Episode 17

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0:00:13 > 0:00:15We're back in a cage, George.

0:00:15 > 0:00:18Best place for us, maybe.

0:00:18 > 0:00:20Hello there and welcome to Beechgrove.

0:00:20 > 0:00:23We were in the fruit cage last week when we left you.

0:00:23 > 0:00:26We're back in it again, because I've a job for this man to do.

0:00:26 > 0:00:28Now, look at this poor old plum tree, this has not wintered too well.

0:00:28 > 0:00:32- No, this is your coat hanger plant, isn't it?- This is the coat hanger!

0:00:32 > 0:00:36- Right, we go right down to the bottom, and the lumpy bit is where it was grafted.- That's right.

0:00:36 > 0:00:40Most people will notice that on plants which have been grafted,

0:00:40 > 0:00:44the bit below it is the root stock, the bit above it is the variety,

0:00:44 > 0:00:47so, any shoots coming above are what we want.

0:00:47 > 0:00:52So, if we take this bit out and leave these two, we can reshape the tree.

0:00:52 > 0:00:55We could.

0:00:55 > 0:00:57Where, there? That's it, done now.

0:00:57 > 0:01:03Plums, stone fruits, prune them at this time, they heal much, much quicker.

0:01:03 > 0:01:08But we're going to have to stake those, Jim, because they're really, really wobbly.

0:01:08 > 0:01:11- Well, they could break out, couldn't they?- Yeah.

0:01:11 > 0:01:13I know the answer to this, but I'm going to ask you anyway.

0:01:13 > 0:01:18- Would you cover that up?- Yes, just with that, though, a bit of soil.

0:01:18 > 0:01:21- You wouldn't use a heal-and-seal? - No.- It certainly looks better.

0:01:21 > 0:01:23It's well camouflaged.

0:01:23 > 0:01:25- Red currants next. - What's the problem here?

0:01:25 > 0:01:29Well, we moved these redcurrants into this position,

0:01:29 > 0:01:31and they're not doing awful well.

0:01:31 > 0:01:37I mean, they are cropping, as single cordon, but we've an answer to that...

0:01:37 > 0:01:44Well, it's shooting from the base, and what I'm going to do is again, a bit of lopping.

0:01:44 > 0:01:47The thing is,

0:01:47 > 0:01:52- you can take that away, and you can pick them at your leisure. - Well, this is your trick.

0:01:52 > 0:01:56- It was mentioned last week, if it comes on rain, you can pick them in the shed.- That's right.

0:01:56 > 0:02:00These will be tied in, and we'll make a double cordon out of it.

0:02:00 > 0:02:03Yes, we'll pick the best two, and they will be sort of parallel.

0:02:03 > 0:02:07- Well, that's the hope. We'll do the same here.- Yeah.

0:02:07 > 0:02:09Now, what about this extra growth?

0:02:09 > 0:02:14There's always a discussion about the growth on say the redcurrants or gooseberries.

0:02:14 > 0:02:17What I would do with these is, I would take these back, Jim,

0:02:17 > 0:02:21not hard back, just take some of the soft tips off.

0:02:21 > 0:02:27The point being, if you cut it back to there, which is the proper bit for summer pruning,

0:02:27 > 0:02:31the new shoots come out in the autumn when it's muggy and wet and they sometimes get mildew.

0:02:31 > 0:02:35- And they get it bad. And it goes back into the main stem. - But that would just be a double job.

0:02:35 > 0:02:40- Yes, that's all.- But you retired guys have got plenty of time on your hands!- Allegedly!

0:02:40 > 0:02:42- Now, Victoria plum.- OK.

0:02:42 > 0:02:45Now, this is really, really heavily cropped.

0:02:45 > 0:02:47Look at that, that's awful, Jim.

0:02:47 > 0:02:52- Too many fruit.- I think this is a case of do as we say, not as we do.

0:02:52 > 0:02:54- Aye.- Because there's an awful lot of crop on there.

0:02:54 > 0:02:57We should have taken half of them off, you know.

0:02:57 > 0:03:01But lift them up, train it out, tie it into the structure again -

0:03:01 > 0:03:02big problem, isn't it?

0:03:02 > 0:03:06There is, because we often say these stone fruits are better pruned in the summer

0:03:06 > 0:03:09because they're prone to things like silverleaf.

0:03:09 > 0:03:13- But you don't get a proper view of the shape of the plant when the leaves are on it.- That's right.

0:03:13 > 0:03:17So that is our one excuse time when you would wait till the leaves are off

0:03:17 > 0:03:19and then fan it out because we want it to be a fan tree.

0:03:19 > 0:03:23But the other plant over here is so obvious,

0:03:23 > 0:03:26how it's been trained, and what it looks like.

0:03:26 > 0:03:31This is an espalier pear, and we've trained it along the wires,

0:03:31 > 0:03:36and it's just... That is a wonderful piece of architecture.

0:03:36 > 0:03:40What we want to be doing now is to take all these off,

0:03:40 > 0:03:43and the end one, bend it over...

0:03:43 > 0:03:45And just tie that down.

0:03:45 > 0:03:49So there's a wee bit of tying and pruning to be going on with here.

0:03:49 > 0:03:50- Have you got your secateurs?- I have.

0:03:50 > 0:03:53And in the rest of the programme...

0:03:53 > 0:03:58I'm in deepest Aberdeenshire, and I'm going to help turn

0:03:58 > 0:04:01this area in to a healing herb garden.

0:04:01 > 0:04:05I tell you what, they'll be coming out of the woodwork

0:04:05 > 0:04:08when I make the announcement, it's cherry picking time!

0:04:10 > 0:04:13And I'm at the Botanic Garden in Auld Reekie,

0:04:13 > 0:04:16and I'm about to find out about New Reekie.

0:04:20 > 0:04:23The sweet peas behind me seem to have been enjoying the cold and wet,

0:04:23 > 0:04:27by the way, but Carole, your sweetcorn hasn't - look at this!

0:04:27 > 0:04:31Not happy at all - stunted sweetcorn, outside, a bit better under cover.

0:04:31 > 0:04:35- But I think it is purely weather conditions.- Are these all stunted?

0:04:35 > 0:04:37Or are there dwarfs as well?

0:04:37 > 0:04:42These two varieties are the baby corns, so they'll maybe not get quite so tall.

0:04:42 > 0:04:48But the ones there, Lapwing, which is a new AGM variety - Award of Garden Merit -

0:04:48 > 0:04:52- it should be about four times the height!- That's the difference, isn't it?- It is starting

0:04:52 > 0:04:57to show the male flowers, or the tassels, you can see it better here.

0:04:57 > 0:04:59But again,

0:04:59 > 0:05:01I'm disappointed with the height.

0:05:01 > 0:05:05- They're not very tall, but now the tassels are on, is it time to feed them?- Definitely.

0:05:05 > 0:05:11This is the time to start with a tomato fertiliser or a seaweed fertiliser about every seven days.

0:05:11 > 0:05:15I like the seaweed one because it's got all of the liquid nutrients in it, it's very well balanced.

0:05:15 > 0:05:19These are nice and green, fairly healthy, and I think they

0:05:19 > 0:05:24are enjoying the protection of basically a giant cloche. Is that the same with your exhibition?

0:05:24 > 0:05:28It is, do you want to come and see, Ms Baxter? Come and see.

0:05:28 > 0:05:33Now, this is this pea that I was growing, this is a Show Perfection.

0:05:33 > 0:05:34But it's a little bit twisted?

0:05:34 > 0:05:39A bit wobbly, isn't it? It's not hanging as well as it should.

0:05:39 > 0:05:41It should be much longer and much straighter.

0:05:41 > 0:05:46But you know, this is so much bigger than the normal peas that we grow outside.

0:05:46 > 0:05:53- There is the size of the pea pod from the ordinary pea outside. - So that's quite short.

0:05:53 > 0:05:57Yeah. Now that, if you're shelling peas at home, you would want to get six or eight out of those.

0:05:57 > 0:06:01Out of these we can get anything up to 11, 12, 13.

0:06:01 > 0:06:06If you hold it up to the light you can count the peas.

0:06:06 > 0:06:09I'm not letting you do it because that's just too much information for you.

0:06:09 > 0:06:11Are you going to feed those?

0:06:11 > 0:06:14- I am, tomato fertiliser. - Once a week?

0:06:14 > 0:06:17Same as we did with the sweetcorn.

0:06:17 > 0:06:20On to the carrots, and we're expecting long carrots, aren't we?

0:06:20 > 0:06:25- Well, this is not a long one, but Ms Watson didn't thin these well enough...- She's in trouble!

0:06:25 > 0:06:32So I'm going to pull this one out, and you'll get a little preview of how good this is.

0:06:32 > 0:06:35Look at the length.

0:06:35 > 0:06:38You doubter! Look at that. That's just halfway through,

0:06:38 > 0:06:41and that's this thing called Purple Haze.

0:06:41 > 0:06:42And that's not really for exhibitions.

0:06:42 > 0:06:46No, it's just to let you see what happens. That's a cracker.

0:06:46 > 0:06:51- See my face smiling? - I can't wait to see the others.

0:06:51 > 0:06:56- Well, you're not getting to see them. That's it. - You're such a meanie!

0:06:56 > 0:06:58When we come onto this, this is Sweet Candle.

0:06:58 > 0:07:01What's happened in this one is that the top of the carrot has got exposed.

0:07:01 > 0:07:03It's looking a bit purple.

0:07:03 > 0:07:09- It's looking like purple haze. So we'll have to put some sand on the top of that.- To blanch it?

0:07:09 > 0:07:12Yes, because that's imperfection,

0:07:12 > 0:07:16- and I don't want imperfections in my carrots.- I don't know if my arms are long enough.

0:07:16 > 0:07:21- If that one was that kind of size... - You're worse than me.

0:07:21 > 0:07:22Fisherman, are you?

0:07:22 > 0:07:26- Parsnips?- They're the same. If we just disturb the top there...

0:07:26 > 0:07:31The foliage looks really healthy - is that good news?

0:07:31 > 0:07:36It is, because all the feeding in the foliage will be going down into the roots.

0:07:36 > 0:07:40And the same with the beetroot, because they're cylindrical...

0:07:40 > 0:07:42Yes, well, long tapered.

0:07:42 > 0:07:45Remember, the cylindrical beetroot are the short ones.

0:07:45 > 0:07:48- OK.- But this one,

0:07:48 > 0:07:51it's about that round at the top at the moment.

0:07:51 > 0:07:55If we were to get it out, I think it would be going on and on for ever.

0:07:55 > 0:07:59- Ready for a show in September. - Well, perhaps, we'll wait and see.

0:08:08 > 0:08:12Janice Loudon has been an aromatherapist for 10 years.

0:08:12 > 0:08:16During this time she's had to buy in most of her ingredients.

0:08:16 > 0:08:20She is now very keen to grow some of her own.

0:08:24 > 0:08:26Janice, this is a beautiful setting.

0:08:26 > 0:08:32And I really do find that this is the perfect spot I think for your healing herb garden.

0:08:32 > 0:08:35Straightaway, it's by the house, so it's handy.

0:08:35 > 0:08:37- You're south-facing.- Mm-hmm.

0:08:37 > 0:08:40And then you've also got the raised beds

0:08:40 > 0:08:42and a lot of the herbs like good drainage.

0:08:42 > 0:08:46But tell us why you want this garden?

0:08:46 > 0:08:48I'm an aromatherapist,

0:08:48 > 0:08:55and I would love to use the herbs and my own infusions and oils.

0:08:55 > 0:08:59Now, you run a few courses, so it's going to be a good talking point as well.

0:08:59 > 0:09:03Absolutely, people like to come out and sit with their tea

0:09:03 > 0:09:05and it will be a lovely area for them to relax in.

0:09:05 > 0:09:09I wish we could relax, we are going to be a bit busy.

0:09:09 > 0:09:12I feel I'm going to give the gardening advice, but I'm hoping

0:09:12 > 0:09:16- you're going to tell me a bit about the plants and how they're used. - I hope so.

0:09:34 > 0:09:37This Alchemilla mollis looks lovely just now, doesn't it?

0:09:37 > 0:09:40You often associate it with herb gardens.

0:09:40 > 0:09:44Now I'm sounding knowledgeable, but I've done a little bit of homework,

0:09:44 > 0:09:48- and this particular one doesn't have any medicinal purposes.- OK.

0:09:48 > 0:09:52But you can get a little Alpine one, alpina, and that does.

0:09:52 > 0:09:57- So I thought perhaps we should lift that out and put it at the front of the garden.- OK.

0:09:57 > 0:10:02- Definitely concentrate on plants that are used for medicinal purposes.- OK, that's a good idea.

0:10:11 > 0:10:14I'm going to be here till midnight, I think.

0:10:14 > 0:10:17Hurray!

0:10:20 > 0:10:26Carole mentioned that I could source some pots, and most of these came from donations from friends,

0:10:26 > 0:10:29who are also local freeglers.

0:10:29 > 0:10:32That's brilliant, you haven't spent a fortune,

0:10:32 > 0:10:34but what are freeglers?

0:10:34 > 0:10:41Freegle is an internet group, and the aim is to keep goods off landfill sites.

0:10:41 > 0:10:43That's brilliant.

0:10:43 > 0:10:46I probably won't use them all, but we'll definitely use some of them.

0:10:55 > 0:11:00Right, we'll be quite busy taking out some of the soil from the raised beds.

0:11:00 > 0:11:02And what we need to do is really freshen that up, Janice.

0:11:02 > 0:11:08So we're adding John Innes compost, which is important, because it's soil-based,

0:11:08 > 0:11:13it's got lots of nutrition, and that'll be good because that's all permanent planting there.

0:11:13 > 0:11:17And we've got a variety of thymes, which again will be nice

0:11:17 > 0:11:21- because they're going to go over the edge and soften the edges. - Lovely.

0:11:21 > 0:11:25You specifically asked for bay and rosemary,

0:11:25 > 0:11:28so we're going to put those in containers, because your winters are pretty severe here.

0:11:28 > 0:11:31They are indeed.

0:11:31 > 0:11:35So either take them into a greenhouse or find a real sort of sheltered part,

0:11:35 > 0:11:38maybe put them against the house wall, give them some protection,

0:11:38 > 0:11:43cover them with fleece or you could even put them in a greenhouse.

0:11:43 > 0:11:46Then, the earns, they're rather fitting here, aren't they?

0:11:46 > 0:11:49- Lovely. - This is just going to be temporary.

0:11:49 > 0:11:52These are nasturtiums, they're annuals, so once September comes, you just throw them out.

0:11:52 > 0:11:54OK.

0:11:54 > 0:11:59And then finally in the corner there, a couple of those pots are going to be filled with heathers.

0:11:59 > 0:12:02So that's ericaceous compost, because they like acid conditions.

0:12:02 > 0:12:05OK.

0:12:15 > 0:12:19As a gardener, I think every day is a school day, so I'm going to learn something from you now.

0:12:19 > 0:12:20Maybe!

0:12:20 > 0:12:24The calendula flower heads, calendulas are really good anti-inflammatories,

0:12:24 > 0:12:27so you can make a nice macerated oil with that.

0:12:27 > 0:12:32- So that's just picking the flowers. - Picking the flower heads and using the petals.

0:12:32 > 0:12:37It's almost like you're effectively dead-heading and encouraging more flowers, aren't you?

0:12:37 > 0:12:42Yes. And the rosemary, it's good for muscle aches and pains,

0:12:42 > 0:12:44so you can take a few sprigs of that and put it in the bath.

0:12:44 > 0:12:49- Could do with that tonight! - Yes. Just take a few sprigs and put them in the bath.

0:12:49 > 0:12:51What else?

0:12:51 > 0:12:55Thyme, again, you can put that in your bath with the rosemary, for the muscles,

0:12:55 > 0:12:56or you can make a tea with that.

0:12:56 > 0:13:00The camomile, you can dry the flower heads and also make a tea with that.

0:13:00 > 0:13:03- So that's just the flowers, not the foliage?- Yes.

0:13:03 > 0:13:07Because when you brush the foliage, you get that lovely perfume, don't you?

0:13:07 > 0:13:09Yes.

0:13:09 > 0:13:10And the sage, it's a good antiseptic,

0:13:10 > 0:13:14good for colds and sore throats, you can make a gargle with that.

0:13:14 > 0:13:16One that we didn't mention is the foxglove.

0:13:16 > 0:13:19That is a poisonous plant, but it does have medicinal uses,

0:13:19 > 0:13:22so people need to know what they're doing.

0:13:22 > 0:13:26Absolutely. If you're in doubt, you should contact a professional herbalist.

0:13:26 > 0:13:30Now, I introduced you as an aromatherapist, so, any chance of a massage?

0:13:30 > 0:13:32Yes, I think that's free massage all round.

0:13:32 > 0:13:34- ALL: Hooray!- Brilliant!

0:13:34 > 0:13:37LAUGHTER

0:13:37 > 0:13:40I hope they keep that in.

0:13:40 > 0:13:41I hope so, too. >

0:13:50 > 0:13:54Well, you can tell that the crew were really enthusiastic about that massage.

0:13:54 > 0:13:56But on a slightly more serious note,

0:13:56 > 0:13:59Janice is really keen to let you know that all those remedies

0:13:59 > 0:14:04she's just using for the family and at home, and if you want to do anything like that,

0:14:04 > 0:14:07do make sure you seek the right advice. So, cherries...

0:14:07 > 0:14:09Hello, sweetheart.

0:14:09 > 0:14:12- That is the name. - I'm talking to the cherry tree.

0:14:12 > 0:14:16- What a difference the feeding has made, though, Jim. - Fantastic.- What a crop.

0:14:16 > 0:14:18We'll have to fight people off.

0:14:18 > 0:14:20Aren't they wonderful?

0:14:20 > 0:14:23They are gorgeous. So, will we leave George to it?

0:14:23 > 0:14:26- Do you think you're safe? - Maybe not.- Now, you're warned.

0:14:26 > 0:14:28I am. But I never heed warnings.

0:14:28 > 0:14:31The cherry's been a success.

0:14:31 > 0:14:33It really has, with the feeding and everything.

0:14:33 > 0:14:36Can you remember what the fig was like last year,

0:14:36 > 0:14:38or earlier this year when we saw it, rather?

0:14:38 > 0:14:44It got a hammering with the cold over the winter, but, you know, the warmth in April made it

0:14:44 > 0:14:49really grow, and of course we then pruned it back and we've trimmed it.

0:14:49 > 0:14:51The pruning, there's what happened.

0:14:51 > 0:14:54We've got the fig for this year,

0:14:54 > 0:14:58which is in there, and that is starting to develop, and that's a good one.

0:14:58 > 0:15:01There's the ones for next year already. But do you know what?

0:15:01 > 0:15:06There's one that's ripe, and it's up here. Look at that. That is an absolute stotter.

0:15:06 > 0:15:11There we are, look at that. Look.

0:15:11 > 0:15:13Oh! Oh!

0:15:13 > 0:15:16We'll just open that out.

0:15:16 > 0:15:18Look at that. Get your gums round that.

0:15:18 > 0:15:22That would be a cracker. But anyway, we've got to do other things.

0:15:22 > 0:15:27Looking around at this side, we've now got to the stage where it's maybe too late to thin any more

0:15:27 > 0:15:31of the peaches, which is a shame, because if I had been really hard on this,

0:15:31 > 0:15:35I would have been able to get much larger individual fruits.

0:15:35 > 0:15:37As it is, I can't, so we have to wait.

0:15:37 > 0:15:39But next year, we'll thin them harder.

0:15:39 > 0:15:43What we're going to do now is, I'm going to pull these shoots forward.

0:15:43 > 0:15:46All this is the stuff that will produce the fruits for next year.

0:15:46 > 0:15:53I'll pull that forward off the wires so that when it comes to pruning it later on, it's an easier job to do.

0:15:53 > 0:15:57Meanwhile, I'm going to go and pick some more cherries.

0:15:57 > 0:16:00So, from the fruit house, we've got the greenhouse annuals.

0:16:00 > 0:16:04This is creating a bit of colour for the autumn time and the winter

0:16:04 > 0:16:08and it's only cost us a few pounds because it's all been grown from seed.

0:16:08 > 0:16:11At the moment, I'm just potting on the celosia,

0:16:11 > 0:16:17and they can be used as a bedding plant as well, and they have these lovely feathery plumes on them.

0:16:17 > 0:16:21Just potting them on by about an inch or so.

0:16:21 > 0:16:26What else have we got? We've got browallias here, which have lovely blue flowers.

0:16:26 > 0:16:30You can see they're starting to branch because we've nipped out the tops.

0:16:30 > 0:16:32Schizanthus, or the Poor Man's Orchid.

0:16:32 > 0:16:38This particular variety is called Star Parade, and this one is Angel's Wings.

0:16:38 > 0:16:42What I want to do with this one, a bit like the browallia, is I want to nip out the tops.

0:16:42 > 0:16:47Sometimes the taller varieties perhaps need a little bit of support.

0:16:47 > 0:16:48I've also got cineraria in there.

0:16:48 > 0:16:54Quite tiny, and I don't think we're going to get a lot of colour from that until the winter time.

0:16:54 > 0:16:57The great thing about all of those plants is that they

0:16:57 > 0:17:01don't mind the cool temperatures, round about 8 degrees centigrade.

0:17:01 > 0:17:05Next door we have another 8x6 greenhouse,

0:17:05 > 0:17:08and that's full of chillies and peppers.

0:17:08 > 0:17:11George, I hope you're not eating all those cherries!

0:17:11 > 0:17:16And over this side we've got the propagation house, and Jim's busy with the tomatoes.

0:17:16 > 0:17:21But I'm going into the Keder house, and we're going to have a look at the ornamental gourds.

0:17:21 > 0:17:23And I think this is a real success story.

0:17:23 > 0:17:29Lovely names. This particular one is called Russian Dolls. There's a nice fruit there.

0:17:29 > 0:17:31Next to that,

0:17:31 > 0:17:35these are the ones that are called snakes, and look at the shape.

0:17:35 > 0:17:39That's coming on. I really like this one, though.

0:17:39 > 0:17:41This is the Speckled Swan.

0:17:41 > 0:17:47Look at the shape of that and the long neck, so I suppose that's why it's got the name of Swan on it.

0:17:47 > 0:17:53The plants have been extremely vigorous, and you've got to contain them a little bit.

0:17:53 > 0:17:57Once they start to fruit, we maybe only want half-a-dozen fruits on it,

0:17:57 > 0:18:04and so what you have to do is nip back the sort of sub-laterals back to about two or three leaves.

0:18:04 > 0:18:07Just one other that I maybe would like to mention is at the back here,

0:18:07 > 0:18:12and this one is Crown of Thorns, and I think that's a very interesting shape to it.

0:18:12 > 0:18:14You can actually see the thorns forming.

0:18:14 > 0:18:19And we've got a tomato here growing in the hanging basket, losetto,

0:18:19 > 0:18:25and we're growing this one because it's meant to be one of the first blight-resistant tomato.

0:18:25 > 0:18:28Looks like it's running out of steam in the hanging basket,

0:18:28 > 0:18:36whereas behind, in the tubs, it's looking wonderful and healthy and green, and there's a tomato here.

0:18:36 > 0:18:41I'm just going to have to try that, but maybe Jim's got some tomatoes that are ripe as well.

0:18:43 > 0:18:49Well, it's time for a wee quick look round the glasshouse vegetables, and I have to say,

0:18:49 > 0:18:52it's been a testing time over the season for them.

0:18:52 > 0:18:55Some of them are doing well. Others are struggling.

0:18:55 > 0:18:59The old peppers. This is Canadian Wonder. It's cropping quite nicely.

0:18:59 > 0:19:03A new one here, jalapeno. I've never seen that before. Interesting.

0:19:03 > 0:19:05A lot more crop to come perhaps.

0:19:05 > 0:19:08Tomatoes. Good old favourite like Sun Gold.

0:19:08 > 0:19:12It's interesting that it's the small tomatoes that are fruiting and ripening first.

0:19:12 > 0:19:16The crop's getting up near the glass and still twisting them

0:19:16 > 0:19:19in there and keeping them on the right path, so to speak.

0:19:19 > 0:19:24But it's over the other side I wanted to just spend a couple of minutes here because

0:19:24 > 0:19:28there's a huge amount of this leaf roll, which we've talked about.

0:19:28 > 0:19:31The culprit has been the ventilation of this glasshouse.

0:19:31 > 0:19:34These ventilators are supposed to be automatic.

0:19:34 > 0:19:38They've not been working efficiently at all, so what's happening is we're

0:19:38 > 0:19:43getting temperatures going way up into the 80s during the day and then at night it gets quite cold.

0:19:43 > 0:19:47There's a huge gap between the night and day temperatures.

0:19:47 > 0:19:51When I was growing them commercially, I was talking about 15 at night - that's 60.

0:19:51 > 0:19:53That was the low temperature.

0:19:53 > 0:19:58During the day, 70, 71, 72 - in other words, 21 centigrade.

0:19:58 > 0:20:03It's the gap that's important, so if the day temperature goes up, you can allow the night temperature to go up

0:20:03 > 0:20:06because the gap stays constant and they can cope with that.

0:20:06 > 0:20:10It's when you've got up and down, you've got this huge

0:20:10 > 0:20:13difference in temperature, you get this problem.

0:20:13 > 0:20:16In the day, with them not working, there's plenty water about, we've then

0:20:16 > 0:20:20got the conditions for botrytis and here we have botrytis on the stems

0:20:20 > 0:20:23and on some of the leaves and you've got to keep picking it off.

0:20:23 > 0:20:26Just one wee surprise at the finish.

0:20:26 > 0:20:30I kind of belittled this crop when I first saw it

0:20:30 > 0:20:34because the plant is an absolutely extraordinary-looking thing.

0:20:34 > 0:20:37Cream Sausage it's called.

0:20:37 > 0:20:40I wonder which it'll taste like, pork or beef?

0:20:47 > 0:20:51I'm at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and I have to say

0:20:51 > 0:20:55the horticultural team are a little bit bamboozled by this plant.

0:20:55 > 0:20:59Steve Scott, as a senior horticulturalist, tell us what's going on.

0:20:59 > 0:21:04This is the Amorphophallus titanum, which is the titan arum, as named by David Attenborough.

0:21:04 > 0:21:08It's a corm and it's from Sumatra.

0:21:08 > 0:21:12We received it in a small orange-sized corm from Leiden.

0:21:12 > 0:21:15- A corm, it's like a bulb, isn't it? - Yes, it's like a big, knobbly bulb.

0:21:15 > 0:21:20We've been growing it ever since then, since about 2002, and each year it's got bigger.

0:21:20 > 0:21:23So at the moment this is a huge bulb.

0:21:23 > 0:21:27It's about a metre across, about twice my weight, 160 kilos.

0:21:27 > 0:21:29That's an incredible weight. It's broken world records.

0:21:29 > 0:21:34This pot is too small for the plant as it is at the moment. It almost touches the side.

0:21:34 > 0:21:37OK, now, what you're hoping is that this is going to flower.

0:21:37 > 0:21:43Yes, hopefully. We've been waiting for ten years, cos it just keeps producing leaves every so often

0:21:43 > 0:21:48and this storage organ gets bigger and bigger and eventually what will happen is, when it does flower,

0:21:48 > 0:21:56hopefully this is it, it pushes that 160 kilos of energy and storage right into this flower and it goes up.

0:21:56 > 0:22:01And trying to induce it a little bit by feeding it with a high potash fertiliser.

0:22:01 > 0:22:05We normally feed it with a high potash tomato food so it produces

0:22:05 > 0:22:08good storage, good fruit, or a good corm.

0:22:08 > 0:22:12We've got to wait to see what happens, whether it'll flower or if it's going to be a leaf.

0:22:12 > 0:22:15There's no way of knowing how to induce the flower.

0:22:15 > 0:22:19Plants do what they want to do. They don't ever try and grow the way you want them.

0:22:19 > 0:22:23Now, when it does flower, it gives off a horrible smell, doesn't it?

0:22:23 > 0:22:30It does. It's a terrible smell. It's called the Corpse Flower because it smells like a dead corpse, basically.

0:22:30 > 0:22:36If it was to be a world record, it would be about three metres tall,

0:22:36 > 0:22:39so way above my head, and it would be probably

0:22:39 > 0:22:44about this wide and it would smell of rotting flesh to attract carrion flies

0:22:44 > 0:22:48and beetles to pollinate it over a two-day period or three-day period.

0:22:48 > 0:22:53- OK, and once it's past flowering, does it die?- It just dies down.

0:22:53 > 0:22:57It's a monocarpic, which means it's just one single flower, so it pushes

0:22:57 > 0:23:00all that energy, that 160 kilos, into the flower, and then it just dies.

0:23:00 > 0:23:04I also understand, Steve, that this particular plant is under threat, too.

0:23:04 > 0:23:08Yeah, it's just found on one or two mountain ranges, but you can find it

0:23:08 > 0:23:14in all different growth habits, in leaf, in flower, in bud, in fruit or in dormant stages.

0:23:14 > 0:23:18You can find it but apparently it's very difficult.

0:23:18 > 0:23:22Having mentioned Sumatra, we see the conditions that we need, are very tropical.

0:23:22 > 0:23:24It's very hot and humid in here, isn't it?

0:23:24 > 0:23:27You can feel it. It's getting towards about 30 degrees

0:23:27 > 0:23:32right now in here and it's about 82, maybe 83 humidity, and I'm beginning to melt and I'm sure you're the same.

0:23:32 > 0:23:36This is what it's like in the wild. This is perfect conditions, although it would

0:23:36 > 0:23:39be slightly hotter, like it was yesterday in here.

0:23:39 > 0:23:44Obviously, partly I'm disappointed that I'm not seeing it in a flower,

0:23:44 > 0:23:48but because it's such a smelly plant, maybe I'm quite pleased about that.

0:23:48 > 0:23:51Yes. I'm quite looking forward to it.

0:23:51 > 0:23:54The people in the offices in that corridor behind there are not

0:23:54 > 0:23:56going to enjoy it very much cos it will stink very badly.

0:23:56 > 0:24:02- But obviously you're going to let us know as soon as it flowers.- As soon as it flowers.

0:24:03 > 0:24:08And in the absence of it flowering, we do have a picture of what it might look like.

0:24:14 > 0:24:19Now, one of the main remits of a botanical garden is the scientific study of plants,

0:24:19 > 0:24:24and we've just had a look at that aspect, but another is education.

0:24:29 > 0:24:32Ian Edwards, as one of the people involved in this project

0:24:32 > 0:24:35right from the beginning, tell us a little bit about it.

0:24:35 > 0:24:38This is a new initiative, the Edible Gardening Project,

0:24:38 > 0:24:43and we're doing this in conjunction with the Scottish Allotments and Garden Society.

0:24:43 > 0:24:48Now, you know we've been growing plants for a long time, actually 340 years,

0:24:48 > 0:24:54but they're always pretty specialist plants from often very remote places, and the rarer the better, really.

0:24:54 > 0:24:58But this is about growing common vegetables, and it's about

0:24:58 > 0:25:01getting people started in growing vegetables for the first time.

0:25:01 > 0:25:04We're very excited about the possibilities that this is,

0:25:04 > 0:25:09to get people who've always wanted to grow vegetables but haven't had the confidence,

0:25:09 > 0:25:14didn't know where to start, giving them demonstration, mentoring them, helping them get started.

0:25:14 > 0:25:17What about the funding? Where's the money from?

0:25:17 > 0:25:23In the first year, we've been given a very generous grant from the People's Postcode Lottery.

0:25:23 > 0:25:30They're trying to encourage healthy eating, healthy exercise and green issues.

0:25:30 > 0:25:34So all of these come together, really, in this project.

0:25:34 > 0:25:38At the moment, we're really not looking at much, are we, because it's early days?

0:25:38 > 0:25:41But you've got this wonderful backdrop and that's students plots.

0:25:41 > 0:25:46Yeah, we're very lucky here that our students start at the beginning of the year.

0:25:46 > 0:25:51They're each given a plot and by the middle of the year this is what it's looking like at the time when

0:25:51 > 0:25:56the students are often going off to do other things, so we've actually inherited these plots from

0:25:56 > 0:26:01the students, and we're able to use those as demonstrations of, you know, "this is one we've done earlier".

0:26:01 > 0:26:07- It's a source of inspiration.- Very much so.- Who are the type of people that you want to volunteer?

0:26:07 > 0:26:11The first lot of people we want are volunteers who are going to be

0:26:11 > 0:26:17good communicators, so if they need some help with their horticultural skills, we've got experts on hand

0:26:17 > 0:26:22who can provide the training, but we want people to be able

0:26:22 > 0:26:27to enthuse about growing vegetables and also help to pass on their skills and experience to other people.

0:26:27 > 0:26:32This is the first year of the project, but you're going to hope that this is going to continue,

0:26:32 > 0:26:34so how are you going to measure success?

0:26:34 > 0:26:40Well, in the first instance, at the end of the year, we should have a team of trained volunteers,

0:26:40 > 0:26:43but also I think we've got to try and find out how many people

0:26:43 > 0:26:50were actually inspired by what they saw and went out there and started up a garden themselves.

0:26:50 > 0:26:55- Is that going to include yourself? Because you're not a horticulturist, are you?- I admit I'm not, no.

0:26:55 > 0:27:00I'm quite good at fund-raising and getting projects started, but my own garden does need a bit of help,

0:27:00 > 0:27:02so, yes, I'm hoping to pick up a few tips myself.

0:27:07 > 0:27:11- Jim, we've finally got the replacement hedge.- Yes, indeed.

0:27:11 > 0:27:15Castlewellan had to be removed. It just didn't come through the winter.

0:27:15 > 0:27:18Now we've got Thuja plicata, the Western Red Cedar.

0:27:18 > 0:27:24- And the variety?- Coles variety. That's after the nursery Coles of Thurnby, just outside Leicester.

0:27:24 > 0:27:28Now, in lovely big pots, but look at that - superb root balls.

0:27:28 > 0:27:31- Tease it out a little bit.- I'd tease that out when I plant it.

0:27:31 > 0:27:35And another thing to remember is to plant it so that you've got

0:27:35 > 0:27:39the branches running along the line of the hedge so that you get an instant hedge.

0:27:39 > 0:27:42- About 18 inches apart.- Yes. Soil in the barrow to sort it.

0:27:42 > 0:27:45Wonderful harvest, and your strawberries are doing well.

0:27:45 > 0:27:50Yes, and so far, Symphony has been the best. These are following on from the indoor ones.

0:27:50 > 0:27:55There's a wee bit to go yet before we go back there. But a few cherries left.

0:27:55 > 0:27:57Not many!

0:27:57 > 0:28:01Now, if you want to find out any more about hedge planting

0:28:01 > 0:28:03or the summer fruit pruning,

0:28:03 > 0:28:05or indeed Carole's autumn annuals,

0:28:05 > 0:28:08the best way is to look at the fact sheet and go online.

0:28:08 > 0:28:11Next week, I'm off to Douneside estate

0:28:11 > 0:28:15in Aberdeenshire, and I'm meeting head gardener Stephen McCallum.

0:28:15 > 0:28:18He's a great friend of ours because he used to be head gardener here.

0:28:18 > 0:28:23And I'm told he's making a lovely job at Douneside so I look forward to seeing that film.

0:28:23 > 0:28:28And I'm going to the James Hutton Institute because, as we all know, the answer lies in the soil.

0:28:28 > 0:28:31- Until then, goodbye. - Goodbye.- Goodbye.

0:28:42 > 0:28:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd