We've had a few drops today and I can hear thunder rumbling so hoping for a bit more so the ground actually looks damp for a few minutes. I spoke too soon last week when I said the plants were doing well, the irrigation controller took the night off on Saturday and it took me most of Sunday to find the fault and fix it. A hot tense day! All up and working again now but this constant sun and heat does put me on edge.
The world cup distraction has just about petered out. Shame about England missing out, still they gave it a good go so no regrets. Great news about getting the young footballers out of the flooded caves, a fantastic international team effort. Nice to see what can be achieved by working together.
A desperately tense few days coming up with our trip to the big city to see the Queen, ok not the queen, but DEFRA headquarters and a minister or two, followed on Thursday by a large growers (in numbers not bulk) tour of the nursery. Hopefully we can tart up the site a bit by then and try to get it looking semi-professional, but with the amount of normal work to do there won't be much time for that, so they will just have to forgive us a few tunnels looking like a bomb has hit. It's that time of year between the spring/summer sales and a load of clearing up, and getting summer/autumn potting underway. I'm sure it will be fine, these things are never as bad as you fear.
Discovered another plastic alternative recently, this time for the kitchen and fridge. Beeswax impregnated cotton/hemp squares of various sizes to replace cling film. You drape it over the dish/bowl bend the edges and hold them while the heat of your hands moulds them to shape. Apparently it works really well keeping things fresh but allowing a little more air movement than cling film (no good for meats I am told). Reusable for quite a while, just cleans under the cold tap. We saw a New Zealand version first but have seen Canadian and now UK ones too.
A bit closer to home, we are hoping to have our new plastic-free colour pot labels available in the spring. Whether it's spring 2019 I'm not quite sure but I'm ever hopeful. Watch this space.
Availability highlights
Probably just for the next week, we have a fresh batch of Verbena bonariensis in bud and not very tall. I must have trimmed back the young plants at just the right time and just the right height to get them to look so strong, in bud and not bonkersly tall. They will mature to full height but at the moment are perfect for sale. I wish I knew what I've done right to achieve this!
The massively popular Erigeron karvinskianus Stallone is sprouting plenty of flower buds, full of promise and dainty colours. In case you hadn't noticed summer is here, cue Crocosmia in bud. Loads showing now, looking great, don't miss out. Fresh batches of ever popular Salvia are back on line, budding up well with more to come. The violet variety looks great. We are still desperately fighting off the pigeons who are attempting to munch through some of our scented Phlox Sweet Summer crop, they are looking great with buds and the odd open flower on a lovely range of colours.
The pretty white Erodium are in bud and showing a few open flowers, neat and floriferous. The hot and summery Salvia Hot lips are still going strong as we move onto another fresh batch with buds bursting and colour showing. Viola's are again showing well, with colour and bud. Another fresh batch. Keeping the batches small and regular is the key.
A few of the Asters are beginning to show signs of flowering. Fantastic plants of the mildew resistant Asmo are throwing up plenty of bud, compact and chunky, producing pale Lilac flowers very soon. One of the earliest and most popular varieties is Flora's Delight which are budding and showing a bit of colour already,
Among the new varieties this summer are a new compact selection of Calamintha. Both are carrying masses of buds on very bushy plants with a few flowers opening although only a few left. Eucomis are just beginning to throw up their creamy yellow flower stalks. We have four long flowering Helianthemum this summer (pink, yellow and white) most carrying plenty of bud and a few open flowers other than The Bride which looks fab with its silver/grey foliage but not showing bud just yet.
We are also trying out another couple of short new Achillea varieties, Milly Red and Milly Rose, both are looking great, short and strong with bud and some colour showing. We also have fresh short batches of the Achillea Dessert Eve varieties too Still a few garden pinks left but not many. These Dianthus are all in bud, showing colour and smelling delicious.
Our last batch of hardy Fuchsia's are doing their thing, young and vigorous with loads of bud. More of the compact Monarda Balmy series are reaching that smart early bud stage, compact and tidy and so attractive to the bees and butterflies.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
No comments:
Post a Comment