Gardeners' Question Time Caterham
9 snips
Jan 23, 2026 Anne Swithinbank, seasoned gardening broadcaster with practical pruning tips. Matthew Pottage, horticulturist offering technical lawn and planting know-how. Pippa Greenwood, experienced plant-care expert. They tackle late bulb planting, boosting apple crops, frost protection, reworking shaded rockeries, diagnosing declining shrubs, and keeping a heavily used football lawn healthy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Late Bulb Buying Confessions
- Matthew admitted he's planted bulbs late and finds daffodils can recover while mouldy tulips should be discarded.
- Pippa also shared buying reduced garlic that turned to 'horrible, squishy mess' when squeezed.
Wassailing And Apple Tree Care
- Anne described attending a lively wassailing with noise, cider and even shotguns as part of the tradition.
- She still prefers minimal pruning on mature apples but formative pruning for young trees.
Early Buds Don’t Eliminate May Frost Risk
- Warmer winters advance budburst but don't reliably reduce damaging late spring frosts.
- Plants cope if not stressed, so reducing other stresses increases resilience to erratic seasons.