Master My Garden Podcast

This weeks sponsor: 
Crann From  Probio Carbon 
https://www.probiocarbon.ie
Rain that never seems to end, sunshine that vanishes in minutes, and wind that flattens the best-looking borders can make this June feel like a constant battle. We’re not trying to “beat” the weather, but we are determined to stop it stealing the best part of the gardening year, especially when roses, peonies and early summer perennials should be putting on a show.

We talk through the real damage caused by this mix of warmth and moisture: flowers that hold water and rot, stems that snap after repeated rocking, and the rapid rise of fungal problems like mildew and botrytis. Then we get practical. We share a ruthless deadheading approach that protects the next flush of blooms, simple support methods for tall plants, and the key housekeeping that boosts airflow and reduces disease pressure. We also cover container gardening tactics that make a huge difference, from bringing hanging baskets into shelter for a “breather” to moving pots into a less exposed spot so they can recover and thrive.

You’ll also hear how to spot the plants that are genuinely unbothered by rough weather, and how to use that information for smarter planting choices later. Finally, we explain the Chelsea Chop, when it still makes sense to do it in a late season, and which perennials respond best with bushier growth and a longer flowering season.

If you want more flowers and fewer disappointments this summer, hit subscribe, share the episode with a gardening friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show. What’s taking the biggest beating in your garden right now?
Support the show
If there is any topic you would like covered in future episodes, please let me know.
Email:  info@mastermygarden.com   

Check out Master My Garden on the following channels   
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermygarden/ 
Instagram @Mastermygarden https://www.instagram.com/mastermygarden/  
 
Until next week  
Happy gardening  
John

This weeks sponsor: 
Crann From  Probio Carbon 
https://www.probiocarbon.ie
Conifers have spent years stuck in the “dated garden” box, but we’re starting to see them differently and for good reason. After spotting standout examples in show gardens and design work, we talk through why conifers are quietly making a comeback and how a single well-chosen evergreen can add structure, texture and calm to a border all year round. If you’ve ever thought “conifers aren’t for me”, this is the rethink. 

We also unpack a very real gardening problem: weather whiplash. Going from cold conditions to near 30°C heat and then straight back into wind and heavy rain doesn’t just feel dramatic, it changes how plants grow. We share what we’re seeing on the ground, from scorched seedlings in polytunnels to onions, garlic and leeks starting to bolt after heat shock, plus why fluctuating moisture levels can push plants into stress. 

With wetter conditions back, we flag what to watch for right now: slugs and snails appearing in big numbers and potato blight risk rising quickly, especially where soft growth has been knocked about by wind. Then we move into practical, listener-friendly conifer picks and care tips, including compact pines, classic trees like Cedrus deodara and Metasequoia, and evergreen staples such as Taxus baccata for hedging and clipping. 

If you enjoy these practical garden check-ins and plant-focused deep dives, subscribe to the podcast, share the episode with a gardening friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. What conifer would you actually plant in your garden?
Support the show
If there is any topic you would like covered in future episodes, please let me know.
Email:  info@mastermygarden.com   

Check out Master My Garden on the following channels   
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermygarden/ 
Instagram @Mastermygarden https://www.instagram.com/mastermygarden/  
 
Until next week  
Happy gardening  
John

A good garden festival should leave you inspired, better informed, and itching to get back into your own patch and Buds and Blossoms in County Laois aims to do exactly that. We’re right in the heart of garden festival season, so we record this bonus guide to help you decide if the Laois Garden Festival is worth the trip and how to plan it properly, especially if you want to turn it into a full weekend away.

The main festival day lands on Sunday 7 June at Spink Community Grounds (12 to 6), and the speaker line-up is built for mixed interests. We talk through what you can expect from Edward Hayden bringing the cooking and food angle, Kieran Fitzgerald sharing insights from restoring Johnstown Castle with a strong ecological gardening ethos, and Darragh McCullough on the modern reality of a diverse Irish farm that blends farming, cut flowers, bulbs, and more. If you like gardening talks with real substance plus a bit of variety, this programme delivers.

Saturday 6 June adds another layer with Laois Garden Trail events, from open gardens and a pollinator-focused beekeeping session to yoga and meditation in woodland pathways and a hands-on willow workshop. We also run through a long list of vendors and specialist nurseries so you can target the plant stalls that match your garden, whether you’re after shade plants, trees, David Austin roses, scented pelargoniums, wildflowers, or something truly unusual. Add food stalls, a kids’ area, and nearby gardens like Emo Court and Heywood Gardens, and you have a ready-made Laois gardening weekend.

Subscribe for more practical gardening chats, share this with a friend who loves a plant fair, and leave a review if the show helps you plan your next garden day out.
Festival website: 
https://laoisgardenfestival.com
Support the show
If there is any topic you would like covered in future episodes, please let me know.
Email:  info@mastermygarden.com   

Check out Master My Garden on the following channels   
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermygarden/ 
Instagram @Mastermygarden https://www.instagram.com/mastermygarden/  
 
Until next week  
Happy gardening  
John

This weeks sponsors: 
Seeds Ireland High Quality Seeds: See link below for listener offer. 
https://seedsireland.ie/master
June is where gardeners quietly win the year, or accidentally drift into gaps, gluts, and empty beds. With April and May running unusually cold, I’m using this June seed sowing guide to reset the clock and show what still makes sense to sow now, especially once soil temperatures rise and growth finally kicks on.

We talk through the real-world effects of sudden heat, particularly under cover. If your polytunnel is spiking into the 30s and 40s, some seeds simply will not play ball. Lettuce is the big one: once temperatures push past about 20°C, germination can stall, so tray placement matters as much as watering. I also share why seedlings are most at risk right now and how capillary matting can keep modules evenly moist for 24 to 48 hours, helping you avoid that heartbreaking “burnt to a crisp” moment.

Then we get into the sowing list, grouped in a way that makes planning easier: repeat salad sowings like spring onion, spinach, radish and lettuce, plus the smart-harvesting approach that stretches heads for longer. We shift into autumn and winter thinking with brassicas such as Brussels sprouts, cabbages, sprouting broccoli, calabrese, cauliflower and leeks, followed by roots like parsnips, beetroot, swede and carrots. Herbs and warm-season crops get a look in too, from basil and parsley to cucumbers, courgettes, French beans, squash, sweetcorn and peas. I finish with what you can still sow for flowers, why seed compost quality can stall growth, and how perennials and biennials started now repay you next spring.

If this helps, subscribe, share it with a gardening mate, and leave a review so more growers can find the podcast. What are you sowing first this June?
Support the show
If there is any topic you would like covered in future episodes, please let me know.
Email:  info@mastermygarden.com   

Check out Master My Garden on the following channels   
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermygarden/ 
Instagram @Mastermygarden https://www.instagram.com/mastermygarden/  
 
Until next week  
Happy gardening  
John

This weeks sponsor: 
Crann From  Probio Carbon 
https://www.probiocarbon.ie
Slugs and snails can turn a thriving spring garden into a patchwork of chewed seedlings almost overnight, especially when a mild, wet spell meets rising temperatures. We talk through how we handle that pressure in a way that protects young plants now and reduces damage over time, without pretending there’s a magic switch that makes slugs disappear forever.

We start with the long game: building a garden that recruits natural predators. From song thrushes and starlings to hedgehogs, frogs and ground beetles, we explain the habitats and garden choices that make a real difference, including why no dig gardening can support the beneficial insects that disrupt the slug life cycle. If you want organic gardening methods that work with nature rather than against it, this is the foundation.

Then we get practical about slug control and snail control when you need results fast. We compare ferric phosphate organic slug pellets, beer traps (including how much area one trap covers and how often you need to empty it), and barrier methods like copper tape, sheep’s wool pellets, dried seaweed and oyster shells. We also touch on Grazer’s G2 as a deterrent spray, plus what’s going on with slug nematodes and why they can be difficult to get at times.

We also share a quick note on Bloom, including our talk times and where to meet us for a hello. If you find this helpful, please subscribe, share the episode with a gardening friend, and leave a review so more growers can find the show.
Support the show
If there is any topic you would like covered in future episodes, please let me know.
Email:  info@mastermygarden.com   

Check out Master My Garden on the following channels   
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermygarden/ 
Instagram @Mastermygarden https://www.instagram.com/mastermygarden/  
 
Until next week  
Happy gardening  
John