Roots and All - Gardening Podcast

UK HEDGEHOGS NEED YOU! Since 2000, UK populations of hedgehogs have declined 30% in urban areas and 50% in rural areas. Today’s guest, Hugh Warwick, estimates hedgehog populations have dropped by 90% or more since the second world war. Based on these horrendous figures, we can deduce if we don’t start helping them right away, these beautiful animals could be facing extinction.  That’s where we, as gardeners, come in. Hugh talks about how we can encourage hedgehogs into our gardens and how we can best look after those who decide to share our space. We cover: Encouraging hedgehogs into your garden Supplemental feeding and watering Ensuring hedgehog safety in the garden The importance of creating a network to facilitate hedgehogs’ movements How to identify and deal with poorly hedgehogs   About Hugh Warwick Hugh is an ecologist and author with a particular interest in hedgehogs. He is a spokesperson for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, runs the Oxfordshire campaign, HedgeOX and is a regular contributor to radio and television. He has written two books about hedgehogs … and much to the distress of his family, has plans for more!   Links: https://www.hughwarwick.com Hugh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hedgehoghugh Link to the video we discussed, where Hugh drills through a perfectly good wall in aid of helping our hedgehogs, a worthy sacrifice!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8joMexoVo38&feature=youtu.be   Hedgehog Street: https://www.hedgehogstreet.org    British Hedgehog Preservation Society Website: https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/hedgehogsociety Telephone 01584 890801 Email info@britishhedgehogs.org.uk   State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2018 Report: https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/state-britains-hedgehogs-2018/  Hugh’s project the HedgeOX campaign aims to help Oxfordshire’s hedgehogs: Website: https://www.hedgeox.org/?fbclid=IwAR2FJwEaBz4Wejdl5PRWn5R-hFq9b8yUCqWrCSwSOes8_HjMpxTqj3Z4S3E  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hedgeox/ 

Back by popular demand, it's Part 2 of taking on and managing an allotment. With Louise Bell. Listen as we talk about what to do with your allotment over winter, which crops you should be growing, when to harvest and if you only have time to do one job, which should it be. The follow up to Allotments Part 1 - Episode 5 of the podcast, published on 7th August 2018.   Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  Website www.rootsandall.co.uk  Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod   Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall 

Have you ever wondered which are the most poisonous plants in your house and garden? Do you know how plant toxins work and how to handle poisonous plants safely? What are we, as gardeners, most at risk of when dealing with our beloved plants? And which risks are sometimes blown out of proportion? Join me as I speak to botanist Dr Liz Dauncey about poisonous plant facts, myths and interesting cases. And if you’re particularly fascinated by the macabre and want to find out the most gruesome way to go, plus which poisons are untraceable, listen on!   About Dr Elizabeth A. Dauncey Liz is a botanist with a PhD in Plant Taxonomy during which she undertook a taxonomic revision of Dendrobium section Pedilonum, a group of orchids from South-East Asia. She spent most of her career as a botanical toxicologist working for the Poisons Unit of Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital in London, on joint initiatives with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.  Her work involved developing strategies and products to reduce the number of poisoning incidents involving plants, and to improve the identification of plants by treatment centres. She worked with the Horticultural Trades Association on their 'Harmful?' campaign that introduced a list of 117 plants on sale in garden centres that should carry warnings on their pot labels. Liz subsequently spent four years with Kew’s Medicinal Plant Names Services, which enables effective communication about medicinal plants in health, regulation and research. She now works freelance, writing books, providing information and advice about plant toxicity, and undertaking poisonous plant surveys.   Liz is author of Poisonous Plants: A Guide for Parents and Childcare Providers (Kew Publishing, 2010) and co-author of Plants That Kill: A Natural History of the World’s Most Poisonous Plants (Kew Publishing, 2018). Plants That Kill is now also available in German, Dutch, Italian and Japanese! She is currently co-authoring a follow-on book called Plants That Cure, due to be published in 2020, which looks in particular at the plants from which pharmaceutical drugs have been developed. There are also plans for a revised and updated edition of her Poisonous Plants guide that will be expanded to include plants that are poisonous to pets.    Links: Poisonous Plants: A Guide for Parents and Childcare Providers (Kew Publishing, 2010) - out of print at the publisher but still available online: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Poisonous-Plants-Parents-Childcare-Providers/dp/184246406X/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_g8682124849?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0&ie=UTF8  Plants That Kill: A Natural History of the World’s Most Poisonous Plants (Kew Publishing, 2018) - widely available  https://shop.kew.org/plants-that-kill-a-natural-history-of-the-world-s-most-poisonous-plants   Horticultural Trades Association - Code of practice for potentially harmful plants, downloadable list  https://hta.org.uk/resourceLibrary/code-of-practice-for-potentially-harmful-plants.html Kew’s Medicinal Plant Names Services - plant name portal  https://mpns.science.kew.org/mpns-portal/     Twitter - @liz_dauncey    Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  Website www.rootsandall.co.uk  Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod   Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall 

An episode dedicated to Esiah Levy. A short intro to seed sharing and open pollinated varieities. Sadly, Esiah Levy who you may have heard interviewed in Episode 12 of the Podcast, passed away on the 22nd January. This episode is dedicated to sharing his passion for seed sharing and open pollinated seeds, and will hopefully inspire you to add some of these varieties to your patch this year. Please check out the GoFundMe set up to help Esiah's young family: https://www.gofundme.com/esiah-levy    Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod   Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

Matthew Appleby is a multi award-winning horticultural journalist who regularly writes for gardening magazines, national newspapers and the industry bible Horticulture Week. Matthew is a long-time vegan and organic gardener and has a wealth of growing experience upon which to base his new book, The Super Organic Gardener. The book is released on the 31st January 2019 and I spoke to Matthew about what it means to garden in this style.   We touched upon: The definition of organic and vegan gardening Why veganism is gaining so much traction What products do and don’t qualify for use in a vegan garden What is no-dig gardening Vegan composts, green manures, fertilisers , seeds and plants Matthew’s reasons for practising vegan gardening   Further reading: The Super Organic Gardener - Matthew Appleby Jan 2019 - Pen & Sword https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Super-Organic-Gardener-Paperback/p/15572 Charles Dowding - No-Dig Gardening  https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk Poyntzfield Herb Nursery https://www.poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk Delfland Nurseries https://www.delfland.co.uk Walcot Organic Nursery https://walcotnursery.co.uk Hulme Garden Centre https://hulmegardencentre.org.uk   Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  Website www.rootsandall.co.uk  Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod   Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall 

Why it's good to know what goes in your compost, especially if you want to shop ethically, sustainably and/or vegan.  "Since the 1980’s Fertile Fibre have been producing peat free coir based organic composts. Fertile Fibre have also been working closely with the Vegan Society and the Biodynamic Association to develop composts which are specifically tailored to meeting the needs of those growers. I talk with Caroline about what goes into making Fertile Fibre composts, what you should look for when making purchasing decisions about composts and fertilisers and why this is important. For more info visit www.fertilefibre.com    Further contact Information; Fertile Fibre Ltd Withington Court Withington Hereford HR1 3RJ Tel: 01432 853111 Email:    info@fertilefibre.com Twitter:  @fertilefibre Facebook: fertilefibre   Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk Website www.rootsandall.co.uk Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod   Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall

In this episode, I talk with critically acclaimed garden designer Cleve West about his journey to a vegan lifestyle and how this impacts upon his work.  We touch upon vegan gardening, cooking, farming for vegan and meat based diets and why we all need to think about the mark we leave on our gardens and the wider environment.    Further resources; www.clevewest.com Our Plot by Cleve West. Published in 2011 by Frances Lincoln https://www.amazon.co.uk/Our-Plot-Cleve-West-2013-04-04/dp/B01K939IVO/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=X4JTJ0GQZVM0R9T860M9 Earthlings – a 2005 documentary http://www.nationearth.com Cowspiracy http://www.cowspiracy.com Forks Over Knives https://www.forksoverknives.com Land of Hope and Glory – Documentary https://www.landofhopeandglory.org Knepp Farm  https://knepp.co.uk Matthew Appleby – The Super Organic Gardener. Published 31st Jan 2019 by Pen and Sword. https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Super-Organic-Gardener-Paperback/p/15572 Iain Tolhurst – Tolhurst Organic http://www.tolhurstorganic.co.uk https://www.amazon.co.uk/Growing-Green-Organic-Techniques-Sustainable/dp/0955222516 BOSH Cookbook https://www.bosh.tv/book/bosh-the-cookbook Dr Michael Greger https://nutritionfacts.org   Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  Website www.rootsandall.co.uk  Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod   Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall 

Fibrex is a family run nursery, started by Hazel & Dick Key over half a century ago. The business is still run by family members; Angela works alongside her sister, brother and sister-in-law, as well as other family members, to make the nursery the success it is today.  In addition to being respected horticultural experts, they hold two National Collections and continually attain top accolades at flower shows such as RHS Chelsea, Hampton Court, Malvern and Gardeners World Live.  The nursery is open to visit, but they also offer an excellent mail order service and you can order plants through their website.    Key talking points with Angela were: Growing ivy as a houseplant Ideal growing conditions for ivy indoors Ideal growing conditions for ivy outdoors Different growth habits and the suitability of certain species for certain garden situations Fast and slow growing varieties Pruning Benefits to wildlife Unsuitable situations for ivy Growing ivy in containers   If you’d like to view and shop the full range of Ivy that Fibrex Nurseries has to offer, you can visit their website: https://www.fibrex.co.uk  Nursery Contact Information: Fibrex Nursery LTD Honeybourne Road Pebworth Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 8XP  Telephone: 01789 720788 Email: sales@fibrex.co.uk Opening Hours 1 Mar - 31 Aug: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm 1 Sept - 28 Feb: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm 1 Apr - 25 Jun: Sat-Sun 10.30am-4pm Twitter @FibrexNurseries Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Fibrex-Nurseries-Ltd-217275455080317/  Instagram fibrex_nurseries   Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  Website www.rootsandall.co.uk  Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod   Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall 

Born in 1986 to Jamaican parents in South East London, Esiah Levy is a London-based creative Food Grower, Gardener Designer and the founder of SeedsShare, a project sending edible plant seeds all over the world. SeedsShare is a project set up by Esiah in December 2016 to provide organic seeds which can be sown to produce free food and provide long-term food security for Individuals or community gardening groups, particularly in areas where organic fresh produce is at a minimum. Countries which have SeedsShare seeds growing include Japan, Canada, Peru, Indonesia, France, America, the Netherlands, Russia and more! What makes the SeedsShare unique is all seeds are grown and harvested locally in Esiah’s own garden and various plots around London. All seeds are 100% free with only postage to pay to get your hands on them!    Key talking points were: What is an heirloom vs. a hybrid variety? Which is better and why? What are the easiest types of seed to collect and save? As a seed distributor, is the SeedsShare subject to any regulations or legislation? Can you explain the implications of legislation surrounding seeds?   Esiah has great social media accounts that are well worth a follow! You can find  and connect with him here:   twitter / instagram / facebook - @croydongardener  Website – www.SeedsShare.co.uk  Linkedin - Esiah Levy    Get in touch; Email podcast@rootsandall.co.uk  Website www.rootsandall.co.uk  Twitter @rootsandall Instagram rootsandallpod   Patreon Link; Help us keep the podcast free & independent! Donate as much or as little as you like at https://www.patreon.com/rootsandall 

  Gardening in A Changing Climate This is a recording of a panel discussion that took place at a Designers' Day event on 27th November 2018. The sound quality is pretty raw and not up to our excellent standards, as we recorded in a polytunnel in the lashing rain! The topic up for debate was how climate change is affecting the way designers design gardens for clients. Or not, as the case may be! A straw poll at the beginning revealed that in a room full of garden designers and landscapers, about 4 said their work had been influenced by a changing climate. Which is comforting, or frightening, depending on how you look at it... Although the debate was intended to be heard by designers, there are definitely words of wisdom that can be applied in gardens or all shapes and sizes, and by gardeners at all levels. The panel is chaired by Jack Wallington. The designers taking part are your host Sarah Wilson, Emma Page and Nic Howard.  The event was held at How Green Nursery in Hever, Kent. How Green Nursery is a trade nursery supplying plants to retailers, landscapers, designers, local authorities and historic gardens. They also supply plants for show gardens, including the RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. Thanks to the guys at the nursery for hosting an informative and thought-provoking event.  Further Information The Roots and All website - https://rootsandall.co.uk https://twitter.com/rootsandall https://www.facebook.com/rootsandalluk/ https://www.instagram.com/rootsandallpod/ Email: podcast@rootsandall.co.uk How Green Nursery - 01732 700382 - www.howgreennursery.co.uk Jack Wallington www.jackwallington.com Emma Page www.natureredsigned.co.uk Nic Howard www.we-love-plants.co.uk