Episode: #4 14/04/07
Presenter: Kim Syrus

Jen of Royston Park has been given a lovely Red Pierre climbing rose as a gift but she is renting and wants to know if it will grow in a pot. Good news is that it will but just keep in mind that the bigger the pot, the better. A larger pot has plenty of room for the roots to expand as the plant gets bigger.

To ensure you get off to a good start, part-fill your new container with a premium grade potting mix. Combine some hydrated water crystals and seaweed extract and pour the slurry into the potting mix and stir. Carefully remove the rose, tease out a few bottom roots and place into the pot. Back fill with the pot with potting mix, pat down and water in well.

You should also push in three large stakes, spaced evenly around the pot, and tie them together at the top as this will provide an ideal frame for the rose to climb on.

Place it in a sunny position with a little mulch on top and with regular watering and feeding you can make sure the climbing Red Pierre will be at its brilliant best for many years to come

Mark of Blackwood wants to know about picking Rhubarb. Well, the first piece of advice is not to pick anything in the plants first year. Leaving the stems on will help the rhubarb establish quickly and develop a strong root system.

Stems are ready for harvesting when the outer leaves are fully open. Select the largest stalks from the outside of the clump and pick them by pulling downwards and sideways close to the base, always leaving at least 4 stems on the plant. Keep your Rhubarb well feed with a good organic fertilizer spread evenly around the outside of the plant. Remember, it is the Rhubarb stalks that are edible, not the leaves, so it is really important trim all these off before cooking.

Waterwise Tip


A smart way to save water is to group similar water-use plants together. This means applying the same amount of water to all these plants will keep them growing happily, without any waste.

Planting close together also helps create a local micro-climate; moisture from the thick foliage keeps the air humidity high, plant stress down and reduces the need to water. For shade loving plants, grouping them under a large evergreen tree will help cut water use by an amazing 50%.

Recipe for Rhubarb Spray

Rhubarb leaves are poisonous to animals and people as well as soft bodied bugs such as aphids and whitefly.

Boil 1kg rhubarb leaves in 3 litres of water for half an hour.
Add 1 tablespoon of pure soap flakes and dilute at a ratio of 100ml per litre of water.
Label poison and use up concentrate within a few weeks.

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