Growing Up Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Did you know that some plants were once believed to protect against evil spirits, attract fairies, bring good fortune or even scream when pulled from the ground? In this episode of The Growing Up Podcast, Andy and Kate explore the weird and wonderful world of plant folklore, uncovering the fascinating stories, superstitions and ancient beliefs surrounding some of our most familiar garden plants. From the terrifying legends of mandrake and the mysterious Elder Mother to rosema...

Send us Fan Mail It's pumpkin season! 🎃 This week on the Growing Up Podcast, Kate and Andy celebrate one of autumn's most iconic crops. From their ancient origins in the Americas to their fascinating connection with Halloween, we explore the history, folklore and cultural significance of pumpkins. After the break, we're getting practical with a complete guide to growing your own pumpkins, covering everything from choosing varieties and sowing seeds to feeding, pollination, harvesting and stor...

Send us Fan Mail As the garden starts to wind down for winter, it’s tempting to cut everything back, rake up every leaf and give the whole place a thorough tidy — but wildlife might prefer you didn’t! In this episode of the Growing Up Podcast, Andy and Kate explore simple ways to make your garden more wildlife-friendly this autumn. From leaving seed heads and fallen leaves to creating log piles, helping hedgehogs, planting spring bulbs and providing food, water and shelter for birds and insec...

Send us Fan Mail October might feel like the garden is winding down, but there’s still plenty to be getting on with! In this episode of the Growing Up Podcast, Kate and Andy run through the essential gardening jobs for October, from planting spring bulbs and garlic to harvesting the last crops, protecting tender plants and preparing your soil for winter. We also look at autumn lawn care, composting, making leaf mould, looking after wildlife and why you might want to resist the temptation to m...

Send us Fan Mail Think you need green fingers to be a good gardener? That watering leaves in sunshine will scorch them? Or that gravel in the bottom of pots improves drainage? In this episode of The Growing Up Podcast, Andy and Kate tackle some of the biggest gardening myths that simply refuse to die. From companion planting and coffee grounds to slugs, fertiliser, watering, no-dig gardening and growing vegetables in shade, we separate useful gardening advice from traditions and old wives’ ta...