Hairy Heatwave

Morning all,
Sorry I missed last week's news, I was rather overcome with emotion at the arrival of some cooler temperatures and a lovely day and night of rain. It took me quite by surprise that I was so affected, I don't think I quite appreciated how stressed I was getting with the relentless heat and lack of precipitation. I took full advantage and spent the entire weekend getting stuck into those jobs that were too hot to cope with a day or two before. It was great, the rain was beating on the tunnel roof and I was able to wear a shirt, sweat shirt and a coat and be perfectly comfortable. Seems like a distant memory again now we are back into the 30's, but hopefully it is going to cool again in a few days.
It seems that this summers dry hot weather and the super hot temperatures in Europe are perhaps focussing a lot of people's attention on climate change and what could be the implications of more frequent weather events like this. The dairy industry is struggling, some of the arable crops this summer are appalling and the veg farms are warning of crop shortages and price rises. Guy Watson who started and now helps run the Riverford organic veg box scheme writes a piece each week to accompany their delivery and the panic setting in at the sustained pressure on the crops, really brings the situation home. The reservoirs on their farms are running out, newly planted crops are struggling to get away and the established crops not yielding as they should. Even if the rain comes there will still be knock-on effects for months to come. With the huge extra interest this year in single use plastics on top of all this, are we actually going to get a more mainstream reaction by the public and industry to look at sustainability with some urgency rather than paying it lip service as most have done in the past. I do hope so and I hope we are not too late.
Anyway back here in the exciting world of hairy nursery life, this week I am feeling very fulfilled (it doesn't take much). After a couple of weeks of blocked pipe-work in a certain very inaccessible and undesirable area, I dismantled and fitted a new more easily maintained system with a super flow and no leaks. It took three frustrating goes to get all the right sized pipe, fittings and universal connectors plus a couple of new bottle traps but I got there in the end. What a relief, in so many ways!
Despite the heat we are ploughing on trying to keep on top of the orders, tunnel clearing and potting, productivity is suffering a bit, we just can't do anything as quickly in this heat and a few plants are not liking it either. However we can't complain too much at least we are able to keep most crops watered and growing, and our temperatures are nothing like the levels not too far away in Europe.
Must go, I've got the potting to finish and the watering-in to get done.
Availability highlights
A fresh crop of the compact and floriferous Coreopsis Illico are now producing plenty of bud.
Nice vigorous batches of the compact Geum Cooky and Koi are both showing bright and eye catching colour. Only available a few weeks each year, we have just a few Platycodon Astra Blue left. This blue Balloon Flower is a joy to behold but a bit of a pain to grow neatly in a pot, hence the short production runs. Get in quick if you fancy some before they are gone.
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 some 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, opening into pale lilac flowers very soon. 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.
Eucomis are throwing up their creamy yellow flower stalks. What a delightful description for quite a dramatic plant. 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 tight bud. We have a few Geum Totally Tangerine this week, no bud as yet but very strong plants. A new one to us but it was recommended and I couldn't resist.
Have a good week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.