0:00:11 > 0:00:15Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18We've had a really fabulous week here at Longmeadow.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21The days have been hot and sunny
0:00:21 > 0:00:25and then first thing in the morning, just as the light is rising,
0:00:25 > 0:00:29the garden has just been shrouded in mist.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34And then as dawn comes up, it slowly reveals itself.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35It's been really good.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42This week, Carol is celebrating ornamental grasses
0:00:42 > 0:00:45as she meets the UK's leading specialists.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48What is so fascinating about them is that I don't think a day,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51almost an hour goes by, without them changing.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56And Joe continues his tour of remarkable allotments.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59This time he's with a vegetable grower whose hobby is
0:00:59 > 0:01:02benefiting all the plots around him.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04They say, "All your bees are on my plants,"
0:01:04 > 0:01:06so, yes, it all seems to work well.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09- They know they're your bees? - I recognise each one!
0:01:21 > 0:01:26But first, it's time to cut my mad flower meadow.
0:01:36 > 0:01:42The seed heads of the wild carrot form this lovely tangle,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44it is like a bird's nest. Beautiful.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46And the important thing is,
0:01:46 > 0:01:51that most of the plants here now either have, or are setting seed.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53And the seed has fallen to the ground
0:01:53 > 0:01:55and that means we will get new plants next year.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Now, this may not look like most people's idea
0:01:58 > 0:02:02of what a wild flower meadow should look like, but it is.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07It is seed I sowed about a year ago and this is very heavy,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09fertile soil.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12And most wild flower meadows are made on thin, un-fertile soil.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16So it is a completely different mixture of plants.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19And the good things are coming up - like the wild carrot,
0:02:19 > 0:02:25we have got some sorrel in there, we have got these coming through.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Some foxgloves, we've got some geraniums
0:02:29 > 0:02:32and at the same time, amongst the clover and the grass
0:02:32 > 0:02:35which of course is part of the mix, we have got nettles.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38We have got some comfrey, we have got far too many docks.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43But whatever is in it, I need to cut it at the end of summer
0:02:43 > 0:02:45and take the grass away.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47It will look terrible, by the way. But that's OK.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49And then next spring,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52it will grow back through with a fresh flush of growth.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Right, it's going to be a long job.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08The critical thing is, once you start to cut, it is indiscriminate.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Don't cut around anything, just go for the whole thing.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Cut it all flush to the ground and rake it up.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17And to be honest, I started using the shears.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19But they are not man enough.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Or maybe I'm not man enough, there's a thought! It's not doing the job.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25I think I need a little bit more oomph.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30ENGINE REVS
0:03:58 > 0:04:00The reason for raking all the material up
0:04:00 > 0:04:04and taking it to the compost heap is to stop it rotting down
0:04:04 > 0:04:06and returning nutrients to the soil.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14If the soil is too fertile, the grass will grow more strongly
0:04:14 > 0:04:17and outcompete the wild flowers.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19So, by removing all the cut material,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21I am restricting the growth of the grass...
0:04:23 > 0:04:27giving the wild flowers a fighting chance when they start next spring.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Well, this is one quite complicated way of making grasses
0:04:33 > 0:04:35and flowers look beautiful growing together.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39Of course, the other way is to grow border grasses
0:04:39 > 0:04:41in amongst flowers in your borders.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44And at this time of year, they are looking spectacular.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47And all this year, Carol has been going around the country,
0:04:47 > 0:04:51visiting people who have devoted their lives and developed huge
0:04:51 > 0:04:56expertise in raising the plants that we all love to grow in our gardens.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00And this week, she has gone to meet Neil Lucas,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02an expert in grasses in Dorset.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12During the last 20 years, grasses have instilled themselves
0:05:12 > 0:05:17on the front pages of our gardening vocabulary.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21They bring sparkle, sound and movement to our gardens.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25And, what's more, they extend the season
0:05:25 > 0:05:27right the way through the year.
0:05:29 > 0:05:3220 years ago, Neil Lucas got hooked on them.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Now he has an enviable collection
0:05:35 > 0:05:39and his expertise in the subject is unrivalled.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45In recent years, everybody's sort of wanted a grass, haven't they?
0:05:45 > 0:05:47- Just for the sake of having it.- Yes.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50But do you think we're coming out of that phase now?
0:05:50 > 0:05:51I think, thank goodness, we are.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54When something is fashionable, it is overused.
0:05:54 > 0:05:55And I, truthfully, as a specialist,
0:05:55 > 0:05:57am absolutely delighted that we're past that
0:05:57 > 0:06:01sort of effervescence of fashion, where everything has to be a grass,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and now we can see more clearly how adaptable they are
0:06:04 > 0:06:09and being such huge family, 10,000 odd species, you have a wide choice.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15Who would have thought you could get such an effect with just one grass?
0:06:15 > 0:06:17This is the purple moor grass, Molinia caerulea.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19It is native to the UK.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22And it's present in just about every county of the UK.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24What kind of conditions does it need?
0:06:24 > 0:06:29Well, they come from just acid and often wet, though sunny conditions.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32But they're growing here in sandy, dry soil
0:06:32 > 0:06:34and that's what's so good about it as a garden plant.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37It has a range of tolerances that allows it
0:06:37 > 0:06:39to be grown in most gardens.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42This is what I love, too - it's dark down here,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45when you get it from the top, it's bright, limey green
0:06:45 > 0:06:50and then you get these floating heads above it, it's just beautiful.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01- Now, this is really quite a popular grass, isn't it?- Isn't it beautiful?
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Japanese Hakone grass.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06This is what I think is so great about this one,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09is that it actually does very well in sun or in shade.
0:07:09 > 0:07:10And under tree roots.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Which is probably one of the most difficult situations to plant.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16And this is a good example of one that will almost cope in nothing.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19We're a sandy soil here with virtually no nutrient.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23So a perfect plant for a container.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26In this part of the garden, there's loads of Miscanthus,
0:07:26 > 0:07:28one of the most dramatic groups of grasses.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31They really are a real solid mound of foliage
0:07:31 > 0:07:34and then topped by these rather incredible flowers.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37I love the way the flowers develop.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39I mean, first of all, they can be completely vertical.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Almost arrow-like, and then they suddenly start to open,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44if you can see just to the right there.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46- Almost like a dragonfly. - Isn't it? So incredible.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Totally different from the flower that you now see up here.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52They almost look as though they've been crimped.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55They do, or very fluffy is the technical word we use, "fluffy".
0:07:57 > 0:08:00I mean, Miscanthus Malepartus is still one of the oldest cultivars,
0:08:00 > 0:08:01but probably still the darkest.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Miscanthus Ferner Osten is a newer one -
0:08:03 > 0:08:07little more compact, but just as dark a red.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09I grow them in my garden in fairly heavy clay.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11They are absolutely fine with that.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14They like this - open and sunny, but they will grow in sandy soils,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17as we are here, to quite heavy clay once their established.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Isn't it true that this is a grass that's brilliant in the winter?
0:08:20 > 0:08:22This is one of the best,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26because it's got big, solid stems and it stands and waves in the wind and
0:08:26 > 0:08:29you physically have to cut it down, as we do the whole border here,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31in about March or even the first week in April.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40One of the qualities that gardeners value grasses so much for
0:08:40 > 0:08:43is their ability to move around in the wind, isn't it?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45It's one of their prime qualities, I think.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48But it's not an accident, is it, Neil?
0:08:48 > 0:08:50It is all about wind pollination.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Whereas if you take, for example, sedums, with their beautiful petals
0:08:53 > 0:08:56and they attract all the bees, as you can see here,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00grasses have chosen a different course of action.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02They have adapted to their particular niche,
0:09:02 > 0:09:04which has been very, very successful,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07because grasses cover a massive area, percentage-wise, of the Earth.
0:09:07 > 0:09:12When you look closely in here, it's completely fascinating.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15I really do need my specs for this,
0:09:15 > 0:09:19because each one of these little, tiny units
0:09:19 > 0:09:26consists of almost fluffy stigma, the female bit, red in this case.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29And then, dangling down, these tiny anthers,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31that look quite sort of yellow or orange,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- but that's the pollen, isn't it? - It is, yeah.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37It's just incredible, the detail, close up, they look so beautiful
0:09:37 > 0:09:41and then en masse they have this wonderful, airy, effervescent effect.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- Exactly. - Wind pollination - very clever.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Grasses come from all over the world
0:09:48 > 0:09:52and you do a fair bit of travelling, don't you? Looking for new ones.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54I do travel around a little bit, yes.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55Where do you mainly go to?
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Probably the United States more than anywhere else
0:09:58 > 0:10:01and I brought back a number of plants over a period of time.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Pennisetum Fairy Tales, for example, is one of the successes,
0:10:04 > 0:10:06where it's really done beautifully in the UK.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10But a lot of the other cultivars I brought back weren't so successful.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12It gradually dawned on me
0:10:12 > 0:10:15that what we really want to do was focus on our own selection programme,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18so that we can choose plants that we know are going to perform
0:10:18 > 0:10:19for UK gardens.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23And this is one such in front. This is Pennisetum Short Stuff.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27This one just arose in our growing fields and was in full flower
0:10:27 > 0:10:31when the others weren't, so it had announced itself as being
0:10:31 > 0:10:34a good plant for the UK, before we even knew about it.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Neil, you've introduced us to so many plants
0:10:45 > 0:10:48that do so brilliantly in our gardens.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51So not only do we have the information,
0:10:51 > 0:10:53but when we see them growing like this,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56we've also got the inspiration, too.
0:10:56 > 0:10:57Absolutely brilliant.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Now is absolutely the best time to go and see grasses
0:11:19 > 0:11:23and get ideas of what you might like to grow in your garden.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26There are lots of gardens around the country of course use them
0:11:26 > 0:11:28really well and if you want to go to Knoll Gardens,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30they're open for most of the year and you can get information
0:11:30 > 0:11:32about their opening times
0:11:32 > 0:11:35and anything else in today's programme on our website.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Now, there's one little thing here I want to show you.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40In this compost bay, the third one along,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44so it's been shredded, it's been turned a couple of times,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47is growing very happily an avocado.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50So an avocado that got eaten, pip put in the compost bin,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52loving it in the compost heap.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Unfortunately, the chances of raising avocados as fruit
0:11:56 > 0:11:59are pretty slim, unless you've got a heated greenhouse
0:11:59 > 0:12:01and probably extra lighting, too.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04But it's interesting what survives the composting process.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08However, all of this material that I have raked up
0:12:08 > 0:12:10will compost beautifully.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14But it's best, if you can, to break it down.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19You can see that in this heap, we've got a mixture of grass clippings,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22which are essentially green and quite soft,
0:12:22 > 0:12:24and if you just have a great wodge of them,
0:12:24 > 0:12:26turn into a horrible slurry.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31And in here, an awful lot of hedge clippings.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34We've cut our hedges and these have been chopped up
0:12:34 > 0:12:36and are composting really well.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39And, of course, at this time of year,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41there's a lot of brown material.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44This is carbon-rich material like hedge clippings,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47like the dried stems on perennials or annuals.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51When you mix them up with material that's high in nitrogen,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55and they work together and that makes a lovely compost.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00But the only way to get material like this, you can see I've got
0:13:00 > 0:13:05hedge clippings waiting to be cut up, is to chop them up in some way.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08We've got a shredder and if you can afford it and justify it,
0:13:08 > 0:13:12they work really well. You can, we do this with hedge clippings,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15lay them on the ground and mow them.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Run the mower over them, and if you've got a collector,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19that collects it up,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22and then just put that straight on the compost heap.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26But, however you do it, if you can break down woody or brown material
0:13:26 > 0:13:30and then mix it in with green, that will make a much better compost.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33I hope you are all making compost,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37but here are some other jobs you can be doing this weekend.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Next year's flowers on camellia's, rhododendrons and azaleas
0:13:43 > 0:13:45are ready formed as buds.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52But unless these have a good soak with rainwater, now, in autumn,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56there is a risk that they may drop off before they open.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01So water them now and every week for the next three or four weeks.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05And that will ensure you get the best possible display next spring.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Now is a good moment to de-thatch your lawn.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14Use a wire rake and give it a vigorous scratch.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17This will take up any dead material and moss
0:14:17 > 0:14:19which can be put on the compost heap.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23It'll also expose the roots of the grass to light and air.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26There'll be some response this autumn,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28but the main benefit will be seen
0:14:28 > 0:14:31when it starts to regrow next spring.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36If you cut your mint back a month or so ago
0:14:36 > 0:14:39you should have plenty of fresh, strong growth.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Now is the time to separate a section
0:14:42 > 0:14:46and pot it up into a rich, free-draining compost.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50Water it well and put it onto a bright windowsill or greenhouse.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53And this will give you fresh mint
0:14:53 > 0:14:57long after the outdoor plant has died right back.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11It's very much bulb-planting season.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14And, as well as planting bulbs in the ground,
0:15:14 > 0:15:16of course you can grow them really well in pots.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19And I try and grow as many bulbs as I've got pots,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21just fill them all up.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25But you can also fill individual pots with layers of bulbs
0:15:25 > 0:15:27and this is great, either if you have a pot or pots
0:15:27 > 0:15:32that you absolutely love, or if you've just tiny space
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and you want to maximise the colour from the space you've got.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Now, I've got a couple of pots here,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40which have got a really wide top
0:15:40 > 0:15:43and therefore are good for being full of flower.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46And what I'll be doing is planting bulbs in here.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50When they finish, take them out and then have another display,
0:15:50 > 0:15:51which will see me through summer.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54And one of the beauties of growing bulbs in pots,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56if they're only going to be temporary,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58is you can break all the rules.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02The first thing to do is to cover that drainage hole,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05otherwise all the compost will fall out.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Now, all these bulbs like free-draining compost,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12so whatever compost you use,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15mix it with either perlite or grit
0:16:15 > 0:16:17and I've also added leaf mould
0:16:17 > 0:16:20because bulbs do really well in leaf mould.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24So a layer in the bottom.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Now, the bottom layer, I'm using some tulips.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31I've got a variety here called Negrita,
0:16:31 > 0:16:36with its nice, long stem and a lovely purple flower.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38I compact them in,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42so we'll pop the bulbs just an inch or two apart.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44Pointy side up.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46When you buy tulip bulbs,
0:16:46 > 0:16:50look for nice, big, plump bulbs.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52The bigger the bulb, the better they will flower.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57That is our late April display.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59We cover that up with a layer of compost.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03So the next layer is going to be daffodils.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06What I have here is Tete-a-Tete
0:17:06 > 0:17:10and everything about it is elegant, petite,
0:17:10 > 0:17:11full of grace.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13We don't need to worry about blocking
0:17:13 > 0:17:15the root of the tulips underneath.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18They will find their way past these bulbs
0:17:18 > 0:17:22and negotiate a passage.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26We also don't need to worry about finding enough food for it.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28We don't need to add any extra feed to the compost,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32because everything that bulb needs to flower is there now.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39On top of that, I'm going to put some irises.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42These are dwarf irises with intense colour,
0:17:42 > 0:17:47and they just shine like jewels very early in the season.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49These will flower certainly in February
0:17:49 > 0:17:51and perhaps last into March,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54which, of course, is when Tete-a-Tete will come through.
0:17:59 > 0:18:00The bulbs are set.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Just put them in some reasonably sheltered,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07reasonably sunny spot and you can leave them there
0:18:07 > 0:18:09until the shoots start to appear
0:18:09 > 0:18:12and then you put them where you want to display them.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15But it will only look like that.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17If I want it to look great from now,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21right the way through until the irises start flowering in February,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23I need to add something on top
0:18:23 > 0:18:26and I love pansies and violas.
0:18:26 > 0:18:32Now, the secret of growing really successful violas and pansies
0:18:32 > 0:18:35is not to let them dry out too much.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37So they will need some water
0:18:37 > 0:18:40and the bulbs will find their way through the pansies,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42don't worry about that.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45So what we have
0:18:45 > 0:18:47is a succession of flowers
0:18:47 > 0:18:51starting with the dwarf iris in February
0:18:51 > 0:18:53and as those die back,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55the daffodils come up
0:18:55 > 0:18:58and they will flower in March and even into April
0:18:58 > 0:19:02and finally, in all their glory, the tulips will burst through
0:19:02 > 0:19:05and come into flower from mid-April into May.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Then by the middle of May,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11they'll all be over and we can clear it out
0:19:11 > 0:19:14and use this pot for our summer display.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17This is looking forward to next spring,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19but this summer has been particularly good
0:19:19 > 0:19:21for those of us that grow fruit and vegetables
0:19:21 > 0:19:25and Joe's been seeing this in action in allotments all around the land
0:19:25 > 0:19:29and this week he's gone down to an allotment near Bristol.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37September is a wonderful time of year for allotments,
0:19:37 > 0:19:39with the harvest reaching its peak
0:19:39 > 0:19:43and plot holders reaping rich rewards for all their hard work.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51- Hello, John.- Hello, Joe.- What a wonderful setting for an allotment.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54- It's fantastic.- With the Clifton Suspension Bridge in the background.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Have you sorted that out just for me?
0:19:56 > 0:19:59I painted it there this morning, a nice piece of scenery as a backdrop.
0:19:59 > 0:20:00It's beautiful.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07These grapes are fantastic.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- Well, they...- They really are.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11They've been absolutely amazing this year.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- Can I try one?- Please do.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15- Plenty of 'em.- Ooh, look at those.
0:20:15 > 0:20:16Oh, that's really good.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18We've had a wonderful summer.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29- Oh, look at all the squash. - I know, these have been fantastic.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- Yeah.- Absolutely amazing, you've got two varieties here.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34You've got, I think that one's called Hooligan.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Which is great, a cheeky little thing.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40And this one is called Winter Golden Hubbard.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Oh, that's a good name, isn't it?
0:20:43 > 0:20:45This is planted on your compost heap, is that right?
0:20:45 > 0:20:48It's in a manure heap. There's some pallets there
0:20:48 > 0:20:50and there's all the horse manure in there.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53I put four plants in there, turned my back, and this is the result.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55And these beans are looking good as well.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Wow, look at those!
0:20:57 > 0:21:01These are Borlottis. I think you can hear a bit of a rattle.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03The seeds are beginning to dry and what we do is
0:21:03 > 0:21:06when they've really dried off, in a couple of weeks,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09we'll pick all the pods when they look like this one,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11crack 'em open and they're just wonderful
0:21:11 > 0:21:13in casseroles in the winter.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Sausage casserole with Borlotti beans - cor...
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- It's real comfort food for a cold winter's day.- It sounds good.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26But John doesn't just rely on his beans to get him through the winter.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29He has something much sweeter to tempt the taste buds.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34How long have you been keeping bees?
0:21:34 > 0:21:35Well, I started when I was 14.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38My parents had this wonderful builder guy
0:21:38 > 0:21:40who used to come in and do jobs around the house
0:21:40 > 0:21:43and I was already interested in bees.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46He mentioned one day that he was a beekeeper and I was hooked.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49I haven't been keeping bees all these years.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52I returned to it about five years ago when I got this allotment
0:21:52 > 0:21:55- and I had the space. - And is it a busy time of year?
0:21:55 > 0:21:59This is THE busy time of year, the honey harvest is in full swing.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03- You know, I've never actually looked inside a beehive.- Come this way.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- Fantastic. - We need to get kitted up first.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12- It's like a onesie, is it? - Like a bee onesie.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19A bit of smoke just to tell them we're coming.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26- Wow. - And there is a colony of honey bees.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28How many would you expect to be in there?
0:22:28 > 0:22:31I should think there's probably 20,000-30,000 bees.
0:22:31 > 0:22:3220,000-30,000 in each hive?
0:22:32 > 0:22:34So there's a lot of honey in here, is there?
0:22:34 > 0:22:36There's masses of honey.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38When it's full, there's about 30 pounds of honey.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40- 30 pounds?!- Yes, yep.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42So how much honey do you get a year, then?
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Well, this year, from these hives,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50I've had about 230 pounds in weight of honey.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53That's unbelievable! Just from these hives here?
0:22:53 > 0:22:54Well, we've had a wonderful summer.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- That's a lot of pots of honey.- Yeah.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58I'd never have known they produce that much.
0:23:00 > 0:23:01Here we go.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Wow, look at that.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Look at that honeycomb. Ooh, that is amazing.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09So how do you go about extracting the honey?
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Well, first of all, you have to clear the bees
0:23:12 > 0:23:13out of the honey boxes
0:23:13 > 0:23:17and you take all the frames out with no bees on them
0:23:17 > 0:23:20and you get one of these things, which is called an uncapping knife.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Now, I'm not going to do it, Joe, because the minute I take this off,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25- we'll have bees going everywhere. - Yep.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27But you take a very thin slice of the wax off the top,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31- and if I just take that little bit, there's the honey.- Oh!
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Wonderful, golden nectar,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35and already I can see some little red tongues there.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38You see how they're all forming a ring around it?
0:23:38 > 0:23:39Are they getting a bit noisier,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41or is it just me getting a bit closer,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44or are they getting a little bit more agitated?
0:23:44 > 0:23:48I think they are. I'm going to pop it back in.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51- Sounds like a very sensible idea. - There we go.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55It's incredibly popular these days, keeping bees. How easy is it?
0:23:55 > 0:23:57You do need to know what you're doing.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00During the summer, you've really got to check your hives,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03keep on top of disease like varroa,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05make sure the queen's laying properly.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07There's a lot of hard work involved.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09It's looking after livestock, after all.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21Have you noticed better crops as a result of the bees?
0:24:21 > 0:24:23Oh, yes, definitely.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Particularly fruit trees,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28soft fruit has been really, really splendid.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- So the other allotment holders here, they really benefit?- Oh, yes.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33The people I know well down here, they say,
0:24:33 > 0:24:37"Your bees are on my plants," so yeah, it all seems to work well.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39- They know they're your bees? That's amazing!- Absolutely.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42I go over and check and I recognise each one.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Joe, before you go, I've got a little something for you.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52There we are - that's a jar of this season's honey.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Oh, thank you! I'm going to try it.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58- Please do.- I'm going to try it on the allotment from whence it came
0:24:58 > 0:25:00and from the bees that I now know so well.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03- Now...- Look at that.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Way!
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Delicious. Really deep, rich flavour as well.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Do you think that's from the allotment
0:25:12 > 0:25:14because there's so many different plants here?
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Oh, I'm sure it is. There's so much variety
0:25:16 > 0:25:18and you're getting that variety coming through
0:25:18 > 0:25:19in the flavour of the honey.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Nice to meet you, nice to meet you, bees,
0:25:24 > 0:25:27- and thanks again for the honey. - Thank you.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Of course, encouraging bees into your garden
0:25:43 > 0:25:46is best done simply by having lots of plants
0:25:46 > 0:25:49that they will be attracted to.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52They just do good in every possible way.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57All wildlife, though, is going to be good for a balanced garden,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00and we made this pond specifically as a wildlife pond,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04that it would attract a whole range of amphibians
0:26:04 > 0:26:07and insects that would enrich the whole balance
0:26:07 > 0:26:09and ecosystem of this garden,
0:26:09 > 0:26:10and it's worked.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Now, this pond does have quite a lot of duckweed,
0:26:18 > 0:26:23but almost every pond does. I've got an e-mail...
0:26:25 > 0:26:27..from John in Surrey.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32"Dear Monty, our pond is being taken over by blanket weed and duckweed.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33"The pond is treated weekly.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35"We prefer natural products -
0:26:35 > 0:26:38"barley straw, other bacterial cultures which remove the nutrients
0:26:38 > 0:26:41"that the invasive plants need and every few weeks,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45"all visible blanket weed and duckweed is removed manually.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47"We are desperate for any further advice."
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, John,
0:26:50 > 0:26:51but there's not much more to say,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53because you're doing all the right things.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Duckweed and blanket weed form
0:26:56 > 0:27:00through excessive nutrients in the water
0:27:00 > 0:27:04and they're incredibly successful at harnessing them
0:27:04 > 0:27:08and the reason why you've got too much nutrient in the water
0:27:08 > 0:27:09is a combination of things.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11If you've got any bare soil,
0:27:11 > 0:27:15certainly above the level of the water or nearby, you get run-off.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17If you've got plants planted in the water,
0:27:17 > 0:27:20and we've got various plants planted in baskets in here,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23they have soil and there's a certain amount of nutrients with them,
0:27:23 > 0:27:25and any decomposing plants.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29Inevitably, you are going to have some weed,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32but the thing to do is everything you're saying.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34If you use bacterial cultures,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38if you use barley straw and manually just scrape it out,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41and put it to one side, that will help.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47When you take out any plants, whether they be in a basket or weed
0:27:47 > 0:27:51from the pond, you take out insects with them.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53Give them a chance to get back in the water by putting it
0:27:53 > 0:27:55on the side for at least 24 hours
0:27:55 > 0:27:57and then it makes very good compost.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00So just keep at it.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Keep managing it and accept
0:28:02 > 0:28:04that it is part of the ecosystem of the pond.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07It's not a problem. The wildlife won't mind.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Well, I will gently potter in the pond
0:28:12 > 0:28:13for a little while,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16but that's it for today,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19and I'll see you back at Longmeadow next week,
0:28:19 > 0:28:20but an hour and a half earlier,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24at eight o'clock, so until then, bye-bye.