Mention the word ‘podcast’ and, like us, you might glaze over? Like us, you might not know what one is, but two years after recording our first episode, we certainly know more about podcasting now than we did back then!
How we got entangled with podcasting was more accidental than deliberate and anyone who knows us will confirm that where IT is concerned, we are easily baffled!
Truthfully, neither of us knew what a podcast was nor what making one might entail. Neither of us had ever listened to one in the past, so were continuously confused when well-meaning friends repeatedly told us that ‘podcasts were definitely for us!’
Working alongside a younger generation definitely helped, so when Gareth Jones (retired Weekend and Sports Editor with local BBC radio) offered to help us, we shook hands in readiness of what was to come (and in fear!)
We simply asked what a podcast was.
‘Talking’ was his succinct reply. We smiled and in tandem replied, ‘We can do that’ – and we did!
We felt we could fill the gap in the market to better inform people how to work an allotment. Nothing fancy, no Latin, but simply chatting about when to sow and when to grow.
With the bit between his teeth, Gareth encouraged us to listen to other podcasts to broaden our… well, actually, to decide what we didn’t like in a podcast!
And the list grew from background papers being ruffled, to people using elongated words which ironically reinforced what we liked in a podcast.
‘Twiddly bits’ we agreed.
‘We definitely need some musical twiddly bits to break up the ramblings’ we suggested. Oddly, Gareth seemed to understand what we meant!
Family does come in handy and having a nephew with a music school did help. We rang him.
‘We need some twiddly bits for a podcast’ and, bizarrely, he knew what we meant too!
Before we knew it, a unique, jolly, ukulele twiddly bit had been composed and sent down the lines (how does that all happen?).
Next came the content. Armed with a few notes of what we could chat about and on the technical side, Gareth carted in microphones and a switchboard kind of thing into the shed. He knew how to work it so felt confident (so long as we talked!).
What an adventure. As we drew breath, Gareth cleverly chopped in and intermingled musical twiddly bits with our allotment chatterings. Every little piece dovetailing seamlessly into the next.
Done! Our first 30-minute Potty Plotter Plotcast Podcast was complete including recipes and hints and tips. It was downhill from there, continuing with the productions on a weekly basis.
In summary, we really don’t understand how podcasts function, but can confirm our plotcast podasts are nothing more than short recordings that can be heard through different devices.
Some say podcasts are just like listening to the radio. It’s true! But radio doesn’t include our unique, musical twiddly bits! Listen for yourself and we’ll let you decide!
It’s a play on words! ‘Elefant’ (rather than elephant) is the variety of leeks that we plant each year. A reliable cultivar with solid, thick shanks that are perfect for use in the kitchen.
To get the tiny, black seeds germinating, try this method that we have for many years which has always resulted in complete success!
Nothing fancy but definitely worth a go for tasty, perfect leeks later in the year.
• Chop a plastic milk carton in half. (It doesn’t matter what size you use).
• Make about 4x half inch slits up the sides of the top half of the carton. This will help the top half slide over the bottom half of the carton.
• Using sharp scissors, poke half a dozen drainage holes in the bottom of the carton.
• Fill the bottom half of the carton with good quality compost. Spray with water so it’s wet to the touch.
• Sparingly, sprinkle a few leek seeds over the top of the wet compost and cover with a tiny bit more compost and dampen (spraying is ideal) to hold in place.
• Now slide the top of the milk bottle carton over the bottom half and place it on newspaper or kitchen towel on a light, warm windowsill.
• As the seeds begin to germinate within the next 14 days, remove the screw-top lid of the milk carton to allow air into the container.
• When the majority of the seeds germinate through the compost, move the container to a cooler environment like a greenhouse. This will slow the growth of the seedlings and allow them acclimatised to the cooler air. Leave them to grow in the carton until they are about four inches in height before planting in the ground or deep container (around April).
The recently-set sweetpeas have enjoyed a growth spurt in their cell-trays over the past weeks.
As each stem has developed three pairs of leaves, we’ve nipped the top off each plant – encouraging stronger growth and bushier plants.
A furrow has been dug in the newly mucked poly tunnel where the fully rooted plants have been introduced for onward growing.
This year, a frame has been erected to support the seedlings to ‘grab as they grow’ and now we are confident of an early show of blooms due to the protection by the tunnel. Fingers crossed!
With so many different types of broadbeans to choose from it’s tricky to pick a favourite. But pondering over drainage and ground spaces, we’ve chosen ‘The Sutton’, a dwarf, compact bush variety that crops as well as taller varieties. Perfect for planting in our ‘meal barrows’ where (importantly) they are protected from slugs.
We set each bean seed on its side in cell-trays before each container is placed on high shelves in our greenhouses to protect from mice.
At two inches in height, they will be ready for moving outside to be hardened off and planting in the soil.
Remember the egg boxes we asked you to keep? Now is the time to use them!
Fancy a go at growing your own spuds? All you need are a few first early varieties which are the first to be eaten after being in the soil for about 10 – 12 weeks.
But before they go into the ground, we encourage them to get growing (‘chitting’) by placing them upright like eggs in cardboard egg boxes.
Place the boxes in a cool, frost-free area towards the light. After around four weeks the potatoes should have grown chits and be ready for planting.
Go to pottyplotters.co.uk for more and to hear the podcast and search Potty Plotters Plotcast
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