Bolton
Kathy Clugston and the GQT panel of experts visit Bolton to answer listener questions on sweet pea pruning, shady clay planting and compost bin conundrums.
Kathy Clugston and the Gardeners' Question Time panel visit the outskirts of Bolton in Lancashire. Kathy is joined by RHS Bridgewater Curator Marcus Chilton-Jones, Garden Designer Matthew Wilson and Plantswoman Christine Walkden.
The panellists tackle what to do about an overwhelming stash of black plastic pots, advise on why a listener's new compost bin is lacking in worms, and suggest plants for shady clay areas beneath mature beech trees.
Other questions cover planting for waterlogged borders, homemade foliar feeds for seedlings, and opening a wildlife-focused garden for the National Garden Scheme.
Later in the programme, Bunny Guinness shares spring propagation tips, including softwood and basal cuttings and using an aeroponic propagator.
Producer: Rahnee Prescod
Assistant Producer: William Norton
A Somethin' Else production for 麻豆社 Radio 4
* If listening on 麻豆社 Sounds and you wish to view the plant list, please go to the Gardeners' Question Time website and open this week's episode page.
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Plant List
Q1 鈥� How can I stop my partner collecting black plastic pots and storing them in my garage? (01鈥�17鈥�)
Q2 鈥� I鈥檝e got three compost bins but not a single worm 鈥� what can I do to get them? (06鈥�16鈥�)
(Composting practice, moisture levels and critical mass discussed. No plant species named.)
Q3 鈥� My mum always cut the tendrils off her sweet peas 鈥� do I need to do this? (11鈥�32)
- Lathyrus odoratus, sweet pea
Q4 鈥� We鈥檝e got very mature beech trees 鈥� are there any rare plants we can grow in the shade? (14鈥�43鈥� )
Matthew Wilson
- Fagus sylvatica, common beech
- Trillium grandiflorum, American wake robin
- 狈补谤肠颈蝉蝉耻蝉听濒辞产耻濒补谤颈蝉,
Lent lily daffodil
- 狈补谤肠颈蝉蝉耻蝉听辞产惫补濒濒补谤颈蝉,
Tenby daffodil
- Narcissus poeticus, poet鈥檚 daffodil
- Styrax japonicus, Japanese snowbell
- Heptacodium miconioides, seven鈥憇on flower tree
- Acer palmatum, Japanese maple
Christine Walkden
- Polystichum
spp., shield ferns
- Dryopteris spp., wood ferns
- Cyclamen听repandum听subsp.听repandum, wavy-edged cyclamen
- Sinopanax repandus, sinopanax
- Actaea spp., baneberry
Marcus Chilton鈥慗ones
- Galanthus spp., snowdrop
- Helleborus spp., hellebore
听Spring Feature: Propagation basics with Bunny Guinness (20鈥�39鈥�)
Softwood cuttings & basal cuttings
- Rosa spp., rose
- Pelargonium spp., pelargonium (geranium)
- Magnolia spp., magnolia
- Betula spp., birch
- Delphinium spp., delphinium
- Phlox spp., phlox
- Lupinus spp., lupin
- Aster spp., aster
Q5 鈥� My umbrella plant lost lots of leaves when I moved
it 鈥� why? (23鈥�43)
Schefflera arboricola, umbrella plant
Q6 鈥� What plants will thrive in a waterlogged, poorly drained border? (28鈥�06)
Christine Walkden
- Iris ensata, Japanese iris
- Primula vulgaris, primrose
Matthew Wilson
- Rodgersia
spp., Rodgersia
- Gunnera manicata, giant rhubarb
- Meconopsis betonicifolia, Himalayan blue poppy
- Primula japonica hybrids, Japanese primrose
- Villarii spp.
Marcus Chilton鈥慗ones
- Iris sibirica, Siberian iris
- Cornus spp., dogwood
- Salix spp., willow
- Liquidambar styraciflua, sweet gum
- Taxodium distichum, swamp cypress
Q7 鈥� Can I make my own foliar feed for seedlings in peat鈥慺ree compost? 听(31鈥�37 )
Christine Walkden
- Urtica dioica, stinging nettle
- Symphytum officinale, comfrey
Q8 鈥� We鈥檙e opening our wildlife鈥慺riendly garden for the NGS 鈥� how do we handle visitors鈥� opinions? (36鈥�14鈥�)
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