Every cloud has a silver lining. The autumn rain puts a damper on many activities but it is topping up the very low local water levels down here and pushing the wind turbines round nicely. If the forecast is right over the next couple of weeks we could have a good run of output and catch up a bit on our slightly low numbers for this year. Night time temperatures are not too bad which should give the predatory nematodes I released last Saturday a good run at knocking out any vine weevil grubs they find, which makes me feel better about settling the last of the predator invoices. At this time of year when I see the totals spent on predators for the season it looks like a pretty major investment and all we do is let them go free in the tunnels. They are so small we can't see them actually doing anything, we just have to assume they are doing their job, based on the evidence of low pest populations. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
The bulb potting was finished this week and the top of despatch is matching the bottom with the level of congested mayhem. We have trolleys and trolleys of potted stock all waiting for those roots to get going and shoots to burst through. We put them onto trolleys initially to try and delay the local rodents from tucking into a free lunch. In the past we have had complete batches wiped out where we put them straight onto the beds, but the trolley trick allows them to be a bit more established before we put them down. It adds a bit more handling to the job but at least we can be more sure of getting a crop out of it in the end. Live and learn.
I managed an evening out last Saturday with a jive ball at the Guildhall. A big do with hundreds of party goers, it was a great night out despite a dodgy start and finish. Having scrubbed up fairly well from a day on the nursery, I arrived in my DJ and best shoes to find a host of security bouncers on the door. Wanting to make a cool and grown up entrance in front of the welcoming committee, I skipped up the stone steps, tripping over my own feet and landing on my hands and knees in front of them. Cool or what. The evening was rounded off by a dash back to the car park in heavy rain. I avoided the ramp which I had seen earlier had a muddy puddle at the bottom in favour of the steps. Stayed upright this time but didn't see the puddle in the dark at the bottom. One step in, sod it, another step, a bit deeper, another and I'm in over my laces. So I arrived in my best shoes and left not. This is why old folk don't go out much, we are such an embarrassment in public.
If anyone was paying attention last week you may recall I videoed Caroline resetting the turbine blade tip. Well I found a young person to help get it off my phone so here it is, it is a bit pixelated but you can get the drift of what's going on. The technique used is to push the blade away from you and as it swings back, hit it with your special foam covered extendable pole. The tip then pops back into position.
Wooden box collections
We are up to our necks now in cleaned and drying boxes as we draw close to finishing our big autumn sweep. There are pallets of them already stacked up nice and dry in the barn ready for next season, with the bottom of despatch festooned with carefully balanced piles of boxes all vying for that rare bit of sunshine or breath of drying air movement to get fully dried off. Thanks to all those for helping out with the collection and if anyone still has any trays ready to go just drop me a line and we will pop in when next close by. I know we have another Manchester run next week and a couple into London too, so by the end of the week we should have covered most bases. In this case all that reuse/recycling does work, well done to all.
Availability highlights
Autumn evergreen coloured foliage seems to be a popular theme among the remaining stock in flower, We have fab looking Ajuga in an attractive range along with the lovely Euphorbia's. Winter interest lines in evergreens bowls along too, with a few Hellebores in stock and the Bergenia's coming back on line. Yet another fresh batch of Erigeron Stallone is in bud, it just goes on and on.
The next batches of our mini Chrysanthemum (Garden Mums) are looking colourful. Lovely bushy plants with lots of flower and bud and more to come. A good range of colours, showing off nicely.
Autumn must be here with Sedum Autumn Joy in bud. We have trimmed them short to flower low, but the flowers are still making a great show.
The neat little Erodiums are flowering well. Neat and tidy, they will flower for ages. We have an ongoing flower flush on the ever popular Scabiosa Butterfly Blue. Autumn flowering Cyclamen hederifolium are now showing great colour. Cyclamen coum varieties are now beginning to bud up and flower. These hardy stars will flower from now until mid Spring. Nicely subtle bloomers with a constant feed of new flower rather than one huge flush.
Have a great week from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.
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