Blank and Hairy

Morning
Another nice drop of rain yesterday and last night and a lovely fresh and bright morning. This is how summer should be. I've been able to dial down the irrigation a bit this week and many of the plants are looking quite relieved at the lower temperatures. The farm are slightly frustrated that the rain came when it did as they had less than a day left of the main harvest which would just have left the later crops like linseed to do in a few weeks. They may get a chance today if it dries off enough and get it in before tomorrow which looks pretty damp down here. Although we are on thin chalk soil here which drains quickly, the sub soil still holds on to plenty of moisture and the water tables haven't dropped too far despite the scorching summer so there are only a few very poor yields and the rest isn't too bad. That's one advantage of growing the wide range of crops and varieties that they do. Life is more complex but it spreads the risk. In a good 'normal' summer the main harvest does well to finish by the August bank holiday so to finish now is nearly a record. I think it was 76 when they finished by the end of July but the farm was a bit smaller then and less varied in its crops. Anyway it will be a relief to all to see it safely in without any drying to do, just the panic to follow to sow the next lot!
Our harvest continues will plants still rolling out looking great. We are well into potting next Spring's crops now with a bit more time on our hands. We are never quite as far along with it as I would like and we only need a cool dewy morning like today and I start to panic that autumn and winter aren't far away. I'm looking at my log pile and thinking that I need to get that restocked especially after visiting a friend who had a monster stack all ready to go. Definite case of log envy.
We are coming up to the deadline for entering all our sustainable achievements in the local Green Impact scheme we belong to. It's all online and fairly easy to enter the info but the number of categories' to fill in is a bit daunting at first. I've had a couple of goes this week and broken the back of it but an email came round yesterday to remind us of the deadline and ranked all the local entrants for the amount of points they had scored. Apparently it is all very close but we were only forth so that spurred me back into action. In theory this is not a competitive event, we are all just doing our bit, but it's a bit like yoga which is also meant to be none judgmental or competitive you can't help yourself at times. My downward dog is pretty good and I do a brilliant Shavasana, mind you I've always been good at lying on my back with my eyes shut, and making by mind go blank is only a tiny step from everyday life!
Availability highlights
Lobelia speciosa varieties are in colour again, compact bushy plants in a range of colours, looking lush. A fresh crop of the compact and floriferous Coreopsis Illico are now producing plenty of bud and a bit of colour. Nice vigorous batches of the compact Geum Cooky and Koi are both showing bright and eye catching colour.
The massively popular Erigeron karvinskianus Stallone is sprouting plenty of flower buds, full of promise and dainty colours. Fresh batches of ever popular Salvia are back on line, looking fabulous, budding up well and showing colour. All varieties looking great, with Caradonna possibly the most dramatic with its more upright habit, dark coloured stems and deep violet flowers. It's a beauty.
Both Erodium varieties are in bud and showing a few open flowers, neat and floriferous.
The hot and summery Salvia Hot lips are still going strong and have suddenly started turning two tone in colour again after a rather red flowering session over the last few weeks. Not sure if the slightly cooler temperatures have caused the change but it's like looking at a different plant!
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, just beginning to open their pale lilac flowers. One of the earliest and most popular Aster varieties is Flora's Delight which are budding and showing colour already,
Viola Konigin Charlotte traditionally flowers in the spring with its deep violet colour and stunning scent, but we find it does produce a pretty smattering in the late summer too and sure enough that is what's occurring now.
Our summer/autumn flowering mini garden Chrysanthemums are on the list this week. They produce masses of small flowers on naturally bushy, compact plants and usually flower until the first frosts. All varieties are in now in bud and I noticed one bud opening this morning on the Branbeach White. We have a few Geum Totally Tangerine this week, the odd bud appearing on very strong plants. A new one to us but it was recommended and I couldn't resist.
Foliage starts to be of interest at this time of year and there are some good shows of colour from the Carex Evergold, Ajuga, Heuchera, Lamium and Euphorbia. Euphorbia Tiny Tim is a new one to us this year, a tidy tight habit with bronzed foliage.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.