Hairy Availability

Morning all,

A much steadier and controlled week with the cooler weather. There was a definite dip in sales which is a relief sometimes, if not a little worrying at the end of the week when the adding up isn't quite so exciting. But the previous week was another record and little else got done, so it will all balance out in the end. This week we made a nice dent in all those plants that arrived the week before, with three days solid potting with only a shortage of prepared tunnel space and compost stopping us running the Saturday potting crew for the first time for months. A well earned break for those regulars who manned the pumps for most of those Saturdays and I'm sure we will be back to it next weekend, assuming the compost arrives in time. The forecast looks promising tomorrow morning for me to finish the spot spraying of the last of the weed outbreaks around a few of our tunnel sites where the weed mats/mulches were not quite finished during the winter projects. The fact that this is my first weed tidy up indicates that the ground mulching effort put in during the winter has paid off, I usually would have spent several early mornings spraying by now.

The slowing of sales and a flurry of box returns has alleviated the wooden box shortage for a day or two, which means we can pause the box construction and concentrate on the plants 100% again which is just as well with the amount there is to do out there. Having a few extra staff this spring is helping catch up on the chores when we get a pause in despatch, which is great for reducing the pressure created by the usual summer production demands. It is easy to slip into panic mode when the jobs and young plants pile up and the days start to shorten, I know the summer is all too brief and before you know it plant growth slows and you run out of time to get it all done. I'm ever hopeful we will find more time this summer to get things done in a timely manner and not miss out on any plant flowering opportunities,

Very exciting day last Saturday with the purchase of new waterproof work shoes after the previous days drenching in the rain.. Out into the real world for half an hour, purchase made and back to the nursery to try them out. What a relief, the threat of trench foot recedes and despite my best efforts to retain them the old ones disappear into the bin.

Availability list highlights

Loads of plants ready to go and more bud and flower than you could shake a stick at! So please check out the attached list. Lavender Spear Blue, very bushy with loads of bud and the odd flash of colour, just perfect for those smelly lavender sales. New hardy Gerbera range in 5 lovely colours, just fab, real impulse plants and flower for ages. Limited numbers this year. Dainty Lewisia Elise in flower already. Flowers all summer in a range of pastel colours.

Two Oxalis varieties up and flowering, Iron Cross with two tone leaves and red/pink flowers, triangularis with deep purple foliage and contrasting pretty pale pink flowers. Both impressive. All the Hemerocallis varieties are producing flower stems and bud, no colour yet, perfect to go now with loads of promise.

Osteospermum Tresco Purple has been selling like hot cakes. We have several batches potted and bud is well on show. A late potted batch of Gallery range Lupins are showing great chunky growth and are producing flower bud. Not many in stock so don't hang about on these. Lovely crop of Catananche with flower stems extending and tight bud showing. Papery blue flowers to come soon. Most of the Lobelia's are coming into bud, no colour yet but attractive foliage to back up the buds.

Lots of bud and some colour on our ranges of compact Leaucanthemums, Salvia nemerosa and Coreopsis. Summer favourites the Gaura are all coming into bud, a nice range of colours and good bushy stock. Our Dianthus have been in bud a while now and the first flowers are now beginning to open. All varieties are well scented. The compact Campanula's are budding up now, about to show off their summer displays.

Our two forms of Erodium have lots of tiny open flowers dotted over the plant surface with plenty of bud to follow. Still loads of bud on the Scabious range, which flower for such a long time, although numbers are a bit tight. We are trialling a range of patio Verbena this summer which are showing loads of colour, great if you want to make a colourful impact in your plant display, but numbers are limited as this was only a trial.

Other colourful impact plants on trial this summer are compact Helianthus (very dwarf Sunflower!) and the Helichrysum Nevada range with its impressive display of papery flowers. There is plenty of stock overall but numbers of some lines may be still limited, so there could be one or two substitutions in the orders to make up numbers. If you prefer we can still do a selection of our own choice of the herb and/or perennial range again and will take your guidance on any lines you don't need.

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries