Environmental Policy

Achievements

 

Tree Planting for Plant Sales

We have established a tree grove with Trees for Life UK and currently have these trees in our grove thanks to our plant sales to date.

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https://treesforlife.org.uk/groves/340973/

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For every 20 plant sales at Dachshund Dahlia Plant Nursery, Trees for Life UK will plant a tree from a healthy range of native species to contribute to the health and biodiversity of forests which will be rich in wildlife and protected for future generations.

Currently, Trees for Life UK are planting trees in the Scottish Highlands with ones contributed through corporate groves being planted in Glen Affric where they have been rewilding for over 25 years.

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Packaging

Plants are dispatched for posting wrapped in compostable bags. They are sealed in cardboard boxes or packaging boxes which are produced from recycled PET material that has at least 90% recycled content and is 100% recyclable. These may then be wrapped in cardboard and delivered in packaging envelopes which are fully compostable and 100% biodegradable. 

All cardboard can be reused or recycled. Packaging tape is made from paper.

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Plants sold for local delivery, as far as is possible, are in compostable bags/biodegradable pots/taupe fully recyclable pots which can be disposed of in your household recycling bin. These taupe pots are Carbon free and capable of being detected by scanners at recycling centres. They are also made from 100% recycled Polystyrene material. We actively encourage customers to reuse and recycle other pots eg the pots our indoor/houseplants are supplied in.

 

Flowers for local delivery and face to face sales are supplied in jars or wrapped in eco-friendly, bouquet wrap which is certified home compostable and compliant with UNI EN ISO 20200. This plastic-free wrap decomposes in soil within 28 days and is made from pine and eucalyptus fibres.

 

Transportation and delivery

Our main business is growing Dahlias as plants from rooted cuttings or pot tubers. The initial purchase of the mother plants was completed in as few orders as possible to reduce transport pollution.

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Local deliveries have limited availability on specific days in the week.

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We group all postal deliveries into a single weekly dispatch collection.

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We purchase our supplies in bulk to minimise packaging and transport miles.

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We grow many of our own plants on site or buy from UK suppliers to contribute to the reduction of imports.

 

When we attend markets or suppliers we share a single vehicle. 

 

We also reuse cardboard boxes and have recycled wooden crates to carry plants in.
 

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Pest control

We use British Adalia bipunctata Ladybirds and their larvae to not only boost their population numbers but to achieve a longterm, permanent decrease in the number of plant pests eg aphids.

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We use natural nematodes, that are effective at controlling slugs, but unlike chemical controls, are safe for birds and wildlife. These nematodes are found naturally in UK soil and have been approved for use in organic gardening by the Soil Association. 

 

Electricity

There is no electricity directly associated with the growing or maintenance of our plants. 

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We rely on the sun to help our plants grow.

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Each Winter we reuse the same bubblewrap to insulate our greenhouses.

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Single use plastics

We do not use plastics which are single use. Pots are reused. We don't deliver plants in pots to customers and we happily receive donations of unwanted plastic pots from friends, family and neighbours.

Any pots we do need to dispose of will be recycled.

 

Compost 

We currently buy and use, in bulk, PEAT reduced compost.

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Paper use reduction

We have cut down on our use of paper by only printing small plant passports and labels etc.

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We use digital-based marketing with all of our advertising done online.

 

Upcycling

Some deliveries arrive on pallets. We have upcycled these into planters, fences and gates.

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Our wild neighbours

We have worked extensively at rewilding our site and have dedicated areas to wildflowers and plants for pollinators. 

We actively encourage wildlife onto the site by providing nest boxes, insect 'hotels,' food, water and areas which of grass which are are not mown. 

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Composting 

We compost all biodegradable waste via local council provision.

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Local and Global Awareness

We follow and support current research and campaigns to increase sustainability and reduce our impact on our environment. 

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We actively promote awareness raising campaigns on our social media pages eg
#nomowmay 

#letitbloomjune 

#plantsforpollinators 

#plasticfreejuly

#reducecarbonfootprint 

#reducereuserecycle 

#reducewaste 

#plasticfree 

#plasticpollution 

#plasticfreeliving 

#thinkgreen

#britishflowers 

#britishflowersweek 

#britishflowergrowers #britishflowerweek2021  

#ukplants 

#grownnotflown

#reducecarbonfootprint

#homegrownflowers

#flowersgrowninscotland

 

Our Environmental Targets 

 

Water 

Our goal is to collect and recycle rain water to support watering during peak season. 

We will carry out research into solar powered irrigation.

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Composting 

Our goal is to introduce our own compost bin and process.

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