Gardeners' World

[Colin Miles]

I haven't seen the program but would just make one set of comments regarding rotovating. Until 3 years ago I had an allotment with very heavy clay soil. The council would rotovate or try to rotovate before a tenant took over - when they tried it one year it was so wet the machine (a big one) got stuck and completely ruined the plot. It was an extremely efficient way of spreading weeds and because weeding is so difficult in clay very disheartening for newcomers. By contrast where I live now I still marvel at being able to shake the soil of weeds, even after a wet day. If it were a dirty plot I could probably get away with rotovating it and not have too great a problem with weeds thereafter, though it is not something that I would recommend.

[pump_king]

I have to disagree Pongeroon, programs like GW are supposed to insire and inform not to treat it's viewers as if they are all slightly dim an dif Joe says "my local council does this, but check your council to find out if they do" once more I will shove his triangular raised bed where his producers head is

[Chantal]

I thought this week was better, but as has been said, those beds looked smaller, he has membrane down, he has confessed to weeding each patch,in which he is planting, at least three times. I still don't feel comfortable about the reality of it all but I suppose time will tell.

Wait until the rats move in under his shed; nice cosy run for them with those pallets as a base.

[Shallot Man]

Why Oh Why does the cynic in me think he is having some out-side help.

[richard p]

yesterday evening my 12 year old daughter demanded that i help her clear out the 8x6 greenhouse that i dont use , find some compost and donate come seeds, several times i got, "bet swifty doesnt do it like that"...... we as slightly enlightened gardeners can see the flaws in the programme but it does appear to be reaching its target audience, ie the novice tv generation.

[Colin Miles]

Interested to see the comment in today's Telegraph.

'Don't be fooled by the apparent ease with which a wasteland is turned into an edible Eden that you see on television (if you are watching Joe Swift on Gardeners' World, remember it's his job, he's being paid, and he's been at it all week). If you can only get there at weekends you must be prepared to put in the hours.'

[Geoff]

But where did he get the super strength chicken pellets?

[Weed]

Super strength chickens ???

[Chantal]

Interested to see the comment in today's Telegraph.

'... remember it's his job, he's being paid, and he's been at it all week). '

That's a very valid point. I think if I could spend all day every day on mine it would look brilliant.

I was wondering who it was, off camera, that asked him if he regretted digging in all those weeds; looked like someone had been reading this thread

[Di]

Seeing as they are 'introducing' the other characters on the allotment, it might be good if they went round asking people how much time they spent, and how they fit it round their lives.
Might give a little forewarning to potential plot holders of what it takes. Still I hope that the programme does encourage more people to take up allotments, if they aren't in demand they are easier for councils to sell off.

[oldherbaceous]

I think it was nice, but also brave that Mr Swifts family came to be filmed.
Theres not many garden presenters would allow or even want that.

[Malk]

I was wondering what you guys would be saying about the new look GW and the allotment segment. And I'm not disappointed, i thought there would a 'hate it' contingency, but glad some are more philosophical about it.

I don't think it's going to please everyone, and especially people who've had allotments for ages as it is entertainment TV and they have to speed up things, make them simpler, ect. But I'm glad at least they're giving veg some time as last year I felt they ignored it most of the time, except for the whole container gardening thing.

Have to say my allotments have a tree surgeon who gives us his unwanted bark and logs, we get a supply of manure once a year and a couple skips a year for rubbish as well as the occasional load of pallet wood, paving slabs, windows, ect that the hard-working allotment secretary is able to scrounge.

I don't think GW should make it look like taking on an allotment is easy, it wouldn't be fun or a challenge if it was, but they also have to be honest about the occasional benefit they manage to get.

It isn't always back-breaking either, like today it was glorious to dig away at my compost heap in the sun, unearth a few toads, have a blether and a cup of tea with the neighbours.

Sorry to babble on, been away a while.