S6 Ep2: March - Look After Caterpillars to Save Butterflies, with Dr Richard Fox - Butterfly Conservation

This month, the Organic Gardening Podcast is joined by Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science from Butterfly Conservation. They discuss the results of last years Big Butterfly Count, why moths deserve just as much attention as butterflies, and how gardeners can adapt their spaces to better support the full butterfly life cycle.Also in this episode…Fiona and Chris share their early-season thoughts as spring approaches, considering what the warmer days signal for the months ahead and how gardeners can make the most of the momentum building outdoors.And the team answer your questions on chitting potatoes, tackling clubroot, and making good use of old coffee grounds.

This month, Emma speaks to Harry Kelsey from Wildwater about the value of ponds in organic gardens. They explore how ponds support biodiversity, along with practical advice on creating a garden pond, choosing the right location, and keeping it healthy.Also in this episode…Fiona and Chris catch up as anticipation rises for the growing season. They reflect on what worked last year, what didn’t, and how those lessons can be carried forward as spring approaches.In the postbag, Fiona, Chris and Anton answer your questions on Comfrey tea, disposing of kitchen waste and underplanting fruit trees. 

In this episode, we look back on the  exciting adventures we had in 2025, from visiting Kate Bradbury in her wildlife-friendly back garden in Brighton to exploring Huw Richards’ experimental permaculture garden in Wales. Along the way, we also spent time in a few unforgettable kitchen gardens, including Helena Dove’s Kitchen Garden at Kew.Across each episode, we’ve asked our guests one simple but powerful question: what’s the single piece of advice they’d pass on to gardeners? The answers have given us a wealth of expert tips, which are the perfect inspiration for setting our New Year’s gardening resolutions for 2026.

This month, Chris chats with Jo Ferguson, Built Environment Manager at The Bat Conservation Trust. Jo has been involved in Bat conservation for over 15 years, and specialises in urban ecology and enhancing the built environment for bats. She shares why bats are important to the ecosystem, and how you can look after bats in urban gardens.Also in this episode...We’re reflecting on the triumphs of the 2025 gardening year. Fiona and Chris share their successes, and maybe a few fails as they prepare for a new year of sowing and growing.  In the postbag, Fiona, Chris and Anton answer your questions on growing asparagus, sowing garlic and shallots, and our favourite topic, composting!  

This month, we’re celebrating the slow beauty of autumn, from the changing of the leaves to creating colourful bulb trifles. There’s still so much joy you can get out of your garden, as we prepare for shorter days and longer nights.   In this episode, Fiona chats with Helena Dove, Kitchen Gardener at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Helena has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the physiology of vegetables, and teaches us how we can better understand the makeup of plant life.  In the postbag, Fiona, Chris and Emma answer your questions on using black plastic on the compost heap, how to help overwintering larvae, and how to prevent your apples from developing bitter pit.

In this month’s episode, we're joined by Raymond Blanc OBE from his kitchen garden at Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons. We toured the garden, which is home to over 100 heritage vegetable varieties. Raymond talks about his own gardening heritage, and how growing with his mother and father in France influenced the direction he's taken with Le Manoir's kitchen garden. We also hear from August Bernstein, head of the Raymond Blanc Gardening School, who chats with us about the relationship Le Manoir have with our Heritage Seed Library.  Also in this episode:  Fiona and Chris catch up in the potting shed to talk about their gardening tasks for October, and Lead Horticulturalist for the Heritage Seed Library, Marcin Salnikov joins the podcast this month to answer your questions on seed saving and heritage varieties. 

In this month’s episode, we’re diving deep in to the world of Green Manures, as Dr Anton Rosenfeld, Research Manager at Garden Organic explains how sowing these plants can be central to looking after your soil. Also in this episode: Fiona and Chris catch up to see how their harvests are going this year, and we answer your questions on what type of sand you can use in the garden, when not to harvest rhubarb and what to do when your potato plants result in no yield whatsoever.  For more advice on Green Manures visit our website: https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/expert-advice/garden-management/soil/green-manures

In this month's podcast, we're joined by garden designer, broadcaster, and author Juliet Sargeant. Juliet has just released her first book, Start with Soil, in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. She discusses the global impact of soil degradation and shares how gardeners can take control of their own soil health with simple at-home testing. Also in this episode... Fiona and Chris celebrate a summer of gardening successes (despite a few heatwaves), and Anton joins to answer your questions on banana peel water, no-dig gardening in raised beds, and whether it’s safe to use washing-up liquid in the garden.

In this month’s Organic Gardening Podcast, Fiona welcomes back seed guardian and writer Adam Alexander. Adam has travelled the world gathering heritage and land race vegetable seeds and in his latest book, tells the story of our “accidental seed heroes.” The backyard growers that are doing something extraordinary, championing old varieties, and also creating new generations of fruit and vegetables. Also in this episode...Fiona and Chris reflect on their visit to BBC Gardeners’ World Live, What they learned from our rooted in nature show garden and what inspired them. They also share tips for coping with a potential hosepipe ban, from watering priorities to keeping your compost moist.In the postbag, the team answers your questions on how to manage aphids, the causes behind tomato leaf curl and solve a common problem with spinach and chard plants.

In this month's Organic Gardening Podcast, Fiona visits Huw Richards, in his experimental permaculture garden in Mid-West Wales. Huw gives us an insight in to the the principles of permaculture through his 7 acre garden, as we explore his linear food forest, syntropic planting, and how permaculture fits in with the organic principles.  Also in this episode...  Fiona and Chris are catching up on their planting progress after an incredibly dry spring. In the postbag, Anton Fiona and Chris answer your questions on pernicious weeds, grafted fruit trees and how to reuse your grey water.