What No-One Tells You About Being a New Cut Flower Grower: the Harsh Reality, Challenges, Worries & Stresses
It's 8:30am on Friday 2 May 2025 and it's another beautiful sunny day.What a busy week! I've been juggling a lot of things this week and it got me thinking about what I've learned about starting to grow cut flowers and what no-one tells you! So I have created quite a long list of things I'm learning the hard way and I'd like to share them with you. From not having enough money, time or water to the many demands on your time in every aspect of your life, I'm talking about it all. The seedlings all have different needs and the fifty-six dahlias are like small children! As well as focusing on the here-and-now I'm also trying not to forget what I need to be doing in six months/one year/five years hence. So from the collapse of my social life and neglecting friends to a lack of understanding from others about the pressures you're under, to worries about what's coming down the line and exhausting days, it's a tough time of year. But it will pass and in a couple of months everything will calm down (I hope!). This episode is a really honest take on what I've been thinking about this week and I hope that you find it interesting. If you have a minute, I'd be over the moon if you left a rating or review - not only would it mean so much to me but it really helps other people to decide whether or not they should listen to the podcast and I'd love to share my journey with as many people like you as possible. Thank you. In this episode, join me for a frank discussion about what no-one tells you about starting a cut flower business!What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ The different needs of my seedlings ✅ There aren't enough hours in the day for everything ✅ How my social life has taken a nose-dive ✅ Pressures around lack of money are stressful✅ Why you still need to be thinking 1 year/5 years ahead✅ How time management is really crucial right now ✅ Why you spend your days checking weather apps 🌻 Follow & Stay Connected!If you like what you hear, please follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review – it really does help more flower lovers find the show. Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot.Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers. I'm going to give you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.
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29:26
Coping with Seedlings During a Heatwave, Troubleshooting When Planting Seedlings Close Together & Carving Out Time to Stay Calm and Focused
The chickens are back on the podcast! It's Tuesday 29 April 2025 and it's very hot.Join me for this episode on a really beautiful spring day, which started off well then turned out to be a bit too busy and fraught for my liking. I am in charge of the diary so that's entirely my fault. While I'm letting the hens out this morning I talk about water (again), the planting out of my nigella seedlings, and my tough-love watering policy to ensure that plants get their roots down quickly and don't become reliant on me constantly watering them.The second part of the episode is me trying to unwind on the plot this evening after a really busy day. I spent my (brief) lunch break quickly moving my seedlings out of the heat of the greenhouse and taking panes out of the framework to cool it down. I answer a couple of questions I've received: one about my mini-digger plans and the other about my sweetpea spacings. I end with some thoughts about the importance of carving out time for yourself during this busy period of the year in order to stay calm and focused. As always, it's just me talking directly to you on my cut flower journey. I really hope you enjoy the episode. The chickens make a few noisy interruptions too!In this episode, join me on a hot spring day for chickens and a Q&A What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ How the newly-planted out nigella seedlings are getting on ✅ My tough-love policy when watering new seedlings and perennials ✅ How I cool my greenhouse down ✅ Seedling heat tolerance: who loves it hot and who doesn't?✅ How I reconcile using a mini-digger with my No-dig policy✅ Problems you can get with planting too close together✅ Why it's so important to carve out time for yourself during busy times🌻 Follow & Stay Connected!If you like what you hear, please follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review – it really does help more flower lovers find the show. Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot.Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers. I'm going to give you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.
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21:39
Mini-Digger Excitement! Dahlia Cuttings with Hollow Stems - What Do They Mean for Cut Flowers?
Great excitement: I've just been speaking to a landscaper about using a mini-digger to lift some turf for me to really expand my growing space. I can't wait! I recorded this episode on Thursday 24 April 2025 in the afternoon and it's cool and breezy today.I did a reconciliation of how many seedlings I have and it's ALOT! It made me realise that I need more growing space urgently so I've decided to hire a landscaper to remove some turf for me. I can't physically do any more myself.In this episode I'm talking about my encounter with the mini-digger man, plus the seeds I'm still sowing. Plus there's an update on my visit to my dahlia expert grower, Richard Bailey, last Tuesday, where we split some tubers and took some cuttings. I also clarified what he told me about using cuttings with hollow stems (it's good news). Once again, thank you so much for your comments on my instagram @henhillcutflowers - it really does mean the world to me. I hope you're enjoying joining me on my cut flower journey and if you're new to the podcast then welcome.In this episode, join me as I get very excited about mini-diggers!What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ How many seedlings I have right now✅ Why I need a mini-digger to expand my growing space✅ Why some dahlia tubers can be planted out now but mine can't ✅ Hollow stemmed dahlia cuttings: to keep or not? ✅ When it's time to stop sowing seeds 🌻 Follow & Stay Connected!If you like what you hear, please follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review – it really does help more flower lovers find the show. Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot.Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers. I'm going to give you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.
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15:46
Pros & Cons: Seed Scattering or Straight Lines? Dahlias Straight in the Ground or Potted On First? Zinnias: no cons, only pros
It's a sunny lunchtime on Tuesday 22 April 2025 and I'm basking in the warmth of the greenhouse.I'm busy sowing more seeds and today I'm discussing the pros and cons of two different sowing styles: scattergun approach or straight lines. Which one do you use? I prefer the straight lines method as I can count how many plants I have and each plant can stay in its tray for longer before going on the plot, which saves time. But you can't fit as many seeds in each tray so you end up needing more trays which takes up more space.Prepping beds: everyone has their own technique. I do the "no dig" method to avoid disturbing the soil structure but I always remove perennial weeds first, even if I'm only sowing annuals. Then I add lots of organic material, either compost or old chicken bedding. I answer a question about when I plant my dahlias outside and talk about a different technique that a pro-grower in the UK uses and why. There are pros and cons to all of this and I'll talk about them. I talk about a wedding that the florist I'm going to be selling to this year has just done and how amazing the flowers looked. She is an incredibly talented florist. Are my flowers going to be good enough for her? YES! They are! I end with an update of what's happened on the plot since the last episode and why I'm so excited about my zinnias this year. I hope that your growing week is going brilliantly!In this episode, join me to discuss some pros and cons of things.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ What's your sowing style: scattergun or straight lines? ✅ How I prep my beds on the plot✅ Benefits of "no dig" method ✅ When to plant dahlias outside ✅ Keep reminding yourself of your Unique Selling Point✅ Why Zinnias make great cut flowers 🌻 Follow & Stay Connected!If you like what you hear, please follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review – it really does help more flower lovers find the show. Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot.Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers. I'm going to give you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.
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22:41
Happy Easter! Plot Update, Acquiring Perennials on a Budget, Tummy Troubles & Keeping Mint Contained
Happy Easter! It's 8pm on Good Friday, 18 April 2025 and I'm on the plot.It has definitely not been my week! After the water debacle on Tuesday I managed to get a tummy bug which has been unpleasant and this afternoon I wasn't even able to leave the house because of it. And whilst I've had tummy trouble all week I've had to do some regular gardening to get some cash in the door which has meant that I haven't been sowing any more seed this week. I haven't done a review of what's growing on the plot for a while so this episode is me chatting through what's doing what. I talk about my perennials and where I got them from, plus how to grow your own perennials on a budget. I chat about the importance of keeping mint contained (mint makes great foliage), espaliering apple trees and interplanting flowers with garlic bulbs to maximise planting opportunities.In this episode, join me for a review of what's growing on the plot this week.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ How this week has really turned out not to be my week!✅ A review of what's growing on the plot ✅ How to acquire perennials if you don't have much money ✅ Whether or not I should sow more Verbena bonariensis ✅ Why Agapanthus need to be grown in pots rather than the ground✅ How interplanting flowers with garlic bulbs is a great space-saving idea 🌻 Follow & Stay Connected!If you like what you hear, please follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review – it really does help more flower lovers find the show. Follow me on instagram @henhillcutflowers for a behind-the-scenes look at life on my cut flower plot.Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers. I'm going to give you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.
Join new cut flower grower Lydia for a behind-the-scenes look at how she's starting to grow and sell cut flowers in the south of England. Over the course of 2025 she'll be sharing everything she's doing to get her cut flower business up and running, from the planning stages all the way through to harvesting flowers, by way of highs and lows, hints and tips, lessons she's learning along the way (often the hard way) to the production and selling of beautiful cut flowers. If you're thinking of starting your own cut flower business or you'd just like the low-down on what it's really like, this is the podcast for you. Lydia talks very honestly about everything she's doing and she would love you to join her on this journey.Lydia is a professional gardener and garden consultant who is establishing a cut flower business in 2025. She records this bi-weekly podcast as well as writing monthly articles for The Country Smallholder magazine.Follow the Show & Stay Connected✅ Find Lydia on instagram @henhillcutflowers ✅ For more information visit her website www.lydiathegardener.co.uk ✅ Follow the podcast so that you don’t miss an episode✅ Please support the podcast by leaving a review or some kind words and consider sharing this podcast with someone who loves flowers - thank you.
UK