Growing Together – Details, episodes & analysis

Steve catches up with Ann at the Adhurst Estate Allotments to review her first year as an allotmenteer, they chat about what went well and what Ann has learnt from her first growing season. They also share their plans and aims for next season and Ann is preparing a new plot for expansion!  Steve then heads over to Blackmoor to meet Neil at Southern Fruit Trees to find out all about Espalier fruit trees. 

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It's spooky season and there's a lot of talk about pumpkins as Coxy worries about the size of his and where he will come in the annual competition. Steve takes a trip to Wylds Farm to find out about their new venture and it's not just all about the Christmas Trees! And we hear from some of the winners in the Petersfield in Bloom competition. 

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Hear the reveal as Steve Amos and Coxy pull the winners from the prize flower pot in our competition to win free tickets to the BBC Gardeners' World Spring Fair.

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It's a busy day down at the Adhurst Estate Allotments but before Steve and Coxy start working through their long to do list, they have a catch up in the 'chairman's shed'. Coxy is inspired by Steve's prize winning carrots, they discuss all the veg that they plan on growing this year - if the mice can keep away from the seeds and Steve takes a time travelling tour through the ancient gardens of Britain at Butser Ancient Farm. 

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In this episode Steve Amos catches up with long time gardening friend Coxy, we hear about the success of Petersfield's second Seed Swap, the community garden has a beautiful new eco shelter and Ann Marden is the newest member of the Adhurst Estate Allotments. 

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Steve is back at the Adhurst Estate Allotment where he talks to his long-time allotment neighbour Coxy. They discuss what they're sowing now as well as their plans for the coming growing year.

Steve also heads to Hedgefest at the Petersfield Community Garden where he speaks to Ian Turner and Phil Paulo from The Tree Council and PeCAN trustee Melanie Oxley.

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On a rainy February morning, Claire and Steve are alone at the soggy Adhurst Estate Allotments sheltering in Steve's 'Chairman's Lodge' - a make-shift lean-to!  They discuss the importance of green spaces for good mental health, potato and dahlia tubers and how much they are looking forward to Spring.

Joining them is Kate Forrester from Four Acre Farm in the New Forest who talks about her journey to start a market garden from a tired piece of land and Head Gardener Ben Pope is preparing for the seed-sowing frenzy coming soon.

Claire is moving on from Growing Together and leaves the podcast in the capable, and sometimes muddy, hands of Steve.

Growing Together is sponsored by De Mellow and Co - financial advice for you, your family and your future.

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It's time to start seed sowing! Claire and Steve discuss how to germinate tomato, aubergine and pepper seeds.

From Steve's plot at the Adhurst Estate Allotments, and with the sound of children playing in their mud kitchen nearby, they also talk about planning your gardening space, give advice for pruning roses and look forward to the upcoming seed swap.

Joining them in this episode is RHS Wisley Garden Manager Sheila Das who shares how her love of horticulture and growing edibles began, as well as the importance of soil health with the 'no dig' approach to the World Food Garden.

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It was a chilly morning recording the first Growing Together podcast of the year. Meeting as usual at the Adhurst Estate Allotment, Claire and Steve were bundled up in layers, armed with hot drinks and even a hot water bottle! 

With plans to ease slowly into the growing year, they share advice for sowing sweet peas, germinating onion seeds, how to chit potatoes and propagator excitement.

If you're desperate to see spring colour, Mark Porter, trustee of the National Garden Scheme, reassures that gardens are opening very soon for viewing snowdrop and spring bulbs.  Plus there's the enticing promise of cake - and it may surprise you to find out what variety of cake is a NGS favourite. 

Head Gardener Ben Pope returns with The Working Garden Diary for January with advice to 'garden by the seasons'.  In this episode, Ben has plans to try something new this year, greenhouse inspiration, how to prune and why you should be eating sprouts now.  

Listen to a new episode of Growing Together at the beginning and middle of the month.

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Happy new gardening year!

To start the new year with gardening inspiration, Claire and Steve revisit some of their favourite Growing Together podcast interviews from 2023.

With Francis Tophill's passion for growing your own, Lee Connelly's campaign for more gardening in schools, the Drag Queen Gardener challenging gardening stereotypes, Lucy Hutchings' edible growing, Leigh Johnstone's Giving Garden and 3 garden designers showcasing gardening styles over the years - hear from some of the most interesting UK gardening voices in this special episode.

Claire Vennis and Steve Amos will be back at the Adhurst Estate Allotment with gardening advice and expert interviews in mid-January.

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