Main content

Postbag Edition: Bicton Park Botanical Gardens

What size greenhouse is best for growing edibles? How do I get cedar of Lebanon seeds to germinate? How do I revive my compost heap? Kathy Clugston gets the answers.

What’s the optimal size for a new greenhouse? How do I get cedar of Lebanon seeds to germinate? How do I revive a dried out compost heap?

Kathy Clugston and a panel of passionate horticulturalists are outside Exeter to soak up the sights, scents and history of Bicton Park Botanical Gardens while digging into the GQT postbag, to solve your trickiest gardening conundrums.

Joining Kathy under the big top are houseplant specialist Anne Swithinbank, award-winning garden designer Chris Beardshaw, and horticulturalist Frances Tophill - ready with expert advice, clever solutions, and a few laughs along the way. They're also joined by head manager of Bicton House, Edward Lister, to tour the 60 acres of land.

Senior Producer: Dominic Tyerman
Junior Producer: Rahnee Prescod

A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Available now

42 minutes

Last on

Sun 9 Nov 202514:00
BBC Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Phyllis Court: White Fly, River Thames and Favourite Gardens

Next

St Mary's Walthamstow

See all episodes from Gardeners' Question Time

Featured

  • .

Plant List

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

Q – Should I reduce the number of Butternut squash fruit to have a good chance of harvesting fruit? (01’24”)

Q – How do I revive my compost heap after being dried out? Are there any compost alternatives? (4’14”)

Q – What could I grow in pots that could survive without being watered and extreme heat? (09’47”)

Frances Tophill –

Sedums

Cactus

Chris Beardshaw –

Strelitzia

Echium

Yuccas

Q – How do I grow dill successfully? (13’31”)

Q – What size greenhouse is optimal for growing grapes, tomatoes and other edibles? (19’25”)

Q – I have a hot lip salvia of about three years old and a pure white rose which seems to have created a new rose – how has this happened? (24’20”)

Q – Can the panel suggest something which can fill the space under my conical Pinetree that can grow quickly, be controllable, and evergreen? (30’04”)

Francis Tophill –

Quercusilex, holm oak

Chris Beardshaw –

Juniperuscommunis, common juniper

Chamaecyparis, cypress

Thujaplicat, western red cedar

Ed Lister –

Pinuspatula, mexican weeping pine

Q – How do I get cedar of Lebanon seeds to germinate? (36’54”)

Broadcasts

  • Fri 7 Nov 202515:00
    BBC Radio 4
  • Sun 9 Nov 202514:00
    BBC Radio 4

Six of GQT’s naughtiest gardening innuendos

Six of GQT’s naughtiest gardening innuendos

When Gardeners' Question Time got mucky.

Podcast