Whether there is a heatwave or a downpour, this week Monty has plenty of jobs to be getting on with, from pruning and propagating to planting pots. Adam Frost meets Prince Charles in his garden at Highgrove to talk about the issue of bio-security, an issue which is of great concern to him and which could have a big effect on our gardens and landscape. Adam also talks to the prince’s head forester to find out what gardeners can do to help.
Carol Klein profiles one of our summer stunners for both borders and containers – the agapanthus – and we catch up with Frances Tophill on her shared allotment. We also meet a gardener whose passion for planting has spilled out from his garden onto the roundabout outside his house.
Gardeners World 2018 episode 16
Grow your own leeks
Leeks are a flavoursome winter vegetable that can be steamed or boiled, braised in a cheese sauce and used in soups and stews. Leeks are easy to grow, but need looking after – you need to sow them in containers or a separate part of the garden before moving them to their final position. Sow seed in spring, and you will be lifting leeks from autumn to late winter.
Crop rotation
The principle of crop rotation is to grow specific groups of vegetables on a different part of the vegetable plot each year. This helps to reduce a build-up of crop-specific pest and disease problems and it organises groups of crops according to their cultivation needs.
Crop rotation is used in allotment plots and kitchen gardens for most annual vegetable crops. Perennial vegetables (such as rhubarb and asparagus) do not fit into the rotation. Certain annual crops such as cucurbits (courgettes, pumpkins, squashes, marrows and cucumbers), French and runner beans, salads (endive, lettuce and chicory) and sweetcorn can be grown wherever convenient, merely avoiding growing them too often in the same place.
Plan your crop rotation before the growing season starts, and mark out the plots on the ground so you know where to plant each crop.
How to grow gooseberries & white currants
Gooseberries, red and white currants are easy-to-grow soft fruits that cope with a wide range of soil conditions. They crop best in a sunny position, but will tolerate partial shade.
