The Importance of Data Collection, The Dahlias Are Moving Out, Get Comfortable with Competition & Encouraging Brides to Buy Seasonal Local Cut Flowers
05/09/25 • 27 min
It's Friday 9 May 2025 and another gorgeous evening. I've recorded this episode at home tonight, out of the wind, so the audio quality is much better than the last episode (sorry about that one).
Executive decision: the dahlias are finally moving outside this weekend! They have had enough of being inside (and I want my living room back) so they're going out to be hardened off before being planted out on the plot. I talk about the importance of data collection for my cut flowers and how I'm getting on with collecting information like the time it takes me to sow/plant out/water. I know it will be useful information when it comes to calculating stem prices and productivity later on.
I analyse what's going on with my nigella seedlings and why I don't think I'm going to grow them in 2026 (unless they sell really well). Some of my seedlings are doing brilliantly (like the cornflowers) but the nigella are not happy. There's an update on my 'lookbook' for showcasing my flowers to florists: are you doing anything similar? I'd love to know. There's a bit of a discussion about a marketing idea I have for persuading brides to ask their wedding florists for local and seasonal blooms (rather than imports) in the hope that it increases demand for British blooms.
Finally I have a bit of a rant about competition from other growers (I'm in favour), through the prism of growers who have a leg up in the setup of their business. I'm only jealous because I've been doing things the hard way. Despite my moaning, I hope that we can all lift and support each other in this crazy business and I wish everyone the very best (even if I am green with envy sometimes).
In this episode, join me for a chat about what's going on this week.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅ Still no rain...
✅ My seedlings are still on the inside-outside carousel
✅ Why my dahlias are finally going outside this weekend
✅ How I'm watering my sweetpeas
✅ The importance of recording time spent sowing and planting out
✅ How my flower "lookbook" is progressing
✅ Why I want to start marketing to brides
✅ Competition from fellow growers: good or bad?
✅ Clockwise or anticlockwise: which way do your climbers want to go?
🌻 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 Friday 9 May 2025 and another gorgeous evening. I've recorded this episode at home tonight, out of the wind, so the audio quality is much better than the last episode (sorry about that one).
Executive decision: the dahlias are finally moving outside this weekend! They have had enough of being inside (and I want my living room back) so they're going out to be hardened off before being planted out on the plot. I talk about the importance of data collection for my cut flowers and how I'm getting on with collecting information like the time it takes me to sow/plant out/water. I know it will be useful information when it comes to calculating stem prices and productivity later on.
I analyse what's going on with my nigella seedlings and why I don't think I'm going to grow them in 2026 (unless they sell really well). Some of my seedlings are doing brilliantly (like the cornflowers) but the nigella are not happy. There's an update on my 'lookbook' for showcasing my flowers to florists: are you doing anything similar? I'd love to know. There's a bit of a discussion about a marketing idea I have for persuading brides to ask their wedding florists for local and seasonal blooms (rather than imports) in the hope that it increases demand for British blooms.
Finally I have a bit of a rant about competition from other growers (I'm in favour), through the prism of growers who have a leg up in the setup of their business. I'm only jealous because I've been doing things the hard way. Despite my moaning, I hope that we can all lift and support each other in this crazy business and I wish everyone the very best (even if I am green with envy sometimes).
In this episode, join me for a chat about what's going on this week.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅ Still no rain...
✅ My seedlings are still on the inside-outside carousel
✅ Why my dahlias are finally going outside this weekend
✅ How I'm watering my sweetpeas
✅ The importance of recording time spent sowing and planting out
✅ How my flower "lookbook" is progressing
✅ Why I want to start marketing to brides
✅ Competition from fellow growers: good or bad?
✅ Clockwise or anticlockwise: which way do your climbers want to go?
🌻 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.
Previous Episode
Planting Out Hardy Annuals, Planning for Tulips in 2026 & Talking To Others When It Gets Tough
It's 8:30pm on Tuesday 6 May 2025 and a really beautiful evening.
You join me for this episode on the plot as I'm planting out some of my hardy annual seedlings (calendula, orlaya and scabious). It's been a busy bank holiday weekend for me and I haven't had as much time on the plot as I would like so I'm up here this evening getting things done and sharing this with you.
I've spent today thinking about tulips for 2026: it's never too soon to start planning for them. I've decided to only grow certain types (parrot, viridiflora and Rembrandt) as they're very dramatic and showy and I hope that they will sell well. They will go in the dahlia beds when the tubers get lifted in November. I will need to order them in August so I need to start compiling a list very soon. It's important to keep planning ahead.
I had some microphone problems tonight: the first half seems to be ok but the second half sounds like I'm on the hard shoulder of a windy motorway (I'm not) so I hope you can still hear me.
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 on the plot for an update on my seedlings and more.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅ How my seedlings are doing on the plot
✅ Why I need to keep an eye out for squirrels and pigeons
✅ Why I'm not weeding around my seedlings this year
✅ My tulip plans for 2026
✅ I'm excited about the last of my dahlia cuttings arriving next week
✅ Why I'm going to start learning to do hand-tied bouquets
✅ Why you need to talk to like-minded people when times are tough
🌻 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.
Next Episode
Prepping for Digger Man, Attack of Dahlia Gall, Hosepipe Dramas & Selling Single Variety Cut Flower Bouquets
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.
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