0:00:02 > 0:00:04Hello and welcome to the A To Z OF TV Gardening,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06where we sift through all your favourite garden programmes
0:00:06 > 0:00:08and dig up a bumper crop of tips
0:00:08 > 0:00:12and advice from the best experts in the business.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Flowers, trees, fruit and veg -
0:00:14 > 0:00:16letter by letter,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19they're all coming up a treat on the A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Everything we're looking at today begins with the letter S.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41Here is what is coming up.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44It's open season for slugs and snails.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48This is like paradise for hedgehogs. It's got everything they want.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51And if I was a hedgehog this is where I'd like to be.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Sunflowers - Alice Fowler can't recommend them enough.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59There's a reason why it is a much-loved children's plant.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03They're easy, they're impressive, but perhaps more importantly than
0:01:03 > 0:01:06all of these things, is that they're loved by bees.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10And Alan Titchmarsh sheds some light on laying out your garden.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12While you're out work all day,
0:01:12 > 0:01:16the sun is moving around your garden so that some parts of it
0:01:16 > 0:01:21are in sun all the day, some for just a small part of the day.
0:01:22 > 0:01:23Just working out which.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26Before all that, though,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29we look at a flower that is one of Britain's best
0:01:29 > 0:01:30and, as you will see,
0:01:30 > 0:01:34of particular interest to some of the hosts of Gardeners' World.
0:01:34 > 0:01:39Our first S is for sweet peas, and we're meeting Roger Parsons,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41the man behind the National Collection,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44who's also responsible for naming some of them.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48I think there is something addictive about the sweet pea.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51You get this sense of pleasure and you just want more of it.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54And that's how sweet peas are with me.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57I'm probably completely obsessed with them.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01I realised in 1998 that
0:02:01 > 0:02:05so many wonderful sweet pea varieties were disappearing
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and it was important to try and conserve them.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Varieties do come into fashion and out of fashion.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15What I am particularly keen to do is to try and extend
0:02:15 > 0:02:18the range of colours that we have
0:02:18 > 0:02:22so that we've got as much diversity as they had 100 years ago.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29The sweet pea was introduced into England in 1699.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34The wild sweet pea looks smaller - compact, smaller leaves,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37shorter stems, only two or three flowers on the stem.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42And that was the sweet pea as it was known
0:02:42 > 0:02:45for 150 years or so.
0:02:45 > 0:02:51In the late 19th century, Henry Eckford saw the potential
0:02:51 > 0:02:54in these blooms, primarily because of their scent.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Eckford called his varieties grandifloras,
0:02:56 > 0:03:01because they were so much bigger and better
0:03:01 > 0:03:05than what had gone before in these more primitive forms of sweet pea.
0:03:05 > 0:03:11One of Henry Eckford's grandifloras is this variety - Prima Donna.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15It was introduced in 1898. A gorgeous pale pink colour,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17which is thankfully still with us.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21And the significance of this variety is that, a few years later,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25a spore was found in it which had much longer stems,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29bigger flowers and lovely, wavy petals.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32And it's from there that all the Spencer varieties
0:03:32 > 0:03:35that we commonly see today have been developed.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40We went through a period,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43from 1900 to really the First World War,
0:03:43 > 0:03:48where the grandifloras and the Spencers
0:03:48 > 0:03:50were vying with each other for popularity.
0:03:50 > 0:03:56But after the First World War the grandifloras virtually disappeared.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02A lot of Spencer sweet peas are named after celebrities.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05This row represents a timeline of Gardeners' World presenters
0:04:05 > 0:04:08that have had varieties named after them.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10We have Percy Thrower.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14And then we move on to Geoff Hamilton.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18And then we end up with Alan Titchmarsh.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23Sadly, the variety Geoff Hamilton has disappeared out of commerce.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27It's deep mauve in colour, but when I grew it two years ago
0:04:27 > 0:04:30I found that there were some pinks and purples,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33which shows that, genetically, it's broken down.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36And so what I need to do with that variety
0:04:36 > 0:04:39is go back to a single plant.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43By doing that and re-selecting it, we can re-establish it
0:04:43 > 0:04:48and bring back Geoff Hamilton to its deserved popularity.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52We've been working on one to name after Monty Don
0:04:52 > 0:04:56to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Gardeners' World,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00and the one that Monty has chosen is this one here.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02Now, unlike the Spencers,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06he's gone back to the old-fashioned grandiflora types of Henry Eckford.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11It has this beautiful, deep velvet maroon colour
0:05:11 > 0:05:13and the most wonderful scent.
0:05:19 > 0:05:25The secret of my success is autumn sowing of seeds and horse manure.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29The poultry manure, the horse manure
0:05:29 > 0:05:34waste plants, everything goes on the compost heap.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36I've even said to the wife,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39"When I die, chuck me on the compost heap
0:05:39 > 0:05:42"and I might finally do some good in the garden."
0:05:46 > 0:05:48I think of it as sweet pea heaven.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00And, as he's got one named after him, let's turn to Monty Don
0:06:00 > 0:06:02for some tips on how to plant sweet peas.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Now, I've got a selection here,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09I've got Painted Lady, which is a lovely pink with a fabulous scent.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Cream Southbourne we always grow. It's a Spencer type.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14The Spencer types do have fragrance,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17but it's not nearly so good as the grandiflora types.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19And Cupani, which is the original sweet pea,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21really good, and I would always want that.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24But let's sow some Cream Southbourne.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27And what I do is sow them in these pots,
0:06:27 > 0:06:31three or four to a pot, and they stay in the pot.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34They grow on through and then, when they're planted,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36tip them out and plant all three together
0:06:36 > 0:06:39at the base of a tripod or a wigwam.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43And you can see that they are nice, big seeds.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47And there is a lot of nonsense talked about growing sweet peas,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49a lot of ritual, which I don't think is necessary,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52just as I don't think it's necessary to grow them in the autumn.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55I don't nick them, I don't soak them,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59all I do is just pop them in a fairly loose compost.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02This is a mixture of a peat-free
0:07:02 > 0:07:04bought compost mixed up with a bit of vermiculite
0:07:04 > 0:07:07and leaf mould, so it's nice and open.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09And space them out,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12putting them in and just pushing them down like that.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15And then I'll sift some soil over the top.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20And I'll grow these under cover until they germinate.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23And as soon as there are little shoots appearing,
0:07:23 > 0:07:24they'll go first to a cold frame
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and then quite quickly outdoors to harden off.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31But I won't plant them out until, well, certainly early May,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33because it can be quite cold here.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35And at the same time as I plant them out,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39I'll probably plant some direct, and that will bulk them out.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42The great thing about sweet peas is, not only do you have scent,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44not only do you have wonderful colour, but height.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45And height is so important.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Any flowers that climb and can climb up a tripod or a wigwam
0:07:49 > 0:07:52so you can place it where you want that height,
0:07:52 > 0:07:56as opposed to being restricted to a wall or a fence, is good news.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Whatever you plant, don't forget to label it.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Then give the seed a light covering of the same compost mix,
0:08:05 > 0:08:09put them somewhere warm and sunny and water them in.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Thanks, Monty.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Our next item can be used for shelter, storing,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20growing seedlings, you name it,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22and for some it's a garden must.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24S is for sheds.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28And we're visiting a few unusual ones with John Sergeant.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30We are a nation of shed lovers,
0:08:30 > 0:08:34be they smart, scruffy or way past their best,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37and behind the doors of these huts at the bottom of our gardens,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39we can find our secret lives.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42In my opinion, you don't really know someone
0:08:42 > 0:08:45until you've seen their shed.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Ken Elphick loves sheds so much he's not content with one.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57Right, well this is very much a traditional garden shed, isn't it?
0:08:57 > 0:08:59It is, very much so.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01But it is really only used to store implements.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04- I have another shed up here where I work.- Oh, right.
0:09:04 > 0:09:09- So you've got... You've got lots of sheds, haven't you?- I've got a few.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- You've got, what, a greenhouse round here...- A greenhouse here.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15I have a summer house over there, and a shed here,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18which is a do-it-yourself shed where I make things
0:09:18 > 0:09:21either for the grandchildren or to repair the house.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24And what do you need the sheds for? What's the real reason for it?
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Well, I suppose it's to escape the challenges of life
0:09:27 > 0:09:29and the challenges of the household.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- You can be snug here, can't you? - That's right.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- Out of the way of everybody. - Yes.- Let's have a look.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Well, I have a fire which keeps me warm and a radio which keeps me
0:09:37 > 0:09:40in touch with the world and, of course, lots of tools.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43All the usual things, nothing exceptional at all.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45- Who is she?- That is Bruges Hilda.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49She was purchased for a bit of fun when a group of us went to Bruges.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52The beauty is, of course, I've got a number of places I can be
0:09:52 > 0:09:56in the garden work, so she has some difficulty in finding me sometimes.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57- Your wife does?- She does.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59She doesn't really try that hard.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02She gives up after the first shed and then let's me suffer
0:10:02 > 0:10:04because my lunch is going cold.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07So sometimes you are definitely hiding from your wife here.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Hiding, perhaps, yes.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12But she may be hiding for me in the house, as well, of course.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Right. I'll leave you to it.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24- Hello, Judith.- Hello.- Well, I got some startling news from Ken.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- Oh, yes?- He has admitted,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- Ken is using these sheds to hide from you.- Really?
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- Yes. Are you surprised?- No.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35He'd rather be out there than hanging around
0:10:35 > 0:10:37with not much to do the house.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And what would he be like if he didn't have these sheds?
0:10:40 > 0:10:41Goodness knows.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44'Ken's shed really is his sanctuary.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49'Paul also finds peace in his shed. His way of going out is staying in.'
0:10:49 > 0:10:51What is it? I don't know.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59It's a pub, perfect.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03# Welcome to the house of fun
0:11:03 > 0:11:05# Welcome to the lions' den
0:11:05 > 0:11:06# Temptation's on his way... #
0:11:08 > 0:11:10- There we go.- Oh, right. What inspired this?
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Um, well, I had a small shed originally
0:11:13 > 0:11:15and I just decided it wasn't big enough
0:11:15 > 0:11:18and, what with my pub collection of memorabilia,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22it just sort of expanded and, well, here we are, we have this shed.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Basically, it's somewhere to come and relax and, you know,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- especially when you've been at work. - And what about the...?
0:11:28 > 0:11:30You have a video there, too, haven't you?
0:11:30 > 0:11:34That's for re-watching the World Cup rugby that we won last time.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37- We've also got a one armed bandit. - Oh, yeah.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39It doesn't have real money, it's just tokens,
0:11:39 > 0:11:41so it is a token gesture, I suppose.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Very nice.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45The shed next door, I'm going to turn it into an outside toilet.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47That will stop the wife moaning at me
0:11:47 > 0:11:49when my friends keep going in and out.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52This is what many men's dream is of a shed.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54Oh, yeah, I should think it is.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57It is... Well, it's a dream come true for me.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59- Would you like another one? - No, thanks.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03- Thanks very much, I'm driving. - OK, thank you.- Thank you.- Bye.
0:12:03 > 0:12:04Goodbye.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11Still to come, sunlight, sunflowers and the dreaded slugs and snails.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16But first, let's move on to a fruit we consume in its millions,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18especially in the summer months.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Our next S is for strawberries.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23And Jay Rayner is on their trail.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27It's not a British summer without Wimbledon
0:12:27 > 0:12:30and, as tennis fever takes hold, behind the scenes the caterers work
0:12:30 > 0:12:33furiously to serve half a million visitors with a massive
0:12:33 > 0:12:3628,000 kilos of strawberries.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42And this is where they all start.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45We're in Kent, the Garden of England, and this one farm supplies
0:12:45 > 0:12:47the entirety of Wimbledon's strawberry needs.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51There's not going to be a problem keeping the tennis fans fed this year,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54because the strawberry has produced a bumper crop.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59We're mid-harvest at the height of Wimbledon fortnight and making
0:12:59 > 0:13:03sure those punnets are filled is nothing short of a military exercise.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Picking starts early at 5am each day,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09and the harvest is chilled overnight before loading
0:13:09 > 0:13:11the following morning for the journey to London.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17But when Wimbledon orders an extra load like they did today,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19the rush to get more strawberries
0:13:19 > 0:13:21from the fields to the tennis courts is really on.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28We do keep picking both before and after,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30but the height of the season is the Wimbledon fortnight,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33and during these two weeks it's really significant for us.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37What Wimbledon really do like is a classic English strawberry.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39We grow a variety called Elsanta.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42It's not very big and crunchy,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45so you can balance it in a bowl on your knee
0:13:45 > 0:13:47and eat it with a teaspoon,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50and it's very sweet and juicy.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53The weather has given this lot a helping hand.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Strawberries thrive on warm days and cool nights
0:13:56 > 0:13:58so, unlike many other crops,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01conditions this spring have been perfect for them.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04I think that's contributing to the very high sugar levels
0:14:04 > 0:14:06we have in the fruit now.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08It was also very good for pollinators.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10So, we had lots of bees flying
0:14:10 > 0:14:14and it was very good for a perfect shaped strawberry.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17So, my first taste of this year's crop. Let's see what it's like.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Mm.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23- It's firm, but not overly hard or crisp.- Yeah.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27Sweet, bit of acidity, tang of strawberry that you really recognise.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- You grow rather good strawberries, don't you?- Thank you.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34Time to take my own punnet to strawberry paradise - Wimbledon.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39The tennis championship began here in 1887,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42but SW19's love affair with strawberries and cream
0:14:42 > 0:14:46is recorded in Victorian periodicals long before that,
0:14:46 > 0:14:49eaten at fashionable early summer social gatherings.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56Here you are, united at last with your true soul mate.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Even further back, it's said that the Cardinal Wolsey was
0:14:59 > 0:15:02the first to put the combination together in Tudor times.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Originally, dairy was considered pauper's food,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08but Cardinal Wolsey thought it was much better than that
0:15:08 > 0:15:11and first served strawberries with cream to the court of Henry VIII.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16But why has the tradition been so enduring?
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Part of Wimbledon and it's just part of the day out, really.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23- Very nice.- Sweet?- Very nice, very sweet, loads of sugar.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26It's something that somebody said, you have to have Pimms
0:15:26 > 0:15:28and you have to have strawberries and cream,
0:15:28 > 0:15:29so I'm documenting it in picture!
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Behind-the-scenes, there's frenetic activity
0:15:32 > 0:15:34to get the strawberries out on sale.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36And to think that these are the very ones
0:15:36 > 0:15:39we saw leaving the farm at 7am this morning.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45Mm! Those early tennis fans had the right idea.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48The acidity of the strawberry cuts through the richness of the cream.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50As doubles pairings go, it's good to know
0:15:50 > 0:15:54there's always going to be one British champion here at Wimbledon every year.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00If that hasn't whetted your appetite, I don't know what will.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Let's look at home-grown strawberries
0:16:02 > 0:16:04and join Monty Don one more time.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07This is a variety called Gariguette,
0:16:07 > 0:16:12which has rather a long strawberry, very sweet and quite early.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Now, in theory, we've made lots and lots of new plants
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and you can see, here is the runner,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21so it's attached to the parent plant.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25And, hopefully, it's developed its own root system.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27But once I cut it, it's on its own.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31So, we cut that off there. This is the moment of truth.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35There we are. Good root system.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Hurrah, I was slightly worried about that.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41So, I'll take about three or four.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Now, I've prepared a piece of ground just on the other side of the path,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05because I want to plant these in a new bed,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07and the reason you do that with strawberry runners
0:17:07 > 0:17:10is to stop the build-up of viral problems in the soil.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Strawberries are very prone to viral problems,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15especially as they get older.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17I'm going to have a couple of rows here,
0:17:17 > 0:17:19but if I put one there, there's a temptation
0:17:19 > 0:17:22to try and fit a lot in. They look nice and small
0:17:22 > 0:17:24and, say, put them that far apart.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26That's too close together, much too close together.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30In fact, twice that spacing.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32That's about right, because these will develop
0:17:32 > 0:17:36into decent-sized plants, they're going to stay here for three years,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39and also a strawberry will grow, it'll have fruit around it,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42it wants light and air and it also wants
0:17:42 > 0:17:45to have its roots to have access to lots of soil and goodness,
0:17:45 > 0:17:50so be generous with space and it'll repay you with generosity of fruit.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Other than that, dead easy, just bung them in the ground.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22I've got enough plants to give myself two or three more rows here
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and that builds up the succession of strawberries.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29In fact, they won't be at their best next year, but the year after,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32it's in their second year that strawberry plants
0:18:32 > 0:18:35are at their most productive and healthiest.
0:18:40 > 0:18:41Thanks, Monty.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45Next, something that's key to almost everything that grows,
0:18:45 > 0:18:49in the garden, in the wild, in fact, everywhere.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54This S is for soil, and Carol Klein is getting an expert
0:18:54 > 0:18:57to check if hers is as good as she hopes.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Professor Keith Goulding
0:19:00 > 0:19:03is president of the British Society of Soil Science
0:19:03 > 0:19:06and he's here to help me experiment
0:19:06 > 0:19:08with my own precious black gold.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18It's quite difficult to find soil in my garden!
0:19:18 > 0:19:21We've got some, we've got some, so I'll put that down there
0:19:21 > 0:19:24- then we've got it for later for one of the tests.- Right.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Come and have a look at the real stuff.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31- Because you can actually see a bit here.- Yep.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Mainly thanks to the slugs, because they've eaten everything!
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Right, well, what I thought we'd do is take some soil from here,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41shake it up in water and then we can see
0:19:41 > 0:19:43the basic composition of soil.
0:19:43 > 0:19:49So, let's take some of that and put it in the jam jar.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53- Not too many weeds.- No, no, that will be enough, I think.
0:19:53 > 0:19:54Whoops-a-daisy.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57- That's just an ordinary preserving jar?- Yep.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00That's right, and then give it a really, really good shake.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- There you are, you have a go. - Right.- It's slippery, so...
0:20:08 > 0:20:11- That do, Keith? - Excellent. That's fine.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Put it down, leave it, certainly for a few minutes,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17you'll see things settling out really very quickly.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19So, it's already beginning to settle.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22You can see some sand and grit in the bottom,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25and then there's a thin, silty layer.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- A different colour, isn't it? - A different colour.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30- So, the sand settles first?- Yeah.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33The sand settles first, because the individual particles are heavier
0:20:33 > 0:20:37and the clay particles, they're tiny, so they float for ages.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40We call them colloidal material, just a scientific name.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Because you always think of clay as just being heavy and solid
0:20:44 > 0:20:45and somehow composed of big lumps,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48but in actual fact, the opposite is true.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Yeah, it's composed of tiny materials, tiny platelets,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53but when they stick together, yes, you get the big lumps
0:20:53 > 0:20:56and it's a bit of a nuisance, but as you've found,
0:20:56 > 0:20:59if you add manure or compost or organic material,
0:20:59 > 0:21:01you can get a better structure, it'll break down slowly,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04and you get something like you've got here.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07I often talk to gardeners who've moved from one garden to another
0:21:07 > 0:21:09and have totally different sorts of soil.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Clay, as I say, is absolutely essential.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15You want some, probably not too much, but if you go round Britain
0:21:15 > 0:21:19and see the enormous different numbers of soil types
0:21:19 > 0:21:22that we've got, some will have a lot of clay, some a little.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24In fact, if you go to a country like Australia,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26where they've got what they call soil,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28but it's really broken rock and grit,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32they add clay to the soil to give it a better structure
0:21:32 > 0:21:34and to provide the plants with nutrients.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38Oh, there are some ideas there, aren't there, for an export business?
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- We've talked about the individual components of the soil.- Yeah.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45And we've looked at sand, silt and clay,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48but for gardeners it's important to know how those hold together,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50what the structure of the soil is.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53- Yeah. That's what makes your soil, isn't it?- Exactly.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56But also how you manage it has an impact, as well,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59but there are some nice, simple things that any gardener could do,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02as long as they've got some beakers or containers.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Either rainwater or purified water -
0:22:05 > 0:22:08not tap water in case it's hard and it's got lots of calcium in it,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10because that affects the test.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12So, let's put some water in these.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14- Can I do this, please? - Yeah, you do those,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16and now we will get some aggregates out.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19So, what is aggregate, what does it mean?
0:22:19 > 0:22:23It's a little lump of soil which, when you break up a bigger lump
0:22:23 > 0:22:26in the garden, would naturally fall out of it.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29So, anybody could go out into their own garden,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- get a lump of soil and do this test? - Yeah, take some of these.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36Then, the test will show you how well the aggregates,
0:22:36 > 0:22:38the lumps are really holding together.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40So, we've got some petri dishes,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and we're going to drop these lumps of soil in.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46But I've brought some examples of what I think would be the best
0:22:46 > 0:22:49kind of structures of aggregates and the worst.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53So, this is from a 60-year-old grass, Cloverfield.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54That's a really nice structure.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57When we put it in water, like that, the air comes out,
0:22:57 > 0:22:59but nothing much happens to it.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- It's just staying where it is. - It's just staying where it is.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Let's put a second one in, so we've got some air coming out.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07There's some bubbles.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09I've also got with me something that I hope
0:23:09 > 0:23:12no good gardener would have, which is...
0:23:12 > 0:23:16..some little lumps from a field which has been kept fallow.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19We've ploughed it for 50 years, four times a year,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22so no plant inputs, no animal inputs,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25no carbon or anything, so, as you can feel, it feels solid.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29Now you drop that into that petri dish and watch.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- Oh, look! It's disintegrating.- Yeah.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- It's all spreading out, all those little...- Yeah, yeah.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- Although it feels rock solid.- Yeah.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43There's no humus there, there's nothing holding it together.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46- No.- So that's a really poor structure, and you can see
0:23:46 > 0:23:49it's just essentially disintegrating.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- So, that's the best.- Right. - And that's the worst.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55But we've got here some little lumps that we picked up earlier.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00This is soil that Fleur, the dog, has excavated,
0:24:00 > 0:24:05- so it's had nothing done to it, it's from close to the house.- Right.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08This is what you started off with and you've improved, isn't it?
0:24:08 > 0:24:12- Yes. I hope I have!- Let's drop that in there and see what happens.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14It's not too bad.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16- Quite reasonable.- What about this?
0:24:16 > 0:24:20- This is your improved soil.- Can I? - Yeah. Just drop it in.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Again, that's holding together quite nicely like that one.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28And, like any scientific test, I'm afraid, nothing is perfect,
0:24:28 > 0:24:32so if you've got soil with a lot of clay in it in your garden,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36even if you do this test, it might appear to hold together.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40But it's a good indicator of whether your soil's got sound structure.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Yeah, certainly if you've got something like that
0:24:43 > 0:24:46you've got a big problem and you need lots of compost and manure.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49So, if you were in a new garden, you do this,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52and that's the kind of result you get, you better get cracking
0:24:52 > 0:24:54- and put some good stuff in there! - Yeah.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Well, we've got compost heaps all over the place,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01but these are probably the best examples.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Compost is just a form of humus, isn't it?
0:25:04 > 0:25:05There's a difference.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08This material is what you're going to put on your garden.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12It adds organic matter, but also lots of nutrients, too.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Eventually that will turn into humus,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18which is an inert material, jellylike, dark-coloured,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21amorphous, you can't really tell what it's come from
0:25:21 > 0:25:23or what it used to be.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25And there aren't really many nutrients left in it.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28That's what cements the particles together, the sand,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30the silt and clay, that gives the structure.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32That's what we call humus.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35But, if you want nutrients for the soil,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38then you add this fairly regularly, which I'm sure you do.
0:25:38 > 0:25:43So, when that compost enters the soil, taken down by worms...
0:25:43 > 0:25:47Yep. But it's the tiny micro-organisms that you can't see
0:25:47 > 0:25:50without a microscope, they're the things that really begin
0:25:50 > 0:25:52to break it down and release those nutrients.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55First of all they take them into their bodies and then they die.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58And then when they die they release them,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00and that gives the plants the opportunity to take them up.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03But the plants have to be quick, because there are other organisms
0:26:03 > 0:26:05that want to take it straight back in again,
0:26:05 > 0:26:08so you've got a constant battle between those micro-organisms
0:26:08 > 0:26:11looking for the nutrients and your plants, as well.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15So, far from soil being a dead substance, it's alive.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24Like soil, our next subject is another gardening essential.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28We're moving on to S for sunlight.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29So, put your feet up, as we join
0:26:29 > 0:26:33a very laid-back Alan Titchmarsh to find out more.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46The first thing you've got to do
0:26:46 > 0:26:49is to persuade your family that you're doing research,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52because, you see, while you're out at work all day,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56the sun is moving around your garden, so that some parts of it
0:26:56 > 0:27:01are in sun all the day, some for just a small part of the day.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Just working out which.
0:27:06 > 0:27:12Choose a nice, sunny summer's day and sit back and see what happens.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23It's important, because different plants
0:27:23 > 0:27:27need different amounts of light depending on where they come from.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Those that are woodlanders like shade,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32those that grow in open fields like full sun,
0:27:32 > 0:27:36and you remember the labels in the nursery, grow in shade, grow in sun?
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Put them in the wrong place
0:27:38 > 0:27:42and they will eventually get sick and even die.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Hostas, for example, love shade.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Out in the wild they grow in damp, shady hollows,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53so find a similar spot in your garden
0:27:53 > 0:27:58and it's the right plant in the right place - it can't help but grow.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Sun-loving plants like these need to bask.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07Put them in sun and they'll love you forever.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13So, while I've been lying here, exhaustive research has shown me
0:28:13 > 0:28:17that that border over there gets sun for most of the day,
0:28:17 > 0:28:19so it is a sunny border,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23plants that are described as liking full sun, will love it.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27That one over there gets sun for part of the day,
0:28:27 > 0:28:29perhaps a quarter of the day,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33so really the plants that are described as liking partial shade
0:28:33 > 0:28:35will enjoy that one.
0:28:35 > 0:28:40That one over there gets barely a glimmer from dawn until dusk,
0:28:40 > 0:28:44so it certainly qualifies for full shade.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46It was worth lying down, really, wasn't it?
0:28:48 > 0:28:49Research?
0:28:49 > 0:28:53That's the best excuse to lounge in the garden I've ever heard.
0:28:53 > 0:28:54Now, very appropriately,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58we move on to a sun-loving plant that grows so high
0:28:58 > 0:29:02that there are even competitions on who can produce the tallest.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Yes, S is for sunflowers,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07and we're sticking with Alan Titchmarsh
0:29:07 > 0:29:10as he introduces us to Annie Sherborne,
0:29:10 > 0:29:14a woman who's dedicated her retired life to them.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16I just like everything about them.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20I like the little plants, the big plants,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22the whole flower.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25I even like the seeds to eat.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29I've got curtains, wallpaper,
0:29:29 > 0:29:31cups, mugs,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33jumper, T-shirts...
0:29:33 > 0:29:36I'm just always looking for something with sunflowers on.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40It takes all sorts, doesn't it? But it's a family affair.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42I have three grandsons.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45They're quite good in the garden,
0:29:45 > 0:29:47and they do help with the digging.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51But, for Annie, this obsession
0:29:51 > 0:29:54has turned into far more than just a hobby.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57My tallest so far has been 16 and a half feet.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00I'm determined to beat that this year.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03I'm trying my very best to beat it.
0:30:03 > 0:30:08And I would really, really love to get a very, very tall one.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10It's got to be the ultimate challenge this year.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12So, with the target set,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15Annie will need to be close to a record to stand any chance of
0:30:15 > 0:30:19winning at our village show, but what are her tips for growing a champion?
0:30:20 > 0:30:26I think my secret for tall sunflowers is good soil,
0:30:26 > 0:30:30plenty of manure mixed in, plenty of compost,
0:30:30 > 0:30:32talking to them,
0:30:32 > 0:30:34but I usually tell them just to grow big and strong.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42Well, with the arrival of summer,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45Annie seems pleased with her progress so far.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48My sunflowers are now in flower, and they are wonderful.
0:30:48 > 0:30:53I feel so happy that they've grown, they have lovely yellow flowers,
0:30:53 > 0:30:55the birds and the bees are on them.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58They just look wonderful.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01They're just happy flowers.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03I suppose they're my big babies, really.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07And yet Annie's starting to have doubts about
0:31:07 > 0:31:11whether her sunflowers will have the height to win the competition.
0:31:11 > 0:31:12I would like it to be taller.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15It's got a few weeks' growing yet, so we'll keep going.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18I must be fanatical about winning,
0:31:18 > 0:31:21cos I wouldn't keep having a go at it.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24I would desperately like to win and say,
0:31:24 > 0:31:26"Yes, I've done it, I've actually done it!"
0:31:28 > 0:31:34And she did do it, with a 15 feet and 9 inch tall sunflower.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38Impressive! But normal-sized ones are just as lovely.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40Here's Alys Fowler.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44April is one of those truly busy gardening months.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47You sow now, the dividend's later, and if you live in a house like mine
0:31:47 > 0:31:50and you have no shed, pots junk up your life.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52So last year I decided I'd go pot free
0:31:52 > 0:31:56and find something that I could recycle at the end of the season.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59I went through all the obvious ones, like toilet roll holders
0:31:59 > 0:32:02and yoghurt cartons, and then I came up with the tin can.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04And I found this really neat trick.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08If you take the top off - and it has to be a ring-pull type -
0:32:08 > 0:32:12and then you open the bottom, like this...
0:32:14 > 0:32:18..you have this really neat false bottom which allows
0:32:18 > 0:32:22drainage to come through, but also, and perhaps more importantly,
0:32:22 > 0:32:24when you come to take the plant out,
0:32:24 > 0:32:26you have this false bottom
0:32:26 > 0:32:29which you can push the plant up and out through.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32And I've even become a bit of a tin-can snob, because
0:32:32 > 0:32:36I've found that, if you favour the ones with white insides -
0:32:36 > 0:32:39and those are the kind that have tinned tomatoes, sweetcorn,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41fruit salad, stuff like that - then it doesn't rust.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45If it rusts like this, then the roots seem to stick to the rusty bits.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48And you just merely fill the can up with compost
0:32:48 > 0:32:51like you would any other pot, and then you're ready to go.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54And this is a really good time to sow sunflowers.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58If you want great massive, huge drifts of sunflowers,
0:32:58 > 0:33:00it's probably easiest to sow them out in the ground.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02We'll show you how to do that in two weeks' time.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05However, if you just want, say, half a dozen, I think
0:33:05 > 0:33:07it's easiest to raise them in pots.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11Sunflowers are loved by slugs, and this way you can protect them,
0:33:11 > 0:33:13get them to a semi-decent size,
0:33:13 > 0:33:15get them outside, and they're ready to go.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18And for that reason you do need a deep pot,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21because they have quite an extensive root system,
0:33:21 > 0:33:24and if you sow them in something too shallow, they don't like that.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Now, there's a reason why it's a much-loved children's plant.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32They're easy, their impressive, they're comedy tall.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34It's very good at screening out ugly things in your garden
0:33:34 > 0:33:37and it's very cheap, but perhaps more importantly
0:33:37 > 0:33:40than all of these things is that they're loved by bees.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42And the interesting thing about sunflowers
0:33:42 > 0:33:45is that they're going after the nectar, not the pollen,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47so you can grow pretty much any sunflower you like,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50and that's why we're going to grow so many this year,
0:33:50 > 0:33:52because we want to put them out in our urban meadow.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56And I'm growing Pastiche. I like Pastiche, because it's one of those lovely mixes.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58It comes in a lot of lovely muted shades,
0:33:58 > 0:34:00and it makes a particularly good cut flower.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05And all you need to do is just plant one seed in the middle,
0:34:05 > 0:34:08press it down, cover it over, and you're good to go.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10But, whichever sunflower you choose,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13you're looking at about two to three weeks for germination,
0:34:13 > 0:34:15and then again say another two to three weeks
0:34:15 > 0:34:19before it's a good size to plant out, and it's truly as simple as that.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28I'm using the sunflowers that I sowed a couple of months ago,
0:34:28 > 0:34:32and they'll make a perfect, very cheap, very colourful hedge.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35They'll grow a bit taller than me, and they're multi-headed,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38and they'll just be very jolly when I come home,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41and they'll screen out the worst of what's behind here
0:34:41 > 0:34:44while bringing in lots of insects and life into the garden.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47By staggering them,
0:34:47 > 0:34:52I get just a bit more thick kind of hedge-like appearance
0:34:52 > 0:34:54than if I put them in a straight line,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57and these sunflowers are very ready to go out,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00so if you've got sunflowers, now's the time to do it.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03Out they come.
0:35:05 > 0:35:10And because this soil is not the greatest soil anybody's ever seen,
0:35:10 > 0:35:14I'm going to have to make sure that they're really well watered in
0:35:14 > 0:35:17so they can establish as quickly as possible,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20because it is going to be a bit of a shock.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24This variety is Pastiche, which comes in lovely kind of muted
0:35:24 > 0:35:28evening shades of red, yellow and buff.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32And it's a multi-headed form, which is good, because it doesn't grow
0:35:32 > 0:35:35too tall and will branch out just that bit more.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38And all that really matters now is that I remember to water them in
0:35:38 > 0:35:43just until they settle, so in this nice hot weather
0:35:43 > 0:35:46I'll water them in every evening, and once they look like
0:35:46 > 0:35:49they're getting going, they can battle it out on their own.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55And, from a flower that makes most of us smile,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58we move on to one that is good for your health,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01or at least that's what they thought in Roman times.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05This S is for salvia, and we're meeting Peter Whately,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08a man who has a healthy obsession for them.
0:36:12 > 0:36:13When people think of salvia,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15they generally think of either
0:36:15 > 0:36:20culinary sage, which one cooks with, or bedding plants,
0:36:20 > 0:36:24which I used to see as a child in municipal planting,
0:36:24 > 0:36:26just the little red salvias,
0:36:26 > 0:36:30and that's their limit of experience with salvias.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Salvias come from all over the world, from South America,
0:36:48 > 0:36:53from California, a lot of European salvias, China and Japan,
0:36:53 > 0:36:58and they grow in a vast array of different conditions.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07The garden is about an acre,
0:37:07 > 0:37:12and I would think a third of it is given over to salvias.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16There are 200 or more varieties in the garden -
0:37:16 > 0:37:20some hardy, some tender, some winter-flowering.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27This is a new salvia bed created for this year.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31Starting at the end there, we've got Salvia chionophylla,
0:37:31 > 0:37:34lovely sprawling habit, nice blue,
0:37:34 > 0:37:37great for a rockery or a sloping bed.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41And going up to the end here we've got guaranitica,
0:37:41 > 0:37:45"Blue Enigma", which is a nice tall, dark blue perennial,
0:37:45 > 0:37:49can grow up to about four or five feet,
0:37:49 > 0:37:55and will flower from the end of July through to the frosts.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11They do cope with certainly a fair amount of bad weather,
0:38:11 > 0:38:15but they do like sun, especially as they're about to flower.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21Another favourite is Indigo spires,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24purple, very, very deep purple.
0:38:24 > 0:38:29It comes from California, long flowering,
0:38:29 > 0:38:34flowering from end of May through till the frosts, really.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38When the flowers have finished, you get this wonderful
0:38:38 > 0:38:39almost black seedhead on it,
0:38:39 > 0:38:43which really reflects and picks up the light against the purple.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Very attractive to bees, as well, this one.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53This is Salvia oxyphora,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56which is a new, exciting salvia for me this year.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00It's from the Peru, Bolivia regions,
0:39:00 > 0:39:04and, unusually for a salvia, the flower smells of
0:39:04 > 0:39:08a sweet, sugary taste, and not the foliage.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16Most sages have aromatic leaves.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20A good example is Salvia elegans, otherwise known as pineapple sage,
0:39:20 > 0:39:22which can be used in desserts
0:39:22 > 0:39:24or flavourings or fruit salads.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26It also looks good in pots,
0:39:26 > 0:39:29which I think maybe is the best way to grow it.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35We have blackcurrant sage, which is Salvia lycioides,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38or the common sage, which is used for cooking.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46I think anyone can grow salvias.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50The leaf form is so different, the colour range is so different.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53They range from shrubs to perennials to annuals.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56I mean, what more can you want out of a species, really?
0:40:01 > 0:40:05And, after all that loveliness, we round off today's programme
0:40:05 > 0:40:08by taking on some of a gardener's worst enemies.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11S is for slugs and snails,
0:40:11 > 0:40:13and we're joining Adam Henson
0:40:13 > 0:40:16to meet one of the best teams for the job.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19This band of hedgehogs have been training for weeks.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21They've been nursed back to health after being found
0:40:21 > 0:40:24struggling in the wild, and now they're ready for action.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Their mission - to protect the estate's kitchen garden
0:40:27 > 0:40:28from attack by slugs and snails.
0:40:30 > 0:40:31They'll do what they have to do.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33They'll eat slugs, they'll eat snails,
0:40:33 > 0:40:36they'll eat all sorts of bugs and things which would obviously
0:40:36 > 0:40:38cause a lot of damage in a place like this.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41The hedgehogs will operate nocturnally, from dusk to dawn,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44picking off slugs and snails one by one under the cover of darkness.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47So, how will this band of mercenaries fare?
0:41:01 > 0:41:06How easily will they get back into living in the wild?
0:41:06 > 0:41:09They'll go back into the wild quite easily and quite simply.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12We've had them in outdoor enclosures now for a good few weeks,
0:41:12 > 0:41:15so they're quite capable of fending for themselves.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19This is just the final stage to get them used to this particular area.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21So, you'll hold them in this pen here
0:41:21 > 0:41:23before releasing them into the full garden?
0:41:23 > 0:41:26They'll in this pen for maybe a couple of days, that's all,
0:41:26 > 0:41:28and then we'll just take the fence down
0:41:28 > 0:41:30and they've got all the garden to explore.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33And do you give them some supplementary food rather in here?
0:41:33 > 0:41:35Yes, they'll be fed. We've brought some food with us,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38the same food that they've been used to at our place,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41and also, the people who work here, they're going to keep putting
0:41:41 > 0:41:44food down anyway, just to help them along, in case they struggle.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46After completing their reconnaissance work
0:41:46 > 0:41:48on getting used to their environment,
0:41:48 > 0:41:51it's open season on slugs and snails all over the garden.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55This is like paradise for hedgehogs. It's got everything they want.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58And if I was a hedgehog this is where I'd like to be.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01The hedgehogs will hibernate from November to March,
0:42:01 > 0:42:04and before that they'll be feeding themselves up for the winter.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06Hedgehogs are omnivores.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08One can keep an average garden free of pests by eating
0:42:08 > 0:42:12up to 200 grams of insects and molluscs each night,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15but if you want one for your garden, the more organic you are the better,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18as they don't like their rival - the artificial pesticide.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22But, if you don't have those little fellas at hand,
0:42:22 > 0:42:24here are a few suggestions.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28- Masses of beer traps, everywhere. - And they die happy.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33I pick and release. I can't squidge.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37You can see we put eggshells round these seedlings.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39We use a garlic spray.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41It irritates their nervous system.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44Put them in a bucket, take them back and stamp on them.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48- But the coffee is working? - Coffee definitely works.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51And I throw them over into the other field across the way.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54For some reason, they absolutely hate copper.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58Hair clippings - they hate that, and they won't go over that.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01If they do go over that, it's curtains.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04- So, did the children decide what to use?- They did.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06Pointed sticks, holly leaves.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08Jam was the best.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11We think they'll be so busy eating the jam
0:43:11 > 0:43:13that they won't touch the lettuces.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15- And did it work?- No.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17I don't think we'll make our fortune quite yet!
0:43:20 > 0:43:23Well, it's time to end today's show.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26Do Join us next time for another A to Z of TV Gardening.
0:43:26 > 0:43:28But for now, goodbye.
0:43:52 > 0:43:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd