Not very many Hairy perennials at all!

 Morning all,

Again last week's plan worked to a degree, but an even smaller degree than last week's! Sales plummeted by a whole 1% which basically means we are now out of stock of anything that could be described as a 'perennial range'. I'm sorry but we can't even offer a perennial selection of our own choice to make up a minimum order. Thankfully we did make it through to the end of last week and got round to everyone with an order of some size, even if it might not have been as much as you might have desired in a perfect world. We are now going to have to wait at least a week for some new growth to get going on the late winter potted crops and the cold nights haven't really helped on that front. I am fairly desperate not to send stock out without some major sign of root and shoot activity so we have to have a pause in supply, otherwise we will get over-stressed about letting people down on the quality front. Hopefully there will be a sudden rush of fresh supplies from lots of nurseries as we all bounce back from this manic start to the season. There is still plenty of time for things to catch up again once supplies recover, I am hoping a week or two's patience will pay dividends in the long run. 

I suspect there could be a huge surge in supply in the next few weeks which is going to be tricky for us all to cope with, but when I think back to this time last year when nearly all our customers were shut and we were in the middle of distributing most of our spring stock into the local communities, there are worse positions to be in. Hopefully we will all have another really long season, it's knackering I know, but fantastic for the cash-flow and feeling positive about the future of UK plant sales.

We are going to have a selection of herbs to offer again this week, so there are some sales opportunities, although I know it is a bit restrictive. I don't have enough volume of any particular herbs to put together a proper list, it will be pot luck again, although we will always listen to any guidance you want to give. Despite what Caroline might say I will try and listen to the guidance, even if occasionally I may forget and the run off the rails in the heat of battle. 

The wooden tray battle was won again but we did run out on 4 days of the 5 in the week and had to resort to emergency construction of the pre-prepared new box parts. Just about made it through and a quieter week (we hope) next week might help us recover the situation. Very pleased with the new boxes which look fab. It was quite hard to let them go out after all that effort.

Still no swallows here yet, although my sister in law spotted one while out on a walk last weekend, so they are about. I had a nice encounter with a tawny owl during the week. It was just off darkness in the evening on my way back up to the house and perched on the overhead power cable just ahead of me was the said owl. Unmistakable profile against the late evening sky and so close, he took off after a moment and languidly disappeared into one of the big trees in the garden. We hear them calling all the time but rarely see them, a lovely sight. 

Old van went into garage to investigate an Ad-blue electric fault which threatened to stop the van after a certain number of miles. Previously checked out by our garage, the dealer in Winchester and then the main one in Basingstoke this week. After having this fault for three weeks, it of course disappeared the instant it arrived at the big garage, they couldn't even find a log of the fault on the engine management computer. So we have it back, awaiting the next drama! 

Signs of payment action last week and the imminent arrival of the new van evaporated during the week after covid isolation issues at the constructors. Possibly late next week if all goes well, fingers crossed.

Must go, I have a 7.00am potting shift starting tomorrow (Saturday), then it's back to screen printing box sides and herb sowing for Sunday. I'm hopeful of a walk to spot swallows in October if all goes well. November holiday in St Ives is booked, it'll be here before you know it.

Take care out there, and don't forget the main thing, breath in and out. Can't go wrong.

There is still a Very Urgent Box return appeal

Please do send back any empty wooden trays you may have accumulated, we are REALLY, REALLY, desperate for them at the moment, otherwise we won't have anything to send the plants out in. The first few new box parts arrived this afternoon and we have more 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 or easy option to simply increase box stock levels. We are spending £40,000 on the new stock but that is not helping us yet. As things stand tonight I have enough boxes for about half a day's deliveries next week so we are very reliant on getting more returned. I know they are an investment on our part, 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

We can do a selection of our own choice of the herb range only for this coming week and can take a little guidance on any lines you don't need. We may have to restrict total volumes on orders to a trolley or possibly two of herbs, to ensure everyone who wants something will hopefully get some. We have a few more herbs than recent weeks with a few strawberries coming on line after recovering from earlier rabbit grazing, but still not many. There is lots more on the way, just not quite yet. 

If you are desperate we may be able to add the odd tray of perennials to the order, but it will only be the odd tray, we haven't a hope of making up anything like a full trolley.

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy transport

Morning all,

Ok so last week's plan worked to a degree. Our efforts to reduce sales volumes and eek out the remaining saleable plant and wooden box stock by having no availability list, reduced demand but only by about 15%, so we remain in a tricky position with even less saleable stock and still working hand to mouth on wooden box numbers. Thankfully we had a great response to the appeal for boxes to be returned and we managed to complete all orders in their boxes throughout the week, although a couple of days did rely on the van returning in the afternoon to get us to the end of the day. 

This week we are going to try the same strategy but will have to restrict volumes on orders to each customer to try and spread out the remaining stock as fairly as we can. It might not be as efficient as just selling out to the quickest bidder, but it seems the fairest option to us. I don't know how this will work out in practice or whether we will be able to fulfil all the orders but we will do our best.

Meanwhile back to nursery operations and their progress. We are currently breaking all records on potting each day, and each week, in an effort to get back on top of things. Our revisit to the principles of 'Lean' earlier in the season has paid dividends on order picking as well as the potting. Sure, we do have some extra staff, but even so our teams have done really well adapting to tweaks in processes and getting the job done. However we do keep adding more jobs to the list of things desperate to get done and the new box printing and construction is a biggie. I spent most of last weekend, when not potting, setting up the new screen printing frames for the new boxes and managed to get the box sides all printed for the first 300. They have now been treated and construction has started, but it all takes time, which is in short supply. I must say they look fab, almost too good to send out. It will takes weeks if not months to put together the 30,000 pieces of timber now sitting in the barn and there are another 30,000 coming in June. I'm hoping that a combination of returning trays and drip feeding in the new tray stock will see us through this crazy season. 

Hurrah, the new van is nearly ready, finance has been signed with just the final collection day to be sorted out. Could be later in the week with a bit of luck, just in time for the return of fresh stock and more deliveries. Meanwhile the old Peugeot (all of 5 years old) is due back in the garage on Tuesday to have its recently replaced Ad Blue system checked for an electrical fault which has restricted it's mileage to very local deliveries over the last couple of weeks. It runs so well when it goes!

Just about to order a new 7.5 tonne box van to keep up with the recent London emission rule changes. We misread the info and thought it was coming into force in October so are now paying £100 a day for every trip into the capital. We had pencilled in a new van for September and because of the various delays in delivery and production of vans we still won't get a new one until then anyway. 

Thankfully the rabbit population has definitely been dented and the favourite plants on Peters menu are showing good signs of revival, if they survived the attacks. The strawberries in particular are rushing back so should have a nice flush of those in the next few weeks. The high sales and depleted stock highlight the damage even more which is frustrating and I can't wait until we can compost the debris, clear the areas and get fresh stock on the beds, just give me a few spare days!

Must go, the potting team are one down and I'm supposed to be the 'gofer' today, keeping the machine running without stopping. Stunning blue skies again and I keep looking out for the first swallows, can't be long now, I know a few have been spotted along the coast not too far away. The rabbit patrol have been reporting good numbers of hedgehogs on the nursery which is great. They are spotting allsorts with their thermal imaging kit. The wonders of modern tech.

Very Urgent Box return appeal

Please do send back any empty wooden trays you may have accumulated, we are REALLY, REALLY, desperate for them at the moment, otherwise we won't have anything to send the plants out in. The first few new box parts arrived this afternoon and we have more 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 or easy option to simply increase box stock levels. We are spending £40,000 on the new stock but that is not helping us yet. As things stand tonight I have enough boxes for about half a day's deliveries next week so we are very reliant on getting more returned. I know they are an investment on our part, 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

Again no lists for this week for herbs or perennials, because stock levels are so very low. We can do a selection of our own choice if you wish from  a very limited range, and can take a little guidance on any lines you don't need. We will be restricting total volumes on most orders to a trolley of perennials (21 trays) and/or a trolley of herbs, to ensure everyone who wants something swill hopefully get some. We have a few more herbs than recent weeks with a few strawberries coming on line after recovering from earlier rabbit grazing, but still not many. Let's hope the weather warms and growth gets going. It's not ideal and I know everyone's sales will be hit, but if there is no saleable stock, there is no saleable stock. There is lots on the way, just not quite yet.

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Not much hairiness!

Morning all,

Right, it's complete madness out there!  I can't believe the number of people phoning up wanting to join up as stockists of our hairy pots. We have been turning away multiple sales opportunities every day, it seems lots of people have just run out of stock, which puts even more pressure on those of us who still have a smidgen left. This week saw our perennial stock levels decimated, to a point where I can't put together a practical availability list today for next week. With a limited list and so much demand, the items on the list sell out too quickly and then we can't supply what is ordered, which is really upsetting at this end. I hate to disappoint people and we try really hard not to, but it is becoming impossible to operate normally with the current pressure. Consequently we have decided to only offer a 'mixed selection' of both herbs and perennials for the next week or two, or three. You can give us a bit of guidance by letting us know of any specific 'no thanks' varieties but it is the only way we are going to be able to sensibly eek out the remaining saleable stock, without completely losing the plot. It is not ideal I know and we are hoping sales take a bit of a dip as a result of this action, because not only have the plant stocks got to have time to recover, but the wooden tray stocks too. 

This is the next challenge. By the skin of our teeth we got through this week, sending nearly all orders out in our wooden trays, but we are going to start next week with virtually no boxes in stock. We have a few coming back tonight and on Saturday, from the last of this week's deliveries, but we have been using up the boxes as the van is being unloaded, so haven't accumulated many at all on site. I have some new box parts here at last, but not many, and we have to print and construct them before we can use them, so it's not going to be easy. You will have to be prepared to accept deliveries for the next week or two in our plastic lattice production trays, which we will need returned over time. Hopefully you can transfer the pots into wooden trays you already have on site, to keep up your displays. I know it's a pain but it's our only choice at present. 

Ok, to add to the excitement we still have no new van  and the older one is knackered again. Not too serious we hope, but it has to go into a Peugeot garage and they can't do it until the 20th. We can do about 150 miles in it before it automatically refuses to restart, so we should get a couple of very local trips out of it, assuming it behaves. We lost two members of staff this week, moving onto pastures new, and still have one on long term illness, so no extra pressure there. Luckily the rest of the crew are performing heroically to get, not only the record number of orders out there, but also potting more than ever before. We not only took on more staff but also refreshed our Lean Management training earlier in the year and slimmed down some of the main tasks and it surprised us all on how much extra we could get done without too many extra hours. It is still quite tiring and there is still so much of the season to go, so I am trying to pace it so we don't all get too over tired and lose the plot completely. Compost and pot supplies are just about keeping up with the  extra work although it's a bit hand to mouth. 

Got a good deal on printing toner last week and ordered a good dollop for delivery in a couple of days. A week later we have one cartridge out of 40 delivered and the yellow ran out. Ordered some emergency next day delivery toner along with some other accessories, only to be informed later that it had all been despatched except for, you've guessed it, the yellow toner. The third supplier came up trumps and saved the day and we could print again.

It feels like a bit of a rant this week, sorry, but it's all a bit of a challenge at the moment. There have been moments when I have wanted to get off the ride we are all on, but I'm sure it will all work out in the end. I just have to accept that I can't be as perfect as I would like to be, and of course usually am! Just ask Caroline.

Very Urgent Box return appeal

Please do send back any empty wooden trays you may have accumulated, we are REALLY, REALLY, desperate for them at the moment, otherwise we won't have anything to send the plants out in. The first few new box parts arrived this afternoon and we have more 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 or easy option to simply increase box stock levels. We are spending £40,000 on the new stock but that is not helping us yet. As things stand tonight I have enough boxes for about half a day's deliveries next week so we are very reliant on getting more returned. I know they are an investment on our part, 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 

It's all damp and hairy and no one will touch it , please don't buy any more for a bit ! No list this week for herbs or perennials, because stock levels are so low. We can do a selection of our own choice if you wish, and can take a little guidance on any lines you don't need. We may restrict total volumes on larger orders to ensure everyone who wants some should get some. 

The herb range will operate on the same basis for a few more weeks until we can rebuild stock numbers. We have more herbs than recent weeks but still not many. Let's hope the weather warms and growth gets going. It's not ideal and I know our sales will be hit, but to be honest that would be quite handy for our own sanity!

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy shortages

Morning all,Ok, let's get straight down to it. I am so sorry to all those desperate for more plants, but we have a very reduced range and numbers available are not high. Sales are over 100% up on 2019 (which was our best year to date) and consequently the plant supply has been hit really hard. We have taken on more staff, ordered lots of plants compost and pots, but this surge has just about overwhelmed us. So far this year we have increased potting by 100% too, as we could see a busy season ahead of us, but there is going to be a lull between the overwintered crops and the spring potted ones where we may even stop producing a full availability list and just offer a mixed selection. With a very short list sent out, everyone will pick what is there and then we run out of those all too quickly, whereas if I do our own selection we can utilise a few smaller batches that are too small in number to list and therefore eek out the stock a bit further. That is the likely scenario for the perennials after the coming week, meanwhile the herbs are beginning to make a slow return as they come into growth and the rabbit damage recedes. Rabbits are still an issue, just not quite as bad. Our new marksman is back next week for another night-time raid so hopefully a couple more might be removed from site. Now there are so few other plants left, the damage they have done is even more prominent. The sooner we chuck the dead stock away the sooner the memory will fade, I can't wait, but will have too.

If you would like a few herbs we can put together a selection but we don't have a huge range so if you order more than 15 varieties you are likely to get a few repeats. We should have mostly popular varieties coming on parsley, coriander, thyme etc so the selection should be good and should expand as the weeks progress and the weather warms. We have masses potted and more to come, just waiting for that elusive growth spurt and rabbit elimination.

Two new things coming on line in the coming week. Firstly the herb labels are changing over to coloured card-based picture labels rather than our wooden sticks and secondly the header boards, for those that us them, will change from sticky backed plastic on waterproofed card to the same B500 card material the labels are made from. The headers boards are dependent on being able to operate our new 20 tonne press and die cutter successfully, which has yet to happen. If it doesn't go well there may be a pause on board supply and I may have a little cry, but fingers crossed my testing on Sunday is fruitful and all goes smoothly as it always does!

Talking of things going smoothly, none of our new box delivery arrived last week, so we are still very reliant on other boxes being returned asap please. We had a nice lot back last week which were instantly reused and sent out again, but we are starting the coming week with about a day's worth to fill and then we are reliant on returns again. Hoping to have the new stock start to arrive on Wednesday or Thursday, but we have to print, construct and treat them before we can use them.

On the good news side we did take delivery of the next container load of coir pots which just escaped the blocked canal and the next one is being despatched shortly when hopefully the backlog of vessels will have cleared. So we have pots, lots of peat free compost pre-ordered and loads of plants to pot, we just need some time.

Looks like a bit of a cold blast coming which might curb demand a bit. There haven't been many years when I look at the forecast hoping for some cold wet stuff during peak season, but this year is so different.

Still waiting for the new van, this week the drop down trolley ramp for the rear frame was delivered to the manufacturer and it was 3 inches short to fit! Can they see me coming?

Tadpoles have hatched and the dawn chorus is really impressive at the moment. Spring is a lovely time, take a deep breath, pause, then get stuck into to that potting!

Urgent Box return appeal

Please do send back any empty wooden trays you may have accumulated, we are REALLY 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

It's all damp and hairy and no one will touch it, please don't buy any more for a bit !

At the risk of repeating myself; If you would like a few herbs we can put together a selection but we don't have a huge range so if you order more than 15 varieties you are likely to get a few repeats. We should have mostly popular varieties coming on parsley, coriander, thyme etc so the selection should be good and should expand as the weeks progress and the weather warms. We have masses potted and more to come, just waiting for that elusive growth spurt and rabbit elimination.

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries