Morning all,

Definite autumnal feel to this weekend with a much fresher feel to the breeze. Having said that it looks like a brief taste o f summer again early next week so it’s not all wind and frost just yet. A pleasant September would be just great, a little sale action wouldn’t go amiss before we slip into the financial desert of the winter. Plant growth of the new stock is strong whic h is good and if we get a nice run now we will have a lovely batch of stock bursting forth in the spring. We are slightly ahead on the potting front at the moment although that could all go bit pear shaped after next week when we have a mass exodus of staff. We have several holidays booked and our regular seasonal agency crew finish then too. I’m hoping we will have zipped through the last main potting batch by then, leaving just a few odds and ends to do over the rest of the month, otherwise there could be some late nights coming up.

Bank holiday visitations went brilliantly with lots of merriment. We even managed to get a bit of help to weave some string into the bottom of the long electric fence around the chicken run where we have had a couple of accidents with hedgehogs getting stuck in the netting. Unfortunately we do have a local fox knocking about so the fence is vital to prevent foul play and loss of production, but the string looks like it will do the trick. With two engineers doing the bulk of the work there was a lot of initial planning involved but it was worth it. Not quite such a good outcome for me though. After complaining about ageing issues last week I managed to mess up my back sitting in a chair weaving the string into the netting. Despite copious drugs, ice packs

and the trusty back-brace I am still struggling and week later. At least I can now get my own shoes and socks on so things  are improving.

Harvest on the farm still bowling along and it looks like another dry week will see the back of virtually all the crops inclu ding the linseed that is always last and late. Yesterday they cut the wheat field behind the nursery which was very dusty but quickly done. Everything was so dry that the straw contractors were baling the straw within a couple of hours of the combine cutting the crop. Making hay while the sun shines.

Better go and walk about a bit, I can feel the back stiffening (about time) as I sit here . 

Availability

Aster Purple Dome bursting forth with its short height and big purple flowers. Mildew resistant and showy, a great plant for any garden. The other asters are not far behind as we move into the post summer holiday period including some strong Aster Monch which is always a favourite.

We have a fresh batch of Anemones coming into their own. Strong plants with flower stems appearing either now or i n the next week or two.

The short Verbena bonariensis Lillipop is in flower and a fresh batch of Verbena bonariensis is looking strong and chunky. The grasses are coming into their own at the moment as many blooms pass by. Carex Evergold and Ice Dance both look fantastic. The silver variegated Miscanthus Morning Light is very strong this year and Panicum Prairie Sky looks great too with its upright, elegant blue/grey foliage and flower stems bursting forth.

Box returns

If you have any of our empty wooden trays ready to return please do let us know (email is fine) and we will arrange to pop in and pick the up when we are next in the area. It may take a little while if you are far away but we will try and put together some efficient runs to keep costs and carbon footprints down. Don’t worry if the boxes are damaged as we will still record them as returned and may well be able to repair them through the winter. If we can’t repair them we can break them up for the wood-burner and I can toast my cocktail sausage during those long winter evenings. If you have sold some on to your customers please let us know so we can get the figures balanced. It is really important we get these boxes returned so we can maintain such a good looking and sustainable delivery and display system. 

Eco news

Just lost another expensive light ballast in the growth room and we have no spares, so I need to buy another batch of LED lights and fittings to replace the florescent tubes that the ballast runs. You would think this would be easy but the rate of change in the lighting industry is so quick that I am having to await new information from Philips before I can order. We put in our first LEDS 2 years ago and although they have performed really well and used at least 60% less energy the technology has moved on and by March this year they had improved the design and halved the cost. I thought I could now trial some of the new type but on enquiry have found that things have moved on again and I have to wait to hear about those changes. It’s all go. Can’t wait to hear that the spec is even better and the cost reduced! We live in hope.

Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries