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Plant Food

Do we really need to buy commercial plant food for our gardens? What is in them, and can they meet claims of making plants grow bigger, and produce more fruit or flowers?

Edinburgh gardener Alan got in touch with Sliced Bread, to ask if he really needs to be spending money on buying and applying plant food or fish, blood and bone meal to his roses and woody perennials?

He was keen to know what is in these commercial plant foods that come as a solid, liquid or granule, how often he is supposed to use them, whether they make as much of a difference as they claim, and if he can save money by making his own 鈥渕ulch鈥 out of fallen leaves?

Greg Foot investigates with the help of Gardener鈥檚 Question Time鈥檚 expert and botanist, Pippa Greenwood 鈥 as well as Head of Fertilisers from the Agricultural Industries Confederation Jo Gilbertson. They 鈥渄ig in鈥 to the claims on the packets, and try to determine if pricey plant foods are the best thing since Sliced Bread?

We are looking for more of YOUR suggestions of products to investigate. If you鈥檝e seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number, 07543 306807.

PRESENTER: GREG FOOT

PRODUCER: KATE HOLDSWORTH

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30 minutes

Last on

Last Thursday 12:32

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  • Last Thursday 12:32

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