Master My Garden Podcast

A big garden can be a gift, right up to the day it starts to feel like a second job. We’re joined by American garden writer Rhonda Fleming Hayes to talk about her book *Gardening for Life* and the practical reality behind a question many of us avoid: how do you keep gardening as you age without letting the work take over the joy? We dig into strategies that make a garden more manageable without st...

This weeks sponsors:  Seeds Ireland High Quality Seeds: See link below for listener offer.  https://seedsireland.ie/master July is where a lot of edible gardens quietly lose momentum and it’s exactly why so many plots run out of steam in autumn. We’re keeping it simple and practical with a July seed sowing guide that helps you stay productive well beyond summer, even if your beds look full and you...

Carlow Garden Festival is back better than ever in 2026 with an amazing line up of speakers: a pick-and-mix week where you can build your own perfect gardening break. We’re joined by Eileen O’Rourke, CEO of Carlow Tourism, to walk through the programme day by day so you know exactly what’s on, where it’s happening, and how to choose the events that match your garden and your curiosity.  We talk bi...

June 2026 consultations available to book here  https://mastermygarden.com/consultation/ You can spend months staring at your garden and still not know what to do first, especially after a new build, a renovation, or a big change in how you want to use the space. We’re sharing a short, practical announcement episode about a service we’ve brought back: online garden consultations that help you move...

This weeks sponsor:  Crann From  Probio Carbon  https://www.probiocarbon.i e Your seeds are not “mysteriously bad” overnight. When carrots, peas, and lettuce fail again and again, the real culprit is usually the same thing we have all been living through: wild swings in soil temperature and moisture, plus bursts of intense sun followed by heavy rain. We break down what those swings do at the exact...

This weeks sponsor:  Crann From  Probio Carbon  https://www.probiocarbon.i e Rain that never seems to end, sunshine that vanishes in minutes, and wind that flattens the best-looking borders can make this June feel like a constant battle. We’re not trying to “beat” the weather, but we are determined to stop it stealing the best part of the gardening year, especially when roses, peonies and early su...

This weeks sponsor:  Crann From  Probio Carbon  https://www.probiocarbon.i e Conifers have spent years stuck in the “dated garden” box, but we’re starting to see them differently and for good reason. After spotting standout examples in show gardens and design work, we talk through why conifers are quietly making a comeback and how a single well-chosen evergreen can add structure, texture and calm...

A good garden festival should leave you inspired, better informed, and itching to get back into your own patch and Buds and Blossoms in County Laois aims to do exactly that. We’re right in the heart of garden festival season, so we record this bonus guide to help you decide if the Laois Garden Festival is worth the trip and how to plan it properly, especially if you want to turn it into a full wee...

This weeks sponsors:  Seeds Ireland High Quality Seeds: See link below for listener offer.  https://seedsireland.ie/master June is where gardeners quietly win the year, or accidentally drift into gaps, gluts, and empty beds. With April and May running unusually cold, I’m using this June seed sowing guide to reset the clock and show what still makes sense to sow now, especially once soil temperatur...

This weeks sponsor:  Crann From  Probio Carbon  https://www.probiocarbon.i e Slugs and snails can turn a thriving spring garden into a patchwork of chewed seedlings almost overnight, especially when a mild, wet spell meets rising temperatures. We talk through how we handle that pressure in a way that protects young plants now and reduces damage over time, without pretending there’s a magic switch...

This weeks sponsor:  Crann From  Probio Carbon  https://www.probiocarbon.ie Coastal gardens are brutally honest. If your planting can’t handle salt-laden wind, sudden gusts that change direction, and soil that drains in minutes, it won’t last long and it won’t look good doing it. We dig into what really makes coastal gardening difficult, why it can feel cold and harsh even in late spring, and how...

This weeks sponsor:  Probio Carbon enriched biochar https://www.probiocarbon.ie A one-acre garden can feel like a whole world if you design it for discovery, and Elma’s Poppy Garden proves it. We’re back with our open garden features, heading to a “quirky Irish garden” in County Meath where winding paths, salvaged treasures, and bold planting choices create that constant sense of what’s around the...

This weeks sponsors:  Probio Carbon enriched biochar https://www.probiocarbon.ie Seeds Ireland High Quality Seeds: See link below for listener offer.  https://seedsireland.ie/master May can feel like a green light to sow everything, but this year’s real challenge is timing: warm, bright days can turn into near-freezing nights, and that swing can knock seedlings back fast. We talk through how we’re...

This weeks sponsors:  Probio Carbon enriched biochar https://www.probiocarbon.ie Seeds Ireland High Quality Seeds: See link below for listener offer.  https://seedsireland.ie/master A wildflower meadow sounds simple until you try to do it in a housing estate or community green space, where everyone has a different idea of what “nice” looks like. We walk through the real behind-the-scenes work that...

Your seedlings look ready, your trays are overflowing, and then spring turns feral: cold rain, sharp wind, hail, even the odd flake of snow. We’ve all been there. If you’re staring at a packed windowsill and wondering whether to plant out or hold back, we walk you through the exact thinking that saves young plants from a miserable setback and keeps the vegetable garden moving forward. We dig into...

We have a big format change coming, and we wanted to tell you before you press play on Friday and hear something new. After running weekly since March 2020 as a fully self-funded passion project, we are accepting sponsorships on the podcast for the first time. It is a step we have considered for years, and we are only doing it now because it feels like the right moment to grow the show in a sustai...

You can spend a fortune on compost, seed, and clever gear and still end up with tired raised beds and a mossy lawn if you get the basics wrong at the start. We’re answering two listener questions that keep popping up because they sound simple, but the wrong advice can cost you seasons of progress. First up, raised beds in a polytunnel or greenhouse. We dig into the big mistake of putting ground co...

Want to grow your own cut flower garden ? Then this episode is for you.  We’re joined by Fionnuala Fallon, Irish Times garden writer and a flower farmer growing on brilliant soil in County Laois, to unpack what it actually takes to produce beautiful, seasonal wedding flowers without leaning on synthetic chemicals. We chat through the real foundations of sustainable flower farming: protecting soil...

March can feel like four seasons in a week, and that’s exactly why an April seed sowing guide is so useful. We sit down with the reality of spring weather swings and turn them into a practical plan: what to sow now under cover, what to hold back until soils warm, and how to stay flexible so you don’t waste seed or stall your garden momentum. We run through a packed “what to sow in April” list for...

Shade can be one of the most beautiful parts of a garden, but only if you stop treating it like a sunny border. We take a listener’s question and turn it into a clear, usable planting plan for dappled light and deeper shade, starting with the real foundation: soil. If you want shade plants to thrive, we explain how to recreate a woodland feel with humus rich ground using leaf mould and compost, an...

A single tree can feel like a drop in the ocean, but stack that effort across hundreds of communities and you get something powerful: a greener Ireland built from the ground up. We’re marking National Tree Week by talking through what it is, why it exists, and how local groups can turn overlooked corners of land into long-term canopy with real environmental value. We dig into the benefits that act...

Thinking about a greenhouse but unsure where to start? We take you through a clear, practical roadmap for choosing a structure that won’t buckle in the first storm and will pay you back with tomatoes, peppers, and salads long after the summer fades. Drawing on listener questions from recent workshops and a lively grow-your-own webinar, we unpack siting, materials, and the small decisions that make...

Ready to sow with confidence instead of crossing your fingers? March brings longer days and real momentum, but cold, wet ground can still undo good plans. We break down exactly what to start now under cover, what needs heat, and what should wait a week or two, so you save seed, time, and energy while setting up a strong season. We begin with the crops that make March feel productive fast: salads l...

Cold soil, heavy rain, and an eager itch to plant—this is the moment gardeners choose between rushing the season or stacking the odds for a great harvest. We dive into a clear, practical guide to picking potato varieties that fit both your garden and your plate, from fast-maturing salad types to flavour-packed second earlies and reliable main crops for storage. Along the way, we ground every tip i...

Peat built our seed-starting habits because it made life easy: even moisture, airy structure, predictable results. But when carbon-rich bogs and vanishing habitats enter the frame, “easy” stops feeling right. We take a clear-eyed look at what peat-free really means for gardeners in Ireland, the UK, and the US—beyond labels, beyond trends—and ask how to balance strong germination with true environm...