Working Towards Eliminating Plastic

Now that we have passed the equinox it truly feels like autumn on the flower farm. At this time of year, we focus on autumn sowing, setting the stage for next year’s cut flowers. We’ve been following with great interest the trials that @claybottomfarm have been running to eliminate plastic from their growing systems. Inspired by their work, we’ve started using hessian as a cover for direct-sown crops.

Hessian (also known as burlap) is a woven fabric made from natural jute fibres. Unlike horticultural fleece, which is a synthetic plastic product, hessian is fully biodegradable. At the end of its useful life it can be composted, breaking down naturally and returning organic matter to the soil without leaving behind microplastics. It’s strong, reusable, and widely available from agricultural suppliers, garden centres, or builders’ merchants.

This month we trialled hessian on a row of cornflowers. Conditions were perfect: the rain had come, the soil was just right, and the nights were cooling. The hessian helped to keep warmth and moisture in the soil, while preventing the surface from overheating. We checked the rows daily, and within six days the cornflowers had germinated beautifully. At that stage we removed the hessian to let in the light, ensuring the seedlings grow strong rather than leggy. We’ll now be keeping a close eye in case slugs or voles decide to pay them a visit.

If all goes well, these cornflowers should be flowering in late May to early June, just in time for the first flush of British flowers in our cutting patch.

For us, hessian feels like a practical and sustainable alternative to horticultural fleece. Fleece only lasts a couple of seasons, is prone to tearing and blowing away, and ultimately ends up as waste. By comparison, hessian offers durability, can be reused, and when it finally wears out it can simply be composted.

Alongside our work in the field, we also run seasonal gardening workshops here at Featherstone Flowers. These sessions share practical techniques for growing and arranging British cut flowers, and are a lovely way to experience the farm through the year.

We’ll keep sharing updates as we see how hessian performs across different crops, but so far the results look very promising for our sustainable flower farm.