing, shall we have a look around?- Yeah, sure.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Hello, Joe.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Everything looks so healthy.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01Wow, look at your salads they're miles further on than mine!
0:23:01 > 0:23:04- Can I have a little taste? - Yes, of course, help yourself.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07- They look so healthy, they look so good.- OK.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10- You've got mixed salads, you've got it sorted here, haven't you?- Yeah.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13A lot of people are going to want to know how to make one of these.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17- Yes.- Are you going to show me? - Certainly.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Got to be really fresh, this manure.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25It wants to be in between one day and, say, up to five or six weeks.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Any older than that,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31you start to lose the potential of the heat that can be generated.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41What we're trying to aim to do here is build up even layers.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44How can you control the heat in something like this?
0:23:44 > 0:23:47There's no knob on the side where you turn it up and down a bit.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51No, indeed not, but what we can do is just temper the rate of decomposition
0:23:51 > 0:23:57by trying to exclude air, and we can do that by compression.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59See here, it's just a little bit spongy.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03So what I want to do is walk around, take out some of that air,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05but not eliminate all the air.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09- The old magic hotbed dance. - That's it.- Is that what you mean? One of those?
0:24:10 > 0:24:13This height is OK, we're about a foot here.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16If we were doing it in, say, early February or January,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18we'd want to be about two foot.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20The higher the hotbed, the longer it will last.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29'Whilst the hotbed is ready, a cold frame is placed on top.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35'Compost is filled to a depth of six inches and then firmed down.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41'Seed can be sown direct as early as January.'
0:24:41 > 0:24:43- That's it.- That's great. Brilliant.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45I love it.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50For me, Jack's technique is a fantastic way of squeezing
0:24:50 > 0:24:51the most out of your plot.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54If you want more details on how to create a hotbed system of your own,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56go to our website:
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Interesting to see how much manure was needed to make it work.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13I've tried that before and not quite used enough, I don't think.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15And also, it's such a good use of fresh manure.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Everybody wants well rotted manure, but if you can find a stables
0:25:18 > 0:25:22with piles of the stuff, then a brilliant way that anybody can use.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23Come on.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30These are the rose hardwood cuttings I took last September,
0:25:30 > 0:25:31it's Rosa 'Complicata'.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32And you can see they're fine,
0:25:32 > 0:25:35that all but one have grown well, and I can see that
0:25:35 > 0:25:40a number of others of you followed my example and took cuttings, too.
0:25:40 > 0:25:41I've got a couple of letters here.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46One off the messageboard, from ArtemisH, which says,
0:25:46 > 0:25:51"Last October, I took quite a few rose cuttings after seeing MD do so on GW.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53"I thought one or two might take.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57"To my complete shock, out of the 30 I'd taken, 28 are alive and thriving."
0:25:57 > 0:26:00And then Simon Brickell has contacted us and said,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03"We have a number of cuttings that have rooted and are in leaf.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06"What do we do with them now? Leave them, pot them up, or what?"
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Well, the answer is pretty easy.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Keep them weed free, water them if it gets very dry,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17but leave them where they are until autumn, then they can be lifted
0:26:17 > 0:26:21and either potted up to grow on or else directly transplanted.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26However, here are some things that you CAN do this weekend.
0:26:26 > 0:26:31For many of us, we've had wet and warm weather recently
0:26:31 > 0:26:33and nothing makes the weeds grow faster than that.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36In the vegetable garden, the best way to keep on top of them
0:26:36 > 0:26:38is with a sharp hoe.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43Try and hoe on a dry day, lightly skimming through the soil,
0:26:43 > 0:26:44cutting through the weeds
0:26:44 > 0:26:47and leaving them to dry out on the surface.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Herbaceous perennials are now growing almost visibly
0:26:52 > 0:26:56and it's important to stake them before they start to flop.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59It doesn't matter what you use.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03I like to use the metal hoops that we made,
0:27:03 > 0:27:08but string with canes work well, or even prunings that you've saved.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Whatever it is, place it snugly around the plant
0:27:11 > 0:27:15and in a few weeks it will be invisible but still doing its job.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22I like to grow early spring bulbs in terracotta pots.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25But when they've finished flowering
0:27:25 > 0:27:28it's important that you don't hide them away in a dark corner.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32They need sunlight to fuel the bulb for next year's display.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36So put them to one side, but make sure it's a sunny spot.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Or you could do what I'm going to do here,
0:27:41 > 0:27:45which is to plant out these crocus into the grass.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52And they will quietly store their energy for next year's flowering,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55look really good where I position them, I hope.
0:27:55 > 0:28:00And also, free up a pot that I can use for something else.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04So just take out a slab of turf and, rather then plant them individually,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07put the whole contents of the pot in the ground.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11All those roots, take out the shards.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15And just pop that in like that.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Now, even with Nigel's help, it's going to take a little while
0:28:19 > 0:28:22to plant all these crocus out, but they will look good here.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24And I'll have a whole load of pots free
0:28:24 > 0:28:27that I can use for something else over the summer.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29And that's it for this week.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33But, as ever, I'll see you again next week at the same time.
0:28:33 > 0:28:34Till then, bye-bye.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd