Monday 24 February 2014


Good morning to all
Still a tad damp and breezy although drier here than forecast so far so thats good. Everything is growing away very strongly
at the moment and looking very nice. Theres plenty of encouraging growth and colour in
the gardens to make everyone feel springy so lets hope everyone gets the spending bug to add to that display. It looks like another mild week to come which should hopefully keep any cold snap to come this winter to a brief one.
The weeks seem to be flying by already, I can’t believe its almost March. We are still busy tidying up the overwintered plan ts ready for the new season as well as pricking out masses of young plants from the microprop lab. Its all go. 
The stormy winteistill having an effect on us in some more indirect ways. The road past the nursery was shut for a day last week when they decided to dig it up and lay new pipes under it sending the rising spring/ground water underneath rather than over the top. The road
surface had washed away during the previous week so something had to give. It seems to have worked a treat on the road although the field on the downhill side is now flooding nicely instead. Then next Thursday we have been given notice of the power going off all day as they clear a load of fallen and damaged trees in the local wood which are resting or close to the power lines. Like the road repair it is a bit inconvenient but at least our local infrastructure is kept intact with little direct cost to us.

On the plus side it looks like February could be the best months turbine output so far, despite losing part of a day next Thursday and it being a very short month. December 2011 was the best calendar month so far and April 20 th 2013 the highest rolling 30 day average. We still haven’t reached the rolling average peak yet but not far off, I’ll keep you posted. I must admit to being quite keen on keeping an eye on the turbine performance and electric consumption, possibly to the point of obsession!
I have developed my own spread sheet with a page for each year, a row for each day and 38 columns of data and formulas. They all help populate the 29 graphs on each sheet as well as a few extra summery graphs on other pages. Luckily I onlneed to enter bits of info each day, the turbine metered output, the estimated lost output for any breakdown and the import and export meter readings, all the rest is automatically filled ibut it does give me a way of instantly assessing any exciting events. Well exciting to me anyway.
After over a week of battling with the computer system I have conquered the printer problem we had developed. Usual scenario, everything working perfectly and turn it on one day and it can’t find one of the main printers on the network. Spent ages with IP addresses etc to no avail, despite numerous turning off and on again. Left the printer off for a week and it half cured itself, some things would print and some not. In the end I remove the printer drivers from the computer and reinstalledthem and it all worked. Relief all round, but why, why, why?
If you would like to see a quick preview of the new 2014 catalogue try the following link which takes you to a downloadable version or visit our website which will have the updated version; https://www.dropbox.com/s/gm72fckfp2f2wbm/herbaceous%26herb%20catalogue%202014%20Oct%2013%20full%20DL%0no%20pr.pdf
Availability  
I know its still early in the year but the wild weather has at least kept things fairly mild so we have some very nice lookinstock at the moment should you wish to do a little restocking for the impending spring
Growth is flushing nicely on many lines with inspirational flower and bud appearing on some. This seasons Euphorbias are looking great and many of the Erysimums are already budding up.
The Helleborus niger have buds too and the primroses and cowslips  are showing their spring colour already. The Aquilegia and Digitalis ranges look very fresh and vigorous all raring to go.
Our new dwarf spring daffs are up and chunky, although I only have a few. Many other bulbs are now close behind

Spring again
Not a sign of frogspawn on Wednesday morning, absolute riot by Wednesday evening. Masses of frogs in there over the last few days although not mega amounts of spawn considering the number of bodies writhing about. Must be a lot of boys in there, all mouth and trousers. Managed to take a snap of them at distance with max zoom and old man’s shaky hands.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ho5ooe4d0o9qp2s/Spawning%202014%205.JPG
  Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurserie
Cheers.