Becoming a Cut Flower Grower

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 28 August 2026.

Much to tell you in tonight's episode including an update on the borehole, the rain situation, my footwear, and an unexpected pile of grey feathers on the field... Thank you if you sent me a message of support after my last episode - it's very much appreciated.

The main topic tonight is those pesky annuals for 2027: what am I growing and why? I had some questions following my announcement that I couldn't face spring-sown annuals again (especially if we have heatwaves and drought again) so tonight I'm sharing...

Welcome to today's episode on Tuesday 25 August 2026.

I've just had some really shocking news about the future of my field, which I'm going to share with you tonight. It's potentially very serious and I won't know anything else for a while. Where does this leave me in terms of planning for 2027?

In other (good) news, I'll update you on the work I've been doing on the field over the weekend and I visited a fellow grower yesterday and explored her growing arrangements. It was fascinating and I love meeting other growers, especially if they're at...

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 21 August 2026.

Seed harvesting mini-disaster (already): all the details of this, plus a reminder to myself that as the rains are finally incoming, it's time to check gutters and downpipes for blockages and detritus, plus ensure that all taps are in the closed position, ready to capture as much water as possible. 

I'm answering a listener question about what perennials I'm focusing on in 2027 and how I'm going to grow them. I'll be growing some from seed and some from plugs, and it's really time to get cracking with the a...

Welcome to today's episode on Tuesday 18 August 2026.

Non-stop flower news from the field in tonight's episode including my sales figures since last week (and possibly why), all the seeds I've been harvesting over the weekend (and how I'm storing them), and the plants doing really well right now (and the reasons for this).

Dahlias - I'm not doing any more disbudding for the rest of this season. I've decided to just let the plants do what they want and see what happens. I want more stems with smaller heads and buds (for more interesting stems...

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 14 August 2026.

It's all happening on the field tonight: government wildfire warning alerts, teatime for the hens, and tonight's episode. The heat has been insane this week - yesterday was brutal - so I hope you've made it through the week ok.

Tonight I'm sharing news of what I've been doing this week plus my seed harvesting plans for the annuals that didn't get sold this summer. I'm also sharing the six key things that the drought has taught me this summer including choosing the right types of plants for...

Welcome to today's episode on Tuesday 11 August 2026.

Lots going on as usual: I've been topping up the IBCs again, trying to keep my shrubs and perennials alive and mulching as much bare soil as possible to stop it overheating. 

Tonight I'm talking about what happens below the surface during a drought: what are the earthworms doing? Are the microbes dead or dormant? What's happened to the mycorrhizal network? How does all of this affect the plants? And what can be done about it?

In other news, it looks like I've been pruning my d...

Welcome to today's episode on Friday 7 August 2026.

Tonight I'm answering some brilliant questions that I've been asked recently including: 

I h...

Hello, it's Tuesday 4 August 2026.

Still no rain - and none in sight. In light of this I went and bought three new big secondhand water storage tanks so I'm ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at me next year. Tonight there's news from the field including what I realised when I was stood on top of a transit van on Sunday. 

Tonight I'm sharing with you my plans for next year and beyond. It's been a big decision and I'm excited about it. This year has been a huge wake-up call for me: the field h...

Hello, it's Friday 31 July 2026.

Welcome to tonight's episode. I'm trying a new format tonight so there's deliberately no intro or outro music. The heatwaves have finally come to an end but the drought continues and there's barely any rain forecast, which is somewhat concerning. I've been busy cutting stems this week for a wedding tomorrow: my wedding florist came to collect the order on Thursday and I can't wait to see the photos. 

I've been ruminating about not growing any annuals in 2027 this week: my off-grid field does not lend itself to annuals and, quite h...

Hello, it's Tuesday 28 July 2026.

You're joining me on the field for tonight's episode. We'll feed the flock together and then I'll update you on my thoughts on the flowers right now and what I'm culling after this year.

I've had to top-up with external water again (I really wish I didn't have to) and I'm about to buy three more IBC storage tanks so I can collect more rainwater myself, rather than having to bring it onsite. 

It's looking like the whole of July isn't going to be the time of my life: I...

Hello, it's Friday 24 July 2026.

This hasn’t been my favourite week and I’ve lost most of my motivation and mojo. I’ve had enough of the heat and drought, everything is looking a bit exhausted now and don’t even get me started on hoses and watering. So tonight’s episode starts off with a bit of a moan and then (thankfully) gets better.

I spent this afternoon with my dahlia mentor, Richard Bailey, who is a professional exhibitor and has won many awards for his dahlias. He’s an incredible human and shares all his know...

Hello, it's Tuesday 21 July 2026.

Another week and still no rain. I'm thanking my lucky stars that I bought my submersible pump last week: it's brilliant and making life much easier. The forecast is not looking good for rain in the next couple of weeks either. I hope you're coping ok with your flowers: I'd really love to hear how you're getting on and if you have any tips or advice to share.

Tonight I'm giving a rundown of how all the plants are coping with the conditions, including those flourishing, those not loving it, the...

Hello, it's Friday 17 July 2026.

I've been having a brilliant time this week watering the flowers with my new pump. If you've had enough of watering by hand in this never-ending UK heatwave, then tonight's episode is for you because it's all about how I chose my new submersible pump. I'll talk about all the things to consider when selecting the one I bought so if you've been considering a pump and wondering how to choose, I hope this information helps. I'm analysing power sources, flow rates, head rates, automatic shut-off, clean/dirty water, and the other myriad...

Hello, it's Tuesday 14 July 2026.

Happy Tuesday! It's hot but not as hot as last week, thank goodness. I hope you're well. 

I've had a busy weekend: I had to import water because my IBCs finally ran empty, so all the details of this. Then my new submersible water pump arrived, which should make watering quicker and easier. If you're in the UK, I'd love to know your watering technique?

In this evening's episode I have an update for you on the flowers on the field right now including news on the relay planting t...

Hello, it's Friday 10 July 2026.

Another scorcher of a week..... and never mind the plants, I've been wilting under the glare of the sun. I've been watering so much this week that I've finally run out of water on the field and I have to top the IBCs up tomorrow. I always have water ring-fenced for the chickens but not enough for the flowers at the moment.

I had a visit from a new florist this week: Aly from The Garden Room came to buy some stems and have a tour of the field. It was...

Hello, it's Tuesday 7 July 2026.

I've been away for a week and it has been nerve-wracking leaving the flowers in the warm temperatures that the UK is still experiencing. I landed back tonight and went straight to the field to see how everything coped and I'm sharing my findings with you in this episode, including the plants doing really well/those that are doing so-so and the ones which have had a bit of a wobble.

There's an update on my water situation. I'll be spending the rest of this week re-locating water from where I...

Hello, it's Friday 3 July 2026.

Tonight I'm doing a Q&A session to celebrate 150 episodes of this podcast. I hit that milestone a few episodes ago but totally forgot that I planned a special themed episode - so here it is. Apologies for my persistent sniffing throughout the episode - I don't quite know what happened.

I'm chatting about topics and questions I've been asked over the past 18 months including how much land do I need, what flowers should I grow, where should I sell my flowers, do I need to go on a course before...

Hello, it's Tuesday 30 June 2026.

Temperatures have finally dropped - thank goodness! That heatwave was intense.

In tonight's episode I'm talking about the perennials I've just been planting on the field and how I bought them guilt-free, thanks to the new technique I've adopted, called Profit First. I've put the name of the book below in case you're interested in reading it. I'm so motivated to see that I have already made a profit this year, and I can't tell you how exciting that is!

I'm also talking about another new technique I'm trying...

Hello, it's Friday 26 June 2026.

Well it's pretty much the end of the current heatwave and I'm flagging a bit, unlike the plants which are doing just fine. UK temperature records have been broken (again) and there's no sign of rain for the next ten days, which is not good. The hens are doing absolutely fine and have been enjoying lots of leafy greens and watermelon. 

In light of the heat, tonight I'm talking about how I look after my plants on the field during the extreme temperatures. I'd love to know if you have any u...

Hello, it's Tuesday 23 June 2026.

Lots to tell you about tonight whilst recording from my very hot field. Even a peacock interrupted me (it's not mine!). We're in the middle of a heatwave here in the UK at the moment which is a teeny bit stressful. So far the seedlings are coping, but the water levels in the IBCs are taking a hit.

Orders are starting to head off the field - more details about them and the upcoming weddings this weekend. 

I also want to share some business jargon with you tonight: gross p...

Hello, it's Friday 19 June 2026.

Thank goodness it's Friday! Phew! If you sent me a message about the annuals/perennials debate this week - thank you - and if you commented on Spotify, thank you too. Tonight I'm talking more about starting annuals in autumn: I'm psyching myself up to get back into sowing.

Please get in touch if you buy annual plug/starts: I'm really interested to know what you buy and why you choose plugs rather than seeds. How does it work out financially for you? Contact details below, do let me know.

Hello, it's Tuesday 16 June 2026.

Normal service has been resumed (no more moaning tonight!). Thanks for bearing with me as I yakked on and on about what a dreadful week I had in the last episode. 

Growing cut flowers is an absolutely wild ride: equal parts fun and sheer terror, and it's a very fine line. I find it really hard to look at the 'big picture' cut flower work I'm doing when my hands are in the soil and my head is full of 'to-do' lists. Tonight I'm sharing the three revelatory things I realised i...

Hello, it's Friday 12 June 2026.

It has been a week. And not a good one! I had a nasty injury on the field, a car drama, non-stop rain, no sales on the hub, my garden is a jungle and I didn't get anywhere near enough seedlings planted out. Oh, and did I mention the rain?

So, in light of that, this episode is a bit of a rant about how dreadfully things have gone this week, just in case you thought it was all fun and games. I have hit a rather large brick wall this...

Hello, it's Tuesday 9 June 2026.

I have lots of news from the field in today's episode including planting seedlings, staking and netting, and weeding (or rather, pulling endless creeping thistle). I've also removed a succession of one of the Saponaria seedlings because they weren't performing well and space is at a premium. It's the first time I've ever done this - and I thought it would be hard - but it wasn't and I'm glad I've done it. 

The quality of the soil under the chipped bark mulch is incredible and much better at surface level t...

Hello, it's Friday 5 June 2026.

Lots to tell you about tonight: news from the field including staking random cornflowers, more maintenance of the living pathways, and I'm starting to question whether it is more economical to buy plugs or sow seeds. There's also news from the greenhouse because some of the seedlings had to go back inside to protect them from the cool/windy/rainy weather I've had this week.

There's been chicken drama: I had a brainwave, which I'm calling "cock swap", and it did not work out well. I've had an article about how...

Hello, it's Tuesday 2 June 2026. 

Phew, May is over. Last month really tested me (and a significant number of fellow growers). Our flowers were subject to such weather extremes that they (and I) didn't know if they were coming or going. Whilst plants are generally resilient, the flowers aren't and many either weren't ready for events or finished before they could be used. I hope that you and your plants survived the heat?

In today's episode I'm excited to share part 2 of the conversation with my wedding & event florist, Jo Caldwell. We talk about what to d...

Hello, it's Friday 29 May 2026.

I'm really delighted to share with you a wonderful conversation with my wedding & event florist, Jo Caldwell, on today's episode. We had such a long chat that I've actually had to split it into two parts so here is part 1 and the second one will be available next Tuesday. 

We cover a lot of ground including how growers can adapt to colour trends, how and why stem length is linked to pricing, who you could sell to if you're just getting started, and how inviting florists to your field could strengthen y...

Hello, it's Tuesday 26 May 2026 and it's EVEN HOTTER!

It's a beautiful May evening and you join me tonight on the field to feed the chickens and tour the cut flower area. I haven't talked you through what's happening on the field in a while so I thought that tonight would be a good opportunity. If you're reading this in the UK, I hope you're surviving the high temperatures we're experiencing at the moment: it's pretty epic. 

On tonight's field tour you'll hear how everything is getting on, including all the new hardy annuals that have b...

Hello, it's Friday 22 May 2026 and it's HOT!

So much to tell you tonight including sharply rising temperatures (and the pressures that brings), my visit to my wedding & event florist today, and a new rose I'm desperate to acquire.

I'm also talking about what I'm calling the "tight rope zone" which is May: how do growers manage all the different tasks which have to be done all at the same time this month?  Just balancing the needs of all the different types of annual seedlings is a mission, never mind all the other demands on our t...

Hello, welcome to Tuesday 19 May 2026. 

Oh the wind and cold is bothering me this week! I've just stocked up on more chocolate because I'm really not feeling it this week: one of the hens got into the flower area and dug up some of my sweetpeas, plus growth is slow because of the cool conditions. 

In tonight's episode I'm talking about why I wish I had gone to Chelsea Flower Show this year after all and why I'm having a bad case of FOMO as I watch it on tv (Fear Of Missing Out), plus de...

Hello, welcome to Friday 15 May 2026. 

What a week: it started with frosts and continued with hail storms which were very strong and potentially damaging to the seedlings. So I spent 'Hail Day' i.e Wednesday, sat in front of the TV watching Rivals and eating a big bar of chocolate. Thank you if you sent me a message this week, it really cheered me up!

In this episode I'm talking about getting comfortable with the word "No": both hearing it and saying it to others. It's something I have to work on doing and I s...

Hello, it's Tuesday 12 May 2026. 

Tonight I'm talking about goal setting: why it can be super-helpful to how you run your business, why I do it, how I do it and some suggestions for things you could consider, including goals for your finances, production, lifestyle, skills and purpose.  If you're not goal-setting yet, it could help you to avoid mission drift, remain focused and turn your hopes into actions. I'd love to know if you set yourself any goals? Drop me a DM on Insta or click on the 'Text The Podcast Here!' link at the bottom of...

Hello and welcome to Friday 8 May 2026. 

Lots to tell you about tonight so I have all the news from the field (including an unwelcome caterpillar on a climbing rose, what's just about to flower, an allium disaster, peony news and dahlia sprouting numbers), plus all the news from the greenhouse (zinnias and cosmos seedlings update, still no Larkspur, and staggeringly slow didiscus and nicotiana).

Then I'm talking about the incredible support teams used by elite athletes and professionals, and how growing cut flowers alone is tough. It's not a moan, it's just a realistic analysis o...

Hello, welcome to Tuesday 5 May 2026. 

I'm still getting over my cold so my voice sounds a bit croaky. Thank goodness we had some rain over the weekend! Phew! It really helped the soil although it wasn't enough to top up IBC1 unfortunately.

I spent the weekend planting out the first few batches of my hardy annuals on the field: the agrostemma, ammi, scabious, stocks and saponaria are out and protected under some temporary netting to keep the pigeons off. This means there is now space outside the greenhouse to move the next lot of seedlings o...

Hello, welcome to Friday 1 May 2026. 

I've got a horrendous cold so tonight's episode is shorter than normal because I feel dreadful and I haven't done anything constructive on the field this week. I've just about managed to keep on top of the plants which have needed watering, plus keeping an eye on the seedlings in the greenhouse, but that's it. 

Thank you if you sent me a comment or a message about growing Larkspur, which is clearly testing everyone's patience this year. I've received a number of suggestions for how to germinate them and I'm sh...

Hello, welcome to Tuesday 28 April 2026. 

Lots of news from the weekend on the plot: all the details in this episode of how I'm getting on prepping bed 4. I've also been doing more seed sowing including another batch of half hardy annuals and tenders, including my new ProCut sunflowers.

This afternoon I had a wonderful site visit from the owner of my local flower hub, Fenella, from the FlowerHub, Cookham https://flower-hub.co.uk/: we toured the plot and talked about so much. I even managed to do some drinks and snacks!

I've also j...

Hello, welcome to Friday 24 April 2026. 

Lots to tell you tonight including all the news from the field and the greenhouse. Exciting news: some dahlia shoots have appeared, which is amazing and I'm so glad to see them. I'm reviewing the seedlings in the greenhouse and I'll share the ones that are doing well and the ones which are testing me (hello, Larkspur).

I've had some great questions recently from listeners (thank you if you sent one in) and I'm answering them tonight including the five annuals I'd grow if I was only allowed five and t...

Hello, it's Tuesday 21 April 2026. 

I'm recording this episode from the plot but hopefully the audio is ok. I've been very busy and tonight I'll be sharing how I've just planted my sweet peas out and the steps I've taken to ensure that they're protected. I've also been sowing (more) seeds - so many that I've had to go and buy more shelving for the greenhouse.

I also take you on a sunset tour of the plot and chat about everything that's going on from roses to peonies and everything in between, including updates on the s...

Hello and welcome to Friday 17 April 2026. 

Lots to tell you about tonight: I experienced a strimming mishap with my Cephalaria (giant scabious), the other scabious have collapsed after they were moved last weekend, and I've busy trying to keep the greenhouse at a constant temperature, which is no mean feat.

This week I visited a fellow grower's plot together with some other members of my local growers group. It was brilliant to see what someone else is doing, share stories with my fellow growers, pick up some growing tips, and commiserate about the various issues t...

Hello, it's Tuesday 14 April 2026. 

I've had a busy weekend trying to divide my time between the field and the greenhouse, so there's lots to tell you tonight including news about mulching, weeding, transplanting, and staking. I've also just started sowing my half hardy annuals too, plus all my veg seeds, and I'll tell you why I'm using more vermiculite this year.

In other news I've given the website a revamp thanks to chatGPT. I use it regularly with all aspects of my life and I find it particularly helpful with work stuff, although it has j...