KEN Crowther is a man on a mission.
Seven years ago he set up World Radio Gardening – and at the age of 76, there’s still no stopping him.
He started out with his own landscaping business in Chelmsford when he was 21 – then spent 30 years presenting on BBC Essex’s gardening show.
He told Sun Gardening: “I had this idea that online, you could run a streamed radio station, gathering information from different people like jobs to do in the garden, visiting gardens of National Trust houses, RHS gardens, and giving tips and advice generally.
“Now I’ve got a YouTube channel, a streamed system, and a website.
“It’s most popular amongst English listeners, then it’s Germany, and then America – which is just brilliant.
” Basically, we’re the only one in the world that’s actually providing a 24-hour gardening content, so you can go to any time of day and night, all around the world.”
He added: “From all our listeners the most asked question this year is probably what they do about lawns that have grown too long because of the wet, that they haven’t been able to mow them at all.
“That has been this year’s problem. Lawns are growing too fast and then being damaged by people trying to mow them in the wrong conditions.
“My advice is to be very careful with your mower. Choose a dry day. Cut very high and keep it high until it dries and then slowly low down.
“You’ve got to be very careful with lawns today.”
“My tip for the coming month would be to make sure you’re feeding your bedding plants and hanging baskets in containers. If we have a mild autumn that could keep them going all the way to October.”
Find out more at www.worldradiogardening.com/
Gardening news, top tips, jobs and a competition to win a £200 YouGarden Voucher
NEWS! The Gardeners World Autumn Fair ends tomorrow (Sunday Sept 1) – and thousands of green-fingered folk will have already flocked to Audley End House and Garden in Essex for inspiring autumnal gardens and displays, expert advice and ideas to take home, talks, tours, workshops and the odd plant or two.
New for 2024 is the Get Growing Stage featuring host, TV chef Marcus Bean, with a daily programme of sessions by expert produce growers. Session themes include mushroom growing, garden upcycling, fermenting pickles, eco bird food recipes and dahlia growing.
NEWS! DOBBIES Garden Centre Grow How workshop in September will be on how to grow your own fruit bowl. The free, in-store demonstrations take place on the first Saturday of every month, at 10.30am.
WIN! ONE lucky gardener can win a £200 YouGarden voucher. To enter, fill in this FORM or visit www.thesun.co.uk/YouGarden for more details. Or write to Sun YouGarden competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Ends 23.59GMT 14.09.24 T&Cs apply.
SAVE! September’s a good time to think about aerating your lawn. Get ProSpike’s Lawn Aerator shoes for £21.99 from HSD online, or try B&Q’s £8.99 version.
THIS WEEK’S JOB! Divide Crocosmia and other herbaceous perennials using a sharp spade. Keep deadheading – and make sure your hanging baskets are fed and watered to keep them going a bit longer.
TOP TIP! As we move into September – raise your mowing height on your mower – it will make the lawn look better if you’ve got bare patches!
