Hello and a very warm welcome to this episode. It's Friday 6 June 2025 and I'm talking to you from the plot.

I don't know where this week has gone: it's been busy. We had a whole day of rain which has been an enormous help for the plants. This happened after I manually topped up the IBCs with water from home, which was a whole big drama.

Everything on the plot is doing fine and I'm excited to see that the cornflowers are just about to burst into flower. I've been pinching out the calendulas and snaps, which is something you need to do with branching plants because it encourages lots more flowering stems.

I do hope you enjoy the episode: it's a bit shorter than normal because I'm rushing around trying to get some seedlings planted on the plot but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How I manually topped up the IBCs on the plot

✅ Why I've been pinching out the branching plants

✅ How much rain we've had this week

✅ What I've been watching on the internet this week

✅ Why I'm feeling so much better about doing hand-ties for markets

🌻 Follow & Stay Connected!

If you like what you hear, please follow/subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. If you enjoy this episode, please take a minute to 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.

Good evening. It's Tuesday 3 June 2025 and I'm talking to you from the plot.

We've had rain! Not enough by far but it's very welcome and the seedlings have really enjoyed it. The water levels in the IBCs are critically low but I'm hopeful that the rain still to come later this week will help.

Lots of updates from the plot: all of the dahlias are in and I've been making some new beds on the newly-lifted turf area and adding old waste material from the duck house which has rotted down. I'm not digging it in: it gets laid on the soil surface and will slowly amalgamate into the ground. There's a pests update with the latest news on my blackly, greenfly, slugs and pigeons.

Finally I end with an update on the latest with the hens, who are an integral part of the plot in that they fertilise my soil, sort through my compost and help to control pest numbers. I do hope you enjoy the episode and thank you for joining me on my cut flower journey.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why it rains as soon as I buy a proper pair on sunglasses

✅ I've finally got all the dahlias planted out on the plot

✅ How I've made my new beds and added a compost mulch

✅ Who attacked Goose: the security camera reveals all

✅ Seedlings that have just gone in the ground

✅ Pests update: who is doing what and where

🌻 Follow & Stay Connected!

If you like what you hear, please follow/subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. If you enjoy this episode, please take a minute to 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.

Hi! It's Friday 30 May 2025: welcome to today's episode!

It's the end of another busy week and (finally!) the end of May, which I'm quite pleased about. Roll on, June! News from the plot includes the hiccups getting the dahlias in the ground, a couple of zinnias damping off, cornflower staking experiments and another lack-of-water issue. I also managed to spill lots of Roundup in the back of my car which has been a pain to sort out: I'm 100% chemical free (and always have been) and was doing a favour for someone in transporting it. Big mistake! Huge! Roundup (glyphosate) is a herbicide and it's non-selective which means it kills everything it comes in contact with so I had a proper dilemma trying to work out how to sort it out.

I share more thoughts on not having anything ready to sell at the moment and I keep telling myself that it's ok. And it is ok! I always said I would grow seasonally and I need to keep reminding myself of this. I don't want to use a heated greenhouse or a polytunnel with the aim of forcing things to be ready before they naturally are. Finally, some thoughts on why my dog does not look like other growers' dogs on their instagram.

I'm so glad that you're joining me on this journey and I really hope that you enjoy this episode. Please consider taking a minute to leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts - it really does help other people (just like you) to find the podcast.

In this episode, join me for updates on my cut flower seedlings.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why it's taking me so long to plant my dahlias out

✅ How I'm changing my plant spacings for my successional cornflowers

✅ Dilemma: how to safely get rid of a Roundup (glyphosate) spillage

✅ Who attacked Goose: the security camera reveals all

✅ Nothing for sale? Why it's time to stop beating myself up about this

✅ Seasonal means seasonal: it will be ready when it's ready!

✅ Insta envy: why are other people's dogs so well behaved (and mine isn't)?

🌻 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.

Hello. It's Wednesday 28 May 2025 and I'm very happy to welcome you to this episode.

There's so much to share with you today including an update on my dahlias, what happened to the cornflowers and the leucanthemum in the wind, and how I've been dealing with a blackfly invasion. I've also taken a headcount of the seedlings which still need to be planted out and it's quite daunting: there aren't enough hours in the day.

Today I saw Rosa 'Juliet' for the first time. It's a stunning David Austin rose created specifically for their wedding and event cut flower collection. The rose plant itself is not available to buy: only the cut stems are available for florists. It cost GBP 3 million to produce!! The particular stems that I saw today had just flown over from Ecuador, a whopping 5,726 miles away, and you could tell because they looked a little exhausted. Seeing these stems close up made me even more determined to grow roses myself because I know that I could offer a beautiful locally-grown rose that's scented and just as gorgeous as Juliet (well, almost). Let's hope that I can make some money this year and then buy some bare-root roses this autumn.

After attending the funeral of a wonderful former gardening client of mine, I share some thoughts on what arrangements I could make for my plants in the event of my death. It's not morbid to think of these things: none of us know what's going to happen in the future and it doesn't hurt to put arrangements in place. I hope the you find the episode interesting.

In this episode, join me for all the latest news.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why I've had to stake my cornflowers

✅ How I'm removing blackfly

✅ How many seedlings still have to be planted out (it's a lot...)

✅ Why I'm going to be mulching my dahlias with chipped bark

✅ How many flowers I've sold so far this year

✅ Rosa Juliet is the ultimate wedding flower: my thoughts on it

✅ What would happen to your plants if you died?

🌻 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.

Hello and welcome to this episode, recorded on Friday 23 May 2025.

It's been a really busy few days since my last episode: I've been planting out my dahlia tubers plus some seedlings, weeding around my perennials, and tidying up my living paths. Sometimes I'm in two minds about living paths: are they a good idea or not? They need maintaining, which takes time, but I do like them. I also love bark paths which don't need maintaining, so I'm a bit on the fence but overall I think I will keep some of my living paths and replace others with bark.

The Cephalaria have been planted out. These were a bit flaky to germinate and I very nearly threw some of the cells out when it didn't look like anything was happening. Good job I didn't. My dahlia cuttings arrived on Wednesday and I potted them on straightaway. They're in very good condition and I'm so excited to see their flowers.

There's a quick update on my poorly hen, Goose, who is doing really well. Also doing very well at the moment are the greenfly, who have arrived in vast numbers. Some ladybirds have also arrived but they have been a bit distracted and not eating as much as I'd like: there's a couple of videos of the ladybirds on my instagram @henhillcutflowers, do check them out!

Finally I give a full and detailed description of my water capture and storage system on the plot: I hope it makes sense. I list all the containers I have and how they're connected, plus info about gutters and syphoning water. I don't think you can ever have too much water stored so it's worth setting up as much water capture as you can, in whatever sort of containers you can use.

In this episode, join me as the dahlias get planted out on the plot.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ The expert advice I followed to plant my dahlia tubers

✅ The importance of patience when germinating seeds

✅ How I've dealt with my new dahlia cuttings

✅ I'm under siege from greenfly and the ladybirds aren't helping

✅ How my water storage system is constructed and operates

✅ Pros and cons of living paths between your 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.

Hello. It's Tuesday 20 May 2025, it's 10pm and I'm recording this while boiling spaghetti and microwaving some bolognese sauce. Batch cooking (and reheating) is the only way I get to eat properly right now.

I have lots to share with you as I've been really busy on the plot since the last episode. Seedlings have been going out, including zinnias, orlaya, nigella and snaps (plus courgettes, broad beans, peas and sweetcorn). And I finally got to use the recycled steel 'rebar' trellis for my peas - very excited about that.

The larger of the two new growing areas needs some TLC: I've bought packets of green manure seeds, peas and a wildflower annual mix to cover the soil and (hopefully) regenerate it. I'm now dreaming of filling the whole area with beautiful roses: all I need is some money to buy them when the bare-root season opens. And my dahlia cuttings from Halls of Heddon are finally on their way and due for delivery tomorrow: I can't wait to see them!

A massive thank you for your lovely comments asking about Goose (my poorly hen) and also those about my reel on insta (@henhillcutflowers) with Nigel turf-lifting. I LOVE hearing from you, it makes me so happy. I really hope you enjoy the episode and I hope that your growing season is going well.

In this episode, join me for all the news from HenHill Cut Flowers - and there's a lot!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How April 2025 in the UK has been the warmest driest spring for 100 years

✅ Why some climbers find textured support easier to grow up

✅ How I'm prepping the new growing areas

✅ Why I'm sowing green manure on the soil

✅ How perennials give you a head start with flowers to cut early on

✅ Bark mulch: the verbena bonariensis are loving it and finally growing

🌻 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.

Hello. It's Thursday 15 May 2025 and I'm talking to you from the plot.

Exciting news that the Digger Man, Nigel, came yesterday to lift the turf on my plot and it' amazing to have more growing space. Quite a lot more, in fact: an additional 171 square metres. He did an excellent job and was a very nice man.

I had an emergency with one of my chickens just before he arrived so this is a really quick episode to update you on the turf-lifting and then I'll have more to tell you next week.

In this episode, join me for Digger Man news

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How the digger man got on

✅ The size of my new cultivatable growing area

✅ How I've broken yet another water bowser tap fitting

✅ My emergency visit to the vet on Wednesday

🌻 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.

It's Tuesday 13 May 2025: welcome to today's episode.

Beautiful sunshine but still no rain. I'm running low on water so it's a bit of a tense time. Tonight I'm on the plot talking about how I'm managing my seedlings in the hot and dry conditions. Some plants are doing fine but I really wish I had more water right now.

The digger man is booked for tomorrow and I'm very excited. Having more turf lifted will double my planting area so I can't wait but I'm slightly holding my breath until he arrives and does the work. The dahlias are outside now and doing really well. I've found some gall on one of the tubers which is disappointing but not the end of the world.

More seedlings have been planted out but now watering them is becoming a bit scary: do I have enough water to last until it rains? I also talk about an idea I've just heard on another podcast about selling single varieties of stems at local markets rather than mixed bouquets so I'm giving serious thought to doing this. It's an extremely busy time and there's alot going on. I do hope you enjoy the episode.

In this episode, join me for an update on the plot.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How the dahlias are doing

✅ Why I've just mulched my Verbena bonariensis

✅ Dahlia gall: what to do with infected plants and tubers

✅ Why you should buy good quality hosepipe fittings

✅ Thoughts on selling at my local market

✅ Digger man update

🌻 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.