Hairy DIY

Hi Everyone,

Labels, labels, labels. So much background stuff going on in our efforts to be super ready for a busy spring, with labels this week being top of the list. I got my massive colour label order in nice and early this autumn thinking that was most of the hard work done on that front, but no, I forgot the next job of proof-reading the new ones that follows on. Not only that but because of the new plant passport formats being introduced, I have to proof-read the entire range! At least it is now a job I can do online and ask for any changes very easily on the screen. I made a start on Wednesday and quickly blew up the few remaining brain cells I have left, after seeing the scale of the job. One of the issues is that I like to make the most of opportunities and improve stuff whenever we can, and when I see a space on a label I want to fill it with extra useful info for the ultimate consumer. The number of these opportunities was bigger than I had realised, so I removed the toys from the pram and gave up. I contacted the label maker to see if they could adjust and expand the content for me, which they said they could do, but it would result in a significant delay in the timing of the delivery. Ouch. So after a quick discussion, I came to terms with the fact that if we wanted it done we had to do the additional work ourselves and get it done fairly snappily, so production didn't get delayed. Once that decision was made it actually helped me mentally. The realisation that if we wanted to make the best of the labels, we just had to bite the bullet and get on with it, all the doubt and angst was taken out of the equation and revitalised those last few remaining brain cells. The result is that most other work has gone on hold for a few days, while we battle through the mire. Luckily Boris has helped out a bit by sticking the whole of Hampshire into Tier 2 and scuppering the short break with friends to sunny St Ives we had booked for the end of Lockdown2. That has given us several extra free days to sort things out and I can't say I was that surprised. With the vaccines on the way there is plenty of light at the end of the tunnel, we just have to be extra careful until then, all sensible stuff really.

All the above fun will delay the production of our 2021 online catalogue, but I will endeavour to get a summary one out very soon, just so you can see all the latest stuff, new varieties and prices for the coming season. There will be a modest price rise of approx 2.5% (5p per pot) which technically won't cover the many cost increases incurred over the year (7% wage increase to mention just one), but with the increased consumer demand and site investments helping our efficiency and reducing waste, we should be ok. I know there could well be challenges with stock shortages across the trade again in the coming season, bearing in mind the extra consumer demand, centres being open during the peak season, Brexit challenges, recovery from disrupted nursery production and potential propagation limitations. In theory the law of supply and demand could allow us to increase by a lot more, and I know some suppliers have spotted an opportunity to do this, but we are in this for the long haul and we would rather be fair than opportunistic with our customers and steer a steadier course. If this doesn't work we may have to adjust prices more next year, but I am ever hopeful it will all be ok in the end.

In my 'spare time' I have been researching 'click presses' which I never even knew existed before this week. I am looking at pressing out our own labels and possibly the header boards, with die cutters so that we can take advantage of printing all our marketing POS on completely plastic free materials. Most of our POS is already plastic free, but an annoying and stubborn last few bits remain. Current suppliers are not in a position to do it for us at the moment, yet the materials are out there to use. The problem seems to be that there isn't yet enough demand for them to try very hard to change their production set up, to supply us. Anyway it all looks quite promising and I'm hoping to make a few more small investments to kick off some trials to see if we can make it work. I can already see some more opportunities for efficiency savings in the future coming out of this, in both materials and labour use, but it is very early days and I am pretty used to grand ideas falling down, so don't hold your breath.

There may be a theme appearing in this missive. If a jobs worth doing, do it yourself. 

Availability list highlights

A nice range of Helleborous are now on the list, ready to plant out now for a flower show this winter. We have sold out of a couple of lines already but still have some great niger and orientalis on the list with some bud showing on the niger.

We have the longer flowering little Cyclamen coum available now as well. Only a few ready at the moment but they will flower all winter and into the spring. Only available this year in a mixed colour range and only in limited numbers. Ajuga's are still looking great, bold fresh foliage.

We have a nice range of the evergreen Bergenia's in stock. Watch out for the more unusual Dumbo which as it matures produces really big fleshy and rather hairy leaves, but this is a actually deciduous variety.

The ever popular Erigeron Stallone with bud on show and the odd open flower. They will often still be in colour at Christmas. Attractive foliage colour on our range of Heuchera. Young and fresh. Those were the days.

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries