Gardeners' Question Time

Will my cuttings expire at the same time as the parent plant? How do I attract more wildlife to my pond? If the panel had £100 to spend on their garden per year, what would they buy? Kathy Clugston and her team of horticultural experts are in the subtropical terrain of Trebah Gardens, Cornwall for this week’s episode of Gardeners' Question Time. Joining her are self-proclaimed ‘botany geek’ James Wong, gardening writer Anne Swithinbank, and Trebah’s very own Head Gardener Darren Dickey. Entwined between the postbag questions, Darren takes the panel around the unique areas of Trebah Gardens, including a ‘bamboozling’ insight into their bamboo crops, a dip into their Water Garden, and a trip through Trebah’s famous Gunnera Passage. Producer: Bethany Hocken Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock Executive Producer: Hannah Newton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

How do I stop my dwarf apple tree from growing too tall? When is the best time to prune back my entwined climber plants? Do you have any top tips for gardening on a slope? Kathy Clugston and her team of horticultural experts are in the picturesque fishing village of Mousehole for today's episode of Gardeners' Question Time. Joining her are self proclaimed botanical geek James Wong, gardening writer Anne Swithinbank and garden designer Chris Beardshaw. Later in the show, Anne Swithinbank is joined by Senior Gardener Jack Beesley as they go against the tides to visit St. Michael’s Mount, where Anne takes peek behind the scenes of their breathtaking gardens. Producer: Bethany Hocken Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock Executive Producer: Hannah Newton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

How can I deal with garden thugs? Can you recommend a plant that thrives on getting its leaves picked? How can I mow the edges of my lawn? The GQT team are back to bring their botanical expertise to an audience of keen gardeners in South Somerset. Ready to offer their horticultural know-how are passionate plants woman Christine Walkden, experienced horticulturist Anne Swithinbank, and grow-your-own guru Bob Flowerdew. For tips and tricks on extending floral displays, GQT regular Matt Biggs hits the ’flower’ on the head with his masterclass on deadheading. Producer: Dom Tyerman Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock Executive Producer: Hannah Newton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Where’s the best place to ripen tomatoes? How do I get my cosmos plant to flower? What’s the best way to ripen harvested seeds? Kathy Clugston and the GQT panellists have taken a trip to one of the UK's most loved gardens, the breath-taking Great Dixter Gardens in East Sussex, to answer pressing horticultural queries sent in by our listeners. Ready and waiting with tips and tricks are garden designer Juliet Sargeant, expert plantsman Matt Biggs and curator of RHS Wisley, Matthew Pottage. Treating the team to a tour is the estate is head gardener, Fergus Garrett. Producer: Dom Tyerman Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod Executive Producer: Hannah Newton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

How should I integrate grasses into herbaceous borders? Should I persevere with my blueberry plant? How can we make our allotment open day a great success? This week, Peter Gibbs is in Charlton Adam to answer all these questions and more. Joining him are grow-your-own guru Bob Flowerdew, horticulturist Anne Swithinbank, and plantswoman Christine Walkden. Alongside the horticultural Q and A, we hear from GQT regular Pippa Greenwood who visits Fairweather’s Nursery to tell us all we need to know about growing agapanthus. Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock Producer: Dom Tyerman Executive Producer: Hannah Newton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

What plant related songs would the panel add to their gardening playlist? Why is it so difficult to grow cucumbers? Why aren’t my strawberry plants producing any fruit? Kathy Clugston is in Hampshire for this week's GQT. Joining her are pest and disease expert Pippa Greenwood, head gardener Ashley Edwards and garden designer Juliet Sargeant. Later in the show, Matthew Wilson gives us a much needed mulching masterclass, where we find out how to get the best out of our organic matter. Producer: Bethany Hocken Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock Executive Producer: Hannah Newton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Is it a realistic goal to grow strawberries indoors? I never seem to have success growing beetroots or carrots. What should I do differently? Can you identify the grey caterpillars on my Solomon’s seal? This week, Peter Gibbs and his team of horticultural experts pay a visit to GQT regular, Matt Biggs’ garden for a postbag edition of Gardeners’ Question Time. Joining Peter and Matt to offer all their tips and advice are pest and disease expert Pippa Greenwood, and plants woman, Christine Walkden. The panel offer their best horticultural advice on a variety of questions: - from watermelons and strawberries to methods of moving a plant - all the while having a wander around Matt Biggs' back garden. Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod Producer: Dan Cocker Executive Producer: Hannah Newton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.

Kathy Clugston looks back over 76 years of hot and dry weather advice on this special archive edition of GQT. Summer is upon us once again and gardeners all over the country have been finding various ways to adapt their gardens to the hot and dry conditions. The GQT team have sorted through the archives in search for some questions and answers from our horticultural experts over various episodes. They share their knowledge on how to water a garden without wasting too much water, what perennial flowers can survive dry conditions and require low maintenance, and how you can create a drought-resistant garden that supports wildlife and biodiversity. And later we listen back to when Matthew Wilson visited the Beth Chatto Garden in Essex - to see how they adapt to the hot & dry summers Producer: Daniel Cocker
 Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod
 Executive Producer: Hannah Newton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

To snap or to cut - what is the best way to dead head my roses? Why are my tomatoes falling off before turning red? Which plant would you relegate to the compost heap? Kathy Clugston and her team of GQT experts are at the Army Flying Museum in Hampshire to answer all these questions and more. Joining her this week are garden designer Juliet Sargeant, head gardener Ashley Edwards, and pest and disease expert Pippa Greenwood. Alongside the horticultural Q and A, we hear from Deputy Director and Head of Science of the University of Oxford Botanic Garden, Chris Thorogood who talks us through Mediterranean-inspired gardening in the UK. Executive producer: Hannah Newton Producer: Bethany Hocken Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Is it worse to over water or under water hanging baskets? Does rhubarb have a life expectancy? Are south facing gardens worthy of the hype?   Kathy Clugston and the GQT team are in Worsley, at the stunning gardens of RHS Bridgewater to answer more horticultural queries. Joining her this week are garden designer Bunny Guinness, proud plantsman Neil Porteous and Marcus Chilton-Jones, curator of RHS Bridgewater.   Peter Gibbs visits Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where Head of Garden Design, Richard Wilford gives him a sneak preview of the brand new design of their famous herbaceous border. Producer: Dan Cocker Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock Executive Producer: Hannah Newton A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4