#614– Digging Deep: Soil Surprises, Straw Bale Success & Ladybird Swarms

This week’s episode of the Veg Grower Podcast takes a deeper look at what lies beneath – literally and figuratively. With driveway works revealing long-hidden soil and water pipes, and a hot, dry summer pushing crops and gardeners alike, there’s plenty to reflect on.

Here’s what you’ll hear in episode #614:

Home Plot Update: What Lies Beneath?

Work began this week on replacing the front driveway – an area where Richard previously grew fruit trees and bushes in pots. As the old concrete and gravel were removed, soil that hadn’t seen daylight in nearly 100 years was exposed.

What did it look like? Lifeless. No worms, no structure, no organic matter. Just solid clay and compacted ground.

This led to a powerful comparison with the healthy, rich, worm-filled soil in the veg beds – a reminder of just how important compost, mulch, and time are in building soil life.

It also triggered a bigger thought: what’s beneath our gardens? A small leak in the water pipe and damaged drains revealed how much infrastructure quietly runs under our feet. What would happen if a pipe burst beneath your allotment or veg patch? Something to consider before planting perennials or laying paths.

Allotment Update: Mornings and Mulch

With high temperatures continuing, Richard has shifted his allotment routine to early mornings – working from 6:30 to 9:30am across the weekend. This made all the difference, especially for weeding and watering.

First and second early potatoes are now being harvested
Straw mulch continues to prove invaluable – potato beds are holding moisture well despite the heat
Straw bale gardening is also thriving, with the internal moisture levels keeping plants happy with very little watering

Richard shares his watering strategy too – watering deeply once a week to encourage deep roots, rather than frequent shallow watering. He uses the classic ‘finger test’ to check moisture and shares how to read plant signs.

Midseason Blues? Keep Going

Around this time each year, many gardeners feel discouraged and start talking about “writing off” the season. Richard urges listeners to reframe that thinking.

There’s still time to:

Sow green manures to feed the soil and attract pollinators
Fill gaps with quick-growing crops like spinach, radish or carrots
Reflect and adapt – not every season is perfect, but there’s always something to learn

Recipe of the Week: Homegrown Tomatoes with Anchovy, Lemon, Basil & Caper Dressing

Chef Scott is celebrating the tomato harvest with a fresh, bold-flavoured salad that lets ripe tomatoes shine. It’s a simple dish – tomatoes, anchovies, lemon zest, capers, olive oil and basil – but full of depth and perfect for a warm summer meal.

Listener Message: Sterling from Seattle

A shout-out to long-time listener Sterling from Seattle, who left a lovely voice message about discovering the podcast while searching for how to grow potatoes. He also shared how he tried Chef Scott’s rhubarb crumble recipe, swapping in strawberries. We love hearing stories like this!

Ladybird Boom & Natural Pest Control

There’s good news for gardeners this week – ladybird numbers are booming. A reported swarm even disrupted a cricket match at Lord’s!

Ladybirds are a natural predator of aphids,

Published on 2 months ago