Hairy escape

Hi Everyone,

 Marginally quieter this week, but still plenty of distractions from potting which we are desperate to get on with. We did get a fair amount done and we have a gang in again tomorrow just to catch up a bit again, so it's not a disaster, just not quite ideal. We seemed to have a lot of people missing this week, a combination of well earned holidays, illness and car breakdowns conspired to scupper the master plan, but hey-ho we are still here planning and producing for next year, which is something we weren't sure was going to happen a few short months ago.

We had one of our regular plant health inspections today which is always a bit of a worry, but thankfully all was well with the plants in stock. The main point of discussion was all the changes to plant importing and exporting that go along with leaving the EU. We have prepared as much as we sensibly can so far, signing up to the government online sites that deal with all the admin involved with all the new rules etc. These online sites are now apparently out of date and will be unable to cope with the volume of trade involved once January is upon us (they deal with all goods coming in and out) so new ones are going to be introduced at some point. No one is quite sure yet what the new rules, tariffs, admin procedures or extra costs are likely to be, as negotiations are still ongoing. This means we can't do much more in the way of preparation ourselves other than try and sort out an import agent who can sort as much of the admin as possible and coordinate all parties. I can't really get my head round the whole idea at the moment, but hopefully it will turn out simpler than it sounds. We know it will add to the cost of our young plants but by how much is also an unknown at the moment. All imported plants are due to go to regional hubs to be inspected by the authorities because there is no room at the ports which will add further cost, but the hubs don't yet exist and it is due to start on Jan 1st. It's a good job none of us have anything else to worry about at the moment!

On a lighter note, we had our first NBIS meeting for 6 months this week. A small group of us meet up to compare figures etc and have a catch up. It's as much a therapy session as anything and it was great to see a few familiar faces again over fish and chips and a small beer. The weather was glorious so we managed to all sit outside, nicely socially distanced and discus what an interesting few months we had all experienced. We have a broad range of producers represented, but no bedding growers, who were impacted the hardest by the lockdown. Consequently it was a series of tales of great escapes from impending disaster. We have a few who market through the internet who had tales of the manic chaos and feelings of guilt that took over during lockdown. They knew how others were suffering, but at the same time they struggled to cope with the astonishing demand. Then there were the others supplying the retailers, who lost their main markets for the peak season but found their own way through the lockdown and out the other end into the stresses of satisfying huge consumer demand in the garden centres for the following weeks. We are all thankfully ok now, just rather shell-shocked and tired. Everyone was excited about the prospects for continued high demand into next year, but unsure quite what to do about it. I think we will make it up as we go along, just for a change!

Availability list highlights

Salvia nemerosa varieties are all begining to bud up nicely. Particularly good this week are fresh plants of Pink Marvel which we haven't had this year yet and Blue Marvel too. The Pink is in colour and the Blue close behind. They carry bigger flowers than most other varieties and good strong colour. Don't miss them I don't think they will hang around long.

Ajuga's are looking great, bold fresh foliage. New on for this week are a fresh batch of Liriope muscari which are producing flower stems now. Achillea Terracotta are in bud. I don't have many but they look good. Persicaria Taurus and the more compact Inverleith are both in bud and showing some red colour.

Strong batch of Nepeta Walkers Low in bud and a fresh bushy batch of the properly compact Junior Walker is looking strong. Osteospermum Tresco Purple are erupting into bud now with the odd open flower. Hopefully enough for a few more weeks. Last few Cosmos Chocamocha left, buds appearing and loads of potential.

New batches of Salvia Amethyst Lips and Hot Lips are in bud again, short and bushy and ready to go. Erodium Bishops Form are still going strong, the flowers just go on and on. Erigeron Stallone are back in numbers. Loads of bud showing and a flash of colour on the current batches. As the summer moves on we shift into Aster season. We have a great range of healthy chunky stock at the moment and the buds are now showing.

Aster frikartii Monch looking healthy. Nice bushy fresh batch. Tradescantia Blue & Gold still going strong, buds still popping up. Fresh Helleborous are now on the list, ready to plant out now for a flower show this winter. We have the first few niger and orientalis on the list now as well as some strong chunky foetidus and argutifolius. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.