West Yorkshire: Unorthodox Advice, Edible Essentials and Sodden Patches

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

Q – I was recently recommended to bury an egg at the base of tomato plants. Have the panel tried this, or would you have any other unorthodox tricks to try in the garden? (01’25”)

Q – How do I keep a pomegranate plant thriving? (04’15”)

Q – What can I do to restore and protect a curry leaf plant? (08’21”)

Q – Could the panel suggest some nice perennials that will provide  colour to my two rockery areas next winter? (12’22”)

Juliet Sargeant –

Calluna vulgaris, heather

Carex, sedge

Festuca glauca

Festuca ovina, sheep’s fescue

Matthew Pottage –

Cyclamen coum, eastern cyclamen

Cyclamen hederifolium, ivy-leaved cyclamen

Eranthis hyemalis, winter aconite

Iris histrioides 'Lady Beatrix Stanley', iris 'Lady Beatrix Stanley'

Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin' (Reticulata), iris 'Katharine Hodgkin'

Erica × darleyensis 'Darley Dale', heather 'Darley Dale'

Dwarf conifers

Q – What can I grow in a soden patch twenty by five foot, which is also north facing? (17’58”)

Matthew Pottage –

Ribes uva-crispa, gooseberry

Ribes rubrum, common redcurrent

Ribes nigrum (B), blackcurrant

Rheum × hybridum, rhubarb

Marcus Chilton Jones –

Phaseolus vulgaris, bean (climbing French) 

Cynara cardunculus, cardoon

Cynara cardunculus Scolymus Group, globe artichoke

Feature – Ecological home grower and community gardener Poppy Okotcha shares her go-to spring checklist for growing delicious, sustainable crops (21’55) 

Q – What do we do with our plant bed that’s along our south facing stone wall? (26’21”)

Marcus Chilton Jones –

Thymus vulgaris, common thyme

Lavandula, lavender

Salvia rosmarinus (Ro), rosemary

Allium cepa, onion

Allium schoenoprasum, chives

Ocimum basilicum, basil

Cucurbita pepo, courgettes

Actinidia deliciosa, kiwi

Matthew Pottage –

Prunus armeniaca, apricot –

Prunus persica, peach –

Ficus carica, fig –

Juliet Sargeant –

Chrysanthemum, chrysanths

Dahlias

Q – Can the panel recommend an organic way to deal with the scab on my 'Egremont Russet' apple trees? (29’19”)

Q – My friend recently got a puppy; how can he redesign his garden to be more puppy friendly?

Juliet Sargeant –

Euonymus japonicus 'Microphyllus', Japanese spindle 'Microphyllus'

Matthew Pottage –

Ornamental grasses

Cornus, dogwood

Miscanthus, Elephant Grass

Q – If you could only take one bag of seeds with you to a desert island, what would it be and why? (37’07”)

Marcus Chilton Jones –

Solanum lycopersicum 'Gardener's Delight', tomato (cherry) 'Gardener's Delight'

Matthew Pottage –

Artocarpus heterophyllus, jackfruit