Monty in Toby out

[zazen999]

Sowing beetroot in cells is a nonsense as this is one vegetable which germinates very well in the soil and at a time of year when greenhouse and coldframe space is at a premium it is an un-necessary complication.



Whatever the criticism of Toby and Alys, their methods did fit in with what most of us do and Alys's enthusiasm matches if not surpasses Monty's.

I have to disagree - I sow all my beetroot into cells. The only 2 things I sow direct at all are carrots and p*****ps. Everything else - into modules, cells, pots etc.

And Toby/Alys' methods did not fit in with what most of us do - as most of us do different things all the time! There is no 'most' when it comes to gardening - we all have different ways of doing things.

[Ouya Mellsa]

The only 2 things I sow direct at all are carrots and p*****ps. Everything else - into modules, cells, pots etc.

Same here.......I just get a better success rate this way.

[Alison]

I didn't like Monty's garden much really, FAR too much box and too regimented for my liking but then again, it's not my garden and I think that historically shows from the presenters garden have been much better as they are real unlike the designer rubbish they had last series. Didn't learn very much but thought the balance was OK, still can't stand the grinning loon that is Joe Swift but the others were good. It's only the first one so Ithink some of it was just an intro, will keep watching and see how it goes.

[zazen999]

Same here.......I just get a better success rate this way.

Plus, with beetroot, I just tuck them in and around in any spare spaces, gives me much more flexibility...nothing in my lottie is regimented rows - apart from the spuds. Everything else is a bit of this and that all over the place.

[piskieinboots]

...Everything else is a bit of this and that all over the place.

my kind of growing

[TonyF]

nothing in my lottie is regimented rows ... Everything else is a bit of this and that all over the place.

My potager is organised but not regimented, can't do with all he perfect straight lines. Plus I grow a lot of things in huge round pots and small boxes which have veg. growing over tunnels so can't be too regimented.

One thing this thread has highlighted is that we all follow some basic practices but that we all garden in slightly different ways. I prefer to go with the area we have (and sorry, can't remember who said it but some of us DO have a garden as big as Monty's) but it's a peculiar shape, a peculiar situation and a peculiar micro-climate, all of which inform the way we garden here. We have areas as long as Monty's box walk and we could do that if we wanted to but I limit the amount of box we have (and yes, at some times of the year, it does smell like cat's pee!!)

We're about to rip out the large top terrace/grassed area in front of the house and replace it with a gravel/grasses garden which will take up a very large space and wouldn't be to everybody's taste but, like Monty, it's what we want and it's what will work.

None of us here should be saying you MUST do this or this practice is silly. Isn't one of the joys of gardening that we all do our own thing and enjoy the outcomes? Pass on information that may help newbies but don't be prosciptive - and as a very experienced gardener, I use modules a lot, including beetroot because I look for more positive outcomes for my input and I have way too many other things to do so that, for me, is a good option.

[SueA]

I recorded G.W. & enjoyed it when I watched it, I found it nice & relaxing (not to the point of falling asleep like Valmarg though!) with Monty's soothing voice & then Carol's enthusiasm to perk me up. I was surprised at how formal Monty's garden was, it was very 'boxy' but I can see from the photos they showed how it looks lovely when everything's in full bloom, not the sort of garden I'd have but there are some aspects I'd like in small doses.

[Florence Fennel]

Watched it last night and found it a bit boring really. Will try again next week, but not impressed at all.

[chris]

Just watched it, it was ok - I've never really watched GW before though. I enjoy the veg sections (obviously), not that keen on hedges, etc but that box must be a right pain when you have to cut it - each to their own though!

I liked Alys, Carol is alright too - her voice amuses me Didn't like the open garden part, didn't show them doing bugger all imo... scoop out some compost, cut 1 stem, and break a plant into two, then get some weed out of a pond. - waste of time really I thought!

Never seen this monty chap before, so not sure what o make of him yet. Only watched one episode of Toby, when he was doing the raspberries which I found informative. Not sure - this monty seems more 'gentle' in his approach of presenting. *shrug*

[elsie-scot]

Watched it yesterday, voices had no effect on me as used the subtitles!

Didn't really learn much but on the whole found it an enjoyable half hour Do find the scripted banter during the Joe bit very annoying.

Envious of Monty's garden size, although way to organised for me.

[HeyWayne]

Haven't watched GW for ages.

I love Monty.

[Hilary B]

If I had a big garden, I'd go back to keeping goats, chooks, and possibly pigs. There would be a small 'for looking at' patch near the house, and the rest would be productive (including patches of nettles for goat food, they love them!) Large ornamental gardens are fun to visit (although I prefer the ones that let us look at the veg patch too) but I'd never want to own one!

[Alison]

If I had a big garden, I'd go back to keeping goats, chooks, and possibly pigs. There would be a small 'for looking at' patch near the house, and the rest would be productive (including patches of nettles for goat food, they love them!) Large ornamental gardens are fun to visit (although I prefer the ones that let us look at the veg patch too) but I'd never want to own one!

Me too although it wouldn't be going back to for me as I've never had enough land to keep livestock (although did spend about an hour yesterday afternoon trying to catch escapee chickens). Hadn't really thought about it until now. Having said that, Monty's garden belongs to him and his wife and is presumably just how they like it.

Was on a newspaper website the other day and there was a review of the first episode there which was open for comment and quite a few of the newer and younger gardners were moaning that the beetroot bit for example was boring and seemed to want the lifestyle sections so I think this mainly says that there is a need for more gardening related programmes to cover all tastes.

[TonyF]

Watched it last night and thought it was dire. Monty seems to be sleep-walking through the whole thing and he did hardly anything, pottered around splitting plants for a while, pruned a few redcurrants and that was it. Rachel de Thame did another visit where she pretended to 'really help' somebody and even Carol's bit seemed a bit lame.

It was so rivetting that J fell asleep in the armchair and I started to get my garden planning book up to date. I'll give it another couple of weeks but as J said when she roused after it had finished ' I wish Alys was back, at least she was getting to be eccentric enough to be interesting'.

So sad.

[zazen999]

So, it's March - prime time for sowing your veg and we get.....nothing about veg?