Mulch

I'm back with another ad hoc episode of MULCH after a fabulous day at the second Hortistry event, learning about propagation from three extraordinarily experienced horticulturists.
In this episode, I'm sharing three practical lessons that I'll be bringing back to our flower farm at Silver Grey Foliage.
We talk about why you might want to put your dibber away when taking cuttings, how an ordinary tea tray can help with saving and cleaning flower seeds, and why treading as lightly on the land as possible should be at the heart of our growing decisions.
I also share a little about Hortistry, a new initiative working to preserve specialist horticultural knowledge and skills in the UK, and why I think their work is so important for the future of our industry.
Links and further reading
Hortistry – specialist horticultural skills and future workshops
The Dirt – horticultural news and updates
GROW Club by Silver Grey Foliage

In this episode of MULCH, I'm joined by Jen from Bristol Flower Company, creator of the new FlowerTracker Pro.
FlowerTracker Pro has been designed specifically for flower farmers, making it easier to record what you're cutting and turn those numbers into useful information about what is actually happening on your farm.
Jen and I talk about how the idea began, what happened when 50 flower farmers started beta testing it, and how their feedback has shaped the finished product.
We look at how the Tracker works in practice, from simply recording total stem numbers to tracking individual varieties, beds, buckets, orders and customers — and how that information can help us make better decisions about what earns its space on our farms.
We also talk about where to start if data collection feels overwhelming, what FlowerTracker Pro does not replace, pricing, data ownership and security, and some of the features Jen hopes to add next.
Most importantly, this is a conversation about something I talk about regularly on MULCH: collecting useful information about our farms so that the decisions we make are based on evidence rather than what we think happened.
FlowerTracker Pro launches on Friday 14 August 2026.

This week on MULCH, Rebecca shares a short, steadying episode designed to help you stay focused and resilient as the season gathers pace.
As we reach the end of the first quarter of the year, it's easy to feel behind, overwhelmed, or unsure whether you're doing enough. This episode offers five honest reminders to bring you back to what really matters on your flower farm.
These are not complicated strategies, they're the simple truths that help you stay grounded, keep moving forward, and grow a business that works for you.
This is an episode to return to when negative thoughts creep in, or when you find yourself comparing your farm to others.

This week on MULCH, Rebecca shares a lighter episode for growers coming through a busy Mother's Day weekend.
Flower farms aren't usually held together by big moments or dramatic decisions. More often, they're sustained by small habits repeated quietly week after week across the season.
In this episode, Rebecca talks through some of the simple practices that help keep a flower farm running smoothly and professionally — from preparing cutting tools and keeping buckets clean, to labelling seedlings properly, recording sowing notes, and replying to customer enquiries promptly.
These small habits might not appear in the photographs we share online, but together they create the consistency that allows flower farms to deliver beautiful flowers reliably to customers.
Rebecca also explains how she uses the Flower Farmer's Planner to track these habits, record propagation notes and review decisions across the season so that lessons learned aren't forgotten the following year.
If you're feeling tired after a busy week of cutting and delivering flowers, this episode is a gentle reminder that professional flower farms are built on steady rhythms and small habits — not perfection.
In this episode:
• Why small habits matter more than big moments • Preparing tools and buckets for consistent flower quality • Avoiding the frustration of unlabelled seed trays • Recording sowing lessons so you don't relearn them next year • Managing customer enquiries without mental overload
Links
🌿 Order the Flower Farmer's Planner https://www.silvergreyfoliage.com/education

Succession sowing is often presented as the key to having flowers all season long. But on many small UK flower farms, the pressure to keep sowing again and again can quietly create more work than the flowers are worth.
In this episode of MULCH, Rebecca explores what succession sowing actually means and why misunderstanding it can lead to unnecessary labour, overwhelm, and resentment.
Using ecological thinking and real examples from the field, she reflects on how a resilient flower farm often relies less on constant repetition and more on seasonal transition, where different plants step forward as the season moves on.
You'll hear about:
Why succession sowing doesn't always mean growing the same flowers repeatedly

How seasonal transitions can create a steady flow of flowers

The question every grower should ask before adding another sowing

Why working with the season builds resilience in a flower farming business

If succession plans are starting to feel overwhelming, this episode offers a calmer and more sustainable way to think about the season ahead.
Mentioned in this episode
Explore resources for flower farmers, including the Flower Farmer's Planner and business planning tools:
https://www.silvergreyfoliage.com/education