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Kathy Clugston and her panel of gardening experts are in Preston.

Kathy Clugston and her panel of gardening experts are in Preston. Fielding questions this week are Christine Walkden, James Wong and Kirsty Wilson.

This week the panel are at the University of Central Lancashire, where Kathy speaks to Vice Chancellor Graham Baldwin and groundsman Dave Genther about the new roof garden they've planted there, to encourage pollinators and support student wellbeing.

Down in the hall, the panel tell us how best to grow cauliflower and beetroot in the shorter growing season up north. They also give some advice on how to get lots of flax seed on a budget, and explain how to keep auriculas alive over winter.

Away from the questions, Matthew Wilson heads to Kew Gardens and speaks to botanist Carlos Magdalena about the new waterlily they’ve discovered there - Victoria Boliviana.

Producer: Dominc Tyerman
Assistant Producer: Aniya Das

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

Release date:

42 minutes

Plant List

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

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Q – My Christmas Cacti will not flower until the New Year. Could the team suggest how to treat it in order to make it flower earlier next year? Ìý

(9 seconds)

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Q – I was given a small Christmas Cactus cutting 20 years ago. It’s continued to grow and flower. Should I just leave it or pot it up into a larger pot with new compost?

(2 minutes 54 seconds)

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Q – I’ve successfully grown some cactus from seed and I now want to pot them on. Can the panel give me any advice? Ìý

(5 minutes 44 seconds)

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Q – My Streptocarpus are struggling. What am I doing wrong?Ìý

(8 minutes 23 seconds)

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Q – Is giving plants a shower a good thing?

(11 minutes 56 seconds)

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Feature – Peter Gibbs visits RHS Wisley’s Giant Houseplant Takeover exhibit

(14 minutes, 23 seconds)

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Chamaedorea elegans (Parlour Palm)

Howea

Bromeliad

Nepenthes (Pitcher Plants)

Zamioculcas zamiifolia

Ficus pumila

Sansevieria cylindrica

DracaenaÌý

Euphorbia ingens

Macrozamia

Vanda Orchid

Staghorn fern

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Q – I have an orchid and all the aerial roots are untidy. Can they be cut off or trimmed or should I leave them?

(22 minutes 53 seconds)

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Pippa –

Phalaenopsis (Moth orchid)

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Q – Would there be any plants in [Kew] that are climbing plants that would be suitable for a very sunny windowsill?

(26 minutes, 3 seconds)

Scott –

Lapageria (Chillean bellflower)

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Anne –

Cestrum

African Lime

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James –

Cissus rotundifolia

Jasminum sambac

Passiflora ‘Lady Margaret’

Tetrastigma

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Q – Do you have any tips to keep a tropical houseplant alive for a period of about two weeks whilst I’m away?Ìý

(31 minutes, 16 seconds)

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Ficus alii

Calatheas

Alocasia

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Q – It is okay to plant something in a container without a hole?

(35 minutes, 26 seconds)

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Q – I have a love of wind up gramophones, but trying to find the steel needles can be difficult. I’ve heard the needles of cacti can be used as substitute. Can I give this a go, and what species would be the most successful?

(39 minutes, 10 seconds)

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Toothpick cactus

Saguaro cactus

Six of GQT’s naughtiest gardening innuendos

When Gardeners' Question Time got mucky.

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