Pots & Trowels The Gardening Podcast · Martin Fish, Jill Fish, Sean Riley

Clematis Crisis, Fake Seed Imports & Perfecting Your Pond Plants

·37 min·2 clips

Pauline’s green tomato chutney uses 2.5 pounds of tomatoes, cider vinegar, orange juice, and muscovado sugar.

1. Pots & Trowels with Jill and Sean centres this episode on Lincolnshire Pond Plants in Boston and autumn pond care. 2. Jill and Sean introduce David from Lincolnshire Pond Plants, and Pauline is mentioned for sending the green tomato chutney recipe that becomes one of the episode’s practical takeaways. 3. The episode asks what pond owners should do in September, how David’s Boston site grows aquatic plants at scale, and how to manage a clematis montana that is taking over a fence. 4. David says the Boston site has about four acres of glass, about an acre of polytunnel, and outside bays for weathering plants off. 5. He explains that the move involved around 48 lorry loads and that the business spent the year bulking out the new site to use the space properly. 6. David says the site can store about 700,000 litres of water, but the dry summer exposed losses in the current water system. 7. He breaks the stock down as 370 types of marginal plants, up to 1,000 aquarium plants, and about 146 bog plants. 8. He says they supply everything from small fish tanks and garden ponds to washing-up bowls, giant lakes, and moats. 9. David and Jill discuss wildlife on the site, including newts, frogs, and duckweed being moved around by animals. 10. They also talk about changing customer demand, including a surprise rise in white irises this year. 11. One notable point is that the business looks at plants not only for colour but also for the wildlife habitat they create. 12. David separates marginal plants, aquarium plants, and bog plants into three different growing situations. 13. The clematis answer focuses on pruning group timing, with clematis montana pruned immediately after flowering. 14. David says clematis Summer Snow is less vigorous, flowers later, and is pruned hard back in spring. 15. The hosts also discuss whether a clematis can be moved successfully and note that established plants often survive transplanting well. 16. Pauline’s green tomato chutney recipe gives a long, specific method: simmer the ingredients for about an hour and a half, then add sugar and cook again until thick. 17. The conversation style is informal and practical, with Jill and Sean asking questions, correcting each other, and checking details aloud. 18. The pacing mixes garden reportage, listener questions, and a recipe segment, so the episode moves between site visit, problem-solving, and seasonal jobs. 19. Gardeners with ponds, clematis, or surplus tomatoes. 20. Listeners wanting pure entertainment without practical gardening advice.

As heard by us

Practical garden advice on clematis, basil, pond plants, and green tomato chutney, delivered in a friendly, easygoing tone.

Pots and Trowels stays on practical garden ground, with questions that feel earned by real use: a clematis problem, basil cuttings from a supermarket plant, and a visit to Lincolnshire Pond Plants in Boston.

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Why you'd press play

For when your clematis is in crisis and your basil wants a second start.

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