In this edition of DIG IT, Peter Brown turns the microphone around and chats with Chris Day about his life and times working with plants, garden centres, radio, people in horticulture, and even a few greenhouses! From a humble apprentice at Rochfords to plant publicity manager at Buckingham Garden Centre, Chris spills the beans on some of his gardening wisdom along the way.

Plant mentions: Aloe Vera, Aspidistra, Basil, Beloperone guttata (shrimp or prawn plant!), Cymbidiums, Sweet peas, lawn turf, Kentia palms, Melon, Pineapple, Tomato, Cucumber, Snake plant, Mother-in-Laws (Sansevieria), African Violets (Saintpaulia), Poinsettias, Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchid), Universal Winter Pansies from Colegraves, Cacti, Money plants (Crassula), Chloropytum, Venus Fly Traps and Yuccas. Floral Flame for the Manchester Olympic bid at Manchester Airport created with Begonias, Lobelia, Marigold, Parsley, Perilla, and Impatien).

Product mentions: Greenhouse: Corrugated plastic, aluminium (glass to ground), Wooden greenhouse, staging, Victorian style. Paraffin heaters, thermostatically electric fan heater, Garland propagating products, LED grow lights, roller benches, red spider mite pests, pH soil tests and soil science. Wool pots and Mycorrhizal products (RootGrow).

People and Place mentions: Amateur Gardening magazine, Alan Beswick, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Three Counties Radio, Blue Peter Garden, Alan Down, Bridgemere Garden World, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Dutch Flower Auctions at Aalsmeer, Graham Clarke, Fred Downham, Rochford Houseplants (commercial growers), Garden Centre Association, Guernsey Flower Show, Horticulture Week, Peter Seabrook, Louise Lear, Peat Free UK houseplant growers, Val Bourne, Myerscough College and Writtle College.

Hotbeds, created with strawy manure, and John Innes Compost No3.

Chris’s Desert Island luxuries: Felco secateurs and Potato ‘Home Guard’

Chris’s book co-authored with Rob Keenan Amateur Gardening Complete Gardening Answers (published by Robinsons).

Catch Chris’s online Garden Centre postings on Facebook and Instagram

Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As autumn approaches DIG IT’s Peter Brown and Chris Day provide a monthly round-up to the latest horticultural events, the gardening stories making the headlines and a look at those garden tasks requiring our attention.

What’s on

3 - 8th September RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show, Wisley, Woking, Surrey.

13 - 15th September The Harrogate Autumn Flower Show, Newby Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire

27 - 29th September Malvern Autumn Show. One of the UK’s biggest annual harvest season celebrations, held at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern Hills, Herefordshire.

5 - 6th October Buckingham Garden Centre’s Apple Weekend, 10am - 4pm each day.

News

Jekka McVicar appeals to gardeners to participate in the RHS climate change survey in BBC Breakfast news.

Most influential in horticulture by decade survey results: Titchmarsh beats Thrower, Hamilton, Don in vote from Horticulture Week magazine.

Broad beans could improve our mental health new study finds.

The search is on for the Tree of the Year and voting is open until 21 October.

Plant breeder Ball Colegrave announced the winners of this summers showcase.

World’s largest Titan Arum bloom in Meise Botanic Garden in Belgium.

A new jade vine – Strongylodon juangonzalezii - is donated to Kew Gardens.

Kew trees at risk from climate change.

Historic allotments in Nottingham handed back to council due to rising costs.

Almost 455,000 trees felled by UK councils in past 10 years.

World-first project launched to track hedgehogs and reverse decline.

Gardening aids better sleep new report uncovers.

Knoll Gardens launch new Pennisetum Black Arrow.

Dog backpacks used to help seed nature reserve.

Sheffield’s love of figs helps create fig tree forests.

Dutch campaign encourages reducing paving for greener gardens.

Couple transform their garden into £27,000 Jurassic Park - complete with 10ft T-Rex.

Our DIG IT Top Tulips 5th ‘Chocolate Orange’ 4th ‘Red Riding Hood’ 3rd ‘Peach Blossom’, 2nd ‘Queen of the Night’ and at number 1 ‘Purple Rain Fusion’ (a combination of different varieties from Taylors Bulbs).

Plants mentioned: Acer drummondii, Crocosmia, Dahlias, Hosta, Penstemons and Roses. Apples, Apricots, Blackberries, Peaches and Strawberries. Veggies: Peas, beans, Carrots, Spring Onions, Winter and Spring Cabbage plug plants.

Products mentioned: Compost bin, Wolf Fruit Picker, Rose and Autumn Lawn Fertilisers, Lawn seeds and lawn patch products. Control Vine Weevil and lawn chafers or leatherjackets with a biological control (nematodes).

Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spreading the gardening word with Dave The Plantman

DIG IT hosts Peter Brown and Chris Day chat with top all-round horticulturalist and internet sensation Dave The Plantman. Dave has been creating daily 90 second videos since April 2023 and has a huge 360k following, including a younger gardening audience on TikTok hungry for advice. Dave shares his knowledge in a unique style with his signature thumbs up and ‘interesting fact’ tagline. A lively chat filled with fun anecdotes and plenty of common-sense gardening is guaranteed!

Plant mentions: Agapanthus, Astilbe, Buddleja (butterfly bush), Carnivorous plants, Coffee plant, Cordyline, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Dieffenbachia (dumb cane plant), Himalayan Balsam (Impatien), Potatoes, Dandelion, Skimmia, wildflowers, brambles (blackberries), Rose ‘Sheila’s Perfume’, Phalaenopsis orchids, Taxus baccata 'Standishii' (RHS AGM), Good scented rose ‘Chandos Beauty’ and Rose ‘The Chelsea Pensioner’, a charity rose launched at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show. Willow (Salix) weaving. Alpines for gravel drive.

People, Places and Products: Phillip Harkness, Harkness Roses. Myerscough College of Horticulture, Preston, Canal and River Trust, Barton Grange Nursery, RHS flower shows. Sulphur (coal smoke), Garlic infusion for controlling aphids – they don’t like the smell, good for roses and hostas. Tomato food is excellent for roses as is chicken manure and well-rotted manure. Uncle Tom’s Rose Food (Potassium phosphite).

Desert island luxuries: Tomatoes (seeds could be saved for future crops). Tool: “A pair of secateurs in my holster.”

Memorable quote: “My mum could put a root on a chair leg!”

Dave’s socials: YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Dave The Plantman’s Chatterbox on Facebook and Instagram.

Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supplying the music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.