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December Gardening Guide: Polytunnel and Shed Jobs for Allotment Success
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Dec 5, 2024
🛠️ December Gardening Guide: Polytunnel and Shed Jobs for Allotment Success! Cold weather doesn’t mean downtime — it’s the perfect month to organise your shed, tidy the polytunnel, and prep for a strong start to next season! ❄️🌿 Here’s what I’m focusing on this December to keep the plot productive and stress-free. What jobs are you ticking off this month? #DecemberGardening #PolytunnelPrep #ShedOrganisation #AllotmentLife #GrowYourOwn #WinterGardenJobs #UKGardener
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0:02
hello and welcome to gardening with Ben
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your go-to podcast for all things green
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and growing I'm Ben your allotment guide
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and here to help you cultivate your
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garden and your passion for plants
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whether you're a seasoned Gardener or
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just starting out this podcast is for
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you each episode we'll dig into tips
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tricks and techniques to make your
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garden and alotment thve from planting
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sewing and growing we will share all the
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tips and AD advice we will also have
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regular episodes talking about what we
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have been up to on the Alum so sit back
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grab a brew and enjoy today's
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episode hey everyone and welcome back to
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gardening with Ben for another brand new
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episode we're keeping these podcasts
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running again obviously we had a short
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little break while we were moving
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property but they're now back up and
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running again and I hope you've all
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found them interesting as obviously the
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last couple of episodes we've been
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talking about what you can plant in
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December and also the jobs which need
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doing in the fruit Garden the vegetable
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garden and the flower garden well
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today's podcast episode we're going to
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be talking about all the jobs which need
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doing in the poly tunnel the shed and
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the greenhouse this is a new section
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what we've started adding in and
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hopefully you find it useful and
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hopefully you can take off those jobs in
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the polyon and Greenhouse and shed that
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need doing but first we're going to
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start off with a little Christmas joke
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if you've not been following our
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Instagram and Facebook pages and YouTube
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you won't have seen the Christmas joke
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that we post every single day so today's
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Christmas joke is why do you never see
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Christmas trees arguing why do Christmas
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trees never argue because they Pine for
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peace on Earth there we are that's a
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cracker I hope you enjoy that one you
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can share that with everybody else but
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yeah we'll keep these jokes running on a
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daily basis like I said you can see them
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also on Instagram and YouTube and
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Facebook as well and obviously Tik Tok
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as well we're on every platform going
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while we're trying to be but yeah
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today's podcast we're going to be
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talking about everything that you can do
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in your shed your greenhouse and your
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poly tunnel to get them all prepared
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ready for next year ahe head of the
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gardening season and obviously you know
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that I've also got a poly tunnel I've
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got a shed come Greenhouse what I made
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myself it's a shed but it's got perspect
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sides and perspect roof so that it lets
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lots of warm as well so uh that is our
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shed
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Greenhouse where we start everything
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off for growing in the new
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year so the jobs what you doing in the
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poly tunnel if you've got one and if you
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are thinking about getting a poly tunnel
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I have to let you know that you should
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never try and go for these cheap
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varities that are about £99 pound yes
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you may say that's not cheap but it is a
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cheap variety of poly tunnel don't try
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and buy any in like the January sales or
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anything like that stick to buying a
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proper poly tunnel from a bigger company
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like first poly tunnels Northern poly
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tunnels all them sort of companies as
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they are made to last the ones that are
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like
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£99 they you often see them like Square
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mesh material type thing and they'll
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just disintegrate and rip when there's a
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first bit of strong wind as well so save
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your money and invest in a proper one
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I've had mine up about 16 years now and
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yes the plastic has split after about 10
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years but I'm holding it together and
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we're keeping it on and it's still going
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strong it will last another year I say
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this every single year every year I keep
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thinking going have to replace that skin
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if it blows off but no we managed to
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repair it and get it back on
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again so the jobs which need do it in
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the polyon for December this month are
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you need to insulate them if you're
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growing inside them to keep the
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temperature stable inside the polyol
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during cold December days and nights
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consider adding insulation you can use
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bubble wrap on the inside walls to help
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retain the Heat while still allowing
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light to enter ensure the bubble wrap is
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secured and covers the most vulnerable
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areas such as around the doors and the
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edges where cold drafts might
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enter ventilate on milder days yes we do
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get some mild days in
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December proper ventilation is crucial
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even in winter when the weather is mild
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open the doors or ventilation flaps to
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allow fresh air to circulate this
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reduces humidity and helps prevent Fung
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diseases such as mold or milu which can
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develop in stagnant air be sure to close
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the vents before temperatures drop in
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the evening to retain warmth inside the
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PO poly tunel if you're using Heating in
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your poly tunel such as electric heaters
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or gas heaters or paraffin heaters check
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that they're working properly and safely
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ensure that the heater is
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thermostatically controlled to maintain
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constant temperatures inside the polyur
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you can also add water containers to
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absorb the heat during the day and
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release it at night to keep temperatures
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more stable now I don't have heated in
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my
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polymol obviously I'm not there all the
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time so I don't really want to keep it
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down uh heat is on in there so I do have
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water Botts in there what are filled
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with water throughout the winter so that
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any heat that comes into the poly tunnel
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it'll warm the water up and it'll absorb
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it and let it out at
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night Harvest any winter crops if you're
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growing winter vegetables in your polyol
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like kale spinach winter lettuce or
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leaks December is a great time to
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harvest them these crops thrive in
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cooler temperatures of a polyol and
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require regular harvesting encouraging
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further growth make sure you check your
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prop crops regularly to pick them as
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they reach
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maturity so hardy annuals and winter
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vegetables December is the ideal time to
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sew Hardy annuals such as sweet pee
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cunda corn flowers in the poly tunel you
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can also plant fast growing winter
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salads and greens like Rockies Lambs
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lettuce and mustard greens which will
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grow well in the protection of the poly
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tunnel use tray or modules to start
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seeds and place them in a well lit part
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of the tunnel for optimal
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growth weed control even though
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weed growth slows down in the winter
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wheat can still appear in the poly
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tunnel regularly inspect the soil and
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beds remove any weeds that Sprout up to
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prevent them from competing with the
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your crops and nutrients and space
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removing Weeds now will also reduce the
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problem of weed seeds spreading in the
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spring now I've got black membrane down
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on my flooring in my poly tunnel CU I
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don't actually grow in the ground in the
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poly tunnel but weat still do manage to
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pop up and around everywhere especially
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the band
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weed inspect and repair the polyol
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structure now this is what I was just
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talking about check the entire polyol
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structure for any signs of damage look
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for Tears or holes in the poine cover
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and repair them using special polyol
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tape ensure the framework doors
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ventilation systems are in good working
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system tighten any loose fittings
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keeping the structure in good shape
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ensures it remains effective at
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protecting your plants throughout the
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winter monitor for pests while growth
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slows down in Winter pests like Aid
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slugs and red spider
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excuse me red spider Ms can thrive in
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the warmer environment of of the poly
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tunnel inspect the plants regularly for
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any signs of pest infections and treat
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them with organic pest control methods
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such as NE oil or incal soap if needed
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remove any affected leaves or plants to
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prevent pests from
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spreading plan for next year December is
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the perfect time to reflect on past
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season and plan for the year ahead take
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notes on what crops work well and what
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didn't and start planning your crop
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rotations and garden layout for the
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spring begin ordering seeds and supplies
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early so you ready to sew and plant when
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the warmer months arrive will soon be
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starting to sew them seeds I'm so
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excited I love sewing seeds that's the
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best part of the year I do absolutely
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love doing
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that so next up we're going to talk
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about what needs to be done done in the
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shed deep clean your shed now this is
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what I do every single year I I I
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literally strip it back and tidy it all
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back and everything Begin by giving your
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shed a fur clean remove any clutter or
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pant pots and tools that have been
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sitting idle sweep the floor to remove
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dirt cobwebs and plant depress and wipe
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down any structures a clean shed not
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only looks better but it reduces the
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chance of pests at home inside over the
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winter months
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now I use disinfectant and everything
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and I spray everything down just to give
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it that extra protection and make it
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nice and clean for the next year
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organize and declutter December is a
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great time to declutter your shed and
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organize your tools equipment and
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supplies sort through old pots broken
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tools unused gardening items and decide
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what you want to keep repair or
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discard now I
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always that's why I always like to get
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my allotment sorted as fast as possible
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after the summer the big tidy up and
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clear all the beds and everything
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because then I can concentrate on doing
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all the shed work all the poly tunnel
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work and tidying it up and getting it
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all ready for the March sewing
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time inspect and repair the structure a
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bit like your poly tunnel check around
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see if you any repairs need doing check
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for felt check for leaks in the roof
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cracks in the walls or gaps around the
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doors now I my my shed come creen
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house leaks everywhere but it Waters the
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plants while it's
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leaking organize your seeds go through
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your collection of seeds and check the
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expiration date discard any old expired
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seeds or organize the ones you want to
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keep store them in a cool dry place
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inside seal containers or seed storage
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boxes to protect from moisture and pests
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especially squirrels make a list of
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seeds you need to order in the up and
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coming plant season start planning your
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garden in for next
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year okay so is there any other things
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that need doing in the shed set up bird
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feeders and nesting boxes now this is
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not particularly in the shed but
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obviously you in your shed filling your
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bird feeders up and sorting your nesting
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boxes out if you store bird feeders or
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nesting boxes in your shed December is a
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perfect time to clean and set them up in
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your garden clean out bird feeders fill
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and fill them with fresh seeds or fat
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balls and position them in sheltered
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areas providing food and shelter for
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Birds during the winter months
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encourages natural Pest Control when the
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growing season
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returns prepare for early spring
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planting I can't wait start thinking
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ahead to the spring planting season
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prepare seed trays pots propagators so
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the clean and ready for sewing early
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crops like tomatoes chilies and sweet
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peas consider setting up a designated
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area in your shed for early seed
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starting make sure you have the tools
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and supplies you need in place and need
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to start writing on my seed list down of
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what I need to start planting pretty
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soon because we're going to get started
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and I'm thinking about actually starting
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all
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my all my onion seeds as well we're
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going to start sewing some onion seeds
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this month so hopefully we get some
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fantastic onions growing next month so
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that is all the jobs which need doing in
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the shed and the polyol we haven't
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actually got anything any jobs for the
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greenhouse but the greenhouse is
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basically the same as the shed in the
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poly tunnel make sure like everything's
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disinfected cleaned Down clean down all
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the glass clean down any surfaces tidy
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up and make sure there's no cracks in
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the glasses and also make sure there's
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enough Clips holding in the glass sheets
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because during the winter months you
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obviously get a lot of wind and storms
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which can
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actually damage the structure and once
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it starts to bend or anything like that
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that is when you could possibly lose
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your Greenhouse so make sure everything
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is secured and fastened down so that is
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all the jobs which need doing in
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December if you didn't listen to
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yesterday's episode yesterday's episode
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we were talking about all the jobs which
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you need doing in the fruit Garden the
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vegetable garden and the flower garden
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so make sure you go back and listen to
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that episode if you do enjoy these
13:31
episodes please please please do share
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them out to friends and family or into
13:35
Facebook groups and stuff like that for
13:37
people to listen to the more people that
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listen to them and the bigger reach that
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we get out to the better and yeah I hope
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that you all all enjoy them so we'll be
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back with an episode tomorrow for you
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all to enjoy so remember keep smiling
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keep shining and keep gardening with B
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everyone
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thank you for joining me on this episode
14:02
of gardening with Ben I hope you have
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found some useful tips and inspiration
14:07
for your own gardening and allotment
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14:12
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14:20
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14:41
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14:44
keep smiling keep shining and keep
14:47
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