Our environmental aims
KEEPING OUR
Pollinators safe
Insecticides are toxic substances used to kill insects. They are used in horticulture to control pests that infest cultivated plants.
Many insecticides are therefore, extremely harmful to pollinators such as bees.
We biologically control pest populations such as aphids, whitefly and thrips in our crops with their natural enemies such as ladybird larvae & lacewings and friendly little wasps.
Nematodes are also effective against slugs and vine weevil whilst being 100% safe for birds, bees & other wildlife.
We also actively encourage birds into our growing tunnels who use pests such as aphids as a food source.
PROTECTING OUR
Peat bogs
We are currently propergating and growing 90% of our plants in a completely peat free growing medium made up of bark, wood fibre & coir.
Some plants are proving difficult to grow on a commercial scale in peat free medium at present but our aim is to grow all of our plants in peat free medium as soon as successful trails have been completed.
Some interesting facts about peat bogs ...
Peatlands are the world’s largest carbon store on land. They provide valuable ecosystems for plants and animals and act like sponges, reducing the risk of flooding.
Peat extraction releases carbon into the environment, damaging habitats. Keeping peat in bogs is a crucial part of the fight against climate change. Our planet's billions of acres of peat hold more carbon than all of the world’s forests combined.
It takes 100 years to form just 10cm of peat in a peat bog, whilst extractors can take up to 22 metres in the same time.
We are planting
Trees, trees and more trees
We already have lots of trees around our 30 acres of farm land and we are planning to plant a further 1000 + of them over the next 3 years.
We are planting a wide range of tree species which will help to feed birds and insects year round.
Friends of the earth say that doubling the number of trees in the U.K. could deliver annual carbon sequestration equal to around 10% of the UK’s current greenhouse gas emissions.
You can keep up to date with our progress by joining our community.
We are restoring most of our fields back to
Wild flower meadows
We are currently investing heavily in turning some of our fields into meadows. These are area's of permanent pasture where wildflowers grow.
Meadows are rich, diverse ecosystems, bustling with a wide range of wildlife. They are essential for pollinators and also have a positive impact on climate control.
We started our plan in 2021 and we aim to have these meadows bursting with life over the next few years.
Again, you can keep up to date with our progress by joining our community.
OUR PLANT PACKAGING
Recyclable, reusable and compostable
All of our cardboard boxes and packaging paper are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) approved. They have been manufactured from sustainably managed forests. This cardboard and paper can either, be reused, recycled or home composted.
To help to retain moisture in the plant pot whilst in transit, we wrap our plants in compostable bags that fully conform to industry standards ( EN13432 ) for industrial and home composting.
Our packaging tape is made from paper and is totally plastic free and home compostable.
We grow our plants in grey reusable and kerbside recyclable pots.
