Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

This week I thought it would be good to get an overview of the horticultural industry - so I’m speaking to the person with their finger on the pulse, Matthew Appleby, Editor of Horticulture Week and host of the Horticulture Week podcast. We cover the effect of Brexit, plant passports and the pandemic on plant supplies and how this has affected consumers. Find out how the industry is faring given supply issues and the uptick in interest in gardening. Matthew talks about whether consumers need to adjust their expectations and their way of gardening and we end on how has the push to go peat-free is affecting gardeners and the trade too. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Aphids and Ecosystems This episode is brought to you by the team at LECHUZA, suppliers of self-watering pots and planters. LECHUZA brings decades of experience in state-of-the-art, precision manufacturing to bear on its stylish high-functionality range of planters. All LECHUZA products are designed in-house and manufactured in the same factory as the iconic Playmobil toys. The complete collection comes in a wide variety of traditional and trend-led colours and shapes and are highly reliable for use both indoors and outdoors. The integrated soil irrigation system ensures that the plant receives the perfect amount of water for optimal growth. Thanks to a reservoir that always holds enough water and is controlled by a water level indicator, dried out or overwatered root bales are a thing of the past. Find out more by visiting www.lechuza.co.uk Whether a gardener or working in the horticultural trade, this episode is relevant, covering Brexit, the pandemic, plant supplies, the popularity of gardening and how the push to go peat-free is affecting gardeners and the trade too. Matthew, Editor of Horticulture Week & host of the Horticulture Week podcast, gives an overview. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Aphids and Ecosystems This episode is brought to you by the team at LECHUZA, suppliers of self-watering pots and planters. www.lechuza.co.uk Links  www.hortweek.com Horticulture Week Podcast 

This week I’m speaking to smallholder and YouTuber Liz Zorab. Liz has been documenting her growing efforts, firstly via a blog and then via her hugely popular YouTube channel. She’s recently written Grounded: A Gardener’s Journey to Abundance and Self-Sufficiency in which she talks about setting up at a new site in Wales and how her gardening journey went hand in hand with her journey from ill-health to relative wellness. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Black Garden Ants This episode is brought to you by the team at LECHUZA, suppliers of self-watering pots and planters. LECHUZA brings decades of experience in state-of-the-art, precision manufacturing to bear on its stylish high-functionality range of planters. All LECHUZA products are designed in-house and manufactured in the same factory as the iconic Playmobil toys. The complete collection comes in a wide variety of traditional and trend-led colours and shapes and are highly reliable for use both indoors and outdoors. The integrated soil irrigation system ensures that the plant receives the perfect amount of water for optimal growth. Thanks to a reservoir that always holds enough water and is controlled by a water level indicator, dried out or overwatered root bales are a thing of the past. Find out more by visiting www.lechuza.co.uk About Liz Zorab “Liz works full time on the homestead and as a content creator in various media. Her love of gardening started as a small child, but blossomed when she left home. In her own garden, she found joy in propagating plants and growing food for her family. At her happiest when pottering in the garden, Liz now manages the half acre fruit and vegetable gardens and food forest at Byther Farm. Liz is available for talks and presentations about gardening, growing for food security and self-sufficiency.” http://bytherfarm.com/about/ Links Byther Farm YouTube channel www.bytherfarm.com

This episode, I’m speaking to Canadian gardening superstar Niki Jabbour. Niki is a gardener and author of 3 books, including ‘Growing Under Cover’, which is the most comprehensive guide to using crop covers in your vegetable garden. It’s based on Niki’s first-hand, decades long research into successfully growing food 365 days a year in the challenging climate of Nova Scotia and what she doesn’t know about using covers to protect crops, prolong the season and cheat the weather, you could write on the back of a stamp and still have room to lick it. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Doodlebugs and Billy Witches This episode is brought to you by new green-tech company Harvst. The company's recently launched smart web-connected ‘mini greenhouses’ are designed to help people grow more at home, with less effort and minimal space. Choose between The Yard and The Terrace; both are simply popped directly on the ground or patio, they’re self-watering, climate controlled, space efficient and enable you to grow your own produce without the need to tend every day. So whether you’re a budding beginner or a seasoned pro, visit www.harvst.co.uk and take advantage of a 5% discount on all 4 seasons and eco Mini Greenhouse orders from now until the end of July. Simply enter the code mentioned in the episode at the checkout. About Nikki Jabbour Niki Jabbour is the award-winning author of four books – The Year Round Vegetable Gardener (2012 American Horticultural Society Book Award), Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans That Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden, Veggie Garden Remix: 224 New Plants to Shake Up Your Garden and Add Variety, Flavor, and Fun (Winner of the 2019 American Horticultural Society Book Award, Winner of the Gold Book Award from GardenComm, and winner of the 2019 Silver Award from Taste Canada), and Growing Under Cover: Techniques for a More Productive, Weather-Resistant, Pest-Free Vegetable Garden. She also writes for magazines like Fine Gardening, Horticulture, and Birds & Blooms. Niki is an in-demand speaker, offering seminars and keynotes at events, shows, societies, and greenhouses across North America such as the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, The Dow Gardens, The Philadelphia Flower Show, The Boston Flower Show, and Canada Blooms. Since 2006, Niki has hosted and executive produced her popular radio show, The Weekend Gardener which airs on News 95.7 FM in Halifax as well as online. For her broadcasting work, Niki won the 2015 Gold Award from GardenComm as ‘Best On-Air Talent’. Niki is very active on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and you can find her gardening videos on Youtube. When she’s not writing, speaking, or broadcasting about food gardening Niki is harvesting year-round from her twenty raised bed vegetable garden in Halifax, Nova Scotia which is filled with an eclectic mixture of popular vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans, as well as unique heirloom varieties, and crops from around the world like cucamelons, snake gourds, and za’atar. https://savvygardening.com/about-us/ Links www.savvygardening.com Growing Under Cover by Niki Jabbour - Storey Publishing, 2021

This week’s episode is a little bit different as it’s a recording of me chatting to Daniel Fuller on the brilliant Plants Grow Here podcast. Although we may be geographically antipodean, there are a lot of similarities between Roots and All and Plants Grow Here, as Daniel and I both cover a wide range of horticultural topics, including those on the fringe and we both love a bit of geeking out! Join us as we dive into the world of podcasting and gardening.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Garden snails This episode is brought to you by new green-tech company Harvst. The company's recently launched smart web-connected ‘mini greenhouses’ are designed to help people grow more at home, with less effort and minimal space. Choose between The Yard and The Terrace; both are simply popped directly on the ground or patio, they’re self-watering, climate controlled, space efficient and enable you to grow your own produce without the need to tend every day. So whether you’re a budding beginner or a seasoned pro, visit www.harvst.co.uk and take advantage of a 5% discount on all 4 seasons and eco Mini Greenhouse orders from now until the end of July. Simply use the code mentioned in the episode. About Daniel Fuller Daniel is the primary host on the Plants Grow Here Podcast and content writer. Currently based in St. Kilda, Melbourne, he has been working in the horticultural maintenance field for 8 years, leading crews for most of this time. The idea of Plants Grow Here was born from his desire to learn more from people who have specialised knowledge and a passion for what they do. Links www.plantsgrowhere.com Plants Grow Here Podcast

Today’s intro comes to you from by back garden, courtesy of the local birds!  This week I’m speaking to Jessica Walliser, author of ‘Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for the Vegetable Garden’ which as it says, is a scientific look at companion plant to find out if it works, and if it does, in what way and why. Jessica’s unique book is essential reading if you like to uncover some of the secrets behind the received horticultural wisdom that’s passed down from one gardener to the next.   Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Red lily beetle This episode is brought to you by So & Mo. Launched this year, So & Mo is a new lawn care brand bringing the right products and expertise to give everyone the confidence to be a lawn expert. They have developed the perfect 12 month plan, through 6 liquid feeds to give your lawn all the nutrients needed for complete plant health and professional results. Packaged into a one size fits all box lasting 6, 12 or 24 months based on the lawn size, ensures the ability to cater for all lawns with no waste. As a special offer for listeners, So & Mo is offering 15% off your first box. Simply visit soandmo.com and enter the code mentioned in the episode at checkout. What we talk about: What we know now about companion planting that wasn't known previously Why companion planting works Why we should be interested in nitrogen fixing plants Cover crops How companion plants help with weed control Busting the myth that it's the scent of the companion plants that deters pests  Beetle bumps  Companion planting and plant diseases  About Jessica Walliser Jessica is the co-founder of SavvyGardening.com and was co-host of the award winning radio show ‘The Organic Gardeners’ for 15 years. Jessica is a journalist, editor and Acquisitions Editor for Cool Springs Press. Jessica takes an organic and wildlife-friendly approach to gardening and is the former owner of a 25 acre market farm. She also teaches horticulture and has a degree in ornamental horticulture from the Pennsylvania State University.  She’s the author of ‘Good Bug, Bad Bug: Who’s Who, What They Do, and How to Manage Them Organically’, ‘Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control, ‘Container Gardening Complete: Creative Projects for Growing Vegetables and Flowers in Small Spaces’, ‘A Gardener’s Journal: Life With My Garden' as well as ‘Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for the Vegetable Garden'. Links jessicawalliser.com  Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for the Vegetable Garden 

Today’s intro comes to you from by back garden, courtesy of the local birds!    In this episode I’m joined by Greg Peterson, who started The Urban Farm nearly 30 years ago. His third of an acre site is covered in edible crops which feed his family and other families too. Gardening as he does in Phoenix, Arizona he has to make full use of rainwater harvesting systems, soil improvement techniques, plus he’s heavy into recycling and reuse. We talk about how he’s created a fully functioning and successful farm in an urban neighbourhood. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Leaf rollers This episode is brought to you by So & Mo. Launched this year, So & Mo is a new lawn care brand bringing the right products and expertise to give everyone the confidence to be a lawn expert. They have developed the perfect 12 month plan, through 6 liquid feeds to give your lawn all the nutrients needed for complete plant health and professional results. Packaged into a one size fits all box lasting 6, 12 or 24 months based on the lawn size, ensures the ability to cater for all lawns with no waste. As a special offer for listeners, So & Mo is offering 15% off your first box. Simply visit soandmo.com and enter the code ROOTS15 at checkout. What we talk about: Why Greg began The Urban Farm Gardening in a desert and managing water Greg's natural soil and how he fertilises it  The importance of growing local Seed saving Neighbourhood rules and regulations One easy win that people could achieve if they’re thinking of establishing their own urban farm About Greg Peterson Greg has lived at the Urban Farm for almost 30 years.  His 1/3-acre yard features an entirely edible landscape, including over 70 fruit trees, rainwater and grey-water harvesting, solar applications, and extensive use of reclaimed and recycled building materials. Greg is a longtime permaculture advocate, flunked out of university in 1981 because he was bored, then went back twenty years later to get a bachelor’s degree and a Masters in Urban and Environmental Planning in 2006 and is a lifelong continual learner. On his days off he hangs out in his garden with his sweetheart Heidi and their chickens, creating new projects and catching some rays. Links www.urbanfarm.org The Urban Farm Podcast Brad Lancaster - Rainwater Harvesting  Ishmael by Daniel Quinn soandmo.com   

In this episode, I’m interviewing Gina Buenfeld-Murley, exhibitons curator of the Camden Art Centre and co-curator of the online exhibition The Botanical Mind. In this episode, we go deep into the relation between art and the natural world and talk about sacred geometry, indigenous art, symbolism, Jung, the mysterious Voynich manuscript and why this exhibition is so pertinent given the current relationship humans have to the rest of nature. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Pollen beetles This episode is brought to you by the team at The Real Soil Company. Launched to the market in 2020 The Real Soil Company proudly offers new organic, peat-free SuperSoil. Packed full of organic nutrients for optimal plant health, SuperSoil’s natural ‘boosters’ will stimulate quicker plant establishment and better resilience against pests and disease, whilst also enabling edible crops to benefit from nutritional enhancement and a higher crop yield.  The enhanced soil also offers better water retention and release for optimum plant growth, whilst providing a more balanced and workable material for gardeners.  What we talk about: Sacred geometry and that patterns that are found in nature and in entheogenic experiences and which occur at the micro and macro level Georgio Griffa’s writing, which forms part of the exhibition, talks of art and science two being in extricably linked. How do seemingly pre-determined and logical patterns such as fractals influence art? Do the patterns stop being science when they are recreated by a human hand?  How can we be inspired by indigenous art and nature appreciation, both past and present, whilst avoiding cultural appropriation or slipping into romanticism?  The Voynich Manuscript The significance of Jung’s archetypes in relation to botany About The Botanical Mind and Gina Buenfeld-Murley Humanity’s place in the natural order is under scrutiny as never before, held in a precarious balance between visible and invisible forces: from the microscopic threat of a virus to the monumental power of climate change. Drawing on indigenous traditions from the Amazon rainforest; alternative perspectives on Western scientific rationalism; and new thinking around plant intelligence, philosophy and cultural theory, The Botanical Mind Online investigates the significance of the plant kingdom to human life, consciousness and spirituality across cultures and through time. It positions the plant as both a universal symbol found in almost every civilisation and religion across the globe, and the most fundamental but misunderstood form of life on our planet. Gina Buenfeld-Murley is Exhibitions Curator at Camden Art Centre, London where she has co-curated The Botanical Mind: Art, Mysticism and The Cosmic Tree (2020-21); A Tale of Mother’s Bones: Grace Pailthorpe, Reuben Mednikoff and the Birth of Psychorealism (2019); Athanasios Argianas, Hollowed Water (2020); Wong Ping, Heart Digger (2019); Yuko Mohri, Voluta, (2018); Joachim Koester, In the Face of Overwhelming Forces (2017); João Maria Gusmão & Pedro Paiva, Papagaio (2015); Bonnie Camplin (2016) and Rose English (2016). Recent independent curatorial projects include Gäa: Holistic Science and Wisdom Tradition, at Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange, Cornwall, and Origin Story, at The Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Turku, Finland (both 2019). In 2017 she was curatorial resident at Helsinki International Curatorial Programme, Finland and has been researching the place of plants within indigenous cultures in Europe and South America, including in Finnish Lapland (Samí shamanism) and in the Colombian, Peruvian and Brazilian areas of the Amazon Rainforest where she researched the sacred geometries and music of the Yawanawa, Huni Kuin and Shipibo-Conibo peoples. In 2014-15 she was curator-in-residence with Arts Initiative Tokyo (AIT) and established Tokyo Correspondence, a series of exhibitions, residencies and research visits, facilitating cultural dialogue between artists in the UK and Japan and curated At the Still Point of the Turning World at Shibaura House Tokyo, featuring work by Manon de Boer; Joachim Koester; Simon Martin; Ursula Mayer; Jeremy Millar; Sriwhana Spong; Jesse Wine; and Caroline Achaintre. She was previously Director at Alison Jacques Gallery, London. Links The Botanical Mind Online Camden Art Centre on Facebook 

This week, I’m speaking to Senior Arboricultural Research Manager Dr Glynn Percival, who works for Bartlett Tree Experts. I first heard Glynn speak about 7 years ago and I was blown away by his straight talking and the research he presented that day, which exploded many myths about tree planting. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that his eye-opening lecture was a pivotal moment in my understanding that I didn’t have to swallow all the received wisdom surrounding horticulture. Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Orange tip butterflies This episode is brought to you by the team at The Real Soil Company. Launched to the market in 2020 The Real Soil Company proudly offers new organic, peat-free SuperSoil. Packed full of organic nutrients for optimal plant health, SuperSoil’s natural ‘boosters’ will stimulate quicker plant establishment and better resilience against pests and disease, whilst also enabling edible crops to benefit from nutritional enhancement and a higher crop yield.  The enhanced soil also offers better water retention and release for optimum plant growth, whilst providing a more balanced and workable material for gardeners.  What we talk about: Why tree pests and diseases are on the increase  The benefits of feeding trees with sugar Chemicals and how they can switch on tree defences Mulching trees - why it matters Biochar applications Chitin and phosphites Issues affecting trees in the UK Scented plants and their effect on tree health About the Bartlett Tree Experts “Bartlett Tree Experts was founded by Francis A. Bartlett in 1907 and is the world's leading scientific tree and shrub care company. From its over 100 offices worldwide, Bartlett helps both residential and commercial customers maintain beautiful, healthy trees. Bartlett is dedicated to developing environmentally sound products and promoting their use on our clients' properties. With the Bartlett Legacy Tree Programme, Bartlett provides tree seedlings to help with reforestation efforts, and teaches people how to care for trees.” https://www.bartlett.com/about-us.cfm Links www.bartlett.com Bartlett Tree Experts on Facebook 

Today’s episode is the first in another new series called the Roots and All Takeover, where I hand the microphone over to an individual or group of people and they produce the content for the episode. There are no rules, they have complete free rein, the idea being to give an audio platform to people that don’t already have one. So this first takeover is by The Young Propagators Society and features a chat between Ellie and Sophie, the founding members of the society, Michal who’s a dendrologist at Westonbirt Arboretum and Natasha, a builder and gardener and they talk about the challenges, successes and techniques they’ve discovered when propagating a very diverse range of plants.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Broad bean pests This episode is brought to you by the team at The Real Soil Company. Launched to the market in 2020 The Real Soil Company proudly offers new organic, peat-free SuperSoil. Packed full of organic nutrients for optimal plant health, SuperSoil’s natural ‘boosters’ will stimulate quicker plant establishment and better resilience against pests and disease, whilst also enabling edible crops to benefit from nutritional enhancement and a higher crop yield.  The enhanced soil also offers better water retention and release for optimum plant growth, whilst providing a more balanced and workable material for gardeners.  About the Young Propagators Society The Young Propagators Society was founded to create a network of people interested in propagation to share their knowledge with one another. They produce a quarterly zine that members contribute to, which you can find on their website www.youngpropsoc.com and you can get involved by contributing written pieces or artwork to hello@youngpropsoc.com Ellie and Sophie are co-creators of The Young Propagators Society, they met at Great Dixter when they were both students. They, at the same time, got their positions in their jobs as; propagator at Crug Farm and assistant nursery manager at Great Dixter. Respectively. Michal and Ellie worked together in the arboretum nursery at RBG Kew when Michal was botanical horticulturist and Ellie was a student, Michal is now the dendrologist at Westonbirt arboretum. Natasha and Ellie have been friends since teenagers and they have inspired each others’ learning and understanding of plants and botany. Natasha is a gardener and builder. Links www.youngpropsoc.com 

This week I’m speaking to Doug Bierend, journalist and author of In Search of Mycoptopia, a book which documents Doug’s journey of discovery as it pertains to the world of mushrooms. We talk about what sparked this journey, about what, as he puts it in the interview, was his Come to Mushroom moment and how his interest in fungi continues to develop with each new step he takes along the way.  Dr Ian Bedford’s Bug of the Week: Hoverflies This episode is brought to you by the team at The Real Soil Company. Launched to the market in 2020 The Real Soil Company proudly offers new organic, peat-free SuperSoil. Packed full of organic nutrients for optimal plant health, SuperSoil’s natural ‘boosters’ will stimulate quicker plant establishment and better resilience against pests and disease, whilst also enabling edible crops to benefit from nutritional enhancement and a higher crop yield.  The enhanced soil also offers better water retention and release for optimum plant growth, whilst providing a more balanced and workable material for gardeners. Order HERE. What we talk about: How Doug’s relationship with mushrooms began and what led to the birth of the book The future of mycology in terms of research and education Citizen science and its relevance to the progression of mycology Mushroom farming as an industry Why Doug thinks those in the mycological community are so non-competitive and community-minded How mycelial networks can be used as potential blueprints for societal organisation How mushrooms help improve soil About Doug Bierend “Hi, my name is Doug. I'm a freelance writer and recent first-time author based in the Hudson Valley. Over the last decade or so, I've written with a special interest in science, technology, visual and interactive media, food, sustainability and general subversiveness. My first book, In Search of Mycotopia, is due out in March of 2021 with Chelsea Green Books.” https://dougbierend.com/About-Me Links In Search of Mycotopia by Doug Bierend - Chelsea Green Publishing, 2021 www.dougbierend.com