HortWeek Podcast

As part of HortWeek's Parks & Gardens Week held 23 - 29 March 2026, Rachael Forsyth held a Horticulture Question Time session to answer reader questions with a truly expert panel which featured:Jane Moore - award-winning writer and author and a head gardener for more than 30 yearsJoe Whitehead - head gardener at Burghley House and new Professional Gardeners Guild chair, with more than 20 years of expertise in garden design, plant care, and landscape managementFIND MORE PARKS & GARDENS WEEK CONTENT HEREThe Questions00:02:24 What are the biggest issues you are seeing from drought and excess rain and how can this be managed?00:11:35 What can I do about brown lawns?00:14:04 How can I communicate what we are doing to mitigate climate change in my park or garden?00:19:19 How can I bring nature back into the garden when I need to maintain a formal, tidy or neat-looking garden?00:28:55 What is the one piece of tech that has made your life easier?00:31:14 How can I work my way up to a head gardener position?00:33:58 What kind of park/garden events have you found to be most successful?00:36:12 What plants can you suggest for adding winter interest into a garden? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GIMA director Vicky Nuttall retires from the role this spring after 12 years in the role.GIMA's annual big day conference event on 26 March is about future of the supply chain and will include panels on sales agents versus employed staff, logistics, marketplace and Yorkshire Garden Centres' Mark Farnsworth.Talking to Matt Appleby on the HortWeek Podcast, Nuttall says the biggest changes at GIMA since she started there 12 years ago include GIMA taking on the Garden Press Event in 2016 and Nuttall says she was really pleased to add the event, alongside the HTA, to its offer.Covid in 2020 saw trade associations "come to the fore" and GIMA joining the CBI in 2019 proved to be a good decision as they were close to Government. Bringing trade associations closer together and growing the membership, helped by Tony Kersey (ex-Homebase), has helped that.She says she seeks influencers online, and "they find us" and they generate content from the Garden Press Event. She added that GIMA manages who comes through the door so only people who are trying to make a living get in.GIMA has taken on some members from the defunct Gardenex export organisation and will manage their international lounge at Glee in September.There's uncertainty about the weather so far in 2026 from retailers, after a good Christmas, Nuttall observes: "Everything is in place for a good 2026 season. But the most important factor is the weather." She adds: "It's tough out there for some of the smaller businesses...that might be a reflection of what some of the more established brands are doing."The biggest challenges looking ahead include increased employment taxes, regulations such as EPR packaging bills eat away at margins and some smaller garden centres are coming to the point where they think they canlt be boithered and we are seeing consildiation, as well as some in the supply side. She advises using professionals to monitor reporting of EPR."It's tough for smaller or single product suppliers to get a "foot in the door". There are fewer buying points and buying groups and chains are getting stronger and some bigger suppliers are getting "more dominant".Marketplace retailing gives more opportunity but has a knock-on effect for the retail landscape, especially for DIY and High Street stores.In terms of trends, "accessible and easy" wellness and well-being hobbies than gardening are getting more popular, she says.Nuttall says the organisation is well-placed placed for the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Long-time HortWeek columnist and nursery business consultant John Adlam of Dove Associates joins the HortWeek Podcast to talk about the latest Government document "A New Vision for Water".Adlam explains the significance of this document to horticulture and raises concerns because "there's no real mention of how [horticulture is] going to be participating in the new vision" and "still does not consider irrigation to be an 'essential use'".He talks about how horticulture has fared in recent months with extremes of drought and "a deluge" in different parts of the country affecting water harvesting, stores and growth.Adlam talks about the measures available to horticulturists to mitigate the risk associated with extreme weather that is becoming more "normal" with every year that passes. Whereas in the past, water was "a minor part of growers' annual costs". But "today the biggest concern is not so much the costs of water as to the availability of water" he says, with high capital costs often associated with maintaining supply.Growing media is as important as the water itself and peat-free is presenting growers with fresh challenges and watering has become a highly technical skill he says: "People are becoming more fastidious in the way they irrigate."He talks about water testing and the need to monitor water quality, pH, conductivity and more.Like many HortWeek Podcast guests, Adlam was born into horticulture and grew up in his family's plant nursery and landscaping business: "I was nearly born in a glasshouse. Mum came in to labour as she was de-leafing tomatoes."He talks about narrow escape from a career playing trumpet which he still plays as part of his church work. As an ordained Anglican vicar, Adlam connects his day work in horticulture to his pastoral church work - "in fact my parish was the nursery industry of England".Adlam reflects on his lifelong connection to and career in horticulture and the huge changes in pest and disease treatments over the years: "Many of the products have less efficacy than they did in the olden days but they are much safer".Although we have lost a lot of "actives" - active chemical herbicides, fungicides, acaricides and pesticides - we are better off than some countries Adlam says: "Last year Denmark [for example] had only 93 actives; [the UK] has got something like 400 or 500 actives". But being out of the EU, or potentially getting more closely aligned again via the SPS agreement in 2027 is a "swings and roundabouts" situation Adlam says, where we are able to continue using some chemicals the EU has restricted, but we miss out on products registered in the EU but not in the UK.Biological plant health products are in the ascendency but Adlam believes that while we expect "blemish-free plants and at the moment it's very hard to do that entirely biologically". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Whitehead, head gardener at Burghley House and new Professional Gardeners Guild chair, has over 20 years of expertise in garden design, plant care, and landscape management.He talks about harnessing the experience of 850 members via webinars and members' workshops.The PGG turns 50 in 2027 and has a new website and membership system. Celebrations are planned. Founder Brian Hutchinson died in late 2025 and Whitehead wants to commemorate his legacy. Hutchinson retired in 1998 as Castle Howard head gardener, where he had been for 25 years (having previously been at Chatsworth) and from where he founded the PGG in 1977.Whitehead began as a tree surgeon, during which I attained a National Diploma in Horticulture at Riseholme. After five years, he took a position at Burghley House. Then, after a two-year Wisley Diploma in Practical Horticulture, his first head gardener role was at Salle Park in Norfolk. Eight years as head gardener at Raveningham Hall followed and before his return to Burghley House as head gardener in 2018.There are 140,000 visitors annually and a five-person marketing team. He said if visitors love a garden they will return, so he has created layers of interest for year-round interest, plus 'experiences' to make the garden a 'natural classroom', as well as secondary spend places such as cafes. Engagement with visitors is important too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgie Newbery is chair of Flowers From The Farm and founder of Common Farm Flowers, one of the first of the new artisan flower farmers to establish in the UK.A small scale flower farm and educator, the farm, established in Somerset in 2010, grows up to 100,000 stems annually without the use of chemicals,Newbery is set to feature at RHS Chelsea Flower Show this May in the Great Pavilion where she will present the first representation of a flower farm at the show, showcasing Ranunculus, also for the first time.She hopes the display will "advocate for flower farmers" and inspire them to perhaps start growing flowers themselves. One of her Chelsea funders is peat-free compost supplier Sustain - and Newbery, as a peat-free flower farm from the start, says there is no excuse for using peat "just because it makes life easier for me". She also believes she can "demonstrate that it's easy to grow peat-free".While she fully understands the difficulty and cost for larger commercial growers of switching their nurseries to peat-free systems, she says "everything we do, we make a choice... we choose to learn how to use other kinds of compost, because it's possible, and it's not breaking the planet".Newbery talks about the operation she runs at the farm, how she manages to grow successfully without chemicals, and her experience with peat-free compost, products, techniques and adaptations. She revels in the idea of the flower farm as a reservoir of life and biodiversity that will act as "innoculation stations" that, come the end of the world, could seed the desert green landscapes surrounding them.As well as growing flowers Newbery runs workshops and demonstrations on propagation and seed-saving, such as how to design a cut flower patch. Weddings and funerals account for most of her cut flower sales. Customers there usually come through word of mouth, she says, often "because they want something that has come from a garden".Newbery has a distinctive philosophy of business and in mentoring small businesses. She encourages "the stepping away from the 'more for the sake of more' model. The key, she says, is to work out "what your 'enough' is". If you work out what your minimum need is, modest or luxurious, "whatever it is...then work out how to build a business that will pay for it". And she is fierce in her support of other small business owners who want to make a good living supplying a high quality product without endlessly having to expand. Asked about her "flowers of the future" she says "seed sovereignty" should be the focus, with locally-grown seed, adapted to UK conditions more likely to provide "bigger, stronger" plants compared to imported options.A new edition of her book "The Flower Farmers's Year" is out in May 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Greenyer, Gareth Wilson and Craig Nester are high flyers in the world of landscape design and contracting. Greenyer is director of Paul Greenyer Consultancy and carries out design and build landscape work as well as being an RICS-accredited expert witness and mediator.Wilson is an independent expert witness, hard landscaping expert and garden consultant and is known for his Chelsea gardens.And Nester is a design and build specialist with his firm Habitat Landscapes.While their routes into the industry are different, they share a hurdle over which they have all had to jump - having ADHD (attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder).In the discussion with Rachael Forsyth, the three offer disarmingly frank accounts of the ways ADHD has affected their lives and the people the love, live with and work with.They explain some "symptoms" of the condition and share some of the strategies they have employed and evolved that have helped them first "cope" and ultimately "thrive" and excel in their chosen professions.Podcast producer: HortWeek digital content manager, Christina TaylorPodcast presenter: HortWeek senior reporter, Rachael ForsythMake sure you never miss a HortWeek podcast! Subscribe to or Follow HortWeek podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast platform. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HortWeek editor Matt Appleby and senior reporter Rachael Forsyth report on the essential horticulture stories of the week.HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby and Rachael talk about:Ruxley Manor Garden Centre takes on organised crime by installing extensive security and anti-theft measures Marketing tips from IPM Essen where the watchword was 'innovation'Pros and cons of influencers for horticulture marketingPeat panel at the BOA Conference gauges the direction of travel, sentiment, quality and the EU on going peat-freeSociety of Garden and Landscape Designers award winnersRBG Kew's Orchid Festival + climate resilience, visitor numbers, engagement and plans to improve itHortWeek's plans for Parks & Gardens Week - taking place 23-30 March 2026 - details TBCDo check out our huge archive of HortWeek Podcast interviews with an unrivalled selection of prominent and fascinating figures from all corners of the horticulture sector.Podcast presenters: Matthew Appleby and Rachael ForsythPodcast producer: Christina Taylor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HortWeek's panel at the BOA conference 2026 analysed in-depth how growers and suppliers are working towards peat-free, with the big messages being that retail product needs to be better and that the Government needs to offer clarity to the horticulture industry.Panellists were Chris Reid, Westland head of technical – growing media,, David Denny of the HTA, Robin Squance, ex-Brookhouse Nurseries and BOA technical committee chairman, Michael Smith – W D Smith & Son, and Steve Carter – Responsible Sourcing Scheme and Fleurie Nursery.Find out more HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apprenticeship Week for 2026 starts 9 February so HortWeek has brought together two specialists in horticultural apprenticeships to explain how they work, the various options available and the vast array of benefits for employers and employees alike.Speaking to Rachael Forsyth in this episode are:Christa McDermot from BCA (Berkshire College of Agriculture) runs a range of land-based courses including horticulture.Helena Bassop from Euphorbia gardens and vice chair of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture Education and has a background as a lecturer, course manager and is an apprenticeship endpoint assessor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bruce Harnett of Kernock Park Plants, Megan Green of Hayloft Plants and Yvonne Marquenie of Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland joined <i>HortWeek</i> new plants writer Mr Plant Geek Michael Perry on a panel at IPM Essen to discuss how the horticulture industry should understand today’s plant consumer.They discussed: 1. The peat-free and sustainability dilemmaThe transition to peat-free media remains the industry’s most "hot-button" issue, particularly in the UK.Kernock Park Plants (KPP) went 100% peat-free in 2024 and Bruce Harnett says that sustainability (biomass, water self-sufficiency) is a moral choice, even if the "commercial advantage" is currently unclear.Panellists agreed that, for consumers to fully switch, peat-free media must be equal to or better than peat. Currently, some "staunch" growers still believe peat performs superiorly.But while sustainability is a growing concern many consumers still "turn a blind eye" when price is a factor.2. Innovation vs. "Trust Erosion"Should the industry stop introducing new plants? The consensus: Innovation must have purpose.KPP uses a rigorous trials process to ensure only "the best of the best" hit the market. Introducing novelty without value leads to "trust erosion."Plants like Salvia ‘Hot Lips’, Lavender ‘Hidcote’, and standard Rosemary remain dominant because they are reliable. Consumers value the "tried and tested" for mail-order success."TikTok Plants": Novelties like the TomTato or "family" apple trees resonate with younger, online audiences, but the industry must distinguish between viral aesthetics and long-term garden performance.3. Multi-platform marketingThe panel discuss approaches and strenghts of different platforms:YouTube: ideal for practical "how-to" guides.Instagram/Pinterest: use aspirational/inspirational imagery.Facebook: focus on community and storytellingMeanwhile Matthew Perry raises concerns about influencers who focus on garden aesthetics rather than plant health. The panel stresses the need for authentic voices over "unattainable" glossy imagery.And Megan Green says that, for Hayloft, 75% of business is now online, though the physical catalogue remains a valued tactile experience for a core demographic.4. The "Holy Grail" of 'engagement'Green highlights the power of visual merchandising—linking the plant, compost, and pot in one display to remove customer friction.QR codes on labels and improved storytelling are seen as the "Holy Grail" for garden centres to provide info at the point of purchase.Research shows search behavior is often driven by nostalgia (especially in herbs) and the desire to care for others (gifting).5. Reaching the Next GenerationYounger consumers represent the future but are the hardest to recruit due to a lack of gardening space and lower spending power. Engaging them requires shifting from a "critical" focus to a "positive attitude" shift, making gardening feel attainable rather than a luxury chore.In summary, the industry must balance the marketing "pull" of new varieties with the "push" of sustainable production, ensuring that every new introduction builds consumer trust through reliability and climate resilience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an era of AI fakery and fake news, star of the CutCrew YouTube channel, Jack Churchman has built his grounds maintenance business through authenticity and it has served him well. Eschewing the 'easy' money of kit sponsorship, he has won respect, credibility and work by sticking to his principles and maintaining standards.Inspired by his mum and grandad who were keen gardeners, he got his first job at a golf course at the tender age of 9. After a spell in the military he used his spare time to work for free on gardens and golf courses during the pandemic and gradually turned it into a business. Blessed with a ferocious work ethic, tenacity, resilience and a restlessness, he now at least partly attributes to ADHD, Churchman built his landscape maintenance business from the ground up and he is candid about the challenges of finding finance to grow his company with "no mummy and daddy to lend me £100k or whatever".  As much as YouTube has served Churchman, it has drawn some unwanted attention, tipping off burglars looking to move expensive machinery to competitors trying to sabotage CutCrew by trolling, misrepresenting and even stalking him. Despite the dramas, however, he maintains "the benefits far outweigh the negatives".But interspersed with laughs and self-deprecation that have made Churchman such a YouTube phenomenon, is frank discussion of the challenges of running a business, negotiating competition, issues with late payment, spreading of risk, pricing, cost pressures and being responsible for people's livelihoods. The podcast is also littered with tips and hard-won wisdom on how to win clients. And his advice to prospective entrepreneurs?: "Chase the thing you like, know and love from the beginning".Find the CUTCREW LTD | Grounds Maintenance & Tractor Action YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@cutcrewltd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

View slides and Vodcast edition at https://www.hortweek.com/article/1944940In this edition of the HortWeek Podcast, Matt Appleby spoke to Dries Jansen of Garden Center Advice talking about how to optimise garden centre operations for profit through layout, assortment, and realisation.Jansen began his career as an analyst at Intratuin in the Netherlands, working with 56 stores and €250 million turnover. He used trends and data back then to identify predictable patterns.But now, working alongside leading garden centre architect Fred de Rijcke, Jansen has combined data from HortWeek's exclusive annual Top 250 Garden Centres with insight from the garden centre markets in the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Belgium, to create a comprehensive decision-making model for the UK market. The data analysis system maps annual turnovers against store area, various variables and individual store offerings, proximity to population centres and other key metrics. Combining these data sets he finds an 'average' yield per sqm that all garden centres can be measured against. Individual stores can be indexed to understand how they are performing and whether they may benefit from further investigation to find ways to improve that performance. Stores identified with 'potential' to improve are profiled individually to assess their performance in various metrics, eg. ambience, service, price etc. and action points can be generated to help boost turnover.Jansen refers to slides and images during the podcast - to view these or see the video version of this podcast, CLICK HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby, senior reporter Rachael Forsyth and technical editor Sally Drury make their predictions for horticulture in 2026.JUMP TO00:02:16 - weather00:06:24 - cost pressures00:14:20 - volunteers00:15:27 - imports/exports/SPS agreement and UK plant production00:17:15 - pests & disease00:19:08 - climate change and innovation00:20:17 - Turf - turfgrass breeding and appreciation of grass and grass eating! 00:23:02 - readiness for spring and an early Easter and how to monetise the 'fallow' post Christmas period00:27:43 - sharing of knowledge and raising of professionalism in the horticulture industryCheck out our huge archive of HortWeek Podcast interviews with an unrivalled selection of prominent and fascinating figures from all corners of the horticulture sector. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Studies such as that of McCance and Widdowson have revealed dramatic drops in fruit and vegetable mineral content since the 1940s. This week's guest on the HortWeek Podcast Jennifer Brodie believes that 'rock dust', a by-product of volcanic rock mined for road construction and rich in minerals trapped since the pre-dinosaur era, could help reverse this by remineralizing the soil and feeding microbes that will re-fortify plants.Brodie has come full circle in her career and is now returning to her passion project 12 years after she founded REMIN (Scotland), which pioneered the use of rock dust as a top dressing for soil, compost mixer and activator.Now leading the Pro-Grow rock dust division for resource management company Veolia, she explains the geology behind basalt rock dust, its dual benefits for plant health and carbon capture, and how the industry is shifting toward "ecological transformation".She details how some of the 400,000 tonnes of green waste they process annually is integrated with rock dust to create a PAS 100-certified compost for the garden retail market. Her goal now is to expand rock dust's use into the organic farming sector.Quoting Soil Association founder Lady Eve Balfour, Brodie says: "Everything begins to matter when the rate of soil erosion exceeds the rate at which life can invade the mineral rock underlying the soil and convert it into soil." Brodie believes that rock dust has an "unrecognised" role in rectifying the mistakes of the past and helping renew soils for the benefit of all.Make sure you never miss a HortWeek podcast! Subscribe to or Follow HortWeek podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast platform.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby, senior reporter Rachael Forsyth and technical editor Sally Drury share their top horticulture stories of 2025.JUMP TO...00:00:43 - horticulture and peat-free00:04:10 - developments in Biodiversity Net Gain00:07:26 - remote mowers, new technology and implications00:13:13 - loss of horticulture colleges and new learning options00:17:54 - the impact of drought in 2025 going into 202600:21:30 - how horticulture is turning to battery-powered kit00:26:20 - diversity, inclustion and equity in horticulture00:30:34 - border inspections - imports, exports and an SPS agreement for 202600:36:42 - what are the team looking forward to in 2026?Do check out our huge archive of HortWeek Podcast interviews with an unrivalled selection of prominent and fascinating figures from all corners of the horticulture sector.Podcast presenters: Matthew Appleby, Rachael Forsyth and Sally DruryPodcast producer: Christina TaylorMake sure you never miss a HortWeek podcast! Subscribe to or Follow HortWeek podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast platform.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Garden Trust's Linden Groves is campaigning against a proposal to end the organisation's role as a planning statutory consultee.She robustly contests the proposal to remove the statutory consultee role and disagrees that it would improve the planning system. Instead, precious parks and gardens, hard won over many centuries, would be lost to communities both now and in future.“We are passionate about the role that the UK’s world-famous historic parks and gardens can play in supporting positive economic growth and healthy cohesive societies, and eager to continue helping this in our role as statutory consultee. We encourage supporters to respond to the consultation and will publish our response as soon as possible.”In March, the Government decided to ditch planning consultancy from bodies including The Gardens Trust, to speed up the planning system. “We are seeking views on reforming the role of statutory consultees in the planning system in England,” it said. The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 13 January 2026.The consultation can be accessed here.Make sure you never miss a HortWeek podcast! Subscribe to or Follow HortWeek podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast platform.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Kirkham has a mission, one that will resonate with many arborists across the UK: "I'd like to get rid of the term 'tree planting'".The former Kew arboretum head says: "Our success rate of establishing trees isn't good in this country... I'd sooner see less trees planted and established rather than planting big numbers that fail to establish." In his conversation with HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby, Kirkham gives his thoughts on the "exotics" versus "natives" debate and reveals his "top future trees" which include his favourite "hard-working trees".On pest and disease threats to trees, Kirkham issues a stark warning. Experts say it is a case of "not if but when" Xylella enters the UK, and Kirkham says, with more than 400 host plants identified so far: "I think every woody plant is vulnerable. We really need to crank up our biosecurity."Other than Xylella, his the top concern is plane wilt, which "is spread by arborists" via tools, machinery, PPE and clothing, and which is "coming towards us pretty quick...we need to keep that out at ALL costs".He also talks about how arborists can handle the rising frequency and intensity of storms, recalling how he got Kew back up and running in the wake of the storm of 1987 that brought down so many trees that he considered "old friends".But despite the devastation that took three years to clear, he now says it is "the best thing that could have happened" - getting rid of unsafe trees, giving the Kew team a chance to replant and refresh the arboretum, revolutionising tree-planting practice. Make sure you never miss a HortWeek podcast! Subscribe to or Follow HortWeek podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast platform.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the second special podcast with an arboriculture focus produced as part of ArbWeek, HortWeek's deep dive into all things arb held from 24 - 30 November.Listen to Jeremy Barrell on how 'Failing clients deserve failing trees', plus tree growing, procurement, planting and establishmentThis week's guests bring their distinct perspectives on the arb sector - but also bring a holistic perspective having worked together for many years on fascinating and crucial research projects.Kevin Martin, head of tree collections at RBG Kew and Adam Dunnett, production and amenity director for Hillier Nurseries are thought leaders in their fields and bring fascinating insights and forthright opinions to their discussion with Rachael Forsyth.They discuss tree planting and establishment, ground breaking research with "remarkable" results that is transforming tree selection and understanding of how to grow and in particular, water, trees.Skip to...00:00:49 How Kevin and Adam began their careers in horticulture00:05:45 Kevin Martin on his research into resiliant trees sourced from around the world00:09:53 Trees we should be planting to weather the future00:14:40 Hillier's 'Streetwise' range of trees for urban environments00:17.39 Peat-free growing and trees00:20:48 Groundbreaking research into irrigation for trees at Hillier00:30:13 The importance of grants, continuity in Government support and business certainty00:40:39 Adam Dunnett on seeing changes in the school curriculum making a difference to hort00:50:40 The latest on Resistor elms00:52:43 Kevin and Adam's 'dream' pieces of research topicsOn the topic of encouraging young people into horticulture, Adam Dunnett relates a "chink of light" following a visit to a secondary school where as part of their work on the "2050 project" they are looking at what trees will be thriving in 25 year's time. "That's just one school, but actually that could be really quite transformational if that's happening in other schools!"Kevin says: "Horticulture and growing plants is an applied science, and it's one fo the most important applied sciences we do and it's so overlooked...it's always been seen as suitable for someone who's not academic, and that's not the case."We need some of the brightest people to solve some of the biggest questions...we need to work on that narrative."In this episode the Victorians get a couple of name-checks and we also get some top tips on which tree to go to to get unbeatable conkers.Podcast presenter: Rachael ForsythPodcast producer: Christina Taylor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chloe Whiteside, ICL’s technical area sales manager covering Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire – has spoken on the HortWeek podcast about the highs and lows of the 2025 spring bedding season and what the strong start and weaker finish mean for the 2026 bedding plant season.She talks about what bedding growers should be doing in the lead-up to the spring season and gives advice about watering, nutrition and storage regimes for peat-reduced and peat-free growing media.On nutrition, she talks about using controlled release fertiliser and water solubles, as well as which biocontrol, biopesticide and biostimulant products are at the grower’s disposal and, as a BASIS qualified adviser, what she recommends.Before joining ICL, Whiteside spent 10 years in horticultural research at ADAS, delivering research projects on a wide range of ornamental and edible crops. She managed the AHDB funded Bedding and Pot Plant Centre trials, as well as the AHDB, Defra and industry-funded project on Transition to Responsibly Sourced Growing Media Use in UK Horticulture. The project ran for five years and covered all sectors of horticulture, from bedding propagation right through to container grown trees and soft fruit production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The HortWeek Podcast has joined ArbWeek to bring HortWeek readers a series of interviews with leading arborists. The first of these is Jeremy Barrell.A influential figure in the tree care landscape (and HortWeek columnist) Jeremy Barrell is one of the leading authorities on tree care.A passionate campaigner on street trees in the wake of a number of controversial local authority fellings, in this week's podcast HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby hears Jeremy's uncompromising views on tree safety, tree planting, tree production and local authority procurement.Barrell says: "The standard of training on some of the people that are planting [trees] - it's not surprising the trees don't survive...if you don't have a specification that is up to scratch, then of course contractors are going circles around you and you deserve to have a load of failures". "I deal with more tree failure cases that result in harm than any other expert in Britain...the harsh reality is there are many large duty holders...that don't do anything like the standard of tree checking that should be done". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.