Morning all,
Well that’s the annual hols out of the way for another year, St Ives lived up to all expectations again, great seas, plenty of fresh air and few light meals. Set a few new records, Caroline found her first Mesolithic flint on the coast path, spotted the first Dalmation Pelican seen in the UK (been here since May and has an 11ft wingspan so difficult to miss if you are in the right place!) and managed 2 weeks with only breakfast eaten in. Now carrying a substantial energy store for the winter ready to fuel all those winter projects. Hoping that the scales read just now I have trimmed my nails.
Back on the nursery we are catching up with all the progress made during our absence, lots of construction/maintenance jobs have been done or started and things are looking good, we should go away more often. The replacement lab store has arrived and is nearly all treated in advance of its construction and the old cold store is stripped out ready for demolition. Hoping to salvage a bit of timber for the wood burner and bag up some of the fibreglass insulation to reuse around the new cold room as we progress, to reuse some of the waste. Looking forward to getting this one up, the excellent insulation levels and small internal cold room should be way more efficient than the old one and the extra storage space in the other end will give more production space in the growth room which will be a huge help in the peak season. We only use the cold-store in the colder 6 months, which might sound daft but that’s how it works in the microprop lab production cycle, so we are attempting to make it convertible to use as an extra growth/rooting room for the rest of the year which again will be a useful change and more efficient use of the facilities.
While we were away an interesting and potentially devastating change to business rating policy came to light. A change in interpretation of some very old definitions of what qualifies as an agricultural business/building means that anyone producing young plants for sale before ‘maturity’ or not in a finished state, could be subject to rates on their whole covered production area. That applies to glasshouses and similar buildings, so for young plant producers in the UK that could make them instantly uncompetitive with most imports in a major way. We had a NBIS meeting last week (in Cornwall luckily) where it became very apparent how serious this was in a business where margins are already being squeezed very tight. The loss of young plant producers is the last thing we should be contemplating as the risk of importing foreign pest and diseases is ever increasing already and we should be encouraging more uk production not less. Horticulture has always been classed as part of agriculture in the past and the development of more efficient specialist young plant producers has benefited the whole industry immensely with introductions of new lines and keeping production costs down. We will be supporting the NFU in their efforts to get this new threat to UK production sorted, if you get the chance please do voice your support to keep us UK growers going.
Availability highlights
We have a few winter performers still on offer and if anyone would like to make up a smaller order we will do our best to get it to you asap. Ideally a 15 tray minimum is best but we could stretch to 12 trays if you are fairly local or we are passing by. The Hellebores are coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter, in fact we have already spotted the occasional bud, so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment. Lamium and Ajuga are have attractive fairly evergreen foliage and can look good through the cooler months.
Wooden box collections
We have been collected up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold, so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
Monday 21 November 2016
Tuesday 1 November 2016
Hairy Parking
Morning all,
The nice stretch of autumn weather has pushed along the nursery makeover nicely. The new roof over the lab is up and covered with just a few fiddly bits to finish off, enough is in place to stop the leaks which is quite a relief. We also stripped off five split tunnel sheets and got three recovered in good enough conditions to get some stretch into the covers ensuring minimum winter movement. The weather looks like holding long enough to get at least one more finished on Monday, maybe both. The trouble with the recovering job is that having tunnels from 20 to 30 years old you are never quite sure of the state of the timber side rails until the old sheet comes off and we have had to do quite a lot of wood replacement as we have gone along turning a two or three hour job into a 2 or three day job. Frustrating, but at least we can sleep soundly at night in the knowledge that it should all still be there in the morning so not a bad thing really.
I got the first batch of LEDs in the growth room going last weekend so now waiting for the next batch to arrive. I am meanwhile pressing on with some of the shelf alterations and coming up with more and more cunning plans to overcome my lack of arm length so getting quicker with less stress too. I’m glad I took this one on myself, getting someone in would have been a nightmare with the combination of plant relocation on the shelves, shelf reconstruction, light hanging and wiring, all done in small batches when potentially access is needed all the working week by others. My evenings are now booked up pretty solidly with this one but the job satisfaction is a good one. Electric use in there has only dipped a tiny bit so far but it won’t be until the job is complete that we can measure the true impact, can’t wait.
After a fantastic weekend on Tresco a couple of weeks ago we went to the opposite end of the scale yesterday with a visit to central London for a friend’s birthday lunch. We were picked up early by another couple to share the trip in, giving ourselves plenty of time to get there, or so we thought. From somewhere all these people pitched up, driving about and cluttering up the roads making us in the end, late. I was convinced that the car park we had picked would be full but luckily I was wrong and we found a space easily, just a 15 min walk from the venue. After a pleasant meal in great company and a bit of a walk about, we returned to the car park to find out why it wasn’t full, £26 fed into the machine to get out! Obliviously a lot of folk find this environment very exciting, all those people, all that concrete and glass but I’m afraid I just don’t get it, give me some green space please. It was a one day adventure I suppose, but you can stick the Shard in the London Eye for all I care, the main thing a day like that does for me is make me appreciate what we have out here in the sticks!
Availability highlights
We have a few winter performers still on offer and if anyone would like to make up a smaller order we will do our best to get it to you asap. Ideally a 15 tray minimum is best but we could stretch to 12 trays if you are fairly local or we are passing by. The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores are coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter, in fact we have already spotted the occasional bud, so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
We have a very few Schizostylus (Hesperatha) Fenland Daybreak in bud and flower this week and fresh batches of coccinea Red and Oregano Sunset both looking nice. Not quite sure if they will flower this autumn but strong bushy plants full of promise.
The very late flowering Kniphofia Limelight is in flower now, we don’t have many, but they are big bold flowers which are almost luminous in their intensity. Still a few flowers on the Erodium Bishops Form which has been in flower virtually non-stop since April. We have a very pretty crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a little bit longer yet. Lamium and Ajuga are have attractive fairly evergreen foliage and can look good through the cooler months.
Wooden box collections
We have been collected up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold, so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
The nice stretch of autumn weather has pushed along the nursery makeover nicely. The new roof over the lab is up and covered with just a few fiddly bits to finish off, enough is in place to stop the leaks which is quite a relief. We also stripped off five split tunnel sheets and got three recovered in good enough conditions to get some stretch into the covers ensuring minimum winter movement. The weather looks like holding long enough to get at least one more finished on Monday, maybe both. The trouble with the recovering job is that having tunnels from 20 to 30 years old you are never quite sure of the state of the timber side rails until the old sheet comes off and we have had to do quite a lot of wood replacement as we have gone along turning a two or three hour job into a 2 or three day job. Frustrating, but at least we can sleep soundly at night in the knowledge that it should all still be there in the morning so not a bad thing really.
I got the first batch of LEDs in the growth room going last weekend so now waiting for the next batch to arrive. I am meanwhile pressing on with some of the shelf alterations and coming up with more and more cunning plans to overcome my lack of arm length so getting quicker with less stress too. I’m glad I took this one on myself, getting someone in would have been a nightmare with the combination of plant relocation on the shelves, shelf reconstruction, light hanging and wiring, all done in small batches when potentially access is needed all the working week by others. My evenings are now booked up pretty solidly with this one but the job satisfaction is a good one. Electric use in there has only dipped a tiny bit so far but it won’t be until the job is complete that we can measure the true impact, can’t wait.
After a fantastic weekend on Tresco a couple of weeks ago we went to the opposite end of the scale yesterday with a visit to central London for a friend’s birthday lunch. We were picked up early by another couple to share the trip in, giving ourselves plenty of time to get there, or so we thought. From somewhere all these people pitched up, driving about and cluttering up the roads making us in the end, late. I was convinced that the car park we had picked would be full but luckily I was wrong and we found a space easily, just a 15 min walk from the venue. After a pleasant meal in great company and a bit of a walk about, we returned to the car park to find out why it wasn’t full, £26 fed into the machine to get out! Obliviously a lot of folk find this environment very exciting, all those people, all that concrete and glass but I’m afraid I just don’t get it, give me some green space please. It was a one day adventure I suppose, but you can stick the Shard in the London Eye for all I care, the main thing a day like that does for me is make me appreciate what we have out here in the sticks!
Availability highlights
We have a few winter performers still on offer and if anyone would like to make up a smaller order we will do our best to get it to you asap. Ideally a 15 tray minimum is best but we could stretch to 12 trays if you are fairly local or we are passing by. The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores are coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter, in fact we have already spotted the occasional bud, so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
We have a very few Schizostylus (Hesperatha) Fenland Daybreak in bud and flower this week and fresh batches of coccinea Red and Oregano Sunset both looking nice. Not quite sure if they will flower this autumn but strong bushy plants full of promise.
The very late flowering Kniphofia Limelight is in flower now, we don’t have many, but they are big bold flowers which are almost luminous in their intensity. Still a few flowers on the Erodium Bishops Form which has been in flower virtually non-stop since April. We have a very pretty crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a little bit longer yet. Lamium and Ajuga are have attractive fairly evergreen foliage and can look good through the cooler months.
Wooden box collections
We have been collected up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold, so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
Monday 24 October 2016
Hairy mumurings
Morning all,
Things are quietening down now on the sales front as much of the stock starts to go into hibernation, but the jobs on the nursery just keep on rolling out. We have had a hectic couple of weeks with loads of exciting projects getting underway. Deliveries have started to arrive with materials accumulating to get going on all the new winter tasks. The bank manager looks like being helpful so we have plunged into a fair bit of site investment. No real single big job but several smaller developments which have been waiting in the wings for a while.
The new roof structure to erect over the rather leaky lab and growth room is already more than halfway to being completed. A giant jigsaw, the guide being an A4 diagram with part numbers shown for instruction and with none of the parts labelled, it has taken a bit longer than I planned! A couple of parts were missing which hasn’t helped and the cover is not big enough but we’ll get there. The main structure is up, square and solid with not too many bits left over, just the fine tweaking, cleaning and cover to go on, so good job done there.
A few tunnel sides had rotted away over the years and the covers were only just hanging on, so a couple of us have been removing the old timber and replacing with new while the covers are still in place. It’s a tricky job but with one tunnel complete and another well on the way the results are very impressive, nice tight covers and the net sides neater than they were before we started.
The first batch of LED lights for the growth room arrived last week and I’ve used the weekend while the lab is empty, to get started and fit a few. With 120 units to fit I should have the first 18 up by this evening. It’s nearly as frustrating as those plug and play computers that don’t. The units are really neat, easy to hang and plug in, but taking down the old units, changing the shelf support structures and all the wiring to make them fit is monstrously time consuming. Good job it’s my cheap labour doing most of the work. Everything is on tight shelving and there is loads of unscrewing and refitting of bits that are just out of reach or on the borderline. It’s a good job there is no CCTV recording the colourful dialogue in there as yet another nut slips from my fingertips and drops down the back never to be seen again. The first bank is lit and looks great, there’s loads more working height on the shelves and 65%+ less electric used, so well worth it in the end.
We had two new company’s visit us with regards to our wind turbine maintenance, as our original installers are no more. One used an ultrasonic tester to check all our foundation bolts, just in case, and found all ok which was reassuring for the insurers and the new servicing company who came this week for the annual check and greasing. Natural Energy are the new team and they have certainly made a good impression so far. Very detailed reports, reduced the slight blade whistle on the one slightly noisier turbine (if you get up close) and no extra costs on top of the quoted rate which was very competitive.
On the birding front we have been graced with an expanding starling roost in our wind break this autumn. What started as 50 or 60 is now several hundred and if the weather is right we get a nice little murmuration in the late afternoon. They create quite a racket as they settle down for the night, a raucous alternative to the summer chatter of the house martins and swallows but evocative none the less. 16 Wood Sandpipers last weekend but had to rough it on Tresco for that one.
Availability highlights
We have a few winter performers still on offer and if anyone would like to make up a smaller order we will do our best to get it to you asap. Ideally a 15 tray minimum is best but we could stretch to 12 trays if you are fairly local or we are passing by. Still a few Asters looking great with bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types). The large intensely purple flowered but compact Purple Dome and the taller strong growing deep pink Andenken an Alma Pötschke are both carrying masses of bud just beginning to burst open. The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter, in fact we have already spotted the occasional bud, so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment. There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. Lamium and Ajuga are have attractive fairly evergreen foliage and can look good through the cooler months.
Wooden box collections
We have been collected up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold, so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
Things are quietening down now on the sales front as much of the stock starts to go into hibernation, but the jobs on the nursery just keep on rolling out. We have had a hectic couple of weeks with loads of exciting projects getting underway. Deliveries have started to arrive with materials accumulating to get going on all the new winter tasks. The bank manager looks like being helpful so we have plunged into a fair bit of site investment. No real single big job but several smaller developments which have been waiting in the wings for a while.
The new roof structure to erect over the rather leaky lab and growth room is already more than halfway to being completed. A giant jigsaw, the guide being an A4 diagram with part numbers shown for instruction and with none of the parts labelled, it has taken a bit longer than I planned! A couple of parts were missing which hasn’t helped and the cover is not big enough but we’ll get there. The main structure is up, square and solid with not too many bits left over, just the fine tweaking, cleaning and cover to go on, so good job done there.
A few tunnel sides had rotted away over the years and the covers were only just hanging on, so a couple of us have been removing the old timber and replacing with new while the covers are still in place. It’s a tricky job but with one tunnel complete and another well on the way the results are very impressive, nice tight covers and the net sides neater than they were before we started.
The first batch of LED lights for the growth room arrived last week and I’ve used the weekend while the lab is empty, to get started and fit a few. With 120 units to fit I should have the first 18 up by this evening. It’s nearly as frustrating as those plug and play computers that don’t. The units are really neat, easy to hang and plug in, but taking down the old units, changing the shelf support structures and all the wiring to make them fit is monstrously time consuming. Good job it’s my cheap labour doing most of the work. Everything is on tight shelving and there is loads of unscrewing and refitting of bits that are just out of reach or on the borderline. It’s a good job there is no CCTV recording the colourful dialogue in there as yet another nut slips from my fingertips and drops down the back never to be seen again. The first bank is lit and looks great, there’s loads more working height on the shelves and 65%+ less electric used, so well worth it in the end.
We had two new company’s visit us with regards to our wind turbine maintenance, as our original installers are no more. One used an ultrasonic tester to check all our foundation bolts, just in case, and found all ok which was reassuring for the insurers and the new servicing company who came this week for the annual check and greasing. Natural Energy are the new team and they have certainly made a good impression so far. Very detailed reports, reduced the slight blade whistle on the one slightly noisier turbine (if you get up close) and no extra costs on top of the quoted rate which was very competitive.
On the birding front we have been graced with an expanding starling roost in our wind break this autumn. What started as 50 or 60 is now several hundred and if the weather is right we get a nice little murmuration in the late afternoon. They create quite a racket as they settle down for the night, a raucous alternative to the summer chatter of the house martins and swallows but evocative none the less. 16 Wood Sandpipers last weekend but had to rough it on Tresco for that one.
Availability highlights
We have a few winter performers still on offer and if anyone would like to make up a smaller order we will do our best to get it to you asap. Ideally a 15 tray minimum is best but we could stretch to 12 trays if you are fairly local or we are passing by. Still a few Asters looking great with bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types). The large intensely purple flowered but compact Purple Dome and the taller strong growing deep pink Andenken an Alma Pötschke are both carrying masses of bud just beginning to burst open. The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter, in fact we have already spotted the occasional bud, so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment. There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. Lamium and Ajuga are have attractive fairly evergreen foliage and can look good through the cooler months.
Wooden box collections
We have been collected up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold, so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
Monday 10 October 2016
Hairy Impact
Morning all
Definitely a bit cooler now with summer seeming a long way off already, although we did spot a couple of quite big flocks of swallows seemingly heading north earlier this week, although they were feeding rather than making haste. Sales have taken their usual autumnal slide so the cash-flow is due to follow suit very soon which is always a bit scary. However the bank manager was on the phone earlier in the week and making positive noises so hopefully the planned expenditure on the new LED lighting in the growth room and other winter projects will get some support.
I’ve just frightened myself by checking out the new Winchester Green Impact online toolkit (run by the NUS). I had got quite excited at the launch a few weeks ago and raved about how much more valuable it could be as a means of further improving our environmental performance when compared with some other schemes we have joined in with over the years. Sure enough there is far more depth to this accreditation and plenty of help available, but the realisation that I have just added a whole extra layer to my workload is now hitting home. The main tricky bit is that the underlying drive of the project is to change the culture of organisations to a more sustainable outlook and so it doesn’t always sit easily with organisations that already have sustainability as a core ingredient of all they do. There are definitely some improvements that will be prompted by the scheme but it will take a while to get me to toe the line with filling in all the necessary evidence and written stuff needed for completion of the award levels. There looks like a minimum of two or three years to get to the top level and maybe longer if things don’t go smoothly, but then if there is a constant nudge to improve that will keep us interested and engaged. Apparently one of the benefits of the process is that we may get to meet some people in the organisation we may not have seen before, I’m hoping that isn’t the case here, although I do sometimes wonder where all the wages go each week.
Cold enough to light the wood-burner yesterday, a nice warm glow in the house but rather unsettling because of my lack of winter preparation. There are a few logs ready to use but it looks like being a hand to mouth winter as far as fuel is concerned unless I give in to buying in some timber. Not enough hours in the day to fit it all in, especially as it is now dark by the time I’m homeward bound.
Hockey match in a couple of hours, likely to be another thrashing against one of the best teams in the old farts league we are in. Still at least they are very nice about it, and it’s not raining or too cold and we won the quiz last night.
Availability highlights
Still a few Asters looking great with bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types). Starshine and Stardust are two of the new ones looking great. The large intensely purple flowered but compact Purple Dome and the taller strong growing deep pink Andenken an Alma Pötschke are both carrying masses of bud just beginning to burst open, both mildew resistant stunners.
The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
We still have a few Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away and still in flower. We have a late flush of bud on many of the Anemone japonica varieties.
There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest.
Wooden box collections
We have been collected up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold, so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. Lots collected and cleaned up already but always room for more.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
Definitely a bit cooler now with summer seeming a long way off already, although we did spot a couple of quite big flocks of swallows seemingly heading north earlier this week, although they were feeding rather than making haste. Sales have taken their usual autumnal slide so the cash-flow is due to follow suit very soon which is always a bit scary. However the bank manager was on the phone earlier in the week and making positive noises so hopefully the planned expenditure on the new LED lighting in the growth room and other winter projects will get some support.
I’ve just frightened myself by checking out the new Winchester Green Impact online toolkit (run by the NUS). I had got quite excited at the launch a few weeks ago and raved about how much more valuable it could be as a means of further improving our environmental performance when compared with some other schemes we have joined in with over the years. Sure enough there is far more depth to this accreditation and plenty of help available, but the realisation that I have just added a whole extra layer to my workload is now hitting home. The main tricky bit is that the underlying drive of the project is to change the culture of organisations to a more sustainable outlook and so it doesn’t always sit easily with organisations that already have sustainability as a core ingredient of all they do. There are definitely some improvements that will be prompted by the scheme but it will take a while to get me to toe the line with filling in all the necessary evidence and written stuff needed for completion of the award levels. There looks like a minimum of two or three years to get to the top level and maybe longer if things don’t go smoothly, but then if there is a constant nudge to improve that will keep us interested and engaged. Apparently one of the benefits of the process is that we may get to meet some people in the organisation we may not have seen before, I’m hoping that isn’t the case here, although I do sometimes wonder where all the wages go each week.
Cold enough to light the wood-burner yesterday, a nice warm glow in the house but rather unsettling because of my lack of winter preparation. There are a few logs ready to use but it looks like being a hand to mouth winter as far as fuel is concerned unless I give in to buying in some timber. Not enough hours in the day to fit it all in, especially as it is now dark by the time I’m homeward bound.
Hockey match in a couple of hours, likely to be another thrashing against one of the best teams in the old farts league we are in. Still at least they are very nice about it, and it’s not raining or too cold and we won the quiz last night.
Availability highlights
Still a few Asters looking great with bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types). Starshine and Stardust are two of the new ones looking great. The large intensely purple flowered but compact Purple Dome and the taller strong growing deep pink Andenken an Alma Pötschke are both carrying masses of bud just beginning to burst open, both mildew resistant stunners.
The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
We still have a few Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away and still in flower. We have a late flush of bud on many of the Anemone japonica varieties.
There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest.
Wooden box collections
We have been collected up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold, so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. Lots collected and cleaned up already but always room for more.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
Tuesday 4 October 2016
Light and Hairy
Morning all,
A lovely morning here after some heavy showers yesterday and a couple more nice days to come, let’s hope this weather holds a bit longer as we tweak every last bit of growth out of the plants before the cold sets in. Some stock has already come to a halt with the shortening days but it always amazes me how much growth still happens between now and Christmas with some lines. It’s those evergreens that just keep on rolling, some like the Erysimum we don’t even pot most until October otherwise they would be too big by the spring and of course the more obvious winter stars like the Helleborus and Cyclamen coum just come into their own. I would have loved to still have some Schizostylis to offer but they have already flown although if the weather holds we might get a few red ones again in a week or two, we’ll see. Despite reduced activity on the sales front, it’s been a week of building pressure with tunnels still to clear, the potting still to be finished, microprop pricking out still rushing through, the spring flowering bulbs arriving and materials for the ‘quiet time’ projects starting to arrive. The new roof for the lab and growth room is sat on a pallet in the yard begging to be put up and a host of electrical fittings and slotted angle iron are stacked up for the big growth room LED light conversion which the sooner it’s fitted the sooner it will start to repay itself. It has a target saving of 50% of the entire nursery electric consumption although I can’t quite believe it will be that good, I suspect I won’t be able to resist putting up a few extra lights to add to the output potential of the lab which would help payback but bump up consumption a bit. It will take 12+ weeks to get all the lights in due to the amount of shelf adjusting, new wiring and delays to most of the light unit delivery but as usual I will keep an eye on the daily consumption and report any improvement.
Luckily having some big projects has given me the chance for some retail therapy and improve my tool collection, a new wire stripper has improved productivity of the 150+ or so cables needed by the electrician and a mini rechargeable screwdriver and mini ratchet set is helping shelf reconstruction a lot, there must be 1,000 or so bolts to be undone and repositioned as well as 500+ screws to undo and tighten. Tried both out already and they work a treat although I suspect by the end of the job I may well be sick of the sight of them.
Must get on and get some more wood cut for winter, the pile is growing but not quickly enough, due mainly to a number of nursery distractions and my new toys to play with.
Availability highlights
A wide range of Asters are looking great with bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types). Starshine and Stardust are two of the new ones looking great, while the Rosenwitchel, Lady in Blue and Snowpillow are full one with their autumnal displays. The large intensely purple flowered but compact Purple Dome are carrying masses of bud just beginning to burst open, a stunner.
The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star. The Hellebores coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away it flowers for ever. We have a late flush of bud on many of the Anemone japonica varieties. There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest. There is also flower on the Anthemis Charme which is a bright new compact variety with numerous pretty small yellow daisies which flower for an age.
Wooden box collections
We have been making a concerted effort to collect up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. Lots collected and cleaned up already but always room for more.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
A lovely morning here after some heavy showers yesterday and a couple more nice days to come, let’s hope this weather holds a bit longer as we tweak every last bit of growth out of the plants before the cold sets in. Some stock has already come to a halt with the shortening days but it always amazes me how much growth still happens between now and Christmas with some lines. It’s those evergreens that just keep on rolling, some like the Erysimum we don’t even pot most until October otherwise they would be too big by the spring and of course the more obvious winter stars like the Helleborus and Cyclamen coum just come into their own. I would have loved to still have some Schizostylis to offer but they have already flown although if the weather holds we might get a few red ones again in a week or two, we’ll see. Despite reduced activity on the sales front, it’s been a week of building pressure with tunnels still to clear, the potting still to be finished, microprop pricking out still rushing through, the spring flowering bulbs arriving and materials for the ‘quiet time’ projects starting to arrive. The new roof for the lab and growth room is sat on a pallet in the yard begging to be put up and a host of electrical fittings and slotted angle iron are stacked up for the big growth room LED light conversion which the sooner it’s fitted the sooner it will start to repay itself. It has a target saving of 50% of the entire nursery electric consumption although I can’t quite believe it will be that good, I suspect I won’t be able to resist putting up a few extra lights to add to the output potential of the lab which would help payback but bump up consumption a bit. It will take 12+ weeks to get all the lights in due to the amount of shelf adjusting, new wiring and delays to most of the light unit delivery but as usual I will keep an eye on the daily consumption and report any improvement.
Luckily having some big projects has given me the chance for some retail therapy and improve my tool collection, a new wire stripper has improved productivity of the 150+ or so cables needed by the electrician and a mini rechargeable screwdriver and mini ratchet set is helping shelf reconstruction a lot, there must be 1,000 or so bolts to be undone and repositioned as well as 500+ screws to undo and tighten. Tried both out already and they work a treat although I suspect by the end of the job I may well be sick of the sight of them.
Must get on and get some more wood cut for winter, the pile is growing but not quickly enough, due mainly to a number of nursery distractions and my new toys to play with.
Availability highlights
A wide range of Asters are looking great with bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types). Starshine and Stardust are two of the new ones looking great, while the Rosenwitchel, Lady in Blue and Snowpillow are full one with their autumnal displays. The large intensely purple flowered but compact Purple Dome are carrying masses of bud just beginning to burst open, a stunner.
The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star. The Hellebores coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away it flowers for ever. We have a late flush of bud on many of the Anemone japonica varieties. There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest. There is also flower on the Anthemis Charme which is a bright new compact variety with numerous pretty small yellow daisies which flower for an age.
Wooden box collections
We have been making a concerted effort to collect up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. Lots collected and cleaned up already but always room for more.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
Tuesday 27 September 2016
Hairy Equinox
Morning all,
Autumn panic all round as we try and get all the potting finished. Just a few of the more vigorous types to go and the spring bulbs which are due in any minute. Still clearing up from the summer production and sales in advance of the potters. This is always a satisfying job, regaining control, tidiness and order from apparent chaos. Holidays are being taken left right and centre after the school hols are over and prices fall, which is great and well earned by those taking it but adds an extra layer of pressure on those left trying to get on top of things. Luckily only another couple of weeks of production pressure on the nursery and then we can relax into the quiet of the autumn and winter (see below).
The lab work meanwhile is beginning to gear up as they get started on another big production year. In an effort to reduce the impact of the living wage increases (11% this year) we are trying to spread the lab production peak over a longer period which seems to be working ok, the only downside being that there is little let up in work to draw breath, relax and take stock. The lab output starts much earlier in the year than the nursery and is now finishing later so no pressure there! I now drawn up a monster list of all the projects that we ideally need to complete over next few ‘quiet’ months.
Availability highlights
The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star. The Hellebores coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment. We still have Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away it flowers for ever. We have a late flush of bud on many of the Anemone japonica varieties.
We cut back and potted a few more Echinacea a while ago and we now have a nice bonus crop of a couple of varieties producing a flush of bud and colour. Lovely plants but they won’t hang around long. A wide range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types).
There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest. There is also flower on the Anthemis Charme which is a bright new compact variety with numerous pretty small yellow daisies which flower for an age.
I’ll just whisper it quietly that we have a few Schizostylis (Hesperatha) in bud and showing the odd bit of colour. They are quite early this season and not many left I’m afraid so don’t tell everyone. We will try and grow extra of all varieties, but especially our red form next year. I have a couple of the red left which are just opening and they are spectacular, great colour and big flowers. It’s a specially selected form which we propagate in our microprop lab so it comes true to type, the only issue really is the crop timing, it usually tends to be a bit late flowering for most but it is well worth waiting for.
Wooden box collections
We have been making a concerted effort to collect up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. Lots collected and cleaned up already but always room for more.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
Autumn panic all round as we try and get all the potting finished. Just a few of the more vigorous types to go and the spring bulbs which are due in any minute. Still clearing up from the summer production and sales in advance of the potters. This is always a satisfying job, regaining control, tidiness and order from apparent chaos. Holidays are being taken left right and centre after the school hols are over and prices fall, which is great and well earned by those taking it but adds an extra layer of pressure on those left trying to get on top of things. Luckily only another couple of weeks of production pressure on the nursery and then we can relax into the quiet of the autumn and winter (see below).
The lab work meanwhile is beginning to gear up as they get started on another big production year. In an effort to reduce the impact of the living wage increases (11% this year) we are trying to spread the lab production peak over a longer period which seems to be working ok, the only downside being that there is little let up in work to draw breath, relax and take stock. The lab output starts much earlier in the year than the nursery and is now finishing later so no pressure there! I now drawn up a monster list of all the projects that we ideally need to complete over next few ‘quiet’ months.
- We have a new roof to go over the lab and growth room to stop the rot (literally).
- We are looking to replace the remaining 120 fluorescent lights in the lab growth room with LEDs which means remaking shelves, rewiring and mounting.
- The cold store has dissolved in damp and decay over the last few years so it needs replacing (new super insulated shed with a small internal cold store on the wish list).
- New drainage channels for the nursery for flood prevention and water collection/recycling.
- Install a small acid bulk tank to treat our hard water, replacing the more hazardous multiple drums currently used.
- Ground cover to install to further reduce herbicide use.
- The list goes on.....
Availability highlights
The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star. The Hellebores coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment. We still have Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away it flowers for ever. We have a late flush of bud on many of the Anemone japonica varieties.
We cut back and potted a few more Echinacea a while ago and we now have a nice bonus crop of a couple of varieties producing a flush of bud and colour. Lovely plants but they won’t hang around long. A wide range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types).
There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest. There is also flower on the Anthemis Charme which is a bright new compact variety with numerous pretty small yellow daisies which flower for an age.
I’ll just whisper it quietly that we have a few Schizostylis (Hesperatha) in bud and showing the odd bit of colour. They are quite early this season and not many left I’m afraid so don’t tell everyone. We will try and grow extra of all varieties, but especially our red form next year. I have a couple of the red left which are just opening and they are spectacular, great colour and big flowers. It’s a specially selected form which we propagate in our microprop lab so it comes true to type, the only issue really is the crop timing, it usually tends to be a bit late flowering for most but it is well worth waiting for.
Wooden box collections
We have been making a concerted effort to collect up lots of wooden trays in recent weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. Lots collected and cleaned up already but always room for more.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
Monday 19 September 2016
Hairy sustainability at an old age
Morning all,
Now the house martins have gone too and suddenly after a sweltering week, today feels much more autumnal. A relief in some ways but a shock to have to find more clothes to put on. Good weather for hockey and after a resounding 11-2 victory last weekend we have a tougher match to look forward to tomorrow, just hoping that this time we won’t get so wet. I think that was my first win for over a year, last year was not one to remember too fondly, only won once and I wasn’t playing that week, then broke my finger towards the seasons end just to cap it off. Fed up big time and an end to any hopes of a successful hand modelling career.
Very busy finishing off the bulk of the summer and early autumn potting after the delayed compost delivery eventually arrived on Monday evening. A few more days to go now but we will need to dip into the next container of pots that docked on Friday which must indicate good news on the sales front for the summer but has meant an extra pre-winter purchase which always dents the cash-flow somewhat. We always start getting a bit twitchy at this time of year as the overdraft starts to edge upwards again and the likelihood of any late sales surge fade into the afternoon sunset. Suddenly every purchase gets looked at a bit harder and thoughts turn to ever more efficiencies to build into next year’s production. At least now we have a few minutes to think about it rather than leaping from one urgent job to another.
Part of our ongoing development involved a meeting last week of the local Sustainable Business Partnership at Sparsholt College to see a few presentations on all the latest environmental news. We have taken part in quite a few local initiatives over the years, PLATO Sustain was a very good one and we learnt a lot in that group, 10:10 was a national campaign to highlight carbon reduction but only really concentrating on the achievements made around 2010, and Carbon Smart Winchester was a locally funded audit scheme which sought to recognise carbon reduction achievements in the area. Both the 10:10 and Carbon Smart schemes were nice to be a part of and it was great to be able to show a gold certificate recognising our achievements but they were a bit too focussed on carbon reduction which is only a part of the sustainability agenda and neither were very proactive once you got to the top, on inspiring greater things. Both schemes have fizzled out now, in this area anyway, so it was great to see the NUS (yes the National Union of Students) promoting a Winchester version of their Green Impact Scheme which has a much broader sustainability scope and what appears to be a more proactive involvement in spreading ideas and inspiration among the participants. Apparently students were asked what they wanted the NUS to put their efforts into and this was a big concern. There is quite a bit of student training and involvement in the auditing and knowledge transfer which is great experience for them and keeps costs for the scheme admin low. It will be interesting to see how it goes and get some youthful input, we’ll certainly have a go at it.
Availability highlights
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away it flowers for ever. We cut back and potted a few more Echinacea a while ago and we now have a nice bonus crop of a couple of varieties producing a flush of bud and colour. Lovely plants but they won’t hang around long.
A wide range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types).
There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest.
There is also bud appearing on the Anthemis varieties. Charme is a bright new compact variety with numerous pretty little yellow daisies which flowers for an age.
The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores are coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
Wooden box collections
We are making a concerted effort to collect up a few wooden trays over the coming weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations.
from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Now the house martins have gone too and suddenly after a sweltering week, today feels much more autumnal. A relief in some ways but a shock to have to find more clothes to put on. Good weather for hockey and after a resounding 11-2 victory last weekend we have a tougher match to look forward to tomorrow, just hoping that this time we won’t get so wet. I think that was my first win for over a year, last year was not one to remember too fondly, only won once and I wasn’t playing that week, then broke my finger towards the seasons end just to cap it off. Fed up big time and an end to any hopes of a successful hand modelling career.
Very busy finishing off the bulk of the summer and early autumn potting after the delayed compost delivery eventually arrived on Monday evening. A few more days to go now but we will need to dip into the next container of pots that docked on Friday which must indicate good news on the sales front for the summer but has meant an extra pre-winter purchase which always dents the cash-flow somewhat. We always start getting a bit twitchy at this time of year as the overdraft starts to edge upwards again and the likelihood of any late sales surge fade into the afternoon sunset. Suddenly every purchase gets looked at a bit harder and thoughts turn to ever more efficiencies to build into next year’s production. At least now we have a few minutes to think about it rather than leaping from one urgent job to another.
Part of our ongoing development involved a meeting last week of the local Sustainable Business Partnership at Sparsholt College to see a few presentations on all the latest environmental news. We have taken part in quite a few local initiatives over the years, PLATO Sustain was a very good one and we learnt a lot in that group, 10:10 was a national campaign to highlight carbon reduction but only really concentrating on the achievements made around 2010, and Carbon Smart Winchester was a locally funded audit scheme which sought to recognise carbon reduction achievements in the area. Both the 10:10 and Carbon Smart schemes were nice to be a part of and it was great to be able to show a gold certificate recognising our achievements but they were a bit too focussed on carbon reduction which is only a part of the sustainability agenda and neither were very proactive once you got to the top, on inspiring greater things. Both schemes have fizzled out now, in this area anyway, so it was great to see the NUS (yes the National Union of Students) promoting a Winchester version of their Green Impact Scheme which has a much broader sustainability scope and what appears to be a more proactive involvement in spreading ideas and inspiration among the participants. Apparently students were asked what they wanted the NUS to put their efforts into and this was a big concern. There is quite a bit of student training and involvement in the auditing and knowledge transfer which is great experience for them and keeps costs for the scheme admin low. It will be interesting to see how it goes and get some youthful input, we’ll certainly have a go at it.
Availability highlights
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away it flowers for ever. We cut back and potted a few more Echinacea a while ago and we now have a nice bonus crop of a couple of varieties producing a flush of bud and colour. Lovely plants but they won’t hang around long.
A wide range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types).
There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest.
There is also bud appearing on the Anthemis varieties. Charme is a bright new compact variety with numerous pretty little yellow daisies which flowers for an age.
The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers open and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores are coming on well and a few are ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
Wooden box collections
We are making a concerted effort to collect up a few wooden trays over the coming weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations.
from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 12 September 2016
Hairy holidays
Morning all,
Summer slipping away now. Second brood of Swallows have fledged and gone. Still seeing the odd flock passing over and heading south and a few House Martins are hanging on roosting around the house and making the most of the warm humid weather. All the plans to get the log store filled and dry evaporated with the pressure of nursery life so need to spend a few weekends catching up on that, it’s all go.
Hectic week of potting done, although a slight hold up with the Calais problems holding up our special peat free compost delivery which has been put off until next week. The last batch has just run out so it’s a bit frustrating when every day counts at this time of year to get enough growth on the stock before the cold and dark sets in. Luckily the tactic of growing on our young plants in a big module prior to potting has paid dividends so we are potting a much chunkier beast to start with anyway so all should be fine. The extra process adds a bit to the production cost but we gain so much in flexibility and quality it easily makes up the extra hours. Material wise it doesn’t cost any more as we are using solid reusable plug trays that must be 15+ years old already, and potting compost, which simply means we use less at potting due to the bigger module size. A useful reduction in waste also helps with most plant health issues being graded out at an earlier stage so only healthy chunky stock gets as far as the pot and its compost. Sometimes a plan works out ok!
I have been a bit quiet on the news front over the last couple of weeks due to taking a couple of summer holidays. On the bank holiday Sunday we took our first whole day off since March to go on a group day trip to the Isle of Wight which was brilliant. Ok it did rain on and off which was a bit of a bind as we were on the beach all day but the cricket and ice creams were excellent. Then last weekend was Mums 80th so we squeezed in a surprise weekend (to Mum) in the Cotswolds with the rest of the family which was very entertaining for all. I was led astray by my brother in law into having a little too much rehydration after a long walk with everyone and I suffered for a while after that! You know it’s been fun when your sides are sore from the laughter. Teetotal this week to make up and prepare for the new hockey season which starts in a few hours. Nearly retired this summer, but with Mum still playing the pressure is on to keep going.
Availability highlights
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away it flowers for ever.
We cut back and potted a few more Echinacea a while ago and we now have a nice bonus crop of a couple of varieties producing a flush of bud and colour. Lovely plants but they won’t hang around long.
A wide range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year.
There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest.
There is also bud appearing on the Anthemis varieties. Charme is a bright new compact variety with numerous pretty little yellow daisies which flowers for an age. The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores are close to being ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis just around the corner with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
Wooden box collections
We will be making a concerted effort to collect up a few wooden trays over the coming weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. If you are a long way from Winchester it may be easier to stack them on a pallet and we can get a carrier to pick them up, drop us a line and we can let you know the best way.
Win some more medals, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Summer slipping away now. Second brood of Swallows have fledged and gone. Still seeing the odd flock passing over and heading south and a few House Martins are hanging on roosting around the house and making the most of the warm humid weather. All the plans to get the log store filled and dry evaporated with the pressure of nursery life so need to spend a few weekends catching up on that, it’s all go.
Hectic week of potting done, although a slight hold up with the Calais problems holding up our special peat free compost delivery which has been put off until next week. The last batch has just run out so it’s a bit frustrating when every day counts at this time of year to get enough growth on the stock before the cold and dark sets in. Luckily the tactic of growing on our young plants in a big module prior to potting has paid dividends so we are potting a much chunkier beast to start with anyway so all should be fine. The extra process adds a bit to the production cost but we gain so much in flexibility and quality it easily makes up the extra hours. Material wise it doesn’t cost any more as we are using solid reusable plug trays that must be 15+ years old already, and potting compost, which simply means we use less at potting due to the bigger module size. A useful reduction in waste also helps with most plant health issues being graded out at an earlier stage so only healthy chunky stock gets as far as the pot and its compost. Sometimes a plan works out ok!
I have been a bit quiet on the news front over the last couple of weeks due to taking a couple of summer holidays. On the bank holiday Sunday we took our first whole day off since March to go on a group day trip to the Isle of Wight which was brilliant. Ok it did rain on and off which was a bit of a bind as we were on the beach all day but the cricket and ice creams were excellent. Then last weekend was Mums 80th so we squeezed in a surprise weekend (to Mum) in the Cotswolds with the rest of the family which was very entertaining for all. I was led astray by my brother in law into having a little too much rehydration after a long walk with everyone and I suffered for a while after that! You know it’s been fun when your sides are sore from the laughter. Teetotal this week to make up and prepare for the new hockey season which starts in a few hours. Nearly retired this summer, but with Mum still playing the pressure is on to keep going.
Availability highlights
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus in bud and flower. Prettily scrambling away it flowers for ever.
We cut back and potted a few more Echinacea a while ago and we now have a nice bonus crop of a couple of varieties producing a flush of bud and colour. Lovely plants but they won’t hang around long.
A wide range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year.
There is a very pretty fresh crop of Tiarella in flower at the moment, should look good for a few weeks yet. We have a few pink Erodiums in flower which are looking nice and should keep going until the frosts. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest.
There is also bud appearing on the Anthemis varieties. Charme is a bright new compact variety with numerous pretty little yellow daisies which flowers for an age. The little hardy Cyclamen coum are just getting started now, with a few flowers and loads of bud to come. This range flowers from now until April, a real winter star.
The Hellebores are close to being ready to roll. We have a great new range of orientalis just around the corner with several colours and forms (singles, doubles and spotted). They should be flowering from their first winter so hopeful of some good sales there, They are certainly looking strong at the moment.
Wooden box collections
We will be making a concerted effort to collect up a few wooden trays over the coming weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. If you are a long way from Winchester it may be easier to stack them on a pallet and we can get a carrier to pick them up, drop us a line and we can let you know the best way.
Win some more medals, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Tuesday 30 August 2016
Quick and Hairy
Morning all,
A very quick one this morning as it looks like I am getting another trip to see the Saints this afternoon, the rain has held off so far and so harvest motors on and Richard can’t make it. I’ve had a lovely Saturday morning doing one of my favourite jobs of decanting the last of the acid (for the water treatment) in the drums into one and cleaning them all out in readiness for a fresh delivery on Tuesday. At least the sun was in so only lost a couple of pounds fiddling about in all the protective kit. I always think of the Bond movie when the girl dies after being painted all over in gold, it feels like no part of me is exposed, which is the point of the kit after all!
Holiday mode has set in already, put out the recycling this morning and loaded the car with the grocery bags only to find on arrival at the supermarket that there on the back seat was the recycling. Shoot me now.
It can only get better, might have a day off tomorrow with a day trip on offer, just got to get the chores done this end first. Nursery looks organised and it doesn’t look like being too hot so should be ok for a few hours.
Hope you all have a good one if you get the chance..
Availability highlights
A few more buds appearing on a few odds and ends of fresh stock as we race towards the autumn.
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus at the moment, in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age, I’ve got one outside the back door that has been in flower since March and still smiles at me every time I shuffle past.
We cut back and potted a few more Echinacea a while ago and we now have a nice bonus crop of a couple of varieties producing a flush of bud and colour. Lovely plants but they won’t hang around long.
A widening range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year. We have a fresh batch of Persicaria amplex. Taurus with bud showing but not a large number available just yet. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest. There is also bud appearing on the Anthemis varieties, pretty yellow daisies. Charme is a bright new compact variety with numerous small flowers which flowers for an age.
Wooden box collections
We will be making a concerted effort to collect up a few wooden trays over the coming weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. If you are a long way from Winchester it may be easier to stack them on a pallet and we can get a carrier to pick them up, drop us a line and we can let you know the best way. It may take a while to get round everyone as we are a bit short of drivers etc with the holidays etc but we are on the case.
from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
A very quick one this morning as it looks like I am getting another trip to see the Saints this afternoon, the rain has held off so far and so harvest motors on and Richard can’t make it. I’ve had a lovely Saturday morning doing one of my favourite jobs of decanting the last of the acid (for the water treatment) in the drums into one and cleaning them all out in readiness for a fresh delivery on Tuesday. At least the sun was in so only lost a couple of pounds fiddling about in all the protective kit. I always think of the Bond movie when the girl dies after being painted all over in gold, it feels like no part of me is exposed, which is the point of the kit after all!
Holiday mode has set in already, put out the recycling this morning and loaded the car with the grocery bags only to find on arrival at the supermarket that there on the back seat was the recycling. Shoot me now.
It can only get better, might have a day off tomorrow with a day trip on offer, just got to get the chores done this end first. Nursery looks organised and it doesn’t look like being too hot so should be ok for a few hours.
Hope you all have a good one if you get the chance..
Availability highlights
A few more buds appearing on a few odds and ends of fresh stock as we race towards the autumn.
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus at the moment, in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age, I’ve got one outside the back door that has been in flower since March and still smiles at me every time I shuffle past.
We cut back and potted a few more Echinacea a while ago and we now have a nice bonus crop of a couple of varieties producing a flush of bud and colour. Lovely plants but they won’t hang around long.
A widening range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year. We have a fresh batch of Persicaria amplex. Taurus with bud showing but not a large number available just yet. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest. There is also bud appearing on the Anthemis varieties, pretty yellow daisies. Charme is a bright new compact variety with numerous small flowers which flowers for an age.
Wooden box collections
We will be making a concerted effort to collect up a few wooden trays over the coming weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. If you are a long way from Winchester it may be easier to stack them on a pallet and we can get a carrier to pick them up, drop us a line and we can let you know the best way. It may take a while to get round everyone as we are a bit short of drivers etc with the holidays etc but we are on the case.
from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 22 August 2016
Hairy Heros
Morning All,
Well done to all those Olympic competitors what a great medal tally and across such a wide range of sports. I’ve paid up my next season’s hockey subs so still hope for a Tokyo appearance, just need to keep taking the hormones and the transformation will be complete. What is particularly nice to see is the acknowledgement that all the support teams are getting, it takes a lot more than the individual stars to complete a successful campaign so well done to all those unsung hero’s too. Maybe we can take some inspiration along with us on the nursery harnessing that team effort, attention to detail, hard work and innovative ideas to make an exemplary success of what we do. There’s always hope.
I have to be a bit short this week as I have all the rest of the day and evening to get the nursery computers up and running again. The existing pair have been misbehaving for ages and I had bought a couple of bigger ones months ago but couldn’t face the torture of the setting up so they have sat in their boxes waiting for that big day. Well one computer limped badly this week and before it died completely and left us in the lurch I bit the bullet and started on the new installation on Friday afternoon. So here we are on Sunday with both new ones half going after the usual frustrations of nothing going simply. Email’s are working just at the moment hence getting the lists out now, just hoping that by the end of the day we are operational for the new week. I’m sure it will be fine, they are designed to be plug and play after all. Bearing in mind the above, if you do send in an order this week and don’t hear from us please do chase us up just in case you have disappeared into the ether! I’m sure you will find us full of excitement and joy.
It least it’s a holiday weekend coming up, so loads of rest and relaxation all round I’m sure. Have a good one.
Availability highlights
A few more buds appearing on a few odds and ends of fresh stock as we race towards the autumn..
Plenty of buds are showing on our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non-frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range.
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus at the moment, in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age, I’ve got one outside the back door that has been in flower since March and still smiles at me every time I shuffle past.
A widening range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year.
We have a fresh batch of Persicaria amplex. Taurus with bud showing but not a large number available just yet. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest.
There is also bud appearing on the Anthemis varieties, pretty yellow daisies. Charme is a new compact variety with numerous small flowers which flowers for an age.
Wooden box collections
We will be making a concerted effort to collect up a few wooden trays over the coming weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. If you are a long way from Winchester it may be easier to stack them on a pallet and we can get a carrier to pick them up, drop us a line and we can let you know the best way. It may take a while to get round everyone as we are a bit short of drivers etc with the holidays etc but we are on the case.
Win some medals, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Well done to all those Olympic competitors what a great medal tally and across such a wide range of sports. I’ve paid up my next season’s hockey subs so still hope for a Tokyo appearance, just need to keep taking the hormones and the transformation will be complete. What is particularly nice to see is the acknowledgement that all the support teams are getting, it takes a lot more than the individual stars to complete a successful campaign so well done to all those unsung hero’s too. Maybe we can take some inspiration along with us on the nursery harnessing that team effort, attention to detail, hard work and innovative ideas to make an exemplary success of what we do. There’s always hope.
I have to be a bit short this week as I have all the rest of the day and evening to get the nursery computers up and running again. The existing pair have been misbehaving for ages and I had bought a couple of bigger ones months ago but couldn’t face the torture of the setting up so they have sat in their boxes waiting for that big day. Well one computer limped badly this week and before it died completely and left us in the lurch I bit the bullet and started on the new installation on Friday afternoon. So here we are on Sunday with both new ones half going after the usual frustrations of nothing going simply. Email’s are working just at the moment hence getting the lists out now, just hoping that by the end of the day we are operational for the new week. I’m sure it will be fine, they are designed to be plug and play after all. Bearing in mind the above, if you do send in an order this week and don’t hear from us please do chase us up just in case you have disappeared into the ether! I’m sure you will find us full of excitement and joy.
It least it’s a holiday weekend coming up, so loads of rest and relaxation all round I’m sure. Have a good one.
Availability highlights
A few more buds appearing on a few odds and ends of fresh stock as we race towards the autumn..
Plenty of buds are showing on our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non-frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range.
We still have Erigeron karvinskianus at the moment, in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age, I’ve got one outside the back door that has been in flower since March and still smiles at me every time I shuffle past.
A widening range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year.
We have a fresh batch of Persicaria amplex. Taurus with bud showing but not a large number available just yet. Some of the summer potted Achillea are showing bud as they bulk up before their winter rest.
There is also bud appearing on the Anthemis varieties, pretty yellow daisies. Charme is a new compact variety with numerous small flowers which flowers for an age.
Wooden box collections
We will be making a concerted effort to collect up a few wooden trays over the coming weeks before things get too damp and cold so if you have any needing collection just drop us an email and we will add you to the list of destinations. If you are a long way from Winchester it may be easier to stack them on a pallet and we can get a carrier to pick them up, drop us a line and we can let you know the best way. It may take a while to get round everyone as we are a bit short of drivers etc with the holidays etc but we are on the case.
Win some medals, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 15 August 2016
Hairy Nose
Morning all,
Just a very quick update this week as time is getting in short supply. I missed last week’s due to severe man flu and general brain failure. If there was an Olympic event for endurance nose running I’d be among the medallists.
Well done to all the Olympic participants I feel inspired, if a little drowsy. I wasn’t sure I would get into this one with the different time zone but I’m watching all sorts of stuff I wouldn’t normally dream of. The dressage was one step too far for me but the trampoline final was great. I tried it once but my back went into spasm almost instantly which finished a promising career rather early.
Great meteor shower display last night, lots to see and always a wondrous thing to behold. I never manage to be organised for it with a chair or suitable attire, I just step out and stare. The crick in my neck kicks in after a bit and I start seeing my own stars but when the real thing flashes by the childlike excitement surges to the surface. Good job we have no neighbours to hear my own self commentary on the events unfolding before me. Who needs modern Pokemon Go to have a good time.
Bonkers week just passed by, one member of staff gone and three new ones in (well 2 new and one returning), three on holiday and one driver off on another job for a bit. Lots of orders, lots of potting and lots of tunnel clearing. A nice quiet time for me to nurture my incapacity and general bewilderment. Hoping for a quieter week coming up to recharge and get stuck into that potting.
Rushing off to see the Saints opening game, hoping to recognise a few players but I’m not sure quite who is left in the squad. Some good player and manager sales again this summer which should help the clubs bank balance, can’t wait to see if the new crew are up to it. Quality opposition today with visitors Watford so hoping for some goal action. Odds on 0-0.
Availability highlights
I’m afraid there is not a lot of stock in bud/flower this week, good sales and that lull between summer and autumn flowering stock have left us a little short, but there is still some lovely looking stock.
Plenty of buds are showing on our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range.
We still have a few Erigeron karvinskianus at the moment, in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age.
A widening range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year.
We have a fresh batch of Persicaria amplex Taurus with bud showing but not a large number available just yet.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Just a very quick update this week as time is getting in short supply. I missed last week’s due to severe man flu and general brain failure. If there was an Olympic event for endurance nose running I’d be among the medallists.
Well done to all the Olympic participants I feel inspired, if a little drowsy. I wasn’t sure I would get into this one with the different time zone but I’m watching all sorts of stuff I wouldn’t normally dream of. The dressage was one step too far for me but the trampoline final was great. I tried it once but my back went into spasm almost instantly which finished a promising career rather early.
Great meteor shower display last night, lots to see and always a wondrous thing to behold. I never manage to be organised for it with a chair or suitable attire, I just step out and stare. The crick in my neck kicks in after a bit and I start seeing my own stars but when the real thing flashes by the childlike excitement surges to the surface. Good job we have no neighbours to hear my own self commentary on the events unfolding before me. Who needs modern Pokemon Go to have a good time.
Bonkers week just passed by, one member of staff gone and three new ones in (well 2 new and one returning), three on holiday and one driver off on another job for a bit. Lots of orders, lots of potting and lots of tunnel clearing. A nice quiet time for me to nurture my incapacity and general bewilderment. Hoping for a quieter week coming up to recharge and get stuck into that potting.
Rushing off to see the Saints opening game, hoping to recognise a few players but I’m not sure quite who is left in the squad. Some good player and manager sales again this summer which should help the clubs bank balance, can’t wait to see if the new crew are up to it. Quality opposition today with visitors Watford so hoping for some goal action. Odds on 0-0.
Availability highlights
I’m afraid there is not a lot of stock in bud/flower this week, good sales and that lull between summer and autumn flowering stock have left us a little short, but there is still some lovely looking stock.
Plenty of buds are showing on our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range.
We still have a few Erigeron karvinskianus at the moment, in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age.
A widening range of Asters are appearing with more and more bud and colour showing and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year.
We have a fresh batch of Persicaria amplex Taurus with bud showing but not a large number available just yet.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 1 August 2016
Hairy Display
Morning All,
Busy weekend again with a hectic start on Friday evening. Our annual artistic floral extravaganza of the King Somboune Horticultural Society Show stage display all set up after work on Friday ready for the Saturday show and afternoon dismantling. We have it down to a fine art after so many years. 13 trays of plants, a dozen wooden boxes to create a bit of extra height at the back and cleaning kit to tidy up the mess I make. It’s not something I particularly look forward to, we never have a plan just pick out what we have with some colour and fly by the seat of out pants. It always looks pretty good even if I say so myself and despite a desperate shortage of plants in full flower this year it looks fine, if perhaps a bit pink for my taste. The Erigeron karvinskianus turned out to be a brilliant filler, loads of delicate flower filling in any embarrassing gaps without dominating the display. Rewarded ourselves with a late curry and now bracing myself for the return trip to dismantle it all later. Tonight’s reward will be pub supper with the celebrating and tired show committee; we know how to live it up!
Back to some nice cooler weather now which I much prefer. The summer holidays are here which is lovely for those having one, but quite challenging for those of us left behind. We were a couple down last week, three next and five the following week. I am hopeful that we might have a couple of students in the pipeline to help bolster numbers and get us through the growing list of work to be done before the end of the summer. August on Monday, how did that happen. Caroline’s Saints season ticket has arrived, first game in a couple of weeks. That means I must be getting close to the start of the hockey season, must start my fitness programme. I think I’ll stick to the usual pre-season routine of doing sod all and just suffer for a week or two until the legs remember what they are supposed to do.
Must go and get the herb seed sowing done, I have the weekend to get them done so that should be one job ticked off. I also have the next batch of nematodes to release on any vine weevils still daring to show themselves. One of the highlights of the week was watching the ADHB video of the emergency vine weevil summit held a few weeks ago. It was pretty doom and gloom filled and I came out feeling pretty smug. After a couple years of using Met 52 (bio insecticide in the compost) which should have been controlling the beasties, we built up quite a good population and were getting quite worried. However putting on the nematodes through the irrigation has worked really well especially when we adopted the tactic of little and often. We are now applying at less than half rate every 4 weeks from April to September. We use a mix of different nematodes and apply them over everything rather than just selecting those plants that are most vulnerable. Our theory is that egg laying goes on all summer until the cold weather arrives so why not keep a constant pressure up on the pest population to gradually knock it down and likewise why just target the most vulnerable crops, that leaves other places the pest can breed and repopulate treated crops. We used to see quite a few adults in the summer as we picked up or cleared crops but over the last two years the sightings and tell tale leaf notching have reduced drastically. We’ve seen three this year, one on the nursery, two on a delivery of soft fruit from the farm garden down the road.
Availability highlights
There is a small batch of fresh Coreopsis Sunfire back on the list, short and bushy with plenty of bud coming. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants showing masses of flower and bud. Veronica bonariensis are coming into bud. The long flowering pink Geranium Mavis Simpson is romping away now, not a huge number left but full of vigour and promise. Buds are there on most and some colour showing.
The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Plenty of Erigeron karvinskianus on stream now and in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age.
A widening range of Asters are appearing, bud and colour on a few and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year. Meanwhile we have a fresh batch of strong Aster frikartii Monch which are just lengthening their stems in readiness for flowering.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Busy weekend again with a hectic start on Friday evening. Our annual artistic floral extravaganza of the King Somboune Horticultural Society Show stage display all set up after work on Friday ready for the Saturday show and afternoon dismantling. We have it down to a fine art after so many years. 13 trays of plants, a dozen wooden boxes to create a bit of extra height at the back and cleaning kit to tidy up the mess I make. It’s not something I particularly look forward to, we never have a plan just pick out what we have with some colour and fly by the seat of out pants. It always looks pretty good even if I say so myself and despite a desperate shortage of plants in full flower this year it looks fine, if perhaps a bit pink for my taste. The Erigeron karvinskianus turned out to be a brilliant filler, loads of delicate flower filling in any embarrassing gaps without dominating the display. Rewarded ourselves with a late curry and now bracing myself for the return trip to dismantle it all later. Tonight’s reward will be pub supper with the celebrating and tired show committee; we know how to live it up!
Back to some nice cooler weather now which I much prefer. The summer holidays are here which is lovely for those having one, but quite challenging for those of us left behind. We were a couple down last week, three next and five the following week. I am hopeful that we might have a couple of students in the pipeline to help bolster numbers and get us through the growing list of work to be done before the end of the summer. August on Monday, how did that happen. Caroline’s Saints season ticket has arrived, first game in a couple of weeks. That means I must be getting close to the start of the hockey season, must start my fitness programme. I think I’ll stick to the usual pre-season routine of doing sod all and just suffer for a week or two until the legs remember what they are supposed to do.
Must go and get the herb seed sowing done, I have the weekend to get them done so that should be one job ticked off. I also have the next batch of nematodes to release on any vine weevils still daring to show themselves. One of the highlights of the week was watching the ADHB video of the emergency vine weevil summit held a few weeks ago. It was pretty doom and gloom filled and I came out feeling pretty smug. After a couple years of using Met 52 (bio insecticide in the compost) which should have been controlling the beasties, we built up quite a good population and were getting quite worried. However putting on the nematodes through the irrigation has worked really well especially when we adopted the tactic of little and often. We are now applying at less than half rate every 4 weeks from April to September. We use a mix of different nematodes and apply them over everything rather than just selecting those plants that are most vulnerable. Our theory is that egg laying goes on all summer until the cold weather arrives so why not keep a constant pressure up on the pest population to gradually knock it down and likewise why just target the most vulnerable crops, that leaves other places the pest can breed and repopulate treated crops. We used to see quite a few adults in the summer as we picked up or cleared crops but over the last two years the sightings and tell tale leaf notching have reduced drastically. We’ve seen three this year, one on the nursery, two on a delivery of soft fruit from the farm garden down the road.
Availability highlights
There is a small batch of fresh Coreopsis Sunfire back on the list, short and bushy with plenty of bud coming. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants showing masses of flower and bud. Veronica bonariensis are coming into bud. The long flowering pink Geranium Mavis Simpson is romping away now, not a huge number left but full of vigour and promise. Buds are there on most and some colour showing.
The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Plenty of Erigeron karvinskianus on stream now and in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age.
A widening range of Asters are appearing, bud and colour on a few and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year. Meanwhile we have a fresh batch of strong Aster frikartii Monch which are just lengthening their stems in readiness for flowering.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 25 July 2016
Hot and Hairy
Morning all,
That was a warm one. Struggled here for a couple of days to keep everyone on their feet. It’s the build up that gets me. It’s nice for a few hours but then everything just gets hotter and hotter. The office portacabin seems to have its own heat generator somewhere and by the end of afternoon is several degrees warmer that outside despite few sun facing window, blinds, and all outlets open. We got to 38C in here on Tuesday, at least there was a breeze outside for the heros picking up and processing the orders. There aren’t many days I wish I was in the micropropagation lab but the air con in there did look very tempting. Still, it’s been a good first week for the harvest team on the farm so they are happy. Yields apparently are not brilliant but ok, probably due to the lack of warmth and sunshine earlier in the season but at least it has come in dry so not much fuel needed to get the grain into good storing condition. Long hours and 7 day weeks for a while for them, might get the odd day off if the weather breaks but hopefully past the peak in 6 weeks or so.
More and more plants arriving here as we hit the peak of incoming plant material. Lots of decisions to make on what to do with it all, how best to keep them growing to produce great plants over a lengthening time scale. One of the pressures at this time is created by the knowledge that the quicker we can move the plants on into a bigger container the easier it is to look after them especially when the heat piles in. On top of this, each year we try out some new ideas with new varieties or differing module sizes and timings, it keeps us on our toes. So far things are looking good for 2017, the new stock is doing well we just need to try and get the tunnels cleared in time for the potters to motor on and refill them. Managed to slip away on Thursday evening to Farnham to see Oli Brown play very loud rock blues. Very talented and a good reminder that life does go on outside nurseries. A few cobwebs blown away for sure.I need to get outside really, so much to do, but it’s looking so hot again, can’t I just stay in and flop about?
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants showing masses of flower and bud. The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. Veronica bonariensis are coming into bud, they flower quite tall but have good strong stems. We do have a shorter non flowering batch if preferred (let us know). The long flowering pink Geranium Mavis Simpson is romping away now, not a huge number left but full of vigour and promise. Buds are there on most and some colour showing. I have seen the odd flower head opening in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.First buds and some opening flowers in our crop of white Platycodon Astra. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Plenty of Erigeron karvinskianus on stream now and in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age. A widening range of Asters are appearing, bud and colour on a few and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year. Meanwhile we have a fresh batch of strong Aster frikartii Monch which are just lengthening their stems in readiness for flowering. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good.Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. We have a few fresh Nepeta Six Hills and Walkers Low in bud, but they won’t hang around long.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
That was a warm one. Struggled here for a couple of days to keep everyone on their feet. It’s the build up that gets me. It’s nice for a few hours but then everything just gets hotter and hotter. The office portacabin seems to have its own heat generator somewhere and by the end of afternoon is several degrees warmer that outside despite few sun facing window, blinds, and all outlets open. We got to 38C in here on Tuesday, at least there was a breeze outside for the heros picking up and processing the orders. There aren’t many days I wish I was in the micropropagation lab but the air con in there did look very tempting. Still, it’s been a good first week for the harvest team on the farm so they are happy. Yields apparently are not brilliant but ok, probably due to the lack of warmth and sunshine earlier in the season but at least it has come in dry so not much fuel needed to get the grain into good storing condition. Long hours and 7 day weeks for a while for them, might get the odd day off if the weather breaks but hopefully past the peak in 6 weeks or so.
More and more plants arriving here as we hit the peak of incoming plant material. Lots of decisions to make on what to do with it all, how best to keep them growing to produce great plants over a lengthening time scale. One of the pressures at this time is created by the knowledge that the quicker we can move the plants on into a bigger container the easier it is to look after them especially when the heat piles in. On top of this, each year we try out some new ideas with new varieties or differing module sizes and timings, it keeps us on our toes. So far things are looking good for 2017, the new stock is doing well we just need to try and get the tunnels cleared in time for the potters to motor on and refill them. Managed to slip away on Thursday evening to Farnham to see Oli Brown play very loud rock blues. Very talented and a good reminder that life does go on outside nurseries. A few cobwebs blown away for sure.I need to get outside really, so much to do, but it’s looking so hot again, can’t I just stay in and flop about?
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants showing masses of flower and bud. The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. Veronica bonariensis are coming into bud, they flower quite tall but have good strong stems. We do have a shorter non flowering batch if preferred (let us know). The long flowering pink Geranium Mavis Simpson is romping away now, not a huge number left but full of vigour and promise. Buds are there on most and some colour showing. I have seen the odd flower head opening in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.First buds and some opening flowers in our crop of white Platycodon Astra. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Plenty of Erigeron karvinskianus on stream now and in bud and flower. This one blooms for an age. A widening range of Asters are appearing, bud and colour on a few and the rest won’t be long away. We have several new varieties, many mildew free/resistant (ageratoides and frikartii types) and we are working on some techniques for earlier flowering batches for next year. Meanwhile we have a fresh batch of strong Aster frikartii Monch which are just lengthening their stems in readiness for flowering. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good.Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. We have a few fresh Nepeta Six Hills and Walkers Low in bud, but they won’t hang around long.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 18 July 2016
Hairy Juggling and Jiggling
Morning all,
Another hectic week around the world, it’s often very difficult to get to grips with it all, it certainly is in my simple head. While the world does its best to cock things up we are still bowling along here. The season moves along and we move from one plant in flower to another. I can’t believe we are already thinking about Asters coming into bud but it won’t be long. Potting is already under way for Autumn and next Spring as we try to keep on top of the flood of plant material coming in, some goes directly into a pot and some into modules of varying sizes depending on the crop and the predicted potting timings. It’s always a bit of a juggle to develop and fine tune the production schedules and introduce new varieties, together with the available time and space on the nursery. At the same time as we are juggling, weeks just slip by, but as each year passes we find new ways to save a bit here and there while improving crop output and hopefully slipping in a
bit of profitability here and there. One day.
We have started the process of ordering a new roof structure to cover the lab this week so with a bit of luck we should get that sorted before too long. Still not sure of the cost yet but I bet it will be cheaper than I expect, just like the van repairs of the last three weeks! Ouch. The other projects I have in mind (new cold-store and media store for the lab, new lights etc ) might have to wait a bit until time frees up a bit, but I can’t wait too long or all the money from the spring sales will have been sucked into more stock before I can fiddle some out. In a few weeks sales will dip and a panic sets in that we might never sell anything again, then the battens are nailed into the descending hatches and that’s it until next year. But then of course next year will be different and we will all make bucket loads of cash. I wonder at what age does that illusion resolve itself?
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants showing masses of flower and bud.
The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. I have a few Centaurea montana in bud, a new variety to us, Amethyst in Snow. White petals with a contrasting magenta centre. There will be more later now I can see its appeal! Verbascum Primrose Path looks delightful with its strong short stems of pretty pale yellow flowers.
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds on show and a splash of pink at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head opening in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.First buds and some opening flower in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range.
Fresh crops of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. We have fresh crops of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared and a hint of colour appearing. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Just a few Echinacea Magnus left showing strong upright flower stems.
Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers, a few Iron Cross left too. Two of our most popular lines this season are on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips.
Coming shortly will be a widening range of Asters, bud and colour won’t be long away, we have several new varieties many mildew free/resistant and we are working on some earlier flowering batches for next year. Meanwhile we have a fresh batch of strong Aster frikartii Monch which are just lengthening their stem length in readiness for flowering. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come.We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Bushy and flowering the scrambler Campanula posharskyana looks bustin’! The compact Nepeta Junior Walker is proving popular, a much shorter form than other varieties but still loads of flower.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 11 July 2016
The futures hairy in more ways than one!
Morning all,
A very pleasant day on the nursery, not too hot, not too cold, dry enough to get things done and breezy enough to get the turbines earning their keep. Still not enough hours in the day but you can’t have it all.
Although sales are slightly less rampant than earlier in the year, the other jobs are starting to mount up, plants and weeds grow so fast, new plants arrive for next year’s output and we try and clear up remaining old stock in the tunnels to clean up and start again. Then there is all the planning for improvements for next year, we need to keep pushing the productivity boundaries to offset the big wage increases we are paying and those still to come.
We have had a couple of fortuitous visitations in the last couple of weeks both offering by-products that they wanted to find a home for and that we might be able to use. One was graded out (too small) dried wood chip and bark from a biomass fuel company and freshly chipped tree surgeon output (of the green and woody variety). We are testing the bark for some specific jobs we have and are looking to use the fresh chippings as a mulch over some of our un-cropped outside areas. We try to minimise the weeds around our site to reduce encroachment into the crops and this helps keep expensive hand weeding to a minimum. We already use old coir pots as a mulch in the more sheltered spots but the chips give us another tool to reduce weed spraying and hopefully save on cost.
The microprop lab has been on a bit of a knife edge recently because of big wages increases (70+% of costs) and foreign competition keeping prices down. But we are feeling a bit more confident now after negotiating enough of a price rise to at least keep pace with the wage rise. Production may slip back over time depending on how well the foreign labs perform and if sales of our customers suffer due to the higher prices. It seems a shame that premium products selling at high prices to the consumer may all be propagated abroad for the want of 10-20p. Unfortunately that’s the world we live in and we do have a choice as to what we do about it. Anyway the choice has been made to do a bit more investment into it, the growth room roof leaks, the cold store has sagged to the ground and won’t stand up to another winter and we still haven’t completed the change from florescent tubes to LED’s on the growth room shelves. We are going to make the investments convertible each having an alternative use so if the lab slips away we can use them for instead for nursery output. Just the LED’s have a specific growth room use and they could pay for themselves very quickly, so the sooner they are in the better. Now then where did I see that credit card application form.
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of masses of flower buds. The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their flower shoots. We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes. First buds and some opening flower in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Fresh crops of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. We have a fresh crop of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers.
Two of our most popular lines this season are on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
A very pleasant day on the nursery, not too hot, not too cold, dry enough to get things done and breezy enough to get the turbines earning their keep. Still not enough hours in the day but you can’t have it all.
Although sales are slightly less rampant than earlier in the year, the other jobs are starting to mount up, plants and weeds grow so fast, new plants arrive for next year’s output and we try and clear up remaining old stock in the tunnels to clean up and start again. Then there is all the planning for improvements for next year, we need to keep pushing the productivity boundaries to offset the big wage increases we are paying and those still to come.
We have had a couple of fortuitous visitations in the last couple of weeks both offering by-products that they wanted to find a home for and that we might be able to use. One was graded out (too small) dried wood chip and bark from a biomass fuel company and freshly chipped tree surgeon output (of the green and woody variety). We are testing the bark for some specific jobs we have and are looking to use the fresh chippings as a mulch over some of our un-cropped outside areas. We try to minimise the weeds around our site to reduce encroachment into the crops and this helps keep expensive hand weeding to a minimum. We already use old coir pots as a mulch in the more sheltered spots but the chips give us another tool to reduce weed spraying and hopefully save on cost.
The microprop lab has been on a bit of a knife edge recently because of big wages increases (70+% of costs) and foreign competition keeping prices down. But we are feeling a bit more confident now after negotiating enough of a price rise to at least keep pace with the wage rise. Production may slip back over time depending on how well the foreign labs perform and if sales of our customers suffer due to the higher prices. It seems a shame that premium products selling at high prices to the consumer may all be propagated abroad for the want of 10-20p. Unfortunately that’s the world we live in and we do have a choice as to what we do about it. Anyway the choice has been made to do a bit more investment into it, the growth room roof leaks, the cold store has sagged to the ground and won’t stand up to another winter and we still haven’t completed the change from florescent tubes to LED’s on the growth room shelves. We are going to make the investments convertible each having an alternative use so if the lab slips away we can use them for instead for nursery output. Just the LED’s have a specific growth room use and they could pay for themselves very quickly, so the sooner they are in the better. Now then where did I see that credit card application form.
Availability highlights
This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of masses of flower buds. The first of the summer flowering Crocosmia are producing flower bud as the spikes appear from the amongst the upright foliage. A great colour selection but not huge numbers left. The golden Sunglow was especially popular last year. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their flower shoots. We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes. First buds and some opening flower in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. The first of the buds are showing on most of our mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunners. Tight compact plants with very dinky flowers in a great colour range. Fresh crops of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. We have a fresh crop of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers.
Two of our most popular lines this season are on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Tuesday 5 July 2016
Hairy week
Morning all,
I thought a week on the nursery was a long time, but in politics this week they’ve really stirred things up. Hopefully it won’t create too much uncertainty when purses and wallets can get more difficult to prize open. What would be very useful would be a run of nice weather just to lighten the mood and restart the social life outside and especially in the garden. Very moved here by Fridays events, especially the touching and sobering remembrances of the start of the Battle of the Somme. The brilliant idea of the chaps dressed up in WW1 uniforms walking around towns and cities, not speaking but handing out cards of each soldier who had died that they represented, was very effective, How they kept that a secret until the day I’ll never know. Then at the other end of the scale the joy of watching Wales take on and beat Belgium took me rather by surprise. I hadn’t realised how much having a Welsh grandmother had affected me!
Back on the nursery we are busy sending out more orders despite the damp and dealing with all the young plant material arriving on site for next year’s output. It’s scary how quickly it all turns around. AHDB workshop on weed control last Thursday, a few reminders of sensible things to do and some interesting costings on hand weeding regimes all help. I managed to drop off through the post lunch herbicide listings before a good walk around the Hillier container unit revived me. Now I’m full of good intentions just need to find the time to get it all done, good job there is nothing else to do.
Availability highlights
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.
We have very few Leucanthemum varieties left other than a lovely crop of the pale yellow compact Banana Creme but they won’t hang around long. Our Dianthus are now all in bud with first flowers opening, looking neat, a great range of these garden pinks to pick from. The first buds in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. Veronica Inspire Blue has produced a lovely flush of flower spikes. There are the first of the flower buds showing on many of the mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunner. Tight compact plants in a good colour range. The odd weather has brought out flowers early on our Cyclamen hederifoliums. Fresh batches of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series of varieties, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. Crimson red flower spikes on the Persicaria Inverleith are appearing now, Nice short plants full of vim.
The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has its short strong thistly flower heads appearing. The variegated varifolium is close behind, the flower stem is a bit spiky but dramatic. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of masses of flower buds. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but just a few left. We have a fresh crop of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of chunky Bupthalmum now looking very summery Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Strong and striking Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and showing colour.
Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their flower shoots. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
I thought a week on the nursery was a long time, but in politics this week they’ve really stirred things up. Hopefully it won’t create too much uncertainty when purses and wallets can get more difficult to prize open. What would be very useful would be a run of nice weather just to lighten the mood and restart the social life outside and especially in the garden. Very moved here by Fridays events, especially the touching and sobering remembrances of the start of the Battle of the Somme. The brilliant idea of the chaps dressed up in WW1 uniforms walking around towns and cities, not speaking but handing out cards of each soldier who had died that they represented, was very effective, How they kept that a secret until the day I’ll never know. Then at the other end of the scale the joy of watching Wales take on and beat Belgium took me rather by surprise. I hadn’t realised how much having a Welsh grandmother had affected me!
Back on the nursery we are busy sending out more orders despite the damp and dealing with all the young plant material arriving on site for next year’s output. It’s scary how quickly it all turns around. AHDB workshop on weed control last Thursday, a few reminders of sensible things to do and some interesting costings on hand weeding regimes all help. I managed to drop off through the post lunch herbicide listings before a good walk around the Hillier container unit revived me. Now I’m full of good intentions just need to find the time to get it all done, good job there is nothing else to do.
Availability highlights
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.
We have very few Leucanthemum varieties left other than a lovely crop of the pale yellow compact Banana Creme but they won’t hang around long. Our Dianthus are now all in bud with first flowers opening, looking neat, a great range of these garden pinks to pick from. The first buds in our crop of white Platycodon Astra are there. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. Veronica Inspire Blue has produced a lovely flush of flower spikes. There are the first of the flower buds showing on many of the mini garden Chrysanthemum range. There will be masses to follow of these non frost hardy stunner. Tight compact plants in a good colour range. The odd weather has brought out flowers early on our Cyclamen hederifoliums. Fresh batches of Phlox are beginning to bud. Flame is a compact series of varieties, pretty mildew resistant in a good colour range. Crimson red flower spikes on the Persicaria Inverleith are appearing now, Nice short plants full of vim.
The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has its short strong thistly flower heads appearing. The variegated varifolium is close behind, the flower stem is a bit spiky but dramatic. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of masses of flower buds. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but just a few left. We have a fresh crop of short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Attractive feathery foliage under the small yellow daisy blooms, one of my favourites. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of chunky Bupthalmum now looking very summery Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Strong and striking Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and showing colour.
Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are bushy and showing colour and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of puckering lips. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their flower shoots. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer too. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 27 June 2016
Hairy Beards
Morning all,
Well that was a big week. An interesting weekend of reflection and contemplation to come and a lot of ‘wait and see’ to follow. Friday night highlight for us was Glastonbury getting started, beer out and rain falling and us in the comfort of a cosy kitchen jigging about to ZZ Top just metres from a shower and a clean loo. That’s how to do the festivals. Scary how ancient old rockers get especially when I think how little I’ve changed since the early 80’s. I just love the driving energy you can create from a guitar, bass and drums, we were ready to take on the world after that, well after an Ovaltine and a good kip anyway.
We are starting to collect back a few extra wooden boxes now as things slow up a little bit, so if you have any excess do let us know and we will pop in when next in the area. If you are a bit further afield then please feel free to pallet up a collection and we can get a pallet carrier to pop in and clear them away. We can then get them cleaned, repaired and start storing a few away ready for next spring.
Next spring’s young plant material has already started to arrive which is a bit of an eye opener as to how quickly the months are slipping by. I can’t believe we ever took time off in the summer, there is just so much to do, plan and look after. As well as the hairy pot plant season getting longer, the micropropagation lab is extending its productive season as we battle to increase output to cover big labour cost increases. Let’s hope it all comes together in the end.
Availability highlights
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.
We have very few Leucanthemum varieties left other than a lovely crop of the pale yellow compact Banana Creme but they won’t hang around long. Just spotted the first buds in our crop of white Platycodon Astra. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now and flying out, just a few left now. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower spikes with the odd flash of blue peaking through, The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has its short strong thistly flower heads appearing. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of many flower buds now. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple and Balmy Pink are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but not as someone suggested named after the nursery owner. Just a handful left of the dwarf pretty blue Polemonium Bambino Blue, colouring up now don’t miss out.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of chunky Bupthalmum now looking very summery. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our Dianthus are now all in bud with first flowers opening, looking neat, a great range of these garden pinks to pick from. Strong and compact Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and showing colour. Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are still in tight bud so a week or two from full colour but strong and bushy and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of colour. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come.
It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and showing good colour. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Well that was a big week. An interesting weekend of reflection and contemplation to come and a lot of ‘wait and see’ to follow. Friday night highlight for us was Glastonbury getting started, beer out and rain falling and us in the comfort of a cosy kitchen jigging about to ZZ Top just metres from a shower and a clean loo. That’s how to do the festivals. Scary how ancient old rockers get especially when I think how little I’ve changed since the early 80’s. I just love the driving energy you can create from a guitar, bass and drums, we were ready to take on the world after that, well after an Ovaltine and a good kip anyway.
We are starting to collect back a few extra wooden boxes now as things slow up a little bit, so if you have any excess do let us know and we will pop in when next in the area. If you are a bit further afield then please feel free to pallet up a collection and we can get a pallet carrier to pop in and clear them away. We can then get them cleaned, repaired and start storing a few away ready for next spring.
Next spring’s young plant material has already started to arrive which is a bit of an eye opener as to how quickly the months are slipping by. I can’t believe we ever took time off in the summer, there is just so much to do, plan and look after. As well as the hairy pot plant season getting longer, the micropropagation lab is extending its productive season as we battle to increase output to cover big labour cost increases. Let’s hope it all comes together in the end.
Availability highlights
We have some stonking Lobelia Salmon with their buds beginning to form at the top of their colourful stems. I have seen the odd flower head forming in the Eucomis. Short stocky pale yellow and exotic flower spikes.
We have very few Leucanthemum varieties left other than a lovely crop of the pale yellow compact Banana Creme but they won’t hang around long. Just spotted the first buds in our crop of white Platycodon Astra. A dwarf Balloon flower, it’s a beauty. Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now and flying out, just a few left now. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower spikes with the odd flash of blue peaking through, The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has its short strong thistly flower heads appearing. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of many flower buds now. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple and Balmy Pink are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but not as someone suggested named after the nursery owner. Just a handful left of the dwarf pretty blue Polemonium Bambino Blue, colouring up now don’t miss out.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb and the first buds have now appeared. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of chunky Bupthalmum now looking very summery. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our Dianthus are now all in bud with first flowers opening, looking neat, a great range of these garden pinks to pick from. Strong and compact Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and showing colour. Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are still in tight bud so a week or two from full colour but strong and bushy and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of colour. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come.
It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots. We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and showing good colour. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 20 June 2016
Hairy Breakdowns
Morning all,
Still all go but not much space for waffle this week, too much stock to talk about.
Tricky week with a few things falling apart. The clutch went on the small van, but luckily caught it here rather than out on the road and the garage did a great job getting it sorted in 24 hours. The clutch went in my back too. Just a muscle spasm but none the less it does me in for a bit. Managed to keep on my feet with a cocktail of chemical aids so in fact the week passed in a bit of a laid back, dopey haze, a bit like normal I suppose.
Very sad loss of the MP, just hope it is shocking enough to bring some people to their senses, How quickly lives can change, make the most of what you have and spread some love, understanding and respect. Have a safe week.
Availability highlights
Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now and flying out. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud with the odd flash of blue peaking through, The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has it’s short strong thistly flower heads appearing. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of many flower buds now. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple and Balmy Pink are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but not as someone suggested named after the nursery owner. Just a handful left of the dwarf pretty blue Polemonium Bambino Blue, colouring up now don’t miss out.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb this week, no bud just yet but a lovely thick show of their feathery foliage to get you started. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of Bupthalmum now looking very summery. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud, the first flowers are opening and looking neat, a great range to pick from. The very short Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and about to show colour. The other taller varieties are strong and budding up too.Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are still in tight bud so a week or two from colour but strong and bushy and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of colour. The Salvia do have this habit of sometimes producing all red or all white flowers at each end of the season but we are luckily seeing plenty of hot lip action now. Lucky me.
The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots, no colour yet but with each flower so short lived best get them early. Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage. Numerous buds on the short Campanula carpatica alba. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Only the white form is left now and selling fast.
We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Plenty of bud and flower on the Achillea both the short Dessert Eve series and the taller ones too. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with masses of buds on show with the odd opening flower. The bright two tone flowers makes a great show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Still all go but not much space for waffle this week, too much stock to talk about.
Tricky week with a few things falling apart. The clutch went on the small van, but luckily caught it here rather than out on the road and the garage did a great job getting it sorted in 24 hours. The clutch went in my back too. Just a muscle spasm but none the less it does me in for a bit. Managed to keep on my feet with a cocktail of chemical aids so in fact the week passed in a bit of a laid back, dopey haze, a bit like normal I suppose.
Very sad loss of the MP, just hope it is shocking enough to bring some people to their senses, How quickly lives can change, make the most of what you have and spread some love, understanding and respect. Have a safe week.
Availability highlights
Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now and flying out. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud with the odd flash of blue peaking through, The dwarf Eryngium Blue Hobbit now has it’s short strong thistly flower heads appearing. This year’s hardy Fuchsia’s are wonderfully bushy plants and showing their first of many flower buds now. The super compact Monarda Balmy Purple and Balmy Pink are budding up and about to do their thing. Lovely plants but not as someone suggested named after the nursery owner. Just a handful left of the dwarf pretty blue Polemonium Bambino Blue, colouring up now don’t miss out.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb this week, no bud just yet but a lovely thick show of their feathery foliage to get you started. Golden orange flowers just beginning to open in a fresh batch of Bupthalmum now looking very summery. Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud, the first flowers are opening and looking neat, a great range to pick from. The very short Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and about to show colour. The other taller varieties are strong and budding up too.Two of our most popular lines this season are back on stream and in bud. Erigeron karvinskianus are still in tight bud so a week or two from colour but strong and bushy and Salvia Hot Lips are there with bud and the odd flash of colour. The Salvia do have this habit of sometimes producing all red or all white flowers at each end of the season but we are luckily seeing plenty of hot lip action now. Lucky me.
The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots, no colour yet but with each flower so short lived best get them early. Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage. Numerous buds on the short Campanula carpatica alba. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Only the white form is left now and selling fast.
We have some very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing signs of flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and September Charm looking particularly good. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Plenty of bud and flower on the Achillea both the short Dessert Eve series and the taller ones too. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with masses of buds on show with the odd opening flower. The bright two tone flowers makes a great show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 13 June 2016
Damp and Hairy
Morning all,
Temperatures have slipped back this weekend which is nice for us. I hope you’re not getting too wet out there, I know there have been some monster showers in the last few days although so far we have missed them all.
I did get caught in a small deluge of my own making earlier in the week but luckily it was warm enough to dry off without a complete change of clothing. It was the classic situation of lots of water demand so a good time for the irrigation to throw a wobbly. One of the solenoids was refusing to shut off the water supply, usually a sign of a bit of muck in the system. I had just distributed millions of nematodes through the lines so it can happen that an undissolved lump of them gets stuck in a critical spot. Sure enough having dismantled the valve there it was, a tiny bit of debris, which I hoped would sort out the issue. Just to check I thought I’ll just turn the water on a smidge to clean it through. The valve wouldn’t budge and then it did. A 2 inch wide column of water shot vertically out of the pipe above my head as I was trying to turn the valve off again. Just as the valve went off, gravity finished its job depositing the column of water right on the top of my head. Surprised and suddenly very wet I suspect I may have vocalised my distress, but luckily it was the weekend and Caroline was working well out of earshot.
Therapy session last week with our NBIS meeting. After scaring ourselves a bit looking at the first quarters figures, seeing the effect of the long cold spring (seems so long ago now), we moved on to the main topic of the day ‘Managing Change’. We had pre-prepared notes on our main business changes of the last two years, the current and anticipated challenges and how we were going to manage our way through them all. Believe me there were a lot of them. At the end of the session we all felt a lot better, there is nothing like getting into the open all your worries and woes although it was a bit of a downer when it was suggested that the topic for the next meeting should be the formulation of exit strategies! Good job we all have a healthy sense of humour if not a healthy bank balance.
Availability highlights
Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now, it will be a week or two before any colour shows but raring to go. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud, Red Fox is just getting started.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb this week, no bud just yet but a lovely thick show of their feathery foliage to get you started.
Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud and looking neat, with a great range to pick from. The very short Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and about to show colour. The other taller varieties are strong and budding up too. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots, no colour yet but with each flower so short lived best get them early.
Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage.
The first tiny buds of the short Campanula carpatica are there. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Only the white form is left now and selling fast. We have a couple of very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and Hadspen Abundance, both pink in colour. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Plenty of bud and flower on the Achillea both the short Dessert Eve series and the taller ones too. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a good show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Temperatures have slipped back this weekend which is nice for us. I hope you’re not getting too wet out there, I know there have been some monster showers in the last few days although so far we have missed them all.
I did get caught in a small deluge of my own making earlier in the week but luckily it was warm enough to dry off without a complete change of clothing. It was the classic situation of lots of water demand so a good time for the irrigation to throw a wobbly. One of the solenoids was refusing to shut off the water supply, usually a sign of a bit of muck in the system. I had just distributed millions of nematodes through the lines so it can happen that an undissolved lump of them gets stuck in a critical spot. Sure enough having dismantled the valve there it was, a tiny bit of debris, which I hoped would sort out the issue. Just to check I thought I’ll just turn the water on a smidge to clean it through. The valve wouldn’t budge and then it did. A 2 inch wide column of water shot vertically out of the pipe above my head as I was trying to turn the valve off again. Just as the valve went off, gravity finished its job depositing the column of water right on the top of my head. Surprised and suddenly very wet I suspect I may have vocalised my distress, but luckily it was the weekend and Caroline was working well out of earshot.
Therapy session last week with our NBIS meeting. After scaring ourselves a bit looking at the first quarters figures, seeing the effect of the long cold spring (seems so long ago now), we moved on to the main topic of the day ‘Managing Change’. We had pre-prepared notes on our main business changes of the last two years, the current and anticipated challenges and how we were going to manage our way through them all. Believe me there were a lot of them. At the end of the session we all felt a lot better, there is nothing like getting into the open all your worries and woes although it was a bit of a downer when it was suggested that the topic for the next meeting should be the formulation of exit strategies! Good job we all have a healthy sense of humour if not a healthy bank balance.
Availability highlights
Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now, it will be a week or two before any colour shows but raring to go. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud, Red Fox is just getting started.
We have a fresh crop of very short and bushy Coreopsis Moonshine and Zagreb this week, no bud just yet but a lovely thick show of their feathery foliage to get you started.
Many of the Echinacea varieties are starting to produce their upright flower stem, no colour yet but it won’t be long. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud and looking neat, with a great range to pick from. The very short Delpinium Delfix Blue is now in bud and about to show colour. The other taller varieties are strong and budding up too. The Gaillardia varieties are producing masses of bud now, a blaze of colour to come. It must be summer, the Hemerocallis varieties are now producing their first flower shoots, no colour yet but with each flower so short lived best get them early.
Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage.
The first tiny buds of the short Campanula carpatica are there. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Only the white form is left now and selling fast. We have a couple of very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and Hadspen Abundance, both pink in colour. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. Plenty of bud and flower on the Achillea both the short Dessert Eve series and the taller ones too. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a good show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 6 June 2016
Hairy Sheds of Grey
Morning all,
Summer is here, well on the calendar anyway. Looks like it will warm up a bit over the next few days, it will be nice to get the fleece and vest off again. Good gardening weather, bit damp and not too hot.
Too much to do again this week with one man down and only 4 days in the full week. Bank holidays are great in some ways, it’s nice to have the nursery to ourselves for an extra day but not matter how hard you try you don’t get as much done as when all 18 bodies are in! It’s all in the head. You think you will have a catch up in that extra time but in fact it pushes all the proper work up into a shorter time slot. Most bits went to plan, if there was one, we got everything out and we have a gang in tomorrow to get a bit more potting done. I got nearly all 15,000 labels printed over the weekend and Caroline caught up on the accounts as well as managing to get to see Judie Tzuke on Saturday night as her birthday treat. Judie was delightful and sang beautifully, the theatre (The Haymarket in Basingstoke) was great, a new venue for us, full of character but acoustically good too. Definitely an audience of a ‘certain age’ but who cares, it was class stuff. Need to sign off now, the third batch of nematodes are waiting to be released through the irrigation system and I have to set it all going as the sun descends rather than during the day (nematodes don’t like UV light). Should be all on by 10.30 if all goes to plan and then the following irrigation run will wash them in with luck..
Availability highlights
Incarvillea are suddenly producing flower buds, an exotic but hardy splash for the front of the border, get them quick before they are all gone. Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now, it will be a week or two before any colour shows but raring to go. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud, Red Fox is just getting started. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud and looking neat, with a great range to pick from. For some reason Slap and Tickle is always very popular and Romance less so! Confirmation this week with S and T outselling Romance by 4:1. I still blame 50 Sheds of Grey. Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage.
We have a rampant Ajuga selection at the moment. Great ground cover in a range of foliage colours. Black Scallop and Sugar Plum are strong new varieties and looking particularly good. Erysimum Bowles Mauve, are still looking great. They will flower the whole summer long, a great garden favourite.
The first tiny buds of the short Campanula carpatica are there. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Available in blue or white. We have a couple of very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and Hadspen Abundance, both pink in colour. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. The lovely red’s; Achillea Paprika and Red Velvet have produced their first flower stems and several of the dwarf Dessert Eve series are producing flower shoots. The orange Achillea Peggy Sue is also getting started with loads of bud. Primula beesiana (pale purple) are showing their mauve/purple flower heads among their strong rosettes of leaves. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a good show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. Geum Lady Stratheden are always popular and have their first buds are opening now. Fabulous crops of fresh Delphiniums, Digitalis and Lupins ready now. Chunky, fresh and full of vim and vigour. Lets us know if you would like colour showing and we will oblige where we can. (Tend to be taller). The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Summer is here, well on the calendar anyway. Looks like it will warm up a bit over the next few days, it will be nice to get the fleece and vest off again. Good gardening weather, bit damp and not too hot.
Too much to do again this week with one man down and only 4 days in the full week. Bank holidays are great in some ways, it’s nice to have the nursery to ourselves for an extra day but not matter how hard you try you don’t get as much done as when all 18 bodies are in! It’s all in the head. You think you will have a catch up in that extra time but in fact it pushes all the proper work up into a shorter time slot. Most bits went to plan, if there was one, we got everything out and we have a gang in tomorrow to get a bit more potting done. I got nearly all 15,000 labels printed over the weekend and Caroline caught up on the accounts as well as managing to get to see Judie Tzuke on Saturday night as her birthday treat. Judie was delightful and sang beautifully, the theatre (The Haymarket in Basingstoke) was great, a new venue for us, full of character but acoustically good too. Definitely an audience of a ‘certain age’ but who cares, it was class stuff. Need to sign off now, the third batch of nematodes are waiting to be released through the irrigation system and I have to set it all going as the sun descends rather than during the day (nematodes don’t like UV light). Should be all on by 10.30 if all goes to plan and then the following irrigation run will wash them in with luck..
Availability highlights
Incarvillea are suddenly producing flower buds, an exotic but hardy splash for the front of the border, get them quick before they are all gone. Liatris spicata producing it’s flower spikes now, it will be a week or two before any colour shows but raring to go. Veronica Inspire Blue has suddenly produced a flush of flower bud, Red Fox is just getting started. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud and looking neat, with a great range to pick from. For some reason Slap and Tickle is always very popular and Romance less so! Confirmation this week with S and T outselling Romance by 4:1. I still blame 50 Sheds of Grey. Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage.
We have a rampant Ajuga selection at the moment. Great ground cover in a range of foliage colours. Black Scallop and Sugar Plum are strong new varieties and looking particularly good. Erysimum Bowles Mauve, are still looking great. They will flower the whole summer long, a great garden favourite.
The first tiny buds of the short Campanula carpatica are there. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Available in blue or white. We have a couple of very strong Anemone japonica varieties already producing flower shoots, they must think it’s summer. Seranade and Hadspen Abundance, both pink in colour. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. The lovely red’s; Achillea Paprika and Red Velvet have produced their first flower stems and several of the dwarf Dessert Eve series are producing flower shoots. The orange Achillea Peggy Sue is also getting started with loads of bud. Primula beesiana (pale purple) are showing their mauve/purple flower heads among their strong rosettes of leaves. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a good show. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. Geum Lady Stratheden are always popular and have their first buds are opening now. Fabulous crops of fresh Delphiniums, Digitalis and Lupins ready now. Chunky, fresh and full of vim and vigour. Lets us know if you would like colour showing and we will oblige where we can. (Tend to be taller). The Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Tuesday 31 May 2016
Hairy Romance
Morning all,
No time, so much to do. I know everyone is in the same boat at this time, spring springing, temperatures rising, plants growing, wallets opening and the sun making an appearance on and off. After such a long cold spring it’s a huge relief to see things take off although we will struggle to make up for the lost time earlier. Just got to get through the current manic period as it comes, which can be a challenge all round as am sure you are aware. At least it’s a positive direction which is great, if not tricky sometimes to recognise when hours are short.
Unfortunately for Caroline this rush has timed itself brilliantly for her birthday so here we are on the big day battling away trying to get it all done. At least I managed to get a card in time, just. Present to follow! Off out to a gig tonight but just the two of us, no-one else wanted to see Judie Tzuke, and quite a few had never heard of her. Back in the 80’s she was pretty popular, if any of you can remember that far back. She was our first gig together when we first met at college so it’s a bit special, perhaps better that it is just the two of us.
Lots of great Chelsea coverage this week so hopefully that combination of inspiration, nice weather and the bank holiday will keep those plants flying out of the door. Hope your weekend goes well and you can enjoy the excitement of being trendy, cool and popular. Back to the potting and label printing now. Just the 15,000 to print before Tuesday, one at a time under the pad printer, it’s what bank holidays were meant for.
Availability highlights
Incarvillea are suddenly producing flower buds, an exotic but hardy splash for the front of the border, get them quick before they are all gone. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Short and very bushy, the Erigeron Sea Breeze have masses of bud about to explode, not a lot left so don’t hold back.
Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud and looking neat, with a good range to pick from. For some reason Slap and Tickle is always very popular and Romance less so! Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage. We have a rampant Ajuga selection at the moment. Great ground cover in a range of foliage colours. Black Scallop and Sugar Plum are strong new varieties and looking particularly good. Erysimum Bowles Mauve, are still looking great. They will flower the whole summer long, a great garden favourite.
Most of the Leucanthemum varieties are threatening there first buds, we have a tasteful range from pale yellow through to white’s, some with simple single flowers and some fancier doubles. We have a mini version of Alchemilla mollis for the first time this season. Alchemilla erith. Alma is a pretty but understated, compact form and has just started putting out its first spring flower stems. The first tiny buds of the short Campanula carpatica are there. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Available in blue or white. There are some lovely fresh strong white Campanula persicifolia and Talkion White in bud again, but be quick. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue & Gold making it a popular choice. The lovely red’s Achillea Paprika and Red Velvet have produced their first flower stems and several of the dwarf Dessert Eve series are producing flower shoots. The orange Achillea Peggy Sue is also just getting started. Primula beesiana (pale purple) are just showing their flower heads among their strong rosettes of leaves. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a very jolly summer display. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. Geum Lady Stratheden are always popular and have their first buds are opening now.Fabulous crops of fresh Delphiniums, Digitalis and Lupins ready now. Chunky, fresh and full of vim and vigour. The first Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
No time, so much to do. I know everyone is in the same boat at this time, spring springing, temperatures rising, plants growing, wallets opening and the sun making an appearance on and off. After such a long cold spring it’s a huge relief to see things take off although we will struggle to make up for the lost time earlier. Just got to get through the current manic period as it comes, which can be a challenge all round as am sure you are aware. At least it’s a positive direction which is great, if not tricky sometimes to recognise when hours are short.
Unfortunately for Caroline this rush has timed itself brilliantly for her birthday so here we are on the big day battling away trying to get it all done. At least I managed to get a card in time, just. Present to follow! Off out to a gig tonight but just the two of us, no-one else wanted to see Judie Tzuke, and quite a few had never heard of her. Back in the 80’s she was pretty popular, if any of you can remember that far back. She was our first gig together when we first met at college so it’s a bit special, perhaps better that it is just the two of us.
Lots of great Chelsea coverage this week so hopefully that combination of inspiration, nice weather and the bank holiday will keep those plants flying out of the door. Hope your weekend goes well and you can enjoy the excitement of being trendy, cool and popular. Back to the potting and label printing now. Just the 15,000 to print before Tuesday, one at a time under the pad printer, it’s what bank holidays were meant for.
Availability highlights
Incarvillea are suddenly producing flower buds, an exotic but hardy splash for the front of the border, get them quick before they are all gone. Strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with delicate pale pink flowers which are just beginning to appear. Iron Cross with its dramatic darkly marked green leaves are now showing their first of many deep pink blooms. Short and very bushy, the Erigeron Sea Breeze have masses of bud about to explode, not a lot left so don’t hold back.
Our range of Dianthus are now all in bud and looking neat, with a good range to pick from. For some reason Slap and Tickle is always very popular and Romance less so! Both colours of the Armeria maritima (Sea Thrift) have masses of bud over neat green mounds of foliage. We have a rampant Ajuga selection at the moment. Great ground cover in a range of foliage colours. Black Scallop and Sugar Plum are strong new varieties and looking particularly good. Erysimum Bowles Mauve, are still looking great. They will flower the whole summer long, a great garden favourite.
Most of the Leucanthemum varieties are threatening there first buds, we have a tasteful range from pale yellow through to white’s, some with simple single flowers and some fancier doubles. We have a mini version of Alchemilla mollis for the first time this season. Alchemilla erith. Alma is a pretty but understated, compact form and has just started putting out its first spring flower stems. The first tiny buds of the short Campanula carpatica are there. It always surprises me how big the flowers get on such a neat little plant. Available in blue or white. There are some lovely fresh strong white Campanula persicifolia and Talkion White in bud again, but be quick. Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue & Gold making it a popular choice. The lovely red’s Achillea Paprika and Red Velvet have produced their first flower stems and several of the dwarf Dessert Eve series are producing flower shoots. The orange Achillea Peggy Sue is also just getting started. Primula beesiana (pale purple) are just showing their flower heads among their strong rosettes of leaves. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a very jolly summer display. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age. Geum Lady Stratheden are always popular and have their first buds are opening now.Fabulous crops of fresh Delphiniums, Digitalis and Lupins ready now. Chunky, fresh and full of vim and vigour. The first Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out. In bud are the three colours of Fanal (deep red), Deutschland (white) and Europa (strong pink).
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday 23 May 2016
Hairy and Dalmationed
Morning all,
Nice bit of rain to keep the soil moist and not too much heat to send everyone to the beach, just the gardening ticket. Chelsea and a bank holiday to come let’s rock and roll. Little room or time for waffle today with spring well and truly under way at last. Nursery is bowling along, plant whizzing out and potting in full swing again after the successful repairs of last week. Our first pair of blackcaps appear to be nesting somewhere in the garden. We have seen them on the feeders and heard their song a lot (identified from our reliable cd of british bird song). Not quite as exotic as the Dalmation Pelican in West Cornwall, a possible first for the UK in the modern era, although I had heard they were about in the Middle Ages (Caroline’s Dad remembers them well!). Quite tempted to go and see it, but the potting beckons.
Availability highlights
New for us this season is Salvia Hot Lips, a summer stunner. They flower for ages with plenty of striking red and white blooms (although for short periods they can flower all red or all white). They are fairly hardy in the south and in sheltered positions further north. Incarvillea are suddenly producing flower buds, an exotic but hardy splash for the front of the border, get them quick before they are all gone.
The strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with the delicate pale pink flowers that are just beginning to appear. Fresh crops of Ajuga are coming into flower. Great ground cover in a range of foliage colours. Black Scallop and Sugar Plum are strong new varieties and looking particularly good.
The ever popular Erysimum’s are still doing really well. Bowles Mauve, are still looking great. Fresh bushy batches of Pastel Patchwork and Apricot Twist are now in bud/flower again.
Most of the Leucanthemum varieties are threatening there first buds, we have a tasteful range with pale yellow through to white’s, some with simple single flowers and some more fancy doubles. We have a mini version of Alchemilla mollis for the first time this season. Alchemilla erith. Alma is a pretty but understated,
compact form and has just started putting out its first spring flower stems. The strong deep blue flowers of Aquilegia alpina are the last aquilegia of our season and in colour now.
There are some lovely fresh strong Campanula persicifolia in bud again, but be quick there aren’t many. The shorter Campanula glomerata forms are also looking good with colour just showing or very close.
Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. The strong yellow flat flower heads of Achillea Moonshine contrast so well with its grey green foliage, always a favourite. The buds are there and the colour won’t be far behind. The lovely red’s Achillea Paprika and Red Velvet have also produced its first flower stems and several of the dwarf Dessert Eve series are producing flower shoots.
Primula beesiana (pale purple) and Primula x bullesiana (mixed colours) are just showing their flower heads among their strong rosettes of leaves. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a very jolly summer display. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age.
The Verbascum Phoenician Hybrids have now showing their flower stems. A mix of colours they come quickly into bud producing pretty spikes of flower. Geum Lady Stratheden are always popular and have their first flower stems appearing. Dramatic Thalictrum flower shoots looking good above their aquilegia-like foliage. Geranium sangineum are showing a few buds now as temperatures rise.
Fabulous crops of fresh Delphiniums and Lupins ready now. Chunky, fresh and full of vim and vigour.
The first Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Nice bit of rain to keep the soil moist and not too much heat to send everyone to the beach, just the gardening ticket. Chelsea and a bank holiday to come let’s rock and roll. Little room or time for waffle today with spring well and truly under way at last. Nursery is bowling along, plant whizzing out and potting in full swing again after the successful repairs of last week. Our first pair of blackcaps appear to be nesting somewhere in the garden. We have seen them on the feeders and heard their song a lot (identified from our reliable cd of british bird song). Not quite as exotic as the Dalmation Pelican in West Cornwall, a possible first for the UK in the modern era, although I had heard they were about in the Middle Ages (Caroline’s Dad remembers them well!). Quite tempted to go and see it, but the potting beckons.
Availability highlights
New for us this season is Salvia Hot Lips, a summer stunner. They flower for ages with plenty of striking red and white blooms (although for short periods they can flower all red or all white). They are fairly hardy in the south and in sheltered positions further north. Incarvillea are suddenly producing flower buds, an exotic but hardy splash for the front of the border, get them quick before they are all gone.
The strong purple foliage of Oxalis triangularis contrasts fantastically with the delicate pale pink flowers that are just beginning to appear. Fresh crops of Ajuga are coming into flower. Great ground cover in a range of foliage colours. Black Scallop and Sugar Plum are strong new varieties and looking particularly good.
The ever popular Erysimum’s are still doing really well. Bowles Mauve, are still looking great. Fresh bushy batches of Pastel Patchwork and Apricot Twist are now in bud/flower again.
Most of the Leucanthemum varieties are threatening there first buds, we have a tasteful range with pale yellow through to white’s, some with simple single flowers and some more fancy doubles. We have a mini version of Alchemilla mollis for the first time this season. Alchemilla erith. Alma is a pretty but understated,
compact form and has just started putting out its first spring flower stems. The strong deep blue flowers of Aquilegia alpina are the last aquilegia of our season and in colour now.
There are some lovely fresh strong Campanula persicifolia in bud again, but be quick there aren’t many. The shorter Campanula glomerata forms are also looking good with colour just showing or very close.
Bright gold foliage contrasts nicely with the deep blue flowers of Tradescantia Blue and Gold making it a popular choice. The strong yellow flat flower heads of Achillea Moonshine contrast so well with its grey green foliage, always a favourite. The buds are there and the colour won’t be far behind. The lovely red’s Achillea Paprika and Red Velvet have also produced its first flower stems and several of the dwarf Dessert Eve series are producing flower shoots.
Primula beesiana (pale purple) and Primula x bullesiana (mixed colours) are just showing their flower heads among their strong rosettes of leaves. We have a lovely crop of Coreopsis Sunfire ready with buds just appearing. A bright two tone flower makes a very jolly summer display. The pretty little Foam Flower (Tiarella) are producing plenty of bud and flower now. They flower for an age.
The Verbascum Phoenician Hybrids have now showing their flower stems. A mix of colours they come quickly into bud producing pretty spikes of flower. Geum Lady Stratheden are always popular and have their first flower stems appearing. Dramatic Thalictrum flower shoots looking good above their aquilegia-like foliage. Geranium sangineum are showing a few buds now as temperatures rise.
Fabulous crops of fresh Delphiniums and Lupins ready now. Chunky, fresh and full of vim and vigour.
The first Astilbes are showing strong fresh growth and their flower buds are already there. Top tip; Take care to water regularly avoiding full sun and drying winds to prevent the buds drying out.
Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
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