Good
morning to all.

Rain
slowed up a bit down here this weekend, it looks like a lovely day today, just
right for a day out which is why this is going to be a brief update. Special
treat of a lunch and museum trip with friends, we know how to live it up! I’m
anticipating a refreshing and inspiring day out to set us up for the week
ahead, can’t wait.

Talking
of refreshing and inspiring stuff, there are some people and businesses that I
have seen over the years that have helped sustain my desire to be part of the
great industry we play about in. Sometimes they are the more obvious
influential big players but at other times the smaller enterprises provide a
much more realistic life affirming boost. One of those I have known over a very
long time is Penwood Nurseries near Newbury. A family run business with a
commercial but practical, gentle and understanding approach to running their
nursery. It is a model I have always admired and rather envied. Tim picked up
some plants this week and just reminded me what a strong and influential family
he is part of. Keep it up, it doesn’t matter if you are big or small we all
make a difference.

Recovery
from all those storms progressed brilliantly this week when we grabbed a window
of opportunity on Tuesday and re-covered two tunnels, including the heated twin
skinned beast. We seem to have fitted and sealed it together really well so very
little air escapes and successfully mounted and plumbed in the new little
inflation fan that holds the skins apart. We also added a little extra feature
of a non-return flap into the system which means that we can turn the fan off
for short periods and it doesn’t deflate back through the fan mechanism. In
fact this morning I’ve re-set it to only come on 20 mins in each hour rather
than the situation with the old fan which ran continuously. Should do the job
and reduce power use a bit.

January
so far looks ok on the turbine front, a nice steady breeze most of the week
kept that meter ticking over.

If you
would like to see a quick preview of the new 2014 catalogue try the following
link which takes you to a downloadable version or visit our website.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gm72fckfp2f2wbm/herbaceous%26herb%20catalogue%202014%20Oct%2013%20full%20DL%20no%20pr.pdf

Availability

I know
it’s very early in the year but the wild weather has at least kept things
fairly mild so we have some very nice looking stock at the moment should you
wish to do a little restocking for the New Year, ready for the start of mega
2014 spring plant sales.

Growth
is generally fairly tight as is usual at this time of year but there are
definite signs of growth and even the odd bud or two on some lines.

This
seasons Euphorbia’s are looking great and many of the Erysimums are already
showing signs of budding up. The Helleborus niger have a few buds too and the
primroses are showing their spring colour already.  Our new dwarf spring daffs are up and chunky,
although I only have a few.

Box
returns

Lots
of boxes have been successfully repatriated so thanks for the great response to
the appeal I sent out for their return. I know there are still a few out there
so please do let us know if you have any ready to collect and we will schedule
them in for collection when we are next close by. Alternatively if there aren’t
too many we may elect to pick them up on the next delivery in the up and coming
spring rush!

Cheers.

Have a good one, from all
at Kirton Farm Nurseries