Almost melting.

Morning all,

That was a very hot week, we have all nearly melted. Not the easiest week to have our busiest week for 5 weeks, but we got there and today is definitely a little fresher. Looks like it is going to be too stormy this weekend for some, with potential for localised flooding again, but at least the temperatures look set to be lower over the coming week. Having seen the hot forecast I was convinced we would be busy pricking out and potting for much of this week but we only managed to get going on that half way through Friday. Not too worried, I would rather clear some stock at this stage in the season and make some more space.

The NHS plant gift project we started with the local surgeries and vaccination centres last week, has mushroomed to include three of the local hospitals who look set to hoover up whatever we can find them of what we call our 'fete stock,' of which there is quite a bit at the moment. Their staff have been surprised and very excited by their deliveries and we look set to have a good clear out over the next couple of weeks. It certainly beats dumping it all and makes us all feel a lot better. Lost a few pounds this week when I had to don full PVC kit in the heat of the midday sun for one of our occasional acid deliveries. Luckily with our bunded bulk tank it is a simple 'pump over' job all performed by the driver using his own hoses and compressed air supply, moving the acid direct from his tank on the lorry into ours. I am just on the scene as extra safety cover, with head to toe coverage and a hose and lance, 'just in case'. I still find it all a bit tense making as it isn't nice stuff to deal with if it ever gets out and the transfer kit makes quite a bit of noise which just adds to the tension. As usual it all went really smoothly and half an hour later, after washing everything down, I was able to pour myself out of my suit and wellies and evaporate. All that effort just to tweak the hardness of our water, but the plants love it.

Naturally right in the middle of the hottest week of the year the irrigation system throws a wobbly. The main inlet valve fixing nut split, threatening to disable the whole set up, but luckily held together with a generous dose of gaffa tape and clips. The replacement arrived today but can only be fitted by cutting the PVC pipe around the valve to get the old one off, before adding a new bit of pipe to fit the new valve in, all good fun. I was all prepared with the right pipe fittings already in stock but couldn't find any 50mm pipe and I'm absolutely sure I could remember seeing some that was left over from the original installation. A new piece was only a few quid but really expensive to deliver and I just new there must be some somewhere. Found it eventually, I had been using it as my nematode stock solution stirring stick for the last five years. It was leaning against the internal wall in the pump shed, just a few feet from the valve. That's another two hours I won't get back. 

Availability list highlights

Nice range of the scented Phlox Sweet Summer series just coming into bud, Multiple stemmed and looking good. 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 4 lovely colours, just fab, real impulse plants and flower for ages. Only a few left.

Compact Achillea Milly Rock Red has loads of bud, with colour. The mini Chrysanthemums are back on the list and producing bud. Very compact and bushy in a good colour range. Dainty Lewisia Elise in flower. Flowers all summer in a range of pastel colours.

Some Crocosmia are now showing bud (George Davidson). The other colours will follow on quickly. Tiarella wherrii (Foam Flower) is in flower with its short spikes of tiny creamy blooms. A popular summer star is the Platycodon which are on the list again and both varieties are already in bud.

Two Oxalis varieties up and flowering, Iron Cross with two tone leaves and red/pink flowers and triangularis with its deep purple foliage and contrasting pretty pale pink flowers. Both impressive. All the Hemerocallis varieties are producing flower stems and bud, now with the odd opening flower.

Osteospermum Tresco Purple is still selling like hot cakes. We have several batches potted and flowers are opening.. Most of the Lobelia's are coming into bud, the odd flash of colour and attractive foliage to back them up. Lots of bud and some colour on our ranges of compact Leaucanthemums and Coreopsis.

Summer favourites the Gaura are all coming into bud and flowers opening on many, a nice range of colours bushy plants. Our Dianthus have been in bud a while now and the scented flowers are now open. Only a few left. Compact Campanula's (carpatica, Clockwise and posharskyana) are colouring up, about to show off their summer displays. Our two forms of Erodium have lots of tiny open flowers all over the plant surface with plenty of bud to follow. Helichrysum Nevada range has an impressive display of bright papery flowers. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy Thank You

Morning All,

Getting a bit warm now, ready for a mini heat-wave. I am tempted to complain about it as it is my least favourite weather pattern, especially when on the nursery, and I can't remember being anywhere else, but with all that torrential rain in Europe causing such havoc a little bit of heat is suddenly more bearable. Yet another extreme weather event signposting challenging times ahead. After all the upheaval with covid I'm too knackered to even try an 'I told you so'. To be honest I'm too scared we've missed the boat already, which doesn't do a lot for my own motivation to keep up any momentum for change. I might need a day off to recover my enthusiasm!

Plant sales are still rolling along, but my enthusiasm for potting earlier on in the season has led to a few excesses which are now a bit of a headache to manage, incurring extra costs with cutting back and spacing etc, Potting has just about stopped until we are able to clear some decent usable space which hopefully won't be too long away. We always have a few odds and ends unsold and the local fetes and plant sales usually soak them up, but with quite a lot cancelled this year and my over excitement on production output I have had to get a bit more creative so as not to let too much go to waste.

We started this week on a plant 'thank you' gift distribution project to the local surgeries and vaccination centres, A little collection of flowering lovelies for each surgery staff member or volunteer as a thank you for all their dedication over these traumatic months. It has gone down really well, both with the NHS recipients and our team who put in the hours to grow them. A nice positive outcome from potential waste certainly helps soften the blow for us and gives us a chance to show our appreciation at a local level to those who have helped us through this madness.

Good news on the personal health front in that I am walking upright again and able to dress myself like a real person. A combination of pills, stretches and lying on a strategically placed tennis ball got me there in the end. I suspect Caroline would have liked to have placed the tennis ball elsewhere, especially when I was still asking to be dressed when I actually could manage it myself. Sometimes it's nice to feel looked after!

Availability list highlights

Nice range of the scented Phlox Sweet Summer series just coming into bud, Multiple stemmed and looking good. 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 4 lovely colours, just fab, real impulse plants and flower for ages. Limited numbers this year. Compact Achillea Milly Rock range has loads of bud, with colour Dainty Lewisia Elise in flower. Flowers all summer in a range of pastel colours.

Must be summer because the first of the Crocosmia are showing bud (Emberglow). The other colours will follow on quickly. Tiarella wherrii (Foam Flower) is in flower with its short spikes of tiny creamy blooms. The compact Monarda Balmy range are just beginning to show flashes of colour, strong bushy plants with loads of bud. A popular summer star are the Platycodon which are on the list again and both varieties already in bud.

Two Oxalis varieties up and flowering, Iron Cross with two tone leaves and red/pink flowers and triangularis with its deep purple foliage and contrasting pretty pale pink flowers. Both impressive. All the Hemerocallis varieties are producing flower stems and bud, now with the odd opening flower. Osteospermum Tresco Purple is still selling like hot cakes. We have several batches potted and flowers are opening.. Most of the Lobelia's are coming into bud, the odd flash of colour and attractive foliage to back them up.

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 and flowers opening on many, a nice range of colours bushy plants. Our Dianthus have been in bud a while now and the scented flowers are now opening. Only a few left.

Compact Campanula's (carpatica, Clockwise and posharskyana) are colouring up, 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. We have a nice batch of the stunning little black Viola Molly Sanderson in flower, compact and looking good. Still loads of bud on the Scabious range, which flower for such a long time, although numbers are quite 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 stunning compact Helianthus (very dwarf Sunflower!) and the Helichrysum Nevada range with its impressive display of bright papery flowers. Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy brain fog

Morning all,

Still pretty busy if not quite as busy as we would have liked. It does look like there was wide spread over optimism on the likely volume of plant sales through the early summer which hasn't quite worked out, so there are quite a few people slightly disappointed. We are still looking at steady sales supported by our really nice range of stock in bud and flower which will be maturing over the next few weeks, so not feeling to downhearted here.

We are still regularly selling some really good volumes onto sites still stocking hairy pots, which is very encouraging. I know in the summer they take a bit more looking after, but I am sure it shows the increasing appetite for more sustainably grown and presented stock, so don't miss out on catching that environmental wave and keep those orders for hairy pots rolling in! Not a great weather forecast for the coming weekend, but by no means a washout, and there is that football match coming up which could boost everyone's mood, The success of the vaccines, lockdown easing and sporting excitement should be a nice boost to the feel-good factor which has to be good news.

Old age continues to blight an aging nurseryman which is really frustrating when I have so much to do. It has got to the point where I am having to be dressed in the morning by Caroline, as I can no longer reach far enough to get anything onto or past my feet. A back spasm last Sunday started it, and just as I was recovering some movement on Monday I tripped up the step of the office which wrenched my back further as I tried to save face planting into the door! Consequently I've had a very doped up week, with the brain almost completely out of action, but the pills and stretching are working and I am at least moving about again. Hoping to dress myself again very soon, which Caroline is also looking forward to.

Availability list highlights

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 4 lovely colours, just fab, real impulse plants and flower for ages. Limited numbers this year. Compact Achillea Milly Rock range has loads of bud, with colour. Dainty Lewisia Elise in flower already. Flowers all summer in a range of pastel colours.

Must be summer because the first of the Crocosmia are showing bud (Emberglow). Get them while stocks last. The other colours will follow on quickly. Tiarella wherrii (Foam Flower) is in flower with its short spikes of tiny creamy blooms. The compact Monarda Balmy range are just beginning to show flashes of colour, strong bushy plants with loads of bud. A popular summer star are the Platycodon which are on the list again and both varieties already in bud.

Two Oxalis varieties up and flowering, Iron Cross with two tone leaves and red/pink flowers and triangularis with its deep purple foliage and contrasting pretty pale pink flowers. Both impressive. All the Hemerocallis varieties are producing flower stems and bud, now with the odd opening flower.

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. 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, the odd flash of colour and 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 and flowers opening on many, a nice range of colours bushy plants. Our Dianthus have been in bud a while now and the first flowers are now opening. All varieties are really well scented. Compact Campanula's (carpatica, Clockwise and posharskyana) are colouring up, 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.

We have a nice batch of the stunning little black Viola Molly Sanderson in flower, compact and looking good. Still loads of bud on the Scabious range, which flower for such a long time, although numbers are quite 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 stunning compact Helianthus (very dwarf Sunflower!) and the Helichrysum Nevada range with its impressive display of bright papery flowers. Nice range of the scented Phlox Sweet Summer series just coming into bud, Multiple stemmed and looking good. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy weather

Morning all, 

Ok now a mild panic setting in as we have a second relatively quiet week, with an unsettled weather weekend to come. I suspect all of us growers got a little over confident and potted like mad during that period in the spring when stock was so short, hoping that we would see a similar summer to last year where sales just kept going. Now it would appear that footfall has dropped and there is an oversupply into the market as a whole. As a consequence the retail plant discounts are popping up here and there in an effort to stimulate a resurgence in sales activity and clear stock in store. Luckily for us we do have a very active summer sales period with having so many visitor centres on our books and they appear to be very busy and selling lots of plants, so we are not too worried, just a little disappointed that sales aren't more buoyant in the garden centres.

The strange thing is that we are sell really good volumes, regularly, onto those sites still stocking our hairy pots, especially the flowering plants which are showing so much bud and colour. I know in the summer they take a bit more looking after but I am sure it shows the increasing appetite for more sustainably grown and presented stock, so don't miss out on catching that environmental wave and keep those orders for hairy pots rolling in!

Weather extremes seem to be getting more spectacular and scary with the terrible scenes from Canada earlier this week, let's see if we can turn this into a positive event and make some more real changes, it won't be easy or convenient and sacrifices need to be made, but when we put our minds to it we can all make a difference, the covid crisis has shown that. 

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. Compact Achillea Milly Rock range has loads of bud, with colour Dainty Lewisia Elise in flower already. Flowers all summer in a range of pastel colours.

Tiarella wherrii (Foam Flower) is in flower with its short spikes of tiny creamy blooms. The compact Monarda Balmy range are just beginning to show flashes of colour, strong bushy plants with loads of bud. A popular summer star are the Platycodon which appear on our list for the first time this season. Twinkle Blue already in bud. Two Oxalis varieties up and flowering, Iron Cross with two tone leaves and red/pink flowers and triangularis with its deep purple foliage and contrasting pretty pale pink flowers. Both impressive.

All the Hemerocallis varieties are producing flower stems and bud, now with the odd opening flower, 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, the odd flash of colour and 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 and flowers opening on many, a nice range of colours and good bushy stock.

Our Dianthus have been in bud a while now and the first flowers are now opening. All varieties are really well scented. Compact Campanula's (carpatica, Clockwise and posharskyana) are budding up, 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.

We have a nice batch of the stunning little black Viola Molly Sanderson in flower, compact and looking good. Still loads of bud on the Scabious range, which flower for such a long time, although numbers are quite 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 stunning compact Helianthus (very dwarf Sunflower!) and the Helichrysum Nevada range with its impressive display of bright papery flowers. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries