Euston, London

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

Q – How big can an aloe vera plant get, and how long can it live inside on a windowsill? How often or how much should I water it?

(1 minutes 32 seconds) 

James –

Agave americana

Q – I have discovered a surfeit of leftover potatoes on my allotment. Can I leave them, or shall I try and compost them?

(4 minutes 19 seconds) 

Pippa –

Potato, ‘Charlotte’

Anne –

Pea

Squash

Chard

Lettuce

Q – We have 7-year-old jasmine plant in a pot on our third-floor terrace. It has an infestation of sticky white bugs, branches that are quite leggy and spindly, the leaves turn red and drop off, it doesn’t flower, and we don’t get any scent. Can you help?

(8 minutes 4 seconds)

James –

Trachelospermum jasminoides, Star jasmine

Q – How can I propagate our two types of roses, the Papa Meilland and the 'Lavender Lassie'?

(12 minutes 15 seconds)

Feature – Anne Swithinbank goes behind the scenes at Kew Gardens’ Arboretum Nursery with the Head of Tree Collections, Kevin Martin

(16 minutes 17 seconds)

Pine

Japanese douglas fir, Pseudotsuga japonica

Pinus wallichiana

Yew

‘Genko’

Q – I have an almond tree in my allotment. The tree now looks like it is on fire with strange bobbling and bright red leaves. Can you tell me what is happening?

(22 minutes 50 seconds)

Pippa –

‘Nectarine’

Peach

Q – At the front of the block of flats I live in is a long, thin planter on a brick wall, so it is out in direct sunshine during the summer months. The only thing that seems to survive these conditions is lavender. Have you got any suggestions for other plants I could put in the planter?

(26 minutes 43 seconds)

Pippa –

Lavender, ‘Hidcote’

Lewisia

Sempervivum

Anne –

French lavender, Lavandula stoechas

James –

Angustifolius

Lavandula stoechas

Rosemary Prostrata Group

Q – How often should you repot? What are the signs it’s the right time? And is there a right time of year to do it?

(30 minutes 21 seconds)

Anne –

Hoya, Wax plant

Peace lily

Cacti

Q – I would like to create a wild inspirational space à la Derek Jarman’s Garden on my neglected front garden on a busy main road in London. I’m from Australia and would also like to incorporate some Australian plants that are quite low maintenance.

(35 minutes 00 seconds)

Anne –

Cistus

James –

Australian woollybush

Protea cynaroides

Callistemon, Bottlebrush

Aloe polyphylla