The Nature Garden: gardening, wildlife and nature notes · The Weekending Show

Reflect and refresh

·36 min·1 clip

Tom Pattinson says some cabbage seed has germinated after 25 years unopened.

1. The Nature Garden Podcast opens with January gardening reflection and bird notes from Northumberland. 2. Carl Steinson presents the show with Tom Pattinson, Tom Cadwallader, Tom Cadwallander, and Steve Lowe as recurring contributors. 3. The episode asks what can be planted, pruned, and noticed at the start of a new year. 4. Tom Pattinson says early January soil is still too cold, with daytime temperatures around minus one to plus six Celsius in Northumberland. 5. He advises keeping seed packets close because outdoor germination usually needs about 8 to 10 Celsius, and 12 to 15 Celsius is better. 6. He recommends starting seeds in a garden room, conservatory, or warm room, then moving them on under good light to avoid leggy growth. 7. He says broad beans, peas, and shallots can go into pots and later into an unheated greenhouse by the end of February. 8. He suggests indoor salad crops such as lettuce and pea shoots as a cut-and-come-again option. 9. He also describes sprouting mung beans, adzuki beans, and fenugreek in a jar with muslin and an airing cupboard. 10. He says bean sprouts can be ready in three or four days, which gives a quick return when the garden is too cold. 11. Tom Pattinson then turns to packet instructions, sow-by dates, and temperature bands for successful germination. 12. He says cabbage seed has been found unopened and still germinated after 25 years. 13. He notes that some seeds must sit on the surface, including busy Lizzy and begonias, because they need daylight. 14. He explains that moisture, temperature, and germination inhibitors all affect whether seeds sprout or rot. 15. He gives sweet peas as an example of hard seed coats that gardeners often nick or soak. 16. He describes tree peony as needing a double dormancy, with cold and warmth twice before both root and shoot appeared. 17. Tom Cadwallader shifts the tone with a long diary practice that began in the early 1970s and now serves as a reflection point. 18. He mentions trips to Colombia and Costa Rica, filming with Robson Green and Jim Moyer, and the return of local studio sessions with Carl, Tom Pat, and Steve Lowe. 19. Birdwatchers and gardeners who like practical seasonal advice and local nature records would fit this episode. 20. Listeners wanting fast entertainment or a tightly edited story may skip its reflective pace.

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