In this episode, Dan and Julia chat with Toby Shaull of Zophian Plants about his journey from pro-skateboarder and carpenter to specialist plantsman and pioneer of alternative growing mediums. Toby is part of a new generation of nurserymen gently nudging small-scale, commercial horticulture into the 21st Century.
Toby will be offering plants for sale at these forthcoming events;
- Plant Fairs Roadshow at Mount Ephraim Gardens, Kent - Sunday, 28th September 2025
- Great Dixter Plant Fair - Saturday, 4th and Sunday, 5th October 2025
Jobs to do in your garden this fortnight
- Keep deadheading dahlias and give them a potassium-rich liquid feed to boost flower production; this will also help maintain their vibrant colours as the weather cools.
- Prepare hyacinths and narcissi for Christmas by potting them up in peat-free compost before popping them in a cool, dark place until new growth is 5-6cm long.
- Bring houseplants inside that were evicted for the summer. Remove dead or damaged leaves and check underneath the pots for slugs and snails.
- It’s your last chance to cut topiary and hedges before winter.
- Order overwintering onion sets and plant them this month or next. Nudge them into the ground with their tips just protruding.
- Remove greenhouse shading.
- Tidy tomato plants by cutting off leaves that shade any fruits still left to ripen. It’s still relatively warm, so tomatoes will continue to grow if they receive enough light.
- Freeze any excess fruit if you are short on time; tomatoes and berries can be frozen whole.
- Divide older or very large rhubarb crowns to create new plants; this will also rejuvenate the existing crowns.
- Order sweet pea seeds, these can be sown in the autumn or next spring, often, the best varieties sell out quickly.
Dan's featured products:
- Signature Potting Trowel - perfect for filling pots with compost and a lovely gift for keen propagators.
- Signature Slim Transplanting Trowel - ideal for moving self-seeders and planting small bulbs. Minimises disturbance of neighbouring plants.
- Signature Disc Weeder - a round 'Hori Hori' for cultivating, weeding, scraping off moss, clearing gutters and removing weeds from cracks in paving.
Website links:
Expertly produced by Scott Kennett at Red Lighthouse Local
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
