Good morning all.

Just a quick one, too much to do. Lovely to have a long weekend last week but two four day weeks does put the pressure on a bit at this time of year, especially when the weather is kind to us. I’m not quite sure why a bank holiday seems like a break for me, I suppose the change in staffing levels makes a change and a change is as good as a rest. To be fair we only worked half the day on Sunday so we could fit in the roast lunch which was fabulous. The rest of the weekend was very productive with various shifts coming in, various jobs getting tidied up and the orders that came in being sorted out. I can’t believe there is another one next weekend, time flies.

Lots of nematodes applied over the nursery over the last week to combat the vine weevil and slugs, an evening job to keep the bugs from being damaged by the ultra violet light of the sun and put on through the irrigation lines via the diluter. My Blue Peter training paid up again producing a very effective bubbling bucket which keeps the nematode mix thoroughly mixed and aerated before disappearing up the diluter tube. All with the help of some air compressor pipe and fittings, a pressure control valve, some old aluminium scrap and a couple of bulldog clips a masterpiece of engineering. We are using a mix of nematodes to extend the effectiveness and applying at half rate, three times in the spring and again three times in late summer/autumn to get extra coverage.

Availability
Buds are appearing on the Centaurea dealbata, stonking plants ready to roll.
The short Scabious Blue Note we have are neat and showing their first buds.
Veronica gentianoides has loads of flower shoots appearing, beginning to display their delightful pale blue flowers. Almost impossible to photograph as the flowers always look white in the picture, missing out on the subtle beauty of the real thing.
Lots Geraniums are showing bud and first colour, with a few Gravetye left, carrying bud and a few brilliant blue flowers. The Geranium cantabriense varieties have their first flowers opening with lots of bud to follow.
Campanula glomerata varieties are showing plenty of bud and some early colour.
Monster Lupins, very strong and the taller varieties are showing the first signs of flower buds. A funny line, quite often requested as small plants for a longer shelf life by the garden centre buyers but the first to disappear as a budded plant at any plant show and in big numbers.
Flower stems and buds on the Aquilegia Barlow range. The super dark Barlow Black is always a favourite but only a few left.
Delphs are always a pain to grow, shooting up so quickly when the mood takes them. We have a fresh batch of short bushy stock as well as a few taller ones showing bud and colour. Those in colour are restricted in range and number so please express your desires on your order (just letting me know if you want ‘taller colour’ or short and bushy will be fine, and we will sor t it) The ever popular Geum’s are producing flower shoots. No colour yet but it won’t be long.
The first of the Salvias are throwing up their first flower stems and buds, with the promise of lots more to come. Brunnera varigata are producing their spring vibrant blue flowers, looking perky, just a very few left.
White Armeria maritima have plenty of buds and the odd dab of colour, always a popular neat pot full. Both Pyrethrum (Red & roseum(pink)) are close to colour with nice fat buds shooting up.
Fabulous, good looking, very strong and very popular non-flowering plants at the moment include,Alchemilla, Sedum, Rudbeckia and Echinacea varieties, don’t miss out.

Nature ramblings
Exactly two weeks after the swallows arrived, the first house martins are back. Not many yet, hoping for more as so many left here at the end of last year. Hopefully the Maltese haven’t shot them as they journeyed back. I noticed the Maltese travel promoters are plugging themselves as a holiday destination on the TV at the moment, we sent them an email to say that we wouldn’t consider it until they did something about this pointless slaughter. No response yet!
We have two nests spotted on site so far, a robin in a crate of scrap pots and a pied wagtail in my luxury wood store. Both nearly got done away with before being spotted, as we were about to empty the crate and I was clearing the wood store. Now we have to wait, a good excuse to avoid tidying up I suppose. Difficult to resist having a peak, the robins nest is in a very busy spot but she seems quite comfortable with the large number of visits.

Have a good one, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries