Growing Together

Enjoying their harvest, Claire and Steve discuss how challenging this gardening year has been.

Steve's passion for dahlias shines through as he gives advice for how to look after these late summer blooms and Claire preps her plots for the autumn with plans to plant hardy annuals, alliums and autumn broad beans.

There's great excitement as the Pumpkin Competition heats up at the Adhurst Estate Allotments in memory of the Petersfield Pumpkin Society's Bob Keevil.

Join Claire Vennis and Steve Amos every month for a new Growing Together from Petersfield's Shine Radio.

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This year's Steep Flower Show turns 101 and there's something for everyone at the village's afternoon event on Saturday August 27th, as committee member Steve Amos tells Shine Radio's Claire Vennis.

However, the show is in dire need of more volunteers.  If you'd like to get involved come to the show and talk to some of the committee members or email [email protected]

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With the recent heatwave in July, Claire and Steve discuss the effect the hotter weather is having on the garden and gardeners alike.

Claire has a mystery muncher in her garden, Steve muses over his rambling runner beans and they inspire each other with plans for Autumn tulip bulbs!

There's also advise on what to do with wildflower meadows, taking salvia cuttings, a blackcurrant vodka recipe and Steve treats us to a live carrot-picking from his Carrot Project as he takes a peek at how they are growing.

 

 

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The RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival is the world's largest annual flower show.  Celebrating it's 31st anniversary, and the first to be held since the start of the pandemic, the emphasis this year is on the joy of wellness and mindfulness with nature being at the centrepiece.

Shine Radio's Claire Vennis met Hampshire gardener Helier Bowling who, along with some new friends, had the opportunity to showcase a home-grown garden at the festival. 

Claire also spoke to the 4 designers of the Get Started show gardens - Lucy Welsh, Imogen Perreau Callf, Gardeners' World's Sue Kent and Hamzah-Adam Desai.

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Paul Abbott at Durleighmarsh Farm used to run the Isle of Wight lavender farm to much success, winning an RHS gold medal.  He still has a passion for lavender and is cultivating new varieties as he explained to Shine Radio's Claire Vennis.  

With tips for how to look after and prune lavender plants too!

For more gardening tips, advice and chat tune in to Growing Together on shineradio.uk.

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Steve and Claire dodge the rain as they enjoy the growing surroundings at the Adhurst Estate Allotment on a summer's evening.

This month there's advice on how to 'stop' dahlias to gain more flowers, what you can still plant to harvest later in the summer and which plants require a high nitrogen feed.

Steve's Project Carrot is growing well, The Big Pumpkin Experiment is on its way, there are lots of cucumbers and chillies in the greenhouse and Claire has plans for her tired strawberry patch.

Paul Abbott from Durleighmarsh Farm also talks to Claire about his passion for lavender.

 

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This month, Claire and Steve are at the Adhurst Estate Allotment early in the morning along with lots of singing birds!

Steve has so many dahlia plants he doesn't know what to do with them and is even trying out Claire's more 'relaxed' approach to gardening.  

With recommendations for specialist growers and advice for how to dry out tulip bulbs, look after roses, grow happy and healthy courgette and pumpkin plants and to help alleviate  hay fever symptoms, they also talk about various growing competitions at the allotment and look forward to the coming harvest.

Take time to relax in your garden and enjoy your hard work - and please let us know if you have a rhubarb gin recipe.  We'd love to try it out!

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This year's Chelsea Flower Show is back in May for the first time since 2019.  

With 13 show gardens, 12 sanctuary gardens, 20 smaller designs and trade stands as well, the most anticipated flower show of the year is indeed in full bloom.  And there's a lot of Hampshire green-fingered talent on display as well as Shine Radio's Claire Vennis discovered...

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From their sunny spot on the Adhurst Estate Allotment, Claire and Steve update on what they've been growing, hardening off and planting out as the gardening season picks up pace.

In this episode, there's dahlia advice, successional sowing to avoid a glut (hopefully!), uninvited badgers, risky brassicas, a thumbs-up for sphagnum moss in hanging baskets and various structures you can create for climbing beans.

With additional interviews from Matt Biggs and Frances Tophill at the BBC Gardeners World Spring Fair.

Will you be taking part in No Mow May?  Claire and Steve would love to hear from you! You can contact them on 01730 555500 or email [email protected].

 

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Steve and Claire are back for a second time this month as the growing season hots up - and so does the weather!

From their sunny spot on Steve's Adhurst Estate Allotment, they update on what to sow now and what to pot on, various ways to get rid of slugs, the benefits of using vermiculite and making their own plant food.  It could get very smelly.

Growing Together is presented by Claire Vennis and Steve Amos and is recorded at the Adhurst Estate Allotments, twice a month during the growing season.

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