Another manic week, we sold out of quite a few flowering lines which always leaves me slightly panicky. Should I have grown more or should I be relieved that the weather has been with us and they sold? Lots more stock to come over the coming months so the list will continue to change and develop with lots of opportunities to sell more!
Not too much other stuff to report over the last 10 days really, I haven't managed to get off site since the spring rush really got going. I am welded to the wooden label printer in any spare moments, trying to keep up with demand from despatch.
We put out our first batch of pest predators last week, although it got so cold I can't imagine they were very active. It is always a tricky decision as to what to release and when as they are quite expensive and just to let them go in open ended tunnels always seems a bit of a potential waste. We just have to try to make their start on the nursery as easy as we can by positioning and releasing them in the best environment we can find and trust they get on with it. To be fair after several years of using them we do find that the background level of pests does seem to be well controlled with just the odd outbreak needing further spot treatment form either more predator or some spray.
Richard our new driver has been learning the ropes getting used to our smaller delivery vans. We both had a bit of a senior moment earlier, difficult to believe but he is even older than me, when he couldn't get the satnav to turn on and I went over to help but couldn't get it to go either. Brilliant, just as we were sending him off into the blue yonder the thing dies on us. Having called for help from a younger brain we realised we were trying to turn on the reversing camera not the satnav! I think I need a lie down.
Caroline has slipped away early tonight with her brother to go and watch Saints lose to Liverpool. I'm sure she'll make up the time over the weekend, she has got a van full of micro-propagated young plantlets to fill for first thing Monday so that should keep her out of trouble.
We could have had a chat about Brexit but I'm afraid I need to press on with my label printing. so I'll leave you to enjoy the press coverage of all that stuff, while I put my headphones on and get stuck in. Sometimes it's nice to have your own little world to live in.
Availability highlights
The ever popular Erysimums are looking fabulous as we get into spring. All looking very smart. Colour showing on most varieties now as the first flowers begin to open. The Shasta Daisy Leucanthemum May Queen is now elongating into bud. Lovely simple big daisy flowers always make this a popular plant, but it is on the larger size so won't hang about here long.
The compact Erodium Bishops Form are beginning to put on a show, they go on for months producing their deep pink flowers. The ever-giving Salvia nemerosa varieties are all coming into or are very close to bud. Compact and attractive they will repeat flower through the summer especially after a tidying hair cut of the old flower stems. The leaf aroma is not my favourite but you can't have everything!
Although not in flower, the Hostas are mostly up and looking smart. A fab range with the leaves just beginning to unfurl. The attractive grey leaved Achillea Moonshine is producing bud now, it will be a little while before they are big enough to colour up, but they are full of promise. The popular Achillea Paprika is showing signs of the occasional flower stem but not quite enough the mark it on my list.
The earliest of the Campanula are coming into bud now. We are sadly out of the Takion White now for a week or two, but we have a very nice batch of the Takion Blue. Campanula glomerata Alba and Superba are both producing flower stems, with colour just round the corner.
The dinky Geum Koi are now showing their first bright orange flowers. Verbascum Phoenician Hybrids are just beginning to throw up their flower stems. A bit of warmth and they will romp away. Our own sourced wild primrose (Primula vulgaris) are still going strong and still producing fresh buds and flower. The last few spring flowering Pulmonarias are showing lots of bud now with most now showing pretty opening flowers. Attractive variegated foliage of Ajuga Burgundy Glow makes an attractive backdrop to the spikes of early flowers..
The deep violet spring flowering and super scented Viola labradorica are looking great after their winter haircut. Euphorbia purpurea are looking great with short strong arching stems producing their early spring display of yellow bracts over the purple foliage. E. robbiae are following close behind. Do watch out for the milky sap which is an irritant. Chunky Lupins on the list this week, having been cut back over winter they are now leaping into strong bushy growth.
Have a great week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
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