0:00:11 > 0:00:13DISTANT THUNDER
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Hello and welcome to Beechgrove.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18- The storm has just passed.- It has!
0:00:18 > 0:00:21By jingo, it was wet, wasn't it? Hence all these waterproofs.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23That's it, we'll get some more later, I'm quite sure.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25I think the ground needs it.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28- We've been very lucky in this corner, you're quite right.- Mmm.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Anyway, the story today that we're starting off with is peas.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32- Yes, this is our...- Lots of.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Umpteen different varieties.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Almost lots of because we've got gaps!
0:00:37 > 0:00:40They're completely empty, nothing come up.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41One or two come up here.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45When I see that, I think maybe that's mice.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47They find out where they are and they just go along the row
0:00:47 > 0:00:49- and pick them out. - They like one variety!
0:00:49 > 0:00:52- That's it, isn't it? - They're very juicy.- I know.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Then Wando, Jim, that one,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57we sort of took the soil away
0:00:57 > 0:01:00- and we found that it had rotted some of those.- OK.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Now that's a point I'll bring it in now
0:01:02 > 0:01:06because we've had a listener, or a viewer rather, in Loch Linnhe
0:01:06 > 0:01:07on the West Coast,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10grown peas for years but they're yellow and dying off.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12- Is that weather conditions as well, do you think?- Could be.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15It could be too wet, it could be too acid. We just don't know.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18- We really need...- More information.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Anyway, I think the outstanding feature of this year
0:01:20 > 0:01:22are the way the stakes have been all arranged,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24all different methods, starting at the top.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26Are you going to get them to grow that high, George?
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Well, they looked up, saw it and they've taken shock.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31I think they'll make it up here. These are tall varieties.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34- I like this one. - That's off-the-shelf.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36- It's rather nice. - That's off-the-shelf, as well.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39That system is quite good apart from the netting,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41maybe polypropylene netting would be better
0:01:41 > 0:01:43because it's rotted in the ground.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45- Already?- Yeah.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48- This one we've used for years.- That's a favourite.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Very easy with the chicken wire.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52And the brushwood, very simple.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55- On a budget these two, aren't they?- Look at these two varieties.
0:01:55 > 0:01:56- Yes!- This is good news.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59- Interestingly enough, in pots, warmer soil.- No bother.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01- Really doing well. - This thing's called Half Pint.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Look at that, I would love a half pint that size.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08- This one's Bingo, semi-leafless, not bad at all.- That's good.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11I once grew a leafless pea which was actually
0:02:11 > 0:02:13bred for the combine harvester.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15Guess the name?
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Bikini. THEY CHUCKLE
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Meanwhile, in the rest of the programme...
0:02:22 > 0:02:24With a grand home like this,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26I can also promise you
0:02:26 > 0:02:27a grand garden.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31And I did say I was going back to college.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35This might just be the place where they grow gardeners.
0:02:42 > 0:02:43Back in the small space garden
0:02:43 > 0:02:46and this is where we're harvesting just leaves this year.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48We've fed the ground intensively.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52We've put lots of base dressing on this right at the beginning
0:02:52 > 0:02:54when we were sowing the seeds at the start of the season.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57It had potash, phosphate and nitrogen in it.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02What happens is the nitrogen gets taken away from the soil quickly.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05The crops absorb it to make big leaves and that's what we wanted.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09When we cut the leaves off even the broad beans like that,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11we've got stuff which is going to be succulent in our salad.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Now, even on a day like this, I think
0:03:13 > 0:03:17a salad sometimes can be quite a nice refreshing sort of meal.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22When we have taken off this crop of leaves, as it were,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24you need to feed the plant.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27It had its breakfast and it's growing really, really well
0:03:27 > 0:03:30but now it's getting a bit late in the morning and it's getting
0:03:30 > 0:03:33a wee bit hungry and needing a little bit of sustenance
0:03:33 > 0:03:34like we would do.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38What we do with this is we will feed it with some sulphate of ammonia.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41There we are, we'll put that onto the crop there like that.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45Now you sprinkle that over the surface of the soil, right?
0:03:45 > 0:03:50Then, just very quickly, just tickle it in to the surface and,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53of course, with all the rain that we've been having this morning,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57that will soon disappear into the soil and be absorbed by the plant.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00That's heavy in nitrogen. That will give us another good leaf crop.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03We have harvested some radish from over here
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and this is a variety called Flamboyant 3.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08It's quite big at the moment but great colour
0:04:08 > 0:04:10and that will add something extra to the salad.
0:04:10 > 0:04:11That will be quite good.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Now that we've taken those out I'm going to sow
0:04:14 > 0:04:15something else along the edge.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18I'm going to sow some pak choi.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21This is a brassica but it will do in the same space.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23We'll be fine with that there.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26These will go in all the way along the edge of the slab
0:04:26 > 0:04:28and if you look at that lettuce down there,
0:04:28 > 0:04:32what you'll find is those which are near the edge of the slab
0:04:32 > 0:04:35are growing faster than the ones which are slightly further away.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37That is the edge effect -
0:04:37 > 0:04:40where we've got the extra heat from the slab,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43makes the seeds germinate quicker and then the plants
0:04:43 > 0:04:46get a quicker chance of growing and becoming something decent.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50What we want here, of course, are lots and lots of succulent leaves.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52We've added sulphate of ammonia now.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55We've fed them, this rain is going to water them and we'll come
0:04:55 > 0:04:58back later on and we'll see exactly how they've been doing.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07As you probably know by now, I've got a bee in my bonnet
0:05:07 > 0:05:11about where the craftsman of the future are going to come from.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14There are plenty of degree courses for landscaper, designers and
0:05:14 > 0:05:18garden designers and all the rest of it but who's going to do the work?
0:05:18 > 0:05:22In my quest, the last time I was out I went to Breadalbane Academy
0:05:22 > 0:05:25at Aberfeldy and I spoke to students there
0:05:25 > 0:05:28who were actually on a course which is entitled Rural Skills,
0:05:28 > 0:05:33in which they do get some horticulture but today I've come to
0:05:33 > 0:05:38the wonderful grounds and buildings of Elmwood Campus here in Fife,
0:05:38 > 0:05:43Cupar, Fife, which is part of the Scottish Rural College,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45to speak to students here to see
0:05:45 > 0:05:48if I can find an answer to how we're going to grow a gardener.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58'I'm off now to meet Philip Watkin,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01'manager of the horticulture programme.'
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Now then, Phil, where do your students come from?
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Predominately, Jim, they come from this area of Fife,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10East of Scotland but we do get them...we've got
0:06:10 > 0:06:15students from the Shetland Isles, we've got students from Spain.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17We've had a student from Norway this year.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21We get this eclectic mix from all over but mainly from the East of Scotland.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23The facilities here are pretty nifty.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25The main resource here are our grounds
0:06:25 > 0:06:28because students can come here, they can do things
0:06:28 > 0:06:30from seed sowing right the way through to
0:06:30 > 0:06:33building ponds - you name it, they can do it.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35What is the range? Where do you start? What do you offer?
0:06:35 > 0:06:37We've got two basic routes that students can come.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40They can either come here when they've been in employment
0:06:40 > 0:06:42- and they can come block release.- Yeah.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Or they can come here and do full-time courses.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47They're ranging from, at one end of the spectrum,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50from SVQ, that's Scottish Vocational Qualification,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53practically based courses, going through to what we call the NC.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55- NC being National Certificate? - National Certificate.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Then moving on to the Higher National Certificate.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01But what we're very passionate about with our courses
0:07:01 > 0:07:06is that we don't want people to come in on this ladder system where they
0:07:06 > 0:07:09can get halfway up the ladder and think they're a trained gardener.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12What we're passionate about is that we've got these building blocks
0:07:12 > 0:07:14that's going to build a gardener from the base.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16They have to know how to prune trees,
0:07:16 > 0:07:18sow seeds, the practical skills.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20- I suppose I'd better go and talk to some of them.- That'll be good.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Now then, Liam, you have obviously handled a spade before.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36You're not a beginner.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Preparing, presumably, to plant this fella?
0:07:38 > 0:07:42Yes, this is Acer palmatum Purpurea.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43Why would you choose it?
0:07:43 > 0:07:46It'll look really nice cascading into the water here.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- It's really nice for the area. - Absolutely. Absolutely.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52But from your accent, I know you're from Shetland.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54- Yeah.- What do you do there?
0:07:54 > 0:07:56- I work in a local park for the local council.- All right.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Just in the centre of Lerwick.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- You're obviously doing this kind of stuff all the time?- Yeah.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- While holding on to your hat!- Yeah.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07How often have you been down here? What sort of course are you doing?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10I'm doing a modern apprenticeship along with the council and SRUC.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15Right. So how far have you gone? Are you starting, finishing?
0:08:15 > 0:08:18I'm just in my fourth year and I've just finished the course.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21- Oh-ho!- So that's SVQ3. - It's now reality from now on.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Are you going to try something else, are you going to move on?
0:08:25 > 0:08:28I've been offered my job back at home so I'm going back home
0:08:28 > 0:08:31and work away because it's a lovely place to work.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- So you enjoy working in a public park?- Definitely.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36What do you do with your spare time?
0:08:36 > 0:08:40I write a blog actually for the council based on the Flower Park.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44- Yeah?- So, yeah, I also do a bimonthly article
0:08:44 > 0:08:46for the local magazine.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50- I suppose you play the fiddle, as well.- Yeah, I do!
0:08:50 > 0:08:54We need more guys like you, mate, in this industry. Great stuff.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- Now then, how are you doing? - I'm good.- Good stuff.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08What's that you're putting in?
0:09:08 > 0:09:10- Pyrethrum.- This is a wee unofficial exam, by the way.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Aye.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- How did you get started in this caper?- With my grandad.- OK.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Did you sort of work along with him? Do you think it's in the genes?
0:09:19 > 0:09:20Yeah.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22What stage have you reached?
0:09:22 > 0:09:26I'm going on to do my NC next year.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- What does that mean? - Er, National Certificate.- Oh, right.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32What would you eventually like to do?
0:09:32 > 0:09:34- I want to do therapy.- OK.
0:09:34 > 0:09:35Horticultural therapy.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Funnily enough, that's an area that is getting more
0:09:38 > 0:09:41and more important as people realise what gardening can do for you.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42That's fine for you.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45I'm going to have a quick word with this fella here.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Now then, Callum.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49That's pyrethrum. What's the purple in here?
0:09:49 > 0:09:51That's prunella.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Any idea how high that's going to grow?
0:09:53 > 0:09:56I think it goes up to about 60 centimetres.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Aye, that's good, that's good. You're doing well so far.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00What goes in between in this blank space?
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- We've got bedding geraniums to put in.- Splendid.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05It'll be quite a show. Absolutely.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- So...where do you work?- I work at the University of St Andrews.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Oh, right. Are you enjoying that?
0:10:10 > 0:10:12- Yeah, it's brilliant. - What course are you on?
0:10:12 > 0:10:15I'm doing a gardening apprenticeship.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Right, right, and so you come here quite regularly.
0:10:18 > 0:10:19I come here for SVQ Level 2.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22- Well, I wish you well. - Thanks very much.
0:10:22 > 0:10:23Good on you.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- Hi there, Moira.- Hi, Jim.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Getting an essential job done?
0:10:36 > 0:10:39- Yes, taking some of the dock weed out.- Aye, quite.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Some of it, I notice, you say.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- Some of it.- You can't remove all of it, can you?- That's it.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46It's an essential job and you've got the message, as well.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Yes, just putting it at the side just in case there's any
0:10:49 > 0:10:52- wee beasties in there and they could go back in again.- Yes, yes.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Now I've been speaking over the last couple of visits
0:10:55 > 0:10:59to school pupils about careers in horticulture.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02I've been speaking to young people here today
0:11:02 > 0:11:07and you come under the category of midlife change of direction.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- Yeah, that's right.- What did you do before? What did you do before?
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Well, before I had my family, Jim,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16I actually came to Elmwood in 1978
0:11:16 > 0:11:18and I did a secretarial course.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19I did office work for a while.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23Yes, so that's a classic career, interrupted by family,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25bringing up the family.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28Now you have got a bit of time, what made you choose horticulture?
0:11:28 > 0:11:31It's just that I love gardening but I really wanted to know a wee
0:11:31 > 0:11:35- bit more about the botany side, a wee bit more in-depth.- Yes.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38So I came and done the National Certificate course,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40which I just loved.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44I did quite well so I carried on to do my Higher National Certificate.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47- Oh!- Which has been really enjoyable.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50So are you going to capitalise on it?
0:11:50 > 0:11:52I would love to get a job in horticulture,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55especially maybe gardening therapy.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59- You're the second person that's said that to me within minutes.- Right.
0:11:59 > 0:12:00It's brilliant.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03I hope you enjoy the rest of your time on this course, Moira.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06I'd better let you get back to that essential work you're doing.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08- Thanks very much, Jim.- Cheers, bye.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12Well, you know, I'm in a better frame of mind now
0:12:12 > 0:12:14than I was when I arrived.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Wonderful surroundings, great facilities,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20very talkative students, going in the right direction,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24so the opportunities are there to learn from the base upwards
0:12:24 > 0:12:26and become really good practising horticulturalists.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28I tell you,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31I'm chuffed with what we've seen today.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49The wonderful British weather, the clouds have opened again
0:12:49 > 0:12:52but, never mind, we're going to carry on cropping here.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55A bit like George with his small space gardening,
0:12:55 > 0:12:57this is our decking area.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59It's all about growing vegetables
0:12:59 > 0:13:01and ornamental crops, as well, in containers.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04So, you know, it could be a patio, maybe a balcony.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06So what have we got here?
0:13:06 > 0:13:08First of all I want to show you this lettuce
0:13:08 > 0:13:10because I think that's a gorgeous colour.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13It's an oak-leaved variety called Navarra.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15If you want, you could just pick one or two leaves or
0:13:15 > 0:13:19because that's quite mature now I've cut the whole lettuce.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20Then lots of baby leaves here.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22You know, George was cropping some of them.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26We've got rocket because although lettuce is nice,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29it doesn't necessarily have a lot of flavour to it, whereas rocket,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32you know, can be really quite hot.
0:13:32 > 0:13:33We've got mustard.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Again, that gives a nice little bite to the flavour of the salads.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39And two different varieties of spinach.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42I think it's this one that I would pick out.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45This variety's called Reddy because it's got a lovely,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48little red streak in the mid-rib there.
0:13:48 > 0:13:49Then the radish.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54George had a radish, didn't he? That one was called Flamboyant, I think.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57This one is called Francis, a very similar shape.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00It's a French Breakfast variety.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02And also Mars.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05That your typical red, round radish.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Well, I have had a wee taste
0:14:07 > 0:14:10and of the two, Mars is a lot milder
0:14:10 > 0:14:14and really crisp but if you like peppery flavours,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16then go for this one, go for Francis.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Also, do you remember that I was sowing those seed tapes last week?
0:14:20 > 0:14:23And the radish there, if you want to keep that succession going,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27already the radish have germinated, just in seven days.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Finally, just before I get absolutely soaked,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33I want to have a look at my tatties here.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35The new pot, this is really interesting
0:14:35 > 0:14:39because it is a pot within a pot,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41so you can have a wee look and, yes, you can
0:14:41 > 0:14:45see where maybe some of the tatties are going to start forming
0:14:45 > 0:14:47but they've only been in this pot about seven weeks
0:14:47 > 0:14:51so we're going to have to wait at least another five, six weeks
0:14:51 > 0:14:52before we start cropping.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56A wet day and where do I end up?
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- GEORGE CHUCKLES - In the bog garden.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01We're trying to revamp this area.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04We've just started the job and a bit of a guddle at the back of us,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07and as you can see with all this rain, and I want to try
0:15:07 > 0:15:09and do something with these sarracenias.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14They've been in here since, what, 2011.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Now, I want to try and clean them
0:15:16 > 0:15:20up a bit to make sure that we get rid of this weed here.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23This is the weed that's been causing the problem - this is a rush
0:15:23 > 0:15:25which comes up through, it's gone through everything,
0:15:25 > 0:15:26it's got all these rhizomes -
0:15:26 > 0:15:28it's coming up through all sorts of plants.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31You know how when we lift things out of our herbaceous borders
0:15:31 > 0:15:34when we've got things like bishop's weed in them, put them
0:15:34 > 0:15:36in a nursery bed, well, I want to do the same with the sarracenias.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38I want to put them into pots.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41What I'm going to do here is put them into a pot of
0:15:41 > 0:15:45a mix of 50-50 perlite and leaf mould.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48It has to be something which is well drained because although these
0:15:48 > 0:15:51plants are things which sit in bogs,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54they do like to have moisture running past them.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57They don't like to be sitting in stagnant water,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00so usually you will find them in areas where the water drains
0:16:00 > 0:16:02freely away from them, although they're still kept moist.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04It's a bit of an anomaly, really.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07But they like to have roots which are well elevated
0:16:07 > 0:16:09and just kept moist.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12So that's going into this pot here.
0:16:12 > 0:16:13And we'll put that in,
0:16:13 > 0:16:17put some compost round the back of it here,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19get that in there.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22I'll do that completely all the way round
0:16:22 > 0:16:24and we'll sit that somewhere
0:16:24 > 0:16:26so that we can watch and see
0:16:26 > 0:16:28if any of this rush comes through and when it does,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31we'll pull it out and eventually, we'll clean this up
0:16:31 > 0:16:35and we'll get them back into the revamped bog garden.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36What a day!
0:16:36 > 0:16:37RAIN PATTERS
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Well, it's time to check on the progress here in our tomato house.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44These tomato plants were put in at the beginning of May
0:16:44 > 0:16:46and they have really romped away.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48They've really enjoyed the sort of weather we've been having.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52Just to recap very quickly, the first two bags here are just plain
0:16:52 > 0:16:54grow bags, sitting on the gravel.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57My problem with that is over a period of time,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00that compost gets flatter and flatter and flatter
0:17:00 > 0:17:03and the drainage is very difficult and very lax.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06So then we come to this idea of putting these
0:17:06 > 0:17:08rings on top of the grow bag.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10The rings are full of compost as well,
0:17:10 > 0:17:14so it doubles the height of the drainage there.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Anyway, we'll carry on with the next system here,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19which are these great grow bags.
0:17:19 > 0:17:20Only three plants in them,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23a bit expensive because it takes three or four grow bags
0:17:23 > 0:17:26to fill each one and will they produce four times the crop?
0:17:26 > 0:17:28I don't think so.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Over this side, we're into the automatics,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34fed from a reservoir here and the little pipes there going in,
0:17:34 > 0:17:36each one gets its own feed.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Then the system which was introduced last year,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41we're trying to refine our technique with it.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44It has a reservoir and the feed and the water
0:17:44 > 0:17:48comes up from underneath, drawn up by capillary matting.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53Back to this whole business about this height of drainage
0:17:53 > 0:17:57and being sure that the water drains down and the roots don't get sodden.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00One of the ideas that the old boys on the allotments do is turn
0:18:00 > 0:18:02the grow bag on its side
0:18:02 > 0:18:04and then you've got the full
0:18:04 > 0:18:06height of the width - if you see what I mean! -
0:18:06 > 0:18:11to drain. I saw this gadget here to do just that.
0:18:11 > 0:18:12It's doing the business.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Absolutely fine.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15But these are quite expensive.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18They'll last a while, but they cost about 20 quid apiece,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22whereas, as someone wrote in to tell us, you can just get a grow bag,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24half it in the middle, stand it on its end
0:18:24 > 0:18:26and you've got two plants there
0:18:26 > 0:18:28and you've got this drainage problem solved.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31So all these systems are meant to try
0:18:31 > 0:18:34and improve upon the basic grow bag, to make it easier for you.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36We'll report in due course.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39Now then, to answer a question from Sharon Norton,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43she wrote in to ask, do you remove side shoots?
0:18:43 > 0:18:45And I'm saying yes, regularly.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47This is what I mean.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49We grow the plant as an upright cord
0:18:49 > 0:18:52and a single stem and all these little side shoots,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54if they're at that size,
0:18:54 > 0:18:57just see how easily it snaps out.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02If you let them get any taller or longer, they may leave a scar.
0:19:02 > 0:19:03But look at how easy that comes out.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05This is a difficult one,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08because it's competing with the leading shoot.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Got to be a bit careful with this one.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14This is a whole lot of wasted energy,
0:19:14 > 0:19:16because we don't need this growth.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19We want that energy to go into the fruit itself.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Time alone will tell.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31I'm visiting Braco Castle Gardens in Perthshire, which has
0:19:31 > 0:19:35a plethora of interesting plants and the majority of this is down to
0:19:35 > 0:19:40head gardener Jodie Simpson, who's worked here for the last 30 years.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Jodie, when you came here in the '80s,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50what was the major challenge you had to face?
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Just the fact that it was 20 acres
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- and a little unkempt in bits! - Uh-huh.
0:19:56 > 0:20:01And so... I was wondering how in fact to do it all.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Just getting to know the place, really,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05cos I arrived in the spring
0:20:05 > 0:20:07and was greeted by the snowdrops
0:20:07 > 0:20:10coming up, which was pretty good, then lots of daffodils,
0:20:10 > 0:20:15but beyond that, there was not much going on after the bulbs were over,
0:20:15 > 0:20:17so there's a lot of new planting.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19You're quite high up, as well?
0:20:19 > 0:20:21We are, we are about 600 feet -
0:20:21 > 0:20:23well, between 550 and 650,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26which doesn't sound a lot, but it's a relatively cold garden
0:20:26 > 0:20:30and the summer is short, the winter is very long!
0:20:30 > 0:20:34The trees are leafless for about six or seven months, so to try and
0:20:34 > 0:20:37extend the interest in the season is one of the major challenges.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39I think that's really important,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- having a garden that lasts for 12 months of the year.- Indeed.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Here we are at the pond,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02which was dug out in the mid-'30s
0:21:02 > 0:21:04and we have photographic evidence
0:21:04 > 0:21:07of them digging that all by hand.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10We have since dug it out again, around about 2000,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12because it had silted up so much.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14And it's a lovely tranquil setting.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16I mean, at the moment, the iris are looking great.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18Did you have to thin that clump down?
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Certainly we had to lose quite a lot of iris,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22because it was only a real puddle left at this end
0:21:22 > 0:21:27and the rest had infilled with silt and grasses and stuff.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29And the yew hedge, when do you clip that?
0:21:29 > 0:21:32The big yew hedge there - in fact all the hedges -
0:21:32 > 0:21:34are cut around about August, September.
0:21:34 > 0:21:35I particularly like the way
0:21:35 > 0:21:38you've got it fairly sort of informal, the shape of it.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41That's more by luck than good management!
0:21:41 > 0:21:44No, I think it looks really attractive, Jodie.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Well, because it's so wide - about eight feet across in some places -
0:21:47 > 0:21:51when we get two or three feet of snow, it assumes different shapes
0:21:51 > 0:21:54and doesn't always want to go back to where it came from!
0:21:54 > 0:21:57It's nice and natural, and do you know what I spy at the end there?
0:21:57 > 0:22:00It looks to me like some laburnum in flower. Can we go and have a look at that?
0:22:00 > 0:22:04We can certainly go and have a look, it's a very nice feature here.
0:22:04 > 0:22:05- You've timed it well.- Perfect.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20The laburnums, as you can see, are just peaking right now.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23This is absolutely stunning, I've never seen anything like it!
0:22:23 > 0:22:28- I've seen them trained over arches, pergolas...- It's something else.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32- It's so informal, to me, it's a glade of laburnums.- Mm-hm.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37And you know what? I think we should just stand and listen to the bees!
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Yes, it's quite a buzz.
0:22:39 > 0:22:40BIRDSONG AND BUZZING
0:22:47 > 0:22:49- That's magical, isn't it? - HE CHUCKLES
0:22:52 > 0:22:56This is quite a recent development we have, the stone wall.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59It's to make the most of the aspect here, which is
0:22:59 > 0:23:03- really hot and sunny.- It is very warm, so plants to go with that.
0:23:03 > 0:23:04Plants to go with that,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07sort of a chance to grow more Mediterranean type plants.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10It's nice to have the thyme, cos you've got the perfume of that.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11Lovely.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16And the nepeta kind of doubles as a Scottish lavender, because
0:23:16 > 0:23:17lavender here does not thrive at all
0:23:17 > 0:23:19and we also have lithodora...
0:23:19 > 0:23:22And that flowers for weeks, doesn't it?
0:23:22 > 0:23:26- It does. It's been doing very well. - What about the conifers behind?
0:23:26 > 0:23:29The conifers were a replacement
0:23:29 > 0:23:31for a monkey puzzle that was
0:23:31 > 0:23:32hit by lightning.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35A big monkey puzzle that used to be the centre of the garden.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37And, when it went,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39they planted these five cypress
0:23:39 > 0:23:41probably around the old stump
0:23:41 > 0:23:43and they give you a sort of focal
0:23:43 > 0:23:46point in the middle of the garden, as you can see.
0:23:46 > 0:23:47- It works really well.- Mm.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00This is a new area that we did last year, Carole.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Apparently, this is about as far away from the castle
0:24:02 > 0:24:06as you can get and it has quite a tall circular wall.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08So that's quite unusual, having a circular wall.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10It is quite unusual, yes.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13The area was a bit lost because of this large cypress that was
0:24:13 > 0:24:17growing here, so we took it down and we've opened up this area
0:24:17 > 0:24:21for another great spot for planting out things that like it hot and dry.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24So it's nice that you've left a bit of the tree trunk for the rose.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Indeed, and it should scramble up over that, given time.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- These, presumably self-seeded? The verascums.- Self-seeded, yes.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Don't need any staking, they're lovely filler plants.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39You see the amelanchiers there, with the cylinders, is that
0:24:39 > 0:24:42- because of deer?- That's to keep the roe deer off, yes.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44And do you have to do that with a lot of your shrub plants?
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Pretty much, yes. If you look around, you'll see a lot of nets.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49It's worth it, though,
0:24:49 > 0:24:51- cos otherwise you wouldn't have a garden!- That's correct!
0:24:51 > 0:24:55- And what heat we've got today! - Indeed!- It's wonderful! - It's absolutely arresting!
0:25:06 > 0:25:12Jodie, this is another wow factor for flowers! The Montanas.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16Well, you've been lucky again to catch the clematis at its best.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Absolutely tremendous.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Now, is that just two plants?
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Er, yes, and they both start over there.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27- So you certainly need some sizable wall!- Yes!
0:25:27 > 0:25:31And they go over the other side of the wall down to the bottom, too.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Having said that, you can prune them back, can't you?
0:25:33 > 0:25:36- You CAN keep them under control if you want.- You can.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38You can pretty much do what you like,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41- as long as you don't go down near the base.- Absolutely superb.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44But you know, anyone can grow the Tom Thumbs or the nasturtiums.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Absolutely - very easy to grow, good thing to start kids off on, even.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52The poorer the soil, the better for the flower, but if you want
0:25:52 > 0:25:55lots of foliage for eating or whatever, feed them a wee bit.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57So you just lift up those grills?
0:25:57 > 0:26:01Lift up the grills and pull out the weeds and sow the seed.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Jodie, this is an amazing place, I've had a fantastic day,
0:26:04 > 0:26:05fantastic weather.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09And with this heat, I think I could do with a swim in the pond!
0:26:09 > 0:26:11- Thank you very much.- My pleasure.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19It's time to harvest the comfrey.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Some people would say, "But it's still in flower
0:26:22 > 0:26:25"and the bees will be looking to the flowers," as they are as we speak.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27I'm not going to cut it all at once
0:26:27 > 0:26:29and there's plenty flowers for the bees at the moment.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31What I'm interested in is getting these stems,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35getting them chopped up and into the bin here.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Put a weight on the top of them and out of that spigot
0:26:38 > 0:26:43there at the bottom comes this beautiful liquid with which
0:26:43 > 0:26:46we were feeding our tomatoes last year and it did a fine job.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49You know, June is the perfect month
0:26:49 > 0:26:51if you've got any cloud pruning to do.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55I suppose I'd tend to call this pine a lollipop pine
0:26:55 > 0:26:58and what you need to do is these new candles,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02the best idea is to cut those back by about half.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Of course, if it's gone out of shape,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08you can prune it a bit more, but basically, candles back by half.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Four years ago, I sowed the seed of Meconopsis napaulensis -
0:27:14 > 0:27:15look at that.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17There it is now, it's flowering.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20It sat in a seed tray for one year, in a pot for another year
0:27:20 > 0:27:24and it's been planted out here for two years, now it has flowered.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26What's going to happen now?
0:27:26 > 0:27:29It's going to produce seed and then it's going to die.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31So now we've got to save this seed and sow it
0:27:31 > 0:27:33and start the cycle again,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35but you have to have patience with gardening.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Well, I tell you they say, "There's nowt so queer as folk."
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Here are we, sat sitting in the Alpine Garden, getting soaked!
0:27:44 > 0:27:46With our feet in the river!
0:27:46 > 0:27:50- But the slate looks nice now it's wet, actually!- It does!
0:27:50 > 0:27:53The deluge has done it good, taken the dust off. It's splendid.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56I think it's amazing how those plants have started to
0:27:56 > 0:27:58settle in now. Just in a few weeks,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00they've started to spread, haven't they?
0:28:00 > 0:28:03All coming over the rocks here, just looks as though they've always
0:28:03 > 0:28:06- wanted to be here. He's done a fabulous job on it.- Yes, Brian has.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08But if you'd like any more information about this week's
0:28:08 > 0:28:10programme, it's all in the fact sheet
0:28:10 > 0:28:13and the easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17Now, the next time, Jim and myself won't actually be in the garden,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20we're going to be at the Children's Hospital in Aberdeen,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23helping them with a really therapeutic garden.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25And that's in three weeks' time,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27because some people have got their priorities wrong,
0:28:27 > 0:28:29they're away at tennis and cricket
0:28:29 > 0:28:31and other flower shows and things.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34We'll see you on the 23rd of July.
0:28:34 > 0:28:35- Bye-bye!- Bye!- Bye-bye!