Hairy mayhem

 

Morning all,

I can't believe I'm so frazzled already and it's only just gone the middle of March. The weather has taken a slight turn for the better, cool but dry and the odd flash of spring warmth in the sunshine. I might be panicking even more if we had experienced 19C as they did in Edinburgh on Thursday, although the plants might grow a bit faster. Needless to say it has been busy again, this is now 4 weeks on the trot of record sales for the time of year, and for three of those weeks, we only bettered them in the mad three weeks after Lockdown1 ended.

Sorry about the decimation of the herb range, high demand and those pesky rabbits have taken their toll. Fresh crops are on the way but it will take a while. The nibbled crops are now fighting back and we are trying to eliminate the rabbit issue by introducing some instant lead poisoning dispensed at night, although the first night raid went unrewarded, it's not plain sailing. I think last Sundays Solent radio interview went ok, I daren't listen back, it would be way too embarrassing, but I can't remember any huge mess ups. I am told it is on the BBC Sounds app, Radio Solent, Rebecca Parker, March 14th about 1.5hrs in. Probably a good listen if you can't get off to sleep (you can listen here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p098grx7).

All the extra planning and investment preparing for the spring madness has resulted in the usual mayhem. Despite ordering our new van back in October we are still waiting on delivery. Firstly the imported chassis cab got delayed in the Brexit chaos and now the roof manufacturer has had an outbreak of covid and had to shut the factory for two weeks. Should be early April with a bit of luck. Good job I didn't sell the old van in the winter as I very nearly did. To add to the transport excitement, the van we got this time last year, had a manufacturers recall for a potential serious part defect in the steering system. It had to go for an immediate check with the potential for it to be taken off the road for 2 weeks while they wait for the replacement parts to arrive. Not entirely sure why the parts weren't already in stock but what do I know. Luckily the Southampton Fiat dealers booked us in the next day for a check up and we passed, so panic over. Not the perfect approach to Easter excitement. Meanwhile the drill holding bolt sheared off on the potting machine and the next batch of compost got delayed because of a lack of available shipping containers to bring in the coir ingredient. On the plus side I have squeezed in an extra delivery of coir pots for the summer to ensure we don't run out, but it is going to cost us a bit. The next container set sail this week with a cost increase from £1,200 to £4,000 for just the container transport. Supply and demand is all out of kilter at the moment and we are hoping it gets back to normal soon, otherwise it is going to make a bit of a dent in the finances. This is the bit of commerce that I am not very comfortable with, prices rising because demand is higher than supply, I would just feel so guilty. Fair enough if costs overall increase, but to profit excessively from your long standing customers is just not cricket. This might be why I work in a shed (it is a very nice shed).

Old fart issues aplenty after another birthday last week. Caroline gave me a fab little credit card wallet made from cork in an effort to secure my financial welfare. Too late. Tried to find my cards to put in them and they had gone. I've not been anywhere, so they couldn't be far away, so let's wait a few days and they will pitch up. Searched high and low for a week, gave up and cancelled them, only for them to turn up hours later! New one arrives the next day, will it work, not a hope, even after a call to the card folk. Now I'm completely dependent on Caroline paying for everything, I think it's a plot.

Box return appeal

Please do send back any empty wooden trays you may have accumulated, we are pretty desperate for them at the moment, otherwise we won't have anything to send the plants out in. I have another batch on order to bulk things up a bit, but at close to £10 a box this year, by the time we have printed and constructed them ourselves, it is not a cheap option to simply increase stock levels. I know they are an investment and over many years of multiple use they are still great value, but they only earn their keep if they are in proper repetitive use. Thanks.

Availability list highlights

New on the list this week are the Pulsatilla with bud showing already in two colours. Another big batch now showing are the Dicentra spectabalis. The white form is about a week ahead of the pink, but both show bud almost instantly they are up. There are a few lovely wild primroses (P. vulgaris) grown from seeds I collected from the farm wood on top off our hill.

Glimpses of the strong blues of Scilla sibirica are beginning to show, spring is on the way. Fab Anemone blanda White Splendour have appeared now, popping up all over the pot and immediately showing bud. We have a nice range of the evergreen Bergenia's in stock all propagated in our microprop lab, I can see the centre buds swelling ready to produce flower stems, so it won't be long before they do their thing.

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries