The Dirt: the gardening podcast from Grow Your Own magazine

In this bonus episode of The Dirt, the GYO team talk favourite veg for the Christmas table, ideal gardening gifts and reflections on the 2022 season. With a ridiculous party game and cracker jokes, it's packed full of cheer that will certainly get you into the festive spirit. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  

This week, we're joined by Mark Dwelly, head gardener at Audley Stanbridge Earls. Mark explains how he landed his fulfilling career, as well as some handy time and money saving hacks that you could put to use on your own plot. Plus, the GYO team talk gardening trends for 2023, motivators for getting outside in the cold and rising orchid prices. 

This week, the team is joined by senior horticulturist and tutor for The Therapy Garden, Hannah Bates. Hannah discusses the mindful nature of certain tasks in the garden, as well as how everyone makes their mark on growing spaces.   Plus, the team discusses beautiful vegetables, tomato whispering and the surge in wonky veg, as well as the top jobs on the plot for the week!     

On this episode of The Dirt, we're chatting to Kevin Hancock, founder of the Gardener's Beehive. Kevin tells us all about his Eco-Beehive invention and why gardeners all over the country love it. He also shares fascinating information about honeybees and how we can help boost colonies. Plus, the team reflect on autumn highlights and their best harvests of the year.  

This week, we're joined by multi-award-winning garden designer Pollyanna Wilkinson. Polly explains her fascinating career change to garden design, as well as some hilarious growing mishaps that have given her the confidence and insight to create stunning outdoor spaces.   Plus, the GYO team talk gardening prescriptions and growing mushrooms at home. It's packed full of horticultural inspiration!     

This week on The Dirt, we are joined by the RSPB's wildlife gardening expert, Adrian Thomas, who shows us that gardening for wildlife can take many different forms and can suit your own plot style. He also highlights that you never know what you might attract to your garden , even if it isn't the creature you were aiming for! As well as this, the GYO team talk some more about dream garden finds (dinosaurs, anyone?), and we take a look at the tops jobs on the plot for the weekend.  

This week, we're joined by food writer, stylist, photographer and kitchen gardener Kathy Slack, who celebrates the rewards of bringing crops from the plot to the plate. With talk of supper clubs, gluts and a pig romance involving pumpkins, it's the perfect listen for the weekend. Plus, the GYO team talk autumn leaves and hidden garden treasures, and we want you to decide: should the team try eating bugs on an upcoming podcast episode? Their culinary fate is in your hands!  

This week we're joined by ecological home grower Poppy Okotcha, who tells all about her special relationship with her garden, and her mission to treat this space with the love and respect it deserves.     Plus, the GYO team chat about the mental benefits of gardening, smelly compost and some favourite veg varieties. We've also got the top gardening jobs all ready for the week ahead.      

This week we're joined by gardening author and container growing expert, Mark Ridsdill Smith, who tells all about his inner city gardening journey, and how to get great harvests from any space.   Plus, the GYO team chat weather, and smart upcycling hacks. We've also got the pressing gardening jobs all ready for the week ahead.    

This week we're joined by television chef, author and gardener Clodagh McKenna, who tells all about her sustainable farming lifestyle, handy slug-repellent hacks, some top preserving tips and much more.   Plus, the GYO team discuss grass cutting goats and some brilliant stories of pets on the plot. We've also got this week's most pressing gardening jobs ready and waiting.    

Have a bit of fun, experiment - and 'steal with pride' says Andy Eddy, from The National Trust. This week, we chat to Andy about working at the inspirational Osterley Park, why looking after soil is key, and how you don't need to feel pressured to create a perfect plot.  Plus, the GYO team discuss growing in space soil, how to stay calm in the face of pressure on the plot, and things go a little weird in a detailed discussion about birds! We've also got you covered, with this week's jobs on the plot lined up and ready to go.  

Even professionals make mistakes, says Dominica McKevitt, Head Gardener at Ardgillan Castle. This week, we chat to Dominica about her gardening journey from childhood, all the wonderful crops growing at Ardgillan Castle and much more!  Plus, the GYO team discuss lazy gardening, popular influencers and the history behind cottage gardens - and we want to hear what your most rebellious gardening acts have been! We've also got this week's jobs on the plot lined up for the weekend.  

In this brand new series of The Dirt, we're chatting to Self Sufficient Hub's Carl Mintern on his exciting growing journey over the past few years. We discuss the disconnect between seed to plate and how to tackle this, the mental health benefits of growing your own and so much more! The GYO team will also be talking about organic pest control hacks, tomatoes as carnivorous killers, and taking a look at the top jobs on the plot for a week.

Essex-based gardener Kevin Wilson shares his fruit growing journey, including his biggest achievements and fails on the plot. As well as this, the team talks gardening prescriptions, a campaign to get kids into veggies, and a frog the size of your fingernail!

David sheds light on his top gardening mantra, being beaten by blight and much more in this jam-packed chat. As well as this, the team talks secret gardens, looking at pests differently - and of course, chillies!   The Dirt is sponsored by Gardening Works. Visit gardeningworks.co.uk for more information on their product range.  

I never realised how important bamboo sticks would become in my life, says allotment grower Lee, who runs 2nd City Cottage, a YouTube channel dedicated to recording the highs and lows of his growing season on the plot in Birmingham. In this episode, Lee discusses the challenges and successes that have come from his first year as an allotment owner, and the lessons he has learned along the way.   The Dirt is sponsored by Gardening Works. Visit gardeningworks.co.uk for more information on their product range.  

Gardening has changed a lot over the years, says allotment grower Rachel from Manchester. In this episode, Rachel discusses her growing journey with her husband, their gardening blog Don't Crop Me Now, and the unique ways in which she preserves her harvests.   The Dirt is sponsored by Gardening Works. Visit gardeningworks.co.uk for more information on their product range.   

Gardening is a process of trial and error, and Anglia Ruskin student and allotment gardener Heidi Savage fully embraces this fact. She shared fascinating findings from her research of Victorian growing practices on this week's episode, including how she implements these traditional methods on her own plot.   The Dirt is sponsored by Gardening Works. Visit gardeningworks.co.uk for more information on their product range.   

Gardening fails are regular, but are rarely noticed by others - and we learn a lot from them, says Jonny Norton of the National Trust's beautiful Mottisfont garden. He also shared his top tips and no-dig lessons on this week's episode.   The Dirt is sponsored by Gardening Works. Visit gardeningworks.co.uk for more information on their product range.   

Grow Your Own magazine editor, Laura and The Plant Based Podcast's Ellen Mary are discussing the pros and cons for quaint cottage gardening and good old fashioned veg beds. What's your verdict?

Grow Your Own magazine editor, Laura and The Plant Based Podcast's Ellen Mary are discussing feeding plants, feeding soil – or not feeding at all! They also hear from some social media followers to get to the bottom of this question – should you feed your plants? 

Grow Your Own magazine editor, Laura and The Plant Based Podcast's Ellen Mary delve into the world of potato growing and discuss their own traditions. They also hear from some listeners to help answer this week's question – should you chit your spuds?

Grow Your Own magazine editor, Laura and The Plant Based Podcast's Ellen Mary are taking a look at the benefits of saving seeds and buying seeds this week. They also hear from some listeners to help answer this week's question – should you save seeds or buy seeds? 

The Plant Based Podcast host, Ellen Mary, and Grow Your Own magazine editor, Laura, discuss the benefits of growing in different undercover spaces – and pit them against each other! They also draft in some opinions from The Dirt listeners to help answer this week's question – greenhouses or polytunnels? 

Grow Your Own editor Laura and The Plant Based Podcast host, Ellen Mary discuss the benefits and the drawbacks of getting your hands in the dirt. They also draft in some listeners of The Dirt to help answer this week's burning question – gloves, or no gloves? 

Grow Your Own editor Laura and The Plant Based Podcast host, Ellen Mary pit their plots against their gardens in this tricky debate. Both types of space are amazing, but will one come out on top? As well as Laura and Ellen's own thoughts, they draft in listener comment to help weight up the plentiful pros of these brilliant outdoor havens.

In this episode (and for the rest of the series) Grow Your Own editor Laura is joined by The Plant Based Podcast's Ellen Mary to discuss some hot horticultural topics. Here, they are talking about the growing popularity of no dig gardening vs traditional digging, whether they dig their own plots and delve into listener comments, too. So, the real question is: dig or no dig? 

In this special episode we're looking back at the best bits of Season 5 of The Dirt. It's jam-packed with good advice, hilarious mess-ups and garden chat.  

This week on The Dirt, we were joined by British Army paratrooper and allotment enthusiast, Adam Barnes. Adam's allotment featured in the July issue of Grow Your Own magazine and in this episode we got to hear even more about his amazing growing journey. For more from Adam, follow @paraontheplot on Instagram.   Also on the show, we heard from Danni (@plot.81 on Instagram) a grower who regularly works with our fantastic pod sponsors, Envii. Danni helpfully answered reader questions sent in on foraging, growing and much more. For more from Envii - give them a follow at @enviiUK or visit envii.co.uk.   

Now an expert grower, Rekha Mistry joined us on this week's episode of The Dirt and recalled how overwhelming her new allotment was when she first took it on. Rekha also imparts plenty of wisdom in the form of garden tips and tricks - as well as some philosophies to grow by.   Also on the pod, there's plenty of garden news and a Q&A with our amazing pod sponsors, Envii.  

We were joined by Robin and Paul, AKA ‘Two Dirty Boys', who told us all about their allotment successes and failures. They gave us some fantastic ideas for creative crop uses, crop-swapping and discussed growing peaches in the UK.   The Dirt is sponsored by Envii. Visit Envii.co.uk for more information on their product range.  

Sinead Fenton has been on an amazing gardening journey. Now an accomplished grower with her own small farm, she explains to us how she got there and some of the lessons she learned along the way. The Grow Your Own team also discuss this week's growing news and much more.    The Dirt is sponsored by Envii. Visit Envii.co.uk for more information on their product range.   

Does a parsnip feel kinship with a carrot? This question and so many more are mulled over by special guest, Alys Fowler, on this week's episode of our award-winning podcast The Dirt. Alys explained her biggest successes on the plot, as well as some hard lessons she has learnt.    The Dirt is sponsored by Envii. Visit Envii.co.uk for more information on their product range.   

Keen grower David Boggis joins us on the pod this week, sharing his experience, tips and tricks from the garden. David tells us about his biggest successes in the garden as well as one or two corners to cut. 

This episode we're joined by a pair of passionate (and award-winning!) allotment-holders from North Norfolk – Aga and Kay. They're here to share all about how they use the abundance of fresh, seasonal produce from their plot at Aga's nearby restaurant – as well as revealing some of the times things didn't quite go to plan. 

Aaron Nelson turned an un-touched yard with "nothing living" into an amazing garden, buzzing with plants and wildlife. We heard about his successes and failures in his Manchester garden on this week's episode of The Dirt. 

Mark Diacono joins us on this week's episode of The Dirt. As a grower and writer, Mark has had success with some wonderfully unusual crops - raising a pecan harvest in the UK, for example. In this episode he shares his biggest successes and failures as well as offering advice and a philosophical look at the very best moments your garden can offer. 

For the final episode of series 4, we're finishing with a bang! TV expert and garden designer Mark Lane joins us to tell us all about his beautiful Kent garden and fruit orchard. Plus he shares some quick and easy ways to give your outdoor space a makeover in time for summer. 

On this episode of The Dirt, Jo Jo Yee explains how to extend your tomato growing season and we hear from Marshalls Garden experts on how best to site plants in your garden. We cover a wide variety of crops including strawberries, tomatoes, herbs and much more! 

Ashley Nwokorie is keen to teach her children that gardening is fun (even when they sabotage her efforts!) and a great way to connect with nature. She shares some top tips for growers and even asks us a few big questions, including: “If you try to do it all at once, when is the tea drinking going to fit in?” 

Sarah Raven prides herself on being able to pick fresh salad leaves year-round and has some delicious recommendations for you to add to your kitchen garden (as well as a handy hack for harvesting cut-and-come-again leaves). Plus she confesses to the time she planted her tulips so deep that she almost expected them to emerge Down Under! 

On The Dirt this week, Kirsty Ward tells us all about the joys of growing giant pumpkins, experts from Marshalls debate dig vs no dig and Laura and Blake discuss unexpected kiwis. We're dispelling myths, dishing out tips and generally chewing the fat. So join us on The Dirt for more growing discussion than you can shake a stick at. 

Derek Daly loves spending time on his Nottingham allotment accompanied by his young son. He joins us this week to tell us all about their plot successes, occasional fails and some handy pieces of gardening advice, too. Plus, Mike Bracegirdle from Marshalls Garden is on hand to reveal how you can grow bountiful fruit – even in the smallest of spaces. 

Alex Mitchell has a few funny tales to tell from her years of gardening, including the time that her flock of sheep ate most of her apple trees, or her realisation that a quick trip to Tel Aviv to buy lemons might actually be a more cost-effective way of obtaining citrus fruits, rather than attempting to grow her own. Plus, she can give you at least 100 ways to upcycle old tights in the garden. Listen now for all of this – and more!