In the Garden: Your job for the week – check out gardening shows

My husband, Bill, and I really enjoy watching the British gardening program “Gardeners’ World.” In the U.K., it airs every Friday night during primetime, and the broadcasts are an hour long for most of the garden season. Why can’t we Americans get our gardening fixes like that?

Since I know you’re wondering, you have to subscribe to Britbox to view “Gardeners’ World” in the U.S. We also can watch British mysteries and other programs that don’t air here, so I think it’s worth every penny.

Monty Don is the host of “Gardeners’ World.” He’s an amiable fellow who is passionate about gardening. The program is filmed in Longmeadow, his 2-acre garden in Herefordshire. I’ve always wanted to give my garden a name, but so far all I can come up with is Whimpering Pines. I’m open to suggestions, but I digress.

Monty has created individual garden “rooms” such as the Jewel Garden, the Writing Garden, the Cottage Garden and the Vegetable Garden. Each week, he works in different areas of them while sharing tips, highlighting stunning plants and so on. The program also features profiles of gardeners across the U.K. and visits to amazing gardens that I’ve been adding to my bucket list.

What I love most about “Gardeners World” is watching Monty and his co-hosts getting their hands dirty, showing us how to grow a wide variety of plants and teaching viewers new skills. During this coronavirus pandemic, the new programs have continued to air each week despite the challenges of producing them while also practicing social distancing. In each episode, they focus on teaching what new gardeners need to know in order to successfully grow their own food. That is awesome.

Near the end of each episode, Monty enjoys giving viewers a list of “jobs for the weekend.” While Bill likes to feign indignation at being told what to do, I like seeing what British gardeners will soon be up to and comparing it with what we Inland Northwest gardeners need to take care of in our gardens. We have more in common than you might think.

With that in mind, here are your jobs for the weekend. I know I’m a day or two late, but it’s my big chance.

If you grew amaryllis bulbs indoors during the winter, move them outdoors for the summer. We put our pots on the deck in filtered light, water them each week, and we occasionally give them liquid fertilizer.

It’s safe to plant basil seeds outdoors. Known for being finicky about chilly temperatures, this herb is well worth growing any time after June 1.

Keep your eyes open for developing insect problems. It you spot something, take the time to identify the bug so you know if any action is required. I’ve been seeing a lot of beneficial insects lately, and I know their mission is to help control the bad guys. Please avoid using pesticides. There are plenty of simple, organic methods to address any problems that arise.

Have you felt envious of your friends’ and neighbors’ blooming bulbs this spring? Believe it or not, the fall bulb catalogs are already coming out, so do a little dreaming and planning while there’s still a good selection available.

Set aside little blocks of time for weeding. The more you keep up with them now, the quicker you’ll get ahead of them.

Don’t forget to take a break for tea and biscuits.

Cheerio.