Main content

GQT at ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ: Happy New Year

Horticultural programme featuring a group of gardening experts, hosted by Kathy Clugston.

Horticultural programme featuring a group of gardening experts, hosted by Kathy Clugston. Bob Flowerdew, Christine Walkden and James Wong answer questions from green-fingered listeners.

This week, the panellists suggest the best trees to grow for toothbrush handles, discuss why two acorns from the same tree can produce such different plants and identify an interesting looking fungus.

Away from the questions, Humaira Ikram is at the Olympic Park finding out about its wildlife legacy since 2012, Matt Biggs gives his top tips for using Christmas leftovers in the garden, and Dr Chris Thorogood has the ultimate gardener's hangover guide.

Producer - Daniel Cocker
Assistant Producer - Jemima Rathbone

A Somethin' Else production for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 4

Available now

42 minutes

Plant List

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

Ìý

Q – I am a toothbrush maker. To help with sustainability, could the panel suggest some trees to grow to make toothbrush handles from? It needs to be close-grained, strong and springy.

(2 minutes 5 seconds)

Ìý

James – Holly

Ìý

Bob – Poplar

Elder

Ìý

Christine – Dogwood

Willow

Ginkgo

Paulownia

Catalpa

Ìý

Q – We have two tea plants – how can I avoid the inevitable demise, or can this be avoided with care?

(5 minutes 38 seconds)

Ìý

Q – Can the panel identify this plant? Is it a fungus?

(8 minutes 34 seconds)

Ìý

Bob – Fairy club fungus

Ìý

Feature – Dr Chris Thorogood on Botanical hangover cures

(11 minutes 20 seconds)

Ìý

Opuntia

Milk thistle

Ìý

Q – During lockdown we tried to grow chilli plants from dried chili seeds. We now have a 26cm (10 inches) high plant supported by a chopstick. Is it right to support the plant or will it weaken it? How do we encourage it to grow strong?

(15 minutes 38 seconds)

Ìý

Q – In October, our daughter picked two acorns, which we planted. Six weeks later and we have two very different looking plants – one tall and skinny, and the other, shorter and fuller. Why has this happened considering both seeds came from the same plant at the same time?

(19 minutes 40 seconds)

Ìý

Topical Tips with Matt Biggs – What to do with Christmas Leftovers

(21 minutes 50 seconds)

Ìý

Q – I have recently moved house and inherited a rather old greenhouse. I’d like to experiment with growing some fruit and veg over the winter period in this space – what can the panel recommend?

(24 minutes 43 seconds)

Ìý

James – ‘Fragola’ vine grape

Physalis (Inca berry)

Ìý

Bob – Microgreens

Ìý

Q – I love the colours of Crocosmia but find in my garden they grow as foliage, rather than flowers. What conditions do they need to encourage more flowers?

(28 minutes 43 seconds)

Ìý

Feature – Humaira at the London Olympic park

(31 minutes 40 seconds)

Ìý

Black poplar

Ìý

Q – If the panel could only buy three packets of seeds this year, what would they choose and why?

(37 minutes 10 seconds)

Ìý

James – Sinningia ‘White Sprite’

Begonia pavonina

Begonia ‘D²¹°ù³Ù³ó±¹²¹»å±ð°ù¾±²¹²Ô²¹â€™

Ìý

Christine – Calendula officinalis

Ìý

Ìý

Broadcasts

  • New Year's Day 2021 15:00
  • Sun 3 Jan 2021 14:00

Six of GQT’s naughtiest gardening innuendos

When Gardeners' Question Time got mucky.

Podcast