Restock comming soon!

Far too much time has passed between this and the previous blog post, which means I don't really know where to start. I will save the private stuff for the end as much as possible again.

The new stock is still under plastic and is growing right off the table. It actually should have been gone long ago. For you, it is a great opportunity to score some fantastic plants again. For me, it is a huge challenge. By now, I have learned my lesson from the previous restocks. To be honest, I am dreading the upcoming rush a little bit. I opened about 2 months ago, and since then the average processing time has been about 3 weeks, and even longer for some orders. Until recently, I managed to bring this back down to 1 week. My expectation is therefore that after the restock, the processing time will be long again. The update will really be happening after all, even though I am not quite ready for it yet. The webshop will be closing again temporarily for this. Please do not place orders during the restock. At the moment, I still have enough orders to be fully booked until next Monday, May 18, 2026. After the restock, the first orders will be shipped starting May 25, 2025.

To my regret, I will have to postpone the much-requested open day in the greenhouse for a little while longer. I don't see it happening anytime soon. It involves a huge amount of preparation, particularly regarding the sales aspect. As soon as I see an opportunity, it will certainly come.

Some questions have come in regarding the soil, and specifically the fungi that develop in it. Since the switch to 100% peat-free soil, 80% of the use is organic compost. Mycorrhizal fungi thrive very well in this. Sometimes I come across pots that are completely covered in it. Because I use transparent pots, this is extra visible. It is good to know that this is a beneficial fungus. It is actually a sign of good, fertile organic soil. However, to the eye, if you haven't dealt with it before, it doesn't look good. For more information, it is best to just Google it; a lot has been written about it.

Additionally, I would like to bring pests to your attention again. This remains a huge challenge. The greenhouse I work with uses 100% biological pest control. This has enormous advantages from an environmental perspective. However, it also has quite a few major disadvantages. Besides the enormous price compared to chemical control, it is also much less effective. This simply means that I cannot and will never be able to guarantee a clean grow. In other words, damage to the leaves, remnants of pests, or still-living predatory insects can all come along. Naturally, I strive to deliver clean and the most beautiful plants. But I also want to be honest about it and cannot promise anything. What makes it extra complicated is that when I say 100% biological, that really is 100% true. Inspections and certifications have been issued for this. Therefore, absolutely no pesticides other than the certified ones are allowed to enter.

A huge thank you to everyone reading the blogs and who has placed one or more orders over the past few months. Many have been very patient and kind when mistakes are made. The past few weeks/two months have been quite stressful. A lot happened simultaneously, which absolutely contributed to all the busyness.

Let me start with the most recent good news, which ties in nicely with where the last blog post ended. I was actually supposed to go to my permanent berth in Valkenburg. Except that I never went there, and I won't be going there anymore. The harbor where my journey ended, the harbor I already knew because of my old boat. I have been lying at the outer jetty all this time, hoping and waiting for a spot to become available for me. Actually, there is no room at all for boats of my length. But with a lot of luck, I received the good news a few days ago that I am allowed to stay. So now I am lying inside the harbor in truly the most fantastic spot, with a view of the Braasemermeer at sunrise. It is truly so incredibly beautiful; I could never have dreamed of this. But that is pretty much where the good news ends. Back to the beginning, the arrival at this harbor, which was already familiar to me. I got a nice spot at the outer jetty where I was supposed to stay for a single day, but that quickly turned into a week, a month, etc. The water there can get quite choppy, and I certainly found that out the hard way. Somewhere on the bottom lies a brand-new 45kg glass solar panel. I'm still bummed about this... and if it isn't the weather causing the waves, it's a slightly too enthusiastic boater causing huge waves. It could have been me. I, too, have made some pretty big waves with this thing. But now that I've experienced that—at one point I was sitting quietly working at the computer, and it started to get rough. Quite heavy, but I was used to it by now. However, after about 2 minutes, I decided to check what was going on and if the rest of the gear in the back was still staying in place. Suddenly, I heard a lot of noise from the front. My computer screen, laptop, and the whole lot are lying knocked over. So much for life on a boat; I hope I have much less trouble with waves at the inner dock.

By now, pretty much everything inside the boat that can break has broken. From small things like a water pump to really serious problems with the engine(s). It has been repaired, and they work well again in principle, but ideally, they should really be completely overhauled. Anyway, that is quite expensive x2. For now, I can sail again if necessary. With current diesel prices and the fuel consumption of this ship, it is not unwise to sail a bit less. Still, it is a lot of fun ;) I really encountered some dangerous things with the electrical system. Terminal blocks that crumble and then catch fire due to a short circuit, etc. I won't list all the misery, but these highlights give an idea. I haven't been bored for a single moment. Of course, I knew what I was getting myself into; a lot was already on the schedule to replace anyway. It was just that the timing wasn't always the most convenient. For now, after all the bad luck that has happened, I am most happy with the mooring spot. Lately, I have once again had the pleasure of seeing many incredibly beautiful flowers. I will share the most beautiful photos.

The rest is for the next time.