This programme’s theme is almost entirely plants. First, Mike Burks, Managing Director of the Gardens Group, reveals some of the more fascinating and secret ways that plants communicate – and defend themselves from enemy predators!
then Dr Stuart Thompson of the University of Westminster talks about some research MIT research into plant hearing: technically, itappears that they may well be capable of hearing, but it’s probably not hearing as we understand it. Nevertheless, it seems that plants have a lot to teach us about their secret lives.
The ongoing Iran/ US war is not just having a major impact on the price of fuel, but by shutting off imports from the Gulf States, it’s also put a stop to further imports of artificial fertiliser. George Hosford talks about this and about how farmers might reduce their use of red diesel, the price of which shot up after the start of the war.
But something upbeat to end with: the recent win of Britain’s Got Talent by the talented and hugely popular Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir. One of the singers, West Dorset farmer and young mother Ellie Maguire talks about the Choir and how she was selected to sing in it.
Jenny Devitt