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Kathy Clugston and the panel are in the village of Ludlow.

Kathy Clugston and the panel are in the village of Ludlow. Fielding gardening questions from the audience this week are Bunny Guinness, Matthew Pottage and Matt Biggs.

From old wives' tales to No Mow May, the team covers good ground in this week's GQT. Bunny, Matthew and Matt offer their guidance on growing bonsai - which species make for the best results? They also suggest tips for lifting the canopy of a cherry tree and share some spectacular design ideas for planting in alleyways.

Beyond the questions, and in honour of National Plant Health week 2022, Pippa Greenwood visits the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to view their secret weapon against unwelcome plant pests.

Producer: Daniel Cocker
Assistant Producer: Bethany Hocken

A Somethin' Else production for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Sun 8 May 2022 14:00

Plant List

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

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Q – Is there any foundation to the theory that sweet peas will not do well if steaked with old sticks?

(3 minutes 27 seconds)Ìý

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Q – Having had many failed attempts at growing agapanthus from seeds, can you give me any advice on how to advance this?

(6 minutes 28 seconds)Ìý

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Q – I’ve had two bonsai trees for about eight years. I bought the coniferous tree at a car boot in Cornwall and grew the sycamore from a seedling that I found. I would like to repot them, but I am very nervous about it. Can you tell me when I should do this, what size pots to go up to, and how exactly I do it?

(9 minutes 6 seconds)

Ìý

Matthew –

Taxus, Yew

Acer palmatum

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Q – What is the correct time to grow a cherry tree? How can I lift the canopy?

(12 minutes 30 seconds)

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Bunny –

Cherry, Silver leaf

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Feature – In honour of National Plant Health week 2022, Pippa Greenwood visits Kew Gardens to view their secret weapon against unwelcome plant pests

(15 minutes 22 seconds)

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Q – Myself and my neighbours have access to an alleyway that is sheltered from the frost but is subject to variable sunlight and very cold wind. We use lots of containers and have a large ivy arch. We struggle to grow flowers but are particularly keen to grow a clematis through the arch.

(22 minutes 03 seconds)

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Bunny –

Clematis, ‘Camilla’

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Matthew –

Clematis macropetala

Lapageria rosea, Chilean bellflower

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Matt –

Clematis, ‘Nelly Moser’

'°Õê³Ù±ð-à-³Ùê³Ù±ð'

Q – As a lockdown project, I’ve got six new raised veg beds made from railway sleepers. Should I line them with something before I start planting as they’re leaking some creosote?

(26 minutes 40 seconds)

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Feature – The panel discuss No Mow May

(28 minutes 35 seconds)

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Matthew –

Daisy

Dandelion

Violet

Cowslip

Ìý

Matt –

Buttercup

Ìý

Q – I own a steep, west-facing grass bank that I have started to plant up with hebes, rhododendron, and ceanothus. Do you have any other plant suggestions to fill the bank so that I don’t have to strim it ever again?

(33 minutes 18 seconds)

Ìý

Matthew –

Rosemary, 'Miss Jessopp's Upright'

Rosemary, 'Foxtail'

Grevillea, ‘Canberra Gem’

Euonymus fortune, 'Kewensis'

Ìý

Bunny –

Yew

Euonymus

Box

Holly

Comfrey, Symphytum 'Hidcote'

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Matt –

Clematis montana

Jasminum nudiflorum

Virginia creeper

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. repens

Broom, Cytisus × praecox

Lonicera japonica, 'Halliana'

Ìý

Q – Do rhododendron hoppers do harm to the plant or will I just lose the flowers for the year?

(38 minutes 07 seconds)

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