On 2014-04-17 15:45:16 +0000, Martin Brown said:

On 17/04/2014 15:01, Sacha wrote:
On 2014-04-17 11:41:54 +0000, mogga said:

On Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:29:38 +0100, sacha wrote:

On 2014-04-17 11:22:22 +0000, Martin said:

On Thu, 17 Apr 2014 11:49:37 +0100, mogga
wrote:

I think every rhubarb I've seen had had at least one flower spike on.
The very mild winter may be to blame?

the new show: The big allotment challenge had them all making rhubarb
curd, or rhubarb and custard curd this week!

What do you think about the concept of the show? Will it boost waiting
lists of people expecting a weed free newly dug plot?

I suspect that after the first episode only bored non-gardeners will
watch it.

I'd think any wannaba allotmenteer will run screaming in the opposite
direction if they think they have to make hand-tied posies and jams
etc. to be called 'proper' allotment holders.

I am bewildered by the desire to have 3 matching radishes - showing
veg isn't for me.
We grow our own because it tastes better than the uniform looking
stuff the supermarkets sell.
It was interesting to see the variety of radishes but not enough for
made of that.

It was freely admitted before the programmed aired, that it was a sort
of gardening spin-off of the Great British Bake Off. The point at which
it failed is that you just cannot cram a few hours tension into growing
plants! A disaster in the kitchen in the space of e.g. 4 hours can be
irrecoverable - but some of those competitors had sown radish seeds
about 6 times and you can't actually watch radishes or anything else
grow and ratchet up the suspense! If a cake falls on the floor at the
point of adding the last smidge of icing, that's a bit dramatic. If a
radish isn't identical to its brothers and sisters - not so much! So it
just doesn't work in this format because gardening to produce food to
eat simply is not dramatic! Now - if one starts creeping around at night
poisoning the others' pumpkins, it may get a bit more interesting.
Otherwise, it's a worthy competitor with Mogadon, ioo!

Do you think the time might be right for a "Watching Paint Dry" series?

I think we're heading rapidly in that direction. Whether that's
intentional or not, heaven knows. I heard recently of a director
filming one of the foremost plant experts in this country in a
gardening programme, who talked about making 'pretty tv'. When you get
that attitude on what is a factual and instructive programme, you might
as well take the plug off the tv!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk