0:00:11 > 0:00:13Well, now, what do you make of this weather?
0:00:13 > 0:00:17We almost had to have volunteers to get in the greenhouse today.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19Welcome to Beechgrove, on a beautiful day,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22and we're thinking about bedding plants, or baskets.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Yes, we're getting ahead of the game,
0:00:24 > 0:00:26because I think it's really important we don't put these out
0:00:26 > 0:00:29until, say the end of May, beginning of June,
0:00:29 > 0:00:30presumably it's the same with you at Scone.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Oh, yeah, without a doubt.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34- You know, just because of the frost, so...- So, what's this then?
0:00:34 > 0:00:37OK, well, I did feature this a few years ago, now this
0:00:37 > 0:00:40has been potted on, but it came as a jumbo plug,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43three plants in one plug.
0:00:43 > 0:00:44Three for the price of one.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Yeah, but, you know, this is easy, easy gardening,
0:00:47 > 0:00:48because all you've got to do is plunge that.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52- I mean, if you wanted to, when the plug came, you could have put it straight into the basket.- Sure.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Would some people be tempted to separate them, thinking that...?
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Well, they maybe would, but don't.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Just leave it like that. Because look how these are settling in.
0:01:00 > 0:01:01So what have you got in there then?
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Well, we've got a lobelia, a bidens,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06which has lovely yellow, daisy-like flowers.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09And we've got a white babina as well.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11- And I've got the same selection... - In this basket here.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13- ..in individual plants. - Yes, and Brian?
0:01:13 > 0:01:15I am trying a couple of new things.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18- I thought a petunia, Queen of Hearts...- Mm-hmm, sounds promising.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20And a minitunia, Strawberry Star.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Minitunia?
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Don't believe it. Don't believe it, that's awful. LAUGHTER
0:01:25 > 0:01:28And of course, in the rest of the programme, it's Tomato Day.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30You can see them all laid out behind there.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33And I've been down to Motherwell to visit two inspirational schools
0:01:33 > 0:01:38who use practical gardening as the root of their learning.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Today I'm in Banchory on Royal Deeside,
0:01:49 > 0:01:51just on the outskirts of the town,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53and I've come to visit Sheila Harper.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Now, Sheila recently moved to a garden here, small garden,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01inherited two wonderful old apple trees, but they're overgrown
0:02:01 > 0:02:04and she doesn't quite know what to do with them.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14So when did you move here, Sheila?
0:02:14 > 0:02:17- I moved here a year-and-a-half ago.- Right.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19- Had a garden before?- I have.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21- But this has been the biggest one. - Right.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24These are fabulous little cottages, aren't they?
0:02:24 > 0:02:27I know, in the 1800s, they were poorhouses.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Wonderful old apple trees.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31They've been here almost since day one.
0:02:31 > 0:02:3570, 80, 90-year-old maybe.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36I mean, they're pretty old trees.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38And they look as though they've been trained along
0:02:38 > 0:02:41a fence or something like that. Was there a fence here?
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Yeah, I do believe there was a fence and they were trained against it, and then the fence was lifted.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48They've been trained as espalier trees, where they've had one chute
0:02:48 > 0:02:51going out and then the other chutes go up from that.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53- Mm-hmm.- And the idea there is that you spur-prune them.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54You prune them quite hard,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56containing the growth around this one chute.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00They're doing something else now. They're almost like combs when you see them, aren't they?
0:03:00 > 0:03:03- The way they...- Exactly.- ..the way they're sticking up in the air.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05What happens when an apple tree grows like that is
0:03:05 > 0:03:07all the apples are at the top.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09- I know.- You've recently had a hip operation,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11you can't go up steps to pick apples, can you?
0:03:11 > 0:03:16So what we should do really is to reduce the height of them but
0:03:16 > 0:03:19we don't want to destroy the shape.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22- I've brought Calum with me. - Excellent.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26We will do the cutting and trimming, you're the supervisor, OK?
0:03:26 > 0:03:31- I don't want too much taken off as in right down to the bottom.- No, no.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35- I can trust you?- Have you seen me doing pruning?- I have.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47So the idea is we're thinning out some of these spur growths
0:03:47 > 0:03:50that are here. They're going in all sorts of directions.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Lots of twisted growth and the idea is to prune out some of
0:03:53 > 0:03:57what's there to give the tree a chance to breathe.
0:03:57 > 0:04:02We'll let air in roundabout and that helps it to grow better,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04helps the shoots to develop better.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06And then we'll get the structure back.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09It looks quite drastic when you stand back and look at it but
0:04:09 > 0:04:13the structure is still there and that will grow and develop.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15We'll possibly get a lot of shoots from the top where we've just
0:04:15 > 0:04:17cut them.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20These will have to be pruned back and what we do is we prune
0:04:20 > 0:04:23these back to one or two buds and then we start to build up the
0:04:23 > 0:04:24whole structure again.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28And in another 20 years we'll have to do the same thing again.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40I'll clean my glasses so I can see what you're doing.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50Can't put them back up, can you?
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Here's the boss. Here's the boss. Watch what you're doing.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05- What have you done?- Let me show you what's going to happen.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07If you can imagine...
0:05:08 > 0:05:11..that this shoot has been cut, that's the
0:05:11 > 0:05:13big cut we've made on the top.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15There's the growth which we're going to get.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17That's what's going to happen by next year,
0:05:17 > 0:05:20that's the strong growth which we'll have from that tree.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23So you're going to get growth like that from just below those
0:05:23 > 0:05:24cut surfaces.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28What you get is lots of dormant buds which are in this area
0:05:28 > 0:05:32down here and these produce shoots and then they grow away.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37- What you've got to do then is select out the bit that you want.- OK.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39What you're selecting out is that shoot there,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41that's the one you want to be the leader.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44And then you would prune it back there.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49Where you prune it is half or two thirds of the way up.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52So you're taking off half or one third of the shoot.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56What you're trying to do is produce that where what you've got is
0:05:56 > 0:05:58the young shoot at the top which has not got any flowers in it,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00that's vegetative growth.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02And then you're got the flower buds further down.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06And these then slow down the growth because that's into fruit
0:06:06 > 0:06:10production, it doesn't have time to do vegetative production
0:06:10 > 0:06:11so the whole thing slows down.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15- So eventually this tree will settle down again.- Settle.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22But in this next year, year and a half, that thing is going to
0:06:22 > 0:06:25motor on because all of a sudden it's been released.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Lots of energy, lots of new growth which it's going to make
0:06:28 > 0:06:30so it will make long shoots.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- And then we'll have to think about how we prune it.- Yeah.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37It's about managing the shape. And we've kept the shape.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- It does look a bit drastic. - It's a bit drastic.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44The shape is still there of the original.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- And all we've done is renewed it. - OK.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50- Excellent.- Trust me, I'm a gardener.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11- This tree has had a major operation. - Absolutely.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15So what we need to do is keep it well fed.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- With what? - Something like fish blood and bone.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Sprinkle that round the base. OK, perfect. That's it, OK?
0:07:21 > 0:07:22OK, that's perfect.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Keep it well-watered and the thing will recover.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- Excellent. - Honestly, I'm telling you.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32- So that's your work done here, is it?- That's my work done now.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34I'm glad you're going.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50As we start the tomato season each year I'm very conscious of
0:07:50 > 0:07:53the fact that we're joined by many more who might be growing for
0:07:53 > 0:07:57the very first time under glass and so first of all start off
0:07:57 > 0:07:59with some cracking good plants.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02But let's get back to basics cos I'll run through the system
0:08:02 > 0:08:03we use here.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08We use, basically, grow bags or augmented grow bags or we use
0:08:08 > 0:08:11grow bag compost for filling pots and other containers.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14In other words, all the plants are being grown in the same medium,
0:08:14 > 0:08:18which helps when you start to look at differences and so on.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Going back to basics, grow bag, my problem with them is they get
0:08:22 > 0:08:25flatter and flatter and flatter because of the shape of them.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28And you've seen us try different things over the years but basically
0:08:28 > 0:08:30when you buy them,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32actually warm them up in the greenhouse before you plant
0:08:32 > 0:08:36and give them a real banging about before you open them up like
0:08:36 > 0:08:37you were doing a bolster.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41And then three plants to the bag.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45But I don't quite like that so the first move you might consider
0:08:45 > 0:08:47is to use one of these.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49A ring on the top of the bag.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52You'll see it's perforated there so you cut
0:08:52 > 0:08:56a hole in the bag and you plonk this down inside.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00It's filled with soil and you notice the holes round the side here,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02that's for irrigation purposes.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04And there you have it in position
0:09:04 > 0:09:07with the plants there and the important thing is that
0:09:07 > 0:09:09you've doubled the depth of soil because it's all about the
0:09:09 > 0:09:13drainage of moisture through the compost as the season progresses.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Basically, grow bag, it gets very flattened,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19very compacted and plant roots die.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22So you've got to get them off to a good start and give them
0:09:22 > 0:09:23a bit more space.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Here we have the young plant taken out of the pot into compost
0:09:27 > 0:09:31and as I say, you've added about 15 centimetres of extra compost.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34And while we're talking about the compost, it's expensive stuff.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39And what we discovered was from one grow bag worth of compost you can
0:09:39 > 0:09:43fill 3.5 of these big pots and that is
0:09:43 > 0:09:46a far better way of growing in my estimation.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49So we've got the examples of a gradation here like that
0:09:49 > 0:09:52across with a variety of varieties, as well.
0:09:52 > 0:09:53If you'll pardon the pun.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Over on the other side we've got two automatic systems.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58That's the one I use at home, fed from a reservoir,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01the green tank there, through the microhoses.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Then this new one came in a couple of years ago and you can see
0:10:04 > 0:10:05one set up, ready to go.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09There is the tray itself which has a reservoir.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13The spiky bits there with the strips so when you plonk the
0:10:13 > 0:10:17bag down on top it cuts through and they can draw the moisture out
0:10:17 > 0:10:19from underneath.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22So all things being equal these systems are less troublesome,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24especially if you're going away for a weekend.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26Your plants will be well looked after.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30As far as varieties are concerned the normal tomato variety
0:10:30 > 0:10:34that you would buy, we call it a bilocular, it's two bits.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Shirley is the standard variety I've used for a lot of years
0:10:37 > 0:10:40so we use others to compare with Shirley.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43One of the new ones we discovered a couple years ago is Rosella
0:10:43 > 0:10:45which is a smaller variety, doesn't look very good.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48I like that because people are not inclined to nick it.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51But when you put it in your mouth it explodes with flavour.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54So we've got others to compare with Rosella so the starting pistol
0:10:54 > 0:10:56has gone, it's ready to go.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59From time to time through the season we'll check on progress.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02I have to say, Jim, the plants are looking really healthy at the moment
0:11:02 > 0:11:06but I want to get a little bit of fresh air because I'm going
0:11:06 > 0:11:09into the polytunnel as well and I think it's going to be rather warm.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11And first of all it's more tomatoes,
0:11:11 > 0:11:15starting off with a very popular variety, it's Sungold.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18I grew it last year because it is meant to be one of the
0:11:18 > 0:11:20best ones for flavour.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22And that's what we found last year,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26we were comparing it with a small cherry red tomato.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30This year I found another one that is the same colour and it's
0:11:30 > 0:11:32called Golden Cherry.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37A Japanese-bred variety, it is said to out-yield, out-flavour and
0:11:37 > 0:11:41it doesn't seem to crack either so it will be interesting to see.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45When it comes to the planting I have used these bags, the same bags,
0:11:45 > 0:11:46for several years.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49So they have worn really well.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Lots of compost in them so Jim was talking about using the grow bag,
0:11:52 > 0:11:56this is a bit more expensive and I think, with the space here,
0:11:56 > 0:12:01what we might do is add in a few salad crops or a few herbs.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06When it comes to the planting itself, put the strings in and then
0:12:06 > 0:12:11what you do is take this out of the pot, again, lovely, healthy plants.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14And the string goes underneath the root system.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19And as the root starts to grow, that holds in the string.
0:12:19 > 0:12:24And then right next door to it, I plunge one of these pots
0:12:24 > 0:12:26and that's what we water through.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29I think that's particularly important when you're growing
0:12:29 > 0:12:32cucumbers because they can rot at the neck if you get water
0:12:32 > 0:12:33around them.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36But it works well with tomatoes, as well.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40So apart from those two varieties of tomatoes I've also got another one.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43One I've never grown before, it's called Indigo Pear Drops.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47They look like little pears and the claim to fame with these ones
0:12:47 > 0:12:52is that on one plant you can get from 600-1,000 fruit.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55So we'll have to do a little bit of counting there.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Onto the cucumbers, I've got three varieties.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01This one is called Delistar.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Quite a few people suffer with indigestion if they eat
0:13:04 > 0:13:08cucumbers so this is the one you might like to grow,
0:13:08 > 0:13:12small cucumbers and the skin is almost translucent.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16So you don't need to peel it and the other two varieties,
0:13:16 > 0:13:21both female varieties so you don't have to pick off those male flowers.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24We've got Bangkok which is a ribbed variety.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27And we've also got another one called Swing which is
0:13:27 > 0:13:30a nice smooth variety so we'll have that comparison when we have
0:13:30 > 0:13:32the taste test with those as well.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36And finally over this side we're growing a couple of squashes.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38And the system that we'll do with these,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41because they are climbers or trailing plants,
0:13:41 > 0:13:42we will put up a net.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45We did that last year and it worked really well.
0:13:45 > 0:13:50Varieties Pink Banana and we've also got Sunshine and I think George
0:13:50 > 0:13:53might have his eye on this one for salads because I think you
0:13:53 > 0:13:55can grate it raw as well as cooking it.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Since we were last here the gardeners have been putting some
0:14:03 > 0:14:07stepping stones through the Heather Garden and they lead us into
0:14:07 > 0:14:08the Secret Garden.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10There's a bit of deja vu for Calum,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14a year ago we were working together to revamp the Alpine Garden.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16And now Calum's continuing the wall,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20going to take it up and round and then in a couple of weeks' time
0:14:20 > 0:14:23myself and George will be back and we're going to plant up
0:14:23 > 0:14:26this area and marry the two zones together.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29But at this time of year we're certainly at peak flowering time
0:14:29 > 0:14:30for the Alpine Garden.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33It's only a year old but look at the colour.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Over on the woodland side we've got meconopsis and anemones.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40In the middle we've got our pulsatilla. This one here...
0:14:42 > 0:14:44A cracking colour.
0:14:44 > 0:14:49But down here the oxalis, they're really happy.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51But not as good as up in the wall in amongst the cracks and crevices.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Look at that, that's only a year and already it's starting to run
0:14:55 > 0:14:56and follow the cracks.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59We've also been looking at a few containers today, as well.
0:14:59 > 0:15:00Just to make it a wee bit different.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04We've taken the plants out of the specialised areas into more
0:15:04 > 0:15:05traditional containers.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09So what we've got here, nice bit of advertising.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12We've got it planted up with a lovely buttercup.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15You may recognise this cuckoo flower from the side of the road,
0:15:15 > 0:15:16growing amongst the grass.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20And in front of it, on its own, we've got a nice little sempervivum.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24This one's the cobweb houseleek, bit of a mouthful.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26It looks nice when it's in its own little pot.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29What you can see is they're both topped with gravel
0:15:29 > 0:15:32so the principles are exactly the same, helps conserve the moisture.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Over here...
0:15:37 > 0:15:39we've got a nice, little table decoration which I saw in
0:15:39 > 0:15:42a magazine and I was quite keen to try it myself.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48With all these containers we've used the same potted medium which
0:15:48 > 0:15:50is 50/50 John Innes and grit.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53It's going to give it plenty of drainage.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56And for here we've put a wee pot inside a bigger pot.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01We've then got our compost, put it around.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04If you go to the garden centres, you can be quite lucky
0:16:04 > 0:16:05and you'll get a plant like this
0:16:05 > 0:16:08so you're maybe paying for that one but you're going to get
0:16:08 > 0:16:10all these ones for free.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13So the mother plant, we've popped that one in the centre.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17And then all you have to do is take off these rosettes,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19give them a wee tidy.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21Just pinch off that tail.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25And then that...
0:16:25 > 0:16:28should go quite nicely into the compost.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Looks nice as part of the decoration but also that's going to root
0:16:31 > 0:16:33and you're going to get a whole load of new plants.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35So you're making them work for their money.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37You've got a nice decoration and you're getting more plants.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40And then finally we've got this bit of bric-a-brac.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42This is a lovely, cracked, old chimney pot.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46We've managed to work it into the area and then we've just used
0:16:46 > 0:16:47it to plant up around it.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50So we've got the purple foliage of this ajuga.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55We've got Lemon Fizz Santolina which is absolutely gorgeous and again
0:16:55 > 0:16:56we're using these sempervivums.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59I think it's the foliage as much as anything.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01And to top it off we've got a pulsatilla.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05So we'll have the purple flowers but then afterwards you can see
0:17:05 > 0:17:08the seed head forming and that's going to look just beautiful.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Last year, as part of the Beechgrove programme, I did
0:17:23 > 0:17:26a series of visits relating to how to grow a gardener.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29I want to know how young people get enthralled with the subject,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33how they go on to work on it and we're going to carry on this year.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36We've travelled all the way down from Aberdeen to Motherwell
0:17:36 > 0:17:38to Firpark Secondary School because it
0:17:38 > 0:17:42has got a very particular role to play.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45To find out more of what it's all about I've come to speak to
0:17:45 > 0:17:47head teacher John Morley.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Four years ago, Jim, we introduced horticulture here.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55That started with a polytunnel and some raised beds in the
0:17:55 > 0:17:57polytunnel and it grew from there.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Very quickly we had some of our senior phase pupils building
0:18:00 > 0:18:07their own raised beds and then we bought in 20 tonnes of green compost
0:18:07 > 0:18:10which the pupils hand-barrowed into these beds.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13So real commitment from the kids straight away.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16The kids here have all got learning difficulties
0:18:16 > 0:18:19but we focus on what they CAN do.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23- A very positive attitude. - It's a very positive attitude.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26There's no pressure on them. They work through at their own pace.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30There's nobody demanding that something has to be done at
0:18:30 > 0:18:33a pace or rate. It's as they can cope with it.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36And they see a result at the end of the day,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39they've got a very clear product, what they're achieved and how
0:18:39 > 0:18:43wonderful is it to have planted something and nurtured it and
0:18:43 > 0:18:45watched it grow?
0:18:49 > 0:18:52I know you stopped it there but if you look underneath there
0:18:52 > 0:18:53it's still bone dry.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01Remember there's no rain in here so it's up to us to keep it moist,
0:19:01 > 0:19:02ready for planting.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Now then, Pat, the job's looking quite good.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15- What are you putting on now? - I'm putting on chicken pellets.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18It gives the nutrients to the plants so they grow better.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20- Do you like kale?- No.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Have you ever tasted it?
0:19:23 > 0:19:25No.
0:19:25 > 0:19:30- How do you know you don't like it then?- Because of the smell of it.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35- What's your favourite vegetable then?- Potatoes.- No? Are you sure?
0:19:35 > 0:19:41- Any kind of potatoes?- I quite like the standard one.- Yes, yes.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47- I like, what is it, the King Georges?- King Edward.- King Edward.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49You were nearly right.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Excellent.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55The first time you come to cultivate it you'll be pushing these into
0:19:55 > 0:19:59the soil and watering them will also take the food down into the plants.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03- Yes.- So I tell you want, you'll want to eat these when they get big.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05They're lovely.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Keep up the good work cos if you stick to being a gardener
0:20:08 > 0:20:10you'll be a success all your days.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11See you later.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24So you enjoy growing tomatoes, then? Is that the story?
0:20:24 > 0:20:29- They're one of the more fun types of plants to grow.- Aye.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Do you enjoy eating them?
0:20:31 > 0:20:35I do enjoy eating them but I would prefer to sell them
0:20:35 > 0:20:40so I could get money from it but they don't exactly allow that.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45All right, so there's a bit of a financial incentive here.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49- Supermarkets and all that. Beat them out.- That's the stuff.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52So you're not fond of the supermarkets?
0:20:52 > 0:20:56They're good for most things but not for the fruit and veg.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01You can easily grow your own for free, essentially.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Better than the prices that they give it.
0:21:07 > 0:21:12Every week the Firpark pupils link up with Bothwell Park High School
0:21:12 > 0:21:15whose sensory garden helps motivate the pupils.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Most of whom have more complex support needs.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21This cooperative gardening project has been
0:21:21 > 0:21:25a real boon according to head teacher Maria Neill.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26The young folks behind us,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29some of them would not like to be in the outdoors,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33wouldn't like to be exercising but this does it in a real situation.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- They're learning in real contexts. - Aye.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38So a young person is maybe sitting in the classroom,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40working in that classroom environment.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43As soon as they come out into an environment like this they
0:21:43 > 0:21:48can open up, it just opens up all the senses and all our young
0:21:48 > 0:21:51- people learn very much through their senses.- Absolutely.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Giving them those different experiences helps them to
0:21:54 > 0:21:57find their way, helps them to find what it is they like.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00So where they might be quite class-based,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- when they come out here they're physical, they're active.- Yes.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08- It's all about the health and wellbeing.- Brilliant.- It really is.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I'm going to find an Oatridge man to see where he fits into it.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15He's wonderful. He really has made a difference for our young people.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Brian Miller from the Oatridge campus of Scotland's Rural College
0:22:22 > 0:22:25supports children throughout North Lanarkshire,
0:22:25 > 0:22:29tailoring the training to suit the children's individual abilities.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32We're just going to weave it in and out.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35We'll slowly do this over the next couple of years.
0:22:35 > 0:22:42And hopefully it will be all covered by leaves and shoots.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46- Now then, Brian, are you happy with progress?- It's looking good.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50It's brilliant and the young folk have actually taken to that
0:22:50 > 0:22:54- quite quickly.- They got it up just before the Easter holidays.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58And it's just odd shoots that's coming out but it's slowly
0:22:58 > 0:22:59- thickening up.- It's going nicely.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04The kids are playing in it when they do get in here.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08We've been working with them on some bespoke courses and skills
0:23:08 > 0:23:12for work programmes and what we have produced over maybe the last
0:23:12 > 0:23:13ten years working with
0:23:13 > 0:23:16North Lanarkshire has been tremendous.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17What's your own garden like at home?
0:23:17 > 0:23:23Quite a big garden, I've got 1.5 acres but my wife does it all, Jim.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27She'll to 90% of it. I look after the raised beds with the veg.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31- You're doing a brilliant job with these guys.- OK, no problem.
0:23:31 > 0:23:32Long may you stay at it.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Wow, you're doing a good job.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Well, everywhere I look I'm surrounded by young gardeners.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Meanwhile, back at Firpark, the lunchtime gardening club is
0:23:56 > 0:23:59in full swing.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03- Now then, Andrew, how are you doing? - I'm happy the now.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08- You're enjoying your gardening, aren't you?- Yes.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11This is what we call hoeing up the potatoes.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Take the stuff away from the edge and throw it up. Like that.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19That will cover up the wee potatoes that are starting to grow.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22You've got a better tool for the job. Turn it around backwards.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24That's it. And flick it away from the edge.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29That's the stuff. Have you taken to gardening at home as well?
0:24:29 > 0:24:35Yes, I like gardening with my mum. I like to plant more plants.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38What's your favourite?
0:24:38 > 0:24:39My favourite was the...
0:24:42 > 0:24:47- Oh, the gladioli.- The bulbs and the big long spikes.- Yes.
0:24:47 > 0:24:52- Gorgeous colours, aren't they?- Yeah, I like the pinks and the purples.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Aye. What would you like to do?
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Would you like to have a greenhouse in the future?
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Yeah, I'm thinking to get a greenhouse and plant loads of
0:25:00 > 0:25:02different veg.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04That's good stuff.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07We should be talking and working at the same time or the boss
0:25:07 > 0:25:08will be after us.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Well, here endeth the first lesson at Firpark School.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24It's been absolutely tremendous. Everybody's so helpful.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Everybody's in such good humour.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28The youngsters are enjoying what they're doing.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30You can tell they're willing to do it and you know,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33every one of them is going to discover something in
0:25:33 > 0:25:35themselves they didn't think they could do
0:25:35 > 0:25:37and they'll surprise the adults.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40I tell you, if you think that's all, you'll have to join us next week.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43The taste buds will be tested.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Here we have the classic woodland combination,
0:25:48 > 0:25:53in front of us an epimedium where the flowers look like bishops' hats.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57And I'm surrounded by erythroniums. This is a gorgeous yellow one.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00What I like about this white one is
0:26:00 > 0:26:02the lovely marble effect in the foliage.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06And further up this woodland garden we have some more woodland
0:26:06 > 0:26:10gems starting off with the omphalodes.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15Perfectly happy in the shade and fairly dry there as well.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Then you really have to look for this one...
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Three petals, three leaves. A gorgeous specimen.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27And finally a plant that's really happy here because it's spreading...
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Plants are a bit like people, they keep changing their mind.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35One part of the year,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39dull weather, the plants want all the light they can get.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42And then you get a few sunny days like this and it's too much.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45The best way to deal with that is with shading which is removable
0:26:45 > 0:26:46when it's not necessary.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50We use this netting on the 8x6, works a treat.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54If tomorrow's wet and miserable roll it up out of the way.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56It's versatile, that's the good thing about it.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01This is one of my favourite jobs, planting all of the
0:27:01 > 0:27:05sweet peas because it has to be my number one cut flower.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08But before we talk a little more about them I just want to go
0:27:08 > 0:27:11back and have a look at the verbena.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15It was said to be hearty down to -10 so we left some of the stock
0:27:15 > 0:27:18plants in the bed but look - there's just nothing.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20Absolutely nothing.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23I thought I'd leave them for a wee while. They're totally dead.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26But we had the insurance policy of keeping
0:27:26 > 0:27:30a stock plant over winter in the greenhouse.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33These are the rooted cuttings. They rooted in five weeks.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36So it just shows you, you need to be a bit careful with these
0:27:36 > 0:27:38half-hardy perennials.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41- Brian, sweet peas, do you like them? - I do love them.
0:27:41 > 0:27:42These ones did well last year.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46They've got good roots to give them a good start but...
0:27:46 > 0:27:49you reckoned it was this fertilizer we had last year.
0:27:49 > 0:27:50I think it helped.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53It is a specialist fertilizer for sweet peas and I think it gave
0:27:53 > 0:27:55it a good start and we got lots and lots of blooms.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56They were good.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00Fingers crossed they do well but, Jim, you're on the chrysanths?
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Yes, indeed. Chrysanths and dahlias we talk about at the same time.
0:28:04 > 0:28:05The chrysanths are hardened off,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08ready to go in now but the dahlias are only half-hardy,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11it will be the end of the month before they go in, that's for sure.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15I tell you the other thing, this ground is quite dry.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Once these plants have been put in they'll need a real good soak.
0:28:18 > 0:28:19They will, won't they?
0:28:19 > 0:28:22And if you'd like any more information about this week's
0:28:22 > 0:28:23programme it's all in the fact sheet
0:28:23 > 0:28:24and the easiest way to access
0:28:24 > 0:28:26that is online.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Jim, what are you doing next week?
0:28:29 > 0:28:33For me it's back to chapter two of the Motherwell story and I
0:28:33 > 0:28:34can't wait.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36Until then... ALL: Goodbye.