I don’t wish to be curt Bert But you’ve waterlogged me shirt Bert And blown away me yurt Bert So I wish you were inert Bert.

In this weeks GQT I admitted to never having made a hot bed, so after the recording I went home and constructed one. The temperature inside the strawy horse manure soon reached 60 C.

Parenting can be tough...

There's a little snow here in W Wales this morning but there is warmth and sunshine in plentiful supply with the latest issue of Amateur Gardening magazine which is out now! It is packed full of expert advice from much-loved faces from the gardening world and is full of personality, hope, ideas and solutions to get you through the fortnight ahead. Plus two packets of free seed worth more than £5! This issue is focused on helping you to build resilience in your gardens and this starts from within. We include articles on right plant, right place, how to get houseplants for free, dealing with extreme weather, using peat-free compost plus sooo much more besides. Roses, snowdrops, and the new colour for 2024, Peach Fuzz, polytunnel growing and more. With all your favourite faces including Amateur Gardening mag experts Ruth Hayes, Lucy Chamberlain, Bob Flowerdew, John Negus, Val Bourne, Anne Swithinbank, Sue Bradley, Graham Clarke, plus Beth Chatto Gardens, Mike Perry’s plant watch, Mike Palmer, Adam Kirtland and Andrew Oldham. We also have the fabulous Becky Searle, Sally Morgan and a National Gardens Scheme profile. You can find out more and sign up for special offers and subscriptions (to get the magazine first before it hits newsstands) amateurgardening.com. We hope you enjoy! Kim x @rhayes711 @headgardenerlc @anneswithinbank @bethchattogardens @FlowerdewBob @mike_thegardener @mr_plantgeek @viewfromthepottingbench @lifeonpigrow @the_organic_plot @kelseygroup @sow_much_more @dalefootcomposts @rosesukroses @FirstTunnels

We hope to bring some sunshine into your fortnight with the latest issue of Amateur Gardening magazine which is out now. We welcome in 2024 with an issue jam-packed full of money saving and resilience building ideas and inspiration..... and hope for the year ahead. Plus two packets of seed worth more than £6.15! Featuring all your much-loved favourite Amateur Gardening mag experts Ruth Hayes, Lucy Chamberlain, Bob Flowerdew, John Negus, Val Bourne, Anne Swithinbank, Sue Bradley, Graham Clarke, plus Beth Chatto Gardens, Mike Perry’s plant watch, Mike Palmer, Adam Kirtland and Andrew Oldham. We also have the fabulous Stephanie Hafferty and Becky Searle, Sally Morgan and Olga Grieves. Amateur Gardening magazine is truly for the people, for gardeners everywhere, so if you have topics you would like us to cover in 2024 please let us know. You can find out more and sign up for special offers and subscriptions (to get the magazine first before it hits newsstands) amateurgardening.com. We hope you enjoy! Kim x @Ruthhayes911 @headgardenerlc @bethchattogardens @mike_thegardener @mr_plantgeek @Viewfromthepottingbench @lifeonpigrow @KELSEYGroup @stephaniehafferty @sow_much_more @dalefootcomposts @lovely_plot

Happy New Year! How long can the roots of an indoor Swiss cheese plant grow? Take a look at my instagram video @anneswithinbank #monstera #swisscheeseplant #roots

On behalf of the ever-growing family of Amateur Gardening magazine writers, I am delighted to share with you some of the exciting content on offer in the special Christmas issue which is out now. We offer 101 reasons (and excuses ) to get outside and garden your festive socks off with fantastic ideas and inspiration from much-loved favourites Ruth Hayes, Lucy Chamberlain, Bob Flowerdew, John Negus, Val Bourne, Anne Swithinbank, Sue Bradley, Graham Clarke, plus Beth Chatto Gardens, the National Garden Scheme on how to make a festive display, Mark Diacono’s brilliant recipes for home-made limoncello and ginger and lemon thyme switchel. There’s a feature from me on community gardening on a budget, Mike Perry offers Christmas houseplant ideas, we have Andrew Oldham writing about the importance of home-saved seed, the brilliant new upbeat column from Mike Palmer, Adam Kirtland’s Tried and Tested Christmas present ideas, a great feature from Sally Morgan on citrus trees, plus much, much more besides. Did I mention also there are three packets of seed on the cover (worth £7.50)? Also that we have an exciting Christmas subscription offer on right now. 13 issues of the much-loved world’s oldest gardening magazine for just £13.99 and…. a gift of 10 packets of seed thrown in. A great offer and present for gardening enthusiasts everywhere. 🎉See the Kelsey website for more details. I continued to be absolutely thrilled with the response to the re-launched Amateur Gardening magazine. This is truly a magazine for you, for the people, for everyone and we hope this issue brings a smile to your face, as well as a myriad of ideas and inspiration from our family of gardening experts for the weeks head. @ruthiehayes67 @HeadGardenerLC @AnneSwithinbank @BethChattoGdns @NGSOpenGardens @MarkDiacono @micthegardener @mr_plantgeek @vftpottingbench @lifeonpigrow @KELSEYGroup

#Ad | Saga Travel. Delighted to be joining @sagatraveluk onboard their upcoming Winter Sun in the Canaries cruise. We'll be following the winter sun south to La Coruña, Madeira and the subtropical Canaries and no doubt spotting some fab plants ashore.

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Just back from nocturnal snail and slug hunt. It is said that if moved more than 20m away, they don't return to their old haunts. I have a very long garden.

Delighted to be joining @Saga_Travel_UK onboard their upcoming Winter Sun in the Canaries cruise, this December! This all-inclusive cruise to the Canary Islands will follow the winter sun south, to La Coruña, Madeira and the subtropical Canaries.  #Saga #ExperienceIsEverything

Tomato Jaune Flamme for lunch!

Tomato Jaune Flamme has just started to ripen. I'm keeping the greenhouse atmosphere dry, for fear of blight.

We usually see them every year here in East Devon but though I've left lots of groundsel, no stripy caterpillars so far. Yet saw one crossing a path in urban Bristol.

I've seen these recently too in a field entrance in East Devon. They are very circular.

We're in the same boat down here in East Devon. None yet.

Am I alone in finding Buddleja globosa slightly ridiculous? Here a well-pruned specimen attracting lots of insects at Shaldon Botanical Gardens.

Oooh, ouch. Red spider mite? Too much sun?

Wow. So many years since I 've seen one