0:00:16 > 0:00:19Well, hello, and welcome to Beechgrove Garden.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22I tell you something, I'm not complaining about having
0:00:22 > 0:00:23an inside job today.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25It is really wild out there.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28But there are jobs we can be getting on with.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32First and foremost, here I've got some of the tuberous-rooted begonias
0:00:32 > 0:00:33lifted out of the bed.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35They're absolutely wringing wet.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38They're coming up like this, and I want to save the tubers
0:00:38 > 0:00:42and be able to grow them on next year. So I've given them a wash.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Here they are, quite clean. Not as big as I would have thought.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Another problem of the kind of weather we've had.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50We want them to sit in the air
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and for all that top foliage to dry off.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58Don't go cutting it off just now. Let it dry off naturally and then
0:00:58 > 0:01:01dispose of all that, because there are reports that there's been
0:01:01 > 0:01:04quite a lot of spotting on the leaves of these begonias this year.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07It could be a bit of downy mildew, whatever,
0:01:07 > 0:01:08you want to get rid of all that.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Don't put it in the compost heap, get it dumped and then make sure
0:01:11 > 0:01:13that you examine the tubers.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15And I've got some here that are already drying out,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19because they were in tubs, and, look, that's how they'll look.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23This is the little multi-flora ones, and they've dried out. I can rub off
0:01:23 > 0:01:27all the sort of extra... There's a wee bit of root and so on there.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29They're ready to go into storage.
0:01:29 > 0:01:30But I will make a point that,
0:01:30 > 0:01:34if there's any doubt at all about, maybe, diseased foliage,
0:01:34 > 0:01:35these you can dust with sulphur,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38which will protect them over the winter.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40And also look closely
0:01:40 > 0:01:43into all the little crevices, because this is
0:01:43 > 0:01:45a time of year when the grubs of the vine weevil
0:01:45 > 0:01:49are feeding on tubers and on roots of other plants, as well.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52You can very often find them, nestling in there,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54hoping you'll not notice them.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56But they're white, they're in a little foetal shape
0:01:56 > 0:02:00and a little brown head. Get rid of them, for goodness sake.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Then, you'll notice I have these sitting on the top here, on this.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08They'll sit in the greenhouse like that, until these have matured
0:02:08 > 0:02:10and dried off. Then we can store them,
0:02:10 > 0:02:12not in a dry, arid atmosphere,
0:02:12 > 0:02:13but frost-free.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17You get away with it in a greenhouse box for a while,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19but if it gets very frosty bring them indoors and,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21and as long as they're firm, they will be fine.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26And whilst we're on the subject, a week or two ago, we were looking
0:02:26 > 0:02:28at these wonderful, great, statuesque gladioli,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30which had been badly hit by the weather.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34Well, here they are in now, ready for drying off, as well,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37because in time, that will all die back
0:02:37 > 0:02:40and the whole thing will dry up and the new corns can be
0:02:40 > 0:02:44cleaned off and treated just exactly the same as the begonias -
0:02:44 > 0:02:46kept over winter, ready to start again.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48Don't throw them oot, that's a waste of money.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50In the rest of the programme...
0:02:52 > 0:02:55I'm revisiting one of Jim's problem corners from last year.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01I'm also revisiting a community garden in Edinburgh,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03which we helped with two years ago.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11- What flavour's yours?- Hmmm, sweetcorn, with a hint of chocolate.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13- What's yours?- Eh, fleecy bean.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16That's new to me, but they're quite nice, aren't they?
0:03:16 > 0:03:19It will be new to them, as well, but you'll find out all about it.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Well, there's a bit of a break in the weather.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Let's get this bit done before it comes on again.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32One hand dry and the other wet.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36It's the last time we have to see the wildflower mixes.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39I think they've been a success. We've had fantastic colour, we've had
0:03:39 > 0:03:43lots of poppies and cornflower and this corncockle which we've got
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and the yellow daisy is absolutely superb.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47OK, what's the treatment from now on?
0:03:47 > 0:03:51For anybody following us, what they should do now is wait till
0:03:51 > 0:03:54the seed is set on here. because there's lots of seed. Look at that.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58- Oh aye, aye. But it's, as yet, unripe.- Immature.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01We've got to let it ripen. We'll cut the whole lot down, leave it
0:04:01 > 0:04:04lying, so that the seed can go back into the soil,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07then rake that off, into the compost heap and see what comes up next year.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09There's a fair bit of clover in these two here.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14Now these are perennial ones, these other ones up there are annual. This is perennial.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16There's a butterfly and a honeybee one here.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20It's got chicory and all sorts of things in it, so we'll see what that does.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22- Have you got a log of what's there? - Uh-huh.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Because next year, the indigenous population will begin to assert itself.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28And at our age we forget things!
0:04:28 > 0:04:31But we photographed what was in there, we've got
0:04:31 > 0:04:34the packets, as well, to let us know what was in the seed mixes,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36and then we'll be able to assess what's the best value
0:04:36 > 0:04:38and what's better over two years.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Good stuff. Let's move to the grasses.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45Now, if I said to you to pick five, we'll find room in the garden for five, what are the best five?
0:04:45 > 0:04:46OK.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Chionochloa, which is at the bottom,
0:04:48 > 0:04:52It's an all time favourite of mine. I've got a fantastic plant at home and that's a must.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55The fact is, that does not hit you between the eyes,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59is that because they're in the wrong place? Is the bottom of the hill too wet?
0:04:59 > 0:05:01- All the wet at the moment, but that will come away.- Aye.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03The pheasant's tail, I think is super.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06That one, look at that, tatra gold, absolute stoater.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08It'll stay small. Never need mowing.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12We'll put that under the trees with the bulbs. Look at these!
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Look at these stems on that. Is that not just bonnie, eh?
0:05:15 > 0:05:19Waving around, with the wet on them and all the rest of it. That's the molinia...
0:05:19 > 0:05:23- Passing on swiftly! - Now see this, look at that.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28I think, apart from the sort of minging foliage, which might
0:05:28 > 0:05:33just be the weather, the seed heads are, to my mind, absolutely divine.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36There's purples and pinks and silver, with the water in them.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38- So delicate. - You could almost get poetic about it.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41- But that's calamagrostis. - That's four, you've one more.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43There's one, that one - pennisetum,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45but I have to have this one, as well.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49This is a thing called Molinia Skyracer. That is just superb.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- More to come from that?- There'll be very good autumn colour on those.
0:05:52 > 0:05:57Right, now then. Green manuring. Where's your fork?
0:05:57 > 0:06:03It's just over here. Now, this is where we were looking at what we should use as green manure.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08We've got a bit of fibre coming through there, we can see the fibre and that's quite important.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11You're not skimming it in and burying it right down.
0:06:11 > 0:06:12you're just turning it in.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16No, I'm just turning it over. I just want to make a seed bed, to put some more in there.
0:06:16 > 0:06:21Let's just recap - any spare bit of ground will benefit from one of these, sort of, short-lived crops
0:06:21 > 0:06:24that bulk up a lot of root, because it improves the soil
0:06:24 > 0:06:27and improves the efficiency of the soil?
0:06:27 > 0:06:30That's right, and it stops the rain hitting the soil surface
0:06:30 > 0:06:35- and causing erosion.- The important thing is, you choose the crops that will bulk up the root system?
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Yes, the two best would be caliente mustard and phacelia.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42- They will be the two that will bulk up the fastest. - Tell us about this caliente mustard.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Well, this caliente is one which, when it breaks down,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48produces a mustard gas, or something like that, in the soil
0:06:48 > 0:06:50and it will actually act as a fumigant.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53- A fumigation?- A bio-fumigant. - So you're going to put more on?
0:06:53 > 0:06:55I'm going to sow some more in there, I've got a packet in my pocket.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59OK, leave the phacelia, cos this yin's interesting.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Yes, this is quite good down here, Jim.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06If we look at this one. This is where I was digging before.
0:07:06 > 0:07:07This is lupins.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11- Aye.- Now, see what you've got. You've got the root, which is broken up soil,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14hard soil will be broken up with that, then you've got all these nodules.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Are you going to tell the people the secret of the nodules?
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Right, these are the nitrifying nodules, they grab nitrogen from the atmosphere...
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Like the peas and beans?
0:07:23 > 0:07:27Absolutely, so you could use beans, as well, for the same thing.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Then these decay and it goes into the soil.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31So it enriches the soil, as well?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Absolutely, that's free nitrogen, coming from the air.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37- Yes, exactly.- You're not buying it.- No, we're recycling. Are you going to do these again next time?
0:07:37 > 0:07:41I will put the same things into the same spaces next year and we'll see then again.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44It's a two-year job, just like the wild flowers.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50George, the time has come to conclude our trial,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54which is all about growing sweetcorn and French beans
0:07:54 > 0:07:58here in Beechgrove in Aberdeen, and also in your allotment in Edinburgh.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02So, 120 miles apart, differences in day length, differences
0:08:02 > 0:08:05in temperature, differences in general climate, really.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- And how we looked after them. - That's right.- Less said about that!
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Anyway, first of all the sweetcorn, we have got, first of all,
0:08:12 > 0:08:16this group here, eight plants, which were grown from seed in the garden,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18and then we bought in another eight plants of the same variety.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Now these were very small when they were bought in and planted,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24but quite, well, 35 pence, these sixpence.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28- Roughly sixpence, but that's not talking about compost. - Well, extra to keep them.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32And we've got two varieties, we've got early bird and we've this swift,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36But when you look at them, to me, roughly what, two cobs per plant?
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Yes, and not really much difference in growth.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42- Yes, well, I think maybe we should just have a quick look.- Right, OK.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Let's see if it's set.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49We're looking for the threads to be going back, aren't we?
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Now, this is still perhaps a little bit early.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57There you are, look, there aren't many in this one, unfortunately. Look at that. I would have expected more.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Well, look, that's the same, that is really disappointing.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03- Oh, my goodness, it is. Now that will be a weather-related thing?- It will.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Because there's no pollen flying.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Right, OK, will we have a look at the beans now?!
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Yes, there was just as many problems with the beans!
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Yes, it's been a hard, hard year.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15- So, four varieties that we were growing.- Yes.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17We had ten plants each, of each variety,
0:09:17 > 0:09:24I had some outside, which were a total disaster, and then we had the same really underneath
0:09:24 > 0:09:27the giant cloche and the polytunnel, and I did get some of the crop.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29You did, well, no, absolutely, you've done very well.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31I had to plant mine under fleece,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34I planted them out, but I had to cover them with fleece.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36If I hadn't, the wildlife would have got them,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39and also the weather would have done them in.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43So, I'll take the flak for putting fleece on them, but I think I've got a crop and we'll see.
0:09:43 > 0:09:44Well, we need to go down there.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Let's go down there tomorrow and we can compare.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49- Maybe we can have a wee taste? - I think we can.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10I think, straight away, your sweetcorn looks a bit taller.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Well, the difference in temperature, I think, down here.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16No, it's all about the fleece!
0:10:16 > 0:10:20Come on, we must say again that you did cover it with fleece.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22I covered it with fleece, in order to protect it from foxes
0:10:22 > 0:10:25and the cold east wind. It's desperate. But good, isn't it?
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Yeah. Which variety are we looking at?
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Well, this is early bird, and there's one lot which are the plugs
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- and the other lot which were the seed.- So this is the seed?
0:10:35 > 0:10:38That's the seed-raised stuff. I don't know if there's much difference.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Not much difference. And the number of cobs?
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Well, there's some threes on there,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46- but the majority have just got two cobs on them.- So slightly more cobs than Beechgrove?
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Slightly more cobs than Beechgrove. But it's the reveal that counts.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Oh, I know, I hope they're going to be better than Beechgrove.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55I'm a wee bit anxious. There we go.
0:10:55 > 0:11:01- Right.- What have you got there? Oh, George, I'm impressed.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- Are you? Well...- Look. - Oh, my goodness, look, Carol.
0:11:04 > 0:11:09Now that is what I call a proper cob of sweetcorn.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Can I just say, never having grown this before,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14I'm actually quite chuffed.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Well, I've got some in the polytunnel at home and this is the kind of result I've got.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23I think we should have perhaps a higher burier at Beechgrove.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26- Maybe, aye, because I think what happened...- They're quite exposed.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29..was the pollen got blown away, because the ones up there were different.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Look at that. We need to get that in the pan.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34We need to run home and cook it immediately. That's absolutely...
0:11:34 > 0:11:39- That's wonderful, but what about the beans?- We'll have a look.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44What I did was, I brought down varieties from Beechgrove.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47- You had four varieties, ten plants of each.- That's right. - Just like at Beechgrove.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Yes, but they're behind us now, and they've finished, so they've pretty
0:11:51 > 0:11:54well finished cropping, but what's interesting is that the prince,
0:11:54 > 0:11:58which we grew at Beechgrove and down here, has come out on top.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03It was the heaviest cropper, it cropped earlier and it's cropped heavier.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05- I've got to trust you! - Well, you have.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09But yes, you started cropping on the 7th of August, but you know
0:12:09 > 0:12:11we started on the 8th, so I mean there's nothing in that.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Not a lot of difference.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16But, what is interesting is you've got about twice
0:12:16 > 0:12:19the amount of the prince.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21- Yes.- But, the prince came out top for both of us.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Yes, so that's the best variety. Amethyst did very well, also.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27- That's the purple one. - That's the purple one.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31It wasn't as good, though, as maxi, which is another green one.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Now all of those ones which I brought down from Beechgrove have now finished.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36They're not cropping any longer.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Now what about the beans in front of us?
0:12:38 > 0:12:43Right, I brought down a whole set of seed and I've sown them out.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Now this is quite a rough test, as well, a rough trial.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49A whole different range of varieties, they've all been sown out,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53and so it tests the germination, and it's now testing the cropping.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55OK, well, let's talk about the cropping.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Which ones were the best for you?
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Well, I think that this one here, which is delinel,
0:12:59 > 0:13:02that has done very well.
0:13:02 > 0:13:03Laguna and dulcina have done well.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06The one at the end's rather unusual looking.
0:13:06 > 0:13:07It's all over the place.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10I think that's supposed to be a climbing French bean,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13but that's borlotti, the fire bean, it has wonderful colour
0:13:13 > 0:13:18on the pods, flat pods, and they really do taste really superb.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23- I think we need to do a bit of cropping. Have you got any bags? - I have indeed. Let's go.
0:13:23 > 0:13:28JAUNTY PIANO MUSIC
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Right, here's the borlotti bean, try that, that's the big flat one.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51It's lost its colour, though, hasn't it?
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Yeah. That's tender, isn't it.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55- Hmmm. That is lovely.- Hmmm.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00- The purple amethyst, it's lost its colour, as well. - Lost the colour completely.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02OK, nothing wrong with the flavour.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Look at the sweetcorn, George, I bet you're chuffed to bits with this.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08- Look at my face. - I know, and a bit of butter.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- We have to give it a little taste. Mmmm.- Mmmm. Oh, isn't that nice?
0:14:12 > 0:14:16- That is delicious. What do we learn from this? Fleece?- I think it is.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21And I think, maybe, at Beechgrove, a polytunnel for the sweetcorn.
0:14:21 > 0:14:22- I think so.- Mmmm, wonderful.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26- Mmmm, I'm in heaven.- Mmmm.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29RAINFALL
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Well, it's not very heavenly here in the urine containers.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35These are permanent planters that I did last year,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38so I've got nice black grass here, Ophiopogon Nigrescens,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41and I've got a snowdrop coming through that, which looks
0:14:41 > 0:14:44so pretty in the spring, the white and the black.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46This Heuchera is Plum Pudding. It's looked gorgeous all year
0:14:46 > 0:14:50and I've got Muscari Pink Sunrise underneath it.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Over here, we're growing more temporary plants.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57We had summer bedding in and that's all been removed, so they're empty.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59In fact they're not completely empty,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01because they also have bulbs in from last year.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05In this one, we have some peachy-coloured tulips
0:15:05 > 0:15:07and then blue chionadoxa.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09The ivy has survived from last year,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11and what I've popped in is a little viola.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16This is called Delft blue, and that will flower throughout the autumn.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19In this next pot, I'm going to put in winter-flowering pansies.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Now, I'm not changing over the compost,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25so to refresh this, I'm putting through slow-release fertiliser.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29This is a winter-flowering pansy and now is the ideal time to put it in.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32It needs to have flower, actually, on the plant you're putting in,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36and you need to put it in from mid-September to mid-October.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40It makes a big enough plant and it will flower throughout the winter.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42I'm going to pack these in really tightly,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44because they haven't got much time to grow.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47In here we've also got Tulip Plum Pudding.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49And finally, in the last container, I've got a range
0:15:49 > 0:15:53of tulips here called Tropical Punch and they're reds and oranges,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57and in there, I've popped something for the spring,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01this primrose is called Primrose Orange. That's going to be a lovely combination.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06If you haven't got any pots with bulbs in, then now is the time to be doing it.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09It's the usual drill, you need a pot that's frost-proof,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12and a great big drainage hole with a crock. Pop in compost,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14it doesn't have to be bulb-fibre.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Now the tulip I'm going to use is Lady Jane. This is the one
0:16:18 > 0:16:22that came up best in our trials in the spring, it flowered for ages.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24So I've got ten bulbs in there,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26and I'm just going to put some more compost on the top.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30With this pot, I'm going to give myself the best of both worlds.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33I'm going to put something in for the autumn, that's for now, and this
0:16:33 > 0:16:37is a cyclamen, which is in flower, and even when these haven't
0:16:37 > 0:16:41got flowers on, the foliage has got that gorgeous marbling.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45And then for the spring, I'm popping in some Sweet William,
0:16:45 > 0:16:50and the fresh green leaves look lovely next to the glaucous foliage of the cyclamen.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54George, I want to take you back to a cold and frosty December day.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57- I mean, it's pretty awful today, isn't it?- It's bad now.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00I was wearing a different hat, and taking hardwood cuttings
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- so I think we should look at the technique first.- Yeah.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05This is a dogwood,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08and what I'm doing is I'm looking for this season's growth.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10So these nice, young,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12vigorous stems.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Hardwood basically means they are quite woody,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18it's had the whole season's growth.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20And now what I'm going to do is prepare them,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22and we'll be planting them outside.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Now when it comes to the preparation of these cuttings,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33what I'm looking for is a pair of buds, you can see the buds there.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37I'm going to cut just below,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39just a straight cut,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41and then I'm looking for another pair of buds,
0:17:41 > 0:17:46about six to nine inches up the stem, so this pair here,
0:17:46 > 0:17:52and what I need to do with that is cut just above and at an angle.
0:17:52 > 0:17:58The reason for the angle is so that the water can drop off of that.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02After I've prepared them, and I've got some here already. This is another dogwood,
0:18:02 > 0:18:07dark stems kesselringii, dip them into the rooting hormone powder,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09and then I've got the trench already prepared.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13A couple of inches of sand in the bottom,
0:18:13 > 0:18:15so that's going to help with drainage,
0:18:15 > 0:18:19and then you want to put these about six inches apart.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23Now the kind of material, as well as dogwoods, is all kinds
0:18:23 > 0:18:29of willows, you can have ribes, the flowering currant, privets,
0:18:29 > 0:18:33and then what you do is you fill in the trench, really firm the soil,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36and if it gets frosty you maybe need to firm it in again.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39And we won't come back to these cuttings until autumn time,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41when hopefully they've rooted.
0:18:41 > 0:18:42So this is the big reveal again?
0:18:42 > 0:18:45It is a little bit disappointing, George, though, with the results,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47we've only got a couple of dogwoods that have taken.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50The willows have taken OK.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52It'll be interesting to see where the roots are from,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55because you spoke about roots coming from the nodes
0:18:55 > 0:18:57and things like that, so the cuts were important.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Don't you think that, in a way, the best time to take hardwood
0:19:01 > 0:19:03cuttings is actually immediately after leaf-fall,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05so sort of late October, maybe?
0:19:05 > 0:19:08That's right. Then the shoots are full of nutrients, full of water,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10and we don't want them to dry out, so you take them
0:19:10 > 0:19:13and you get them inserted into the soil as soon as possible.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Normally, when I do them, I would bury them
0:19:15 > 0:19:18just with that showing above soil level.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Maybe we need to try that another year, or even put them in a cold frame.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23- That's right. - Let's see what we've got.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26I mean, if you've got good roots, I would just pot them up.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Well, oh, now, look at that, here we are.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34- Hey!- There's nothing wrong with that. What's interesting, though...
0:19:34 > 0:19:36That costs you nothing, George.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40No, it didn't, but the other thing is the roots have come near the top
0:19:40 > 0:19:41where the oxygen is,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44and round about where the nodes are.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48All the things we talked about, that's where the root initials are and that's where they came from so...
0:19:48 > 0:19:50- Well, I would try it again, wouldn't you?- Yeah.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Hardwood cuttings is a great way.
0:19:52 > 0:19:53Oh yeah, easy way to do it,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55and there's a range of plants we can use.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56- So we'll pot these up?- Yeah.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04I've come to the garden of Nicola Hughes in Linlithgow.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08She wrote to us last year with a problem corner.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12So, Nicola, just remind us about the problem again.
0:20:12 > 0:20:18OK, well, when I moved here initially we had grass right up to the fence.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21I found it quite difficult to cut, because it's such a steep slope,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24so we took the grass away and planted some plants and then,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26basically, had a constant battle
0:20:26 > 0:20:29with weeds coming through from the waste ground at the back,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31and the grass coming back and things, so last year
0:20:31 > 0:20:36Jim helped me put some bigger plants in and fill it out a bit.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39The wall that Mike built for me has definitely helped contain it as well.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44It's lovely how the plants have taken off, and the helianthemum has softened the wall a bit.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47It's lovely when they trail. As the sun comes, the flowers are lovely.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51- I'm pleased to see the rosemary's come through the winter. - Yes, it's done very well.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54The main problem really has been that I lost my lilac tree
0:20:54 > 0:20:56in the storms earlier in the year, as you can see.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Which is a real shame, because that was a bit of a focal point.
0:20:59 > 0:21:00It was, it was lovely.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03I wouldn't suggest another tree, just because of the slope,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06but I wonder about a climber like honeysuckle?
0:21:06 > 0:21:10- Yeah.- You've got the wires there, so that would maybe work for you.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13But what I do notice is, the lilac is suckering a little bit.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Yes, although it looks very dead from the stump, it does still sprout
0:21:16 > 0:21:19quite a lot of shoots and I'm constantly pulling them out.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Well there are some chemicals available.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Sometimes you can paint it on, and then the other thing you need to do
0:21:24 > 0:21:28is cut the stump again so you've got fresh wood when you're treating it.
0:21:28 > 0:21:29OK.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31And if you're worried about any pets,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34- I would put a bit of polythene over it.- OK.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36And the other thing I would suggest is there's
0:21:36 > 0:21:38a sort of a blank area just in front of it.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- Yes.- I would put a stepping stone there.- Oh, that's a good idea.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45All right? So you haven't got that steep slope, because that's almost 45 degrees of an angle.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47It is, it's very steep.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51- Then, if you want, you can put a pot there, and fill that with a bit of colour.- OK.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00I'm now at the Royal Edinburgh Community Garden, which was
0:22:00 > 0:22:04a huge project that Beechgrove helped with two years ago.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Hilary, you now manage the project, so in two years, just tell us
0:22:15 > 0:22:20- a little bit about the progress that's gone on.- There's actually been quite a lot of progress,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22We've more than doubled production in the north garden,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26we've also planted quite a lot of hedging, we've planted five rows
0:22:26 > 0:22:29of strawberries and blackcurrants
0:22:29 > 0:22:31and blackberries through the forest garden.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35We've also planted in a young fruit tree nursery, with 1,000 trees,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and they're all apples,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40and they've all been grafted by community members and volunteers.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Oh, that's wonderful, You've mentioned volunteers, so who is actually involved?
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Every sector of the community.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49We're working with four local primary schools, there's two nurseries,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52there's a mum and kids playgroup that comes in,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55and patients and staff from the hospital come down and work with us.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58We also have corporate challenges, where there's an opportunity
0:22:58 > 0:23:01for team-building and they're able to make a donation to the garden.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04So all in all, we're looking at about 1,000 hours of volunteer time
0:23:04 > 0:23:07that's contributed to the gardens every month.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Simon, you're the garden coordinator here,
0:23:15 > 0:23:19and straight away, I'm really impressed with the path system round the orchard,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21so tell us a little bit about the philosophy here.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24We're actually leaving some of the nettles here, to promote
0:23:24 > 0:23:28the conservation and bio-diversity, especially things like butterflies,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32great for pollination, we cut this twice a year, and all the
0:23:32 > 0:23:35community members get involved, with an old traditional scythe.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Oh, absolutely brilliant. Well, look, the nettles are encouraging the wildlife.
0:23:38 > 0:23:44Behind you, I can see the tree's protected, so I'm assuming rabbits are a problem?
0:23:44 > 0:23:46They are a problem, however, we do work, like I say,
0:23:46 > 0:23:50with nature to promote that, as well. As long as there aren't too many.
0:23:50 > 0:23:51CAROL LAUGHS
0:23:51 > 0:23:53- You can live with them.- Yes.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56- And I can see that you've had a woodpecker.- Yeah, had a woodpecker.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58There's quite a few on site,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01but again, we're trying to promote that for conservation.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04The woodpecker preys on insects that we don't really want.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- Leave the dead wood on the tree, you don't want to prune it out. - Absolutely.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09- You don't want to be too tidy. - No, no, not here.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12What about the vegetables? I mean, there's a huge plot in production.
0:24:12 > 0:24:13Yes.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16It's been a difficult year, but what's done particularly well?
0:24:16 > 0:24:17Broad beans have done well.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21And also lettuce and the radish and the onions have been brilliant.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23However, we have had problems.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25It's been quite a difficult year for growers.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28But one or two vegetables are going into a show?
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Yeah, there's one in particular, which is the onion we've named John, after one of our members,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35and, hopefully, we should come away with a first.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48Now, this is the area two years ago, we were putting in a barrier
0:24:48 > 0:24:51and that was to stop the Japanese knotweed
0:24:51 > 0:24:54from invading into this area. Has it worked?
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Very well, it's totally contained the Japanese knotweed
0:24:57 > 0:25:00and we've actually cut the knotweed back, letting the comfrey
0:25:00 > 0:25:05and the docken grow over it, shadowing it, and helping to drive that out.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10I think that's an interesting technique, so you're letting the plants smother the knotweed.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12- Yes, yeah.- Excluding the light.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Now this was a pilot scheme for NHS Lothian,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17so how successful has it been?
0:25:17 > 0:25:18It's been very successful.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21This was the initiative of NHS Lothian's chairman,
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Dr Charles Winstanley, managed by local charity Edinburgh Cyrenians,
0:25:25 > 0:25:31and the second NHS Lothian community gardens will open in Midlothian this year,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34with the third planned to open in West Lothian next year,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37- so were very excited about this. - Absolutely wonderful.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Right, we're just going into autumn, and now is when
0:25:48 > 0:25:53the birds will eat all your apples, but you have to remember that there will be other predators, too.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57It's a good time to plan, and the one thing we're planning for this
0:25:57 > 0:26:02time of year is to prevent winter moths from going up onto the top
0:26:02 > 0:26:05of the apple trees, so we're going to put round a grease band.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09That goes round the tree as tightly as you possibly can, at that point.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13Now it's still loose, top and bottom, so what we're going to do is put
0:26:13 > 0:26:18string round there, just to make sure it goes right in next to the stem.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22This will stop the wingless females of the winter moth going up
0:26:22 > 0:26:25and laying their eggs on the top of the apple tree,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28and then eating leaves and fruitlets next spring.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32I would just like to draw a conclusion to our mini-aubergine trial.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35We had them in a cold greenhouse and the fruit wasn't setting,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38so what we decided to do was bring them into the propagation house,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42and here we have temperatures of around about 15 degrees centigrade.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Just have a look at the results.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48This one, the variety's called Pot Black, you can see why,
0:26:48 > 0:26:54and then this variety is amethyst, lovely pink fruits to that one.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59Well, here in the decking garden we've the stacking potato system. We cropped one earlier.
0:26:59 > 0:27:04- You did quite well with it, didn't you?- Yeah, but there's some tiny ones at the top, and let's leave it.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08This variety is Bounty, it's a main crop, so we're going to reveal.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- Does the name augur well? Bounty! - I don't know, Jim.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15- So how are we going to do this? - Keep going.- OK, give this a shake.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17- Oh, there's one!- Oh! Look at that!
0:27:17 > 0:27:21I've brought this for the crop.
0:27:21 > 0:27:22LAUGHTER
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- Look at that.- Getting better. - Got one.- There's a pea.
0:27:25 > 0:27:26LAUGHTER
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- Oh, look at this.- Crikey.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32- Look, there's some in here. - Oh, blimey.- Is this a golden bonanza, or a bounty?
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Do you think if we were to sell these at the end of the road
0:27:35 > 0:27:38we'd make the price of this system and the compost?
0:27:38 > 0:27:41We should stick to our fertiliser bag.
0:27:41 > 0:27:47It's better than last time, when I had one potato from three seeds.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49That's true. There are some good-sized ones.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- There are such a variety of sizes. - Absolutely.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55- Have you really sifted through that carefully?- Oh, absolutely.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57You're not competitive, are you?
0:27:57 > 0:28:00- No, it's not worth it. - That will make all the difference.
0:28:00 > 0:28:01That will just tip the scales.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05If you want any other information about this week's programme,
0:28:05 > 0:28:06have a look on the factsheet.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10And I have to say, if you've got any wee problems in the garden that you would
0:28:10 > 0:28:14like us to solve, just like Nicola's there in Linlithgow, which you went to see,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18let us know about it, write in and the best way to get in touch with us is on the website.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20And the same goes for community gardens like the
0:28:20 > 0:28:24Royal Edinburgh Hospital. If you were inspired by that one, because
0:28:24 > 0:28:27it's gone from strength to strength, if you've got some like-minded
0:28:27 > 0:28:31people and a nice piece of land, well, why don't you apply, too? It's all on the website.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35Well, that's it for this time. Next week's the last programme,
0:28:35 > 0:28:37until then...
0:28:37 > 0:28:40I'm away to put the chip pan on. Until next time...
0:28:40 > 0:28:41ALL: Bye!
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd