King Charles joked that he cuts "bits of his fingers off" while gardening during a tour of his Scottish gardens.
The green-fingered monarch shared that when he uses the secateurs, his favourite gardening tool, it can lead to a series of mishaps.
The 77-year-old spoke about his love for cultivation during a programme for Radio 4, set to go live on December 23 at 12pm and be repeated on Christmas Day.
Speaking to presenter Martha Kearney during a festive special of This Natural Life, the monarch explained that he spends his "life going around with my secateurs".
The King joked that he cuts 'bits of his fingers off' | GETTYWhile in the gardens of Dumfries House, the monarch joked: "I do cut bits of my fingers off occasionally."
Ms Kearney warned the King about using the sharp tool as they journeyed around the 2,000-acre estate.
Charles reflected on how his grandmother, the Queen Mother, and great-great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra, were all passionate gardeners too.
Despite taking over the running of the Sandringham estate in 2017, the King's interest in gardening stems back to his youth.
The monarch explained that he spends his 'life going around with my secateurs'
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The monarch explained that he was "fascinated" from his pram when wheeled through the dairy garden at Sandringham, where Queen Alexandra had planted yew trees.
Charles said: "That really fascinated me as a very small child, and I've had this passion for topiary ever since.
"I think I was just one of those people who generally responded to being outside and looking and observing."
The pair noted the King's dedication to sustainability and how it acts as a message for the future.
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Charles shared that he always had a 'passion for topiary'
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When questioned how he would get the younger generation more interested in sustainability, the monarch said: "I think half the battle is trying to find a way to enable more children to help with school vegetable gardens."
The King believes this will help youngsters develop a passion for growing homegrown produce, which he hopes will snowball into them focusing on the impact of climate change.
He said: "We are what we eat in so many ways. Even allotments are only now beginning to come back in fashion after being abandoned.
"I remember there used to be many more school farms, and nearly all of them have been shut down or sold off, which is a tragedy, because in fact, there were marvellous ways for people to learn biology or economics or goodness knows what else, because of actually looking after animals."
The King has always been dedicated to sustainability
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As well as his hope for children, the monarch suggested that those older will recognise the impact humans have on the environment.
He said: "For instance, in the marine environment, there are horrors being perpetrated all the time.
"But just for something like bottom trawling, which does untold damage to the marine environment, if you stop it, then even in two or three years, it can come back.
"They prove that. So there is hope if we are sensible about how we are using these resources."
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