Hairy Jive

Morning all,

With sales settling back into autumn mode we are pressing on with the potting despite the potting machines attempts to thwart us. This week the on/off button took on a will of its own, at times stopping the machine every minute or two. A quick dismantle and clean up of the mechanism helped hugely reduce the interruptions, but they are still there. A sign of age and overuse I suspect, I know how it feels. Time for a new replacement (on both fronts).

Potting is now flying, so hoping for a major catch up over the next few weeks and a warm gentle slide into winter to get a good growth spurt in before most plants go into hibernation. No chance for us to go to sleep for the winter, there are loads of jobs lined up already, all those things we never got time to do over such a manic season. I am feeling quite pleased with myself for securing a load of cut timber for constructing another big batch of replacement wooden trays. The price of wood and delivery times are getting are getting scary, it was bad enough getting this load in but at least we have it here all ready to print up, treat and construct. A great winter job that will keep several of us occupied for weeks. We have water recycling pipe-work still to dig in and weed mulches to finish off and a few tunnel covers to replace. The list is growing.

Things seem to be getting back to a bit closer to normal out there in the real world, although I am struggling myself to feel comfortable in close proximity to groups of strangers. One of our newer recruits is our modern jive dance instructor, who has now restarted his evening sessions with groups of up to 100 or so dancers, all in close hand to hand combat and sharing partners. All have to prove double jabs or testing on the day before entry but there are few masks in evidence, mainly because it is such a social exercise you lose so much if hidden behind a mask. He was saying how great it was to be back in action but how odd it was moving from his dance environment back into the shops and restaurants where everyone is still so mask and socially distance orientated. Such a contrast and mentally quite confusing. I haven't made it back yet to strut my stuff, the risk of missing work was too high when we have been so busy, but I think the time is approaching when I'm going to have to have a go. I really miss the social side and the complete mental break it used to give me, you can't think of anything else when you are trying to remember what move to do next! It has been 18 months since I last went and I can't remember anything, I'm just hoping it all comes flooding back when in the right environment, although I'm pretty sure that quite a few brain cells have left the building since then!

Autumn wooden box collections have started

We are starting to hoover up our wooden trays from many customers already, so if you have a collection of trays ready to go, please do drop me an email and we will call in a pick them up as soon as we are in your area. The barn is already starting to fill up with pallets of cleaned stock all tucked away ready for next season. There is a small stack of damaged ones to repair or replace, which is just part of the usual process for us, so don't worry if there is some damage, we like to get back as many as we can. At a replacement cost now in excess of £10 a box now we can't afford to lose too many.  

Availability list highlights

Running low on Cyclamen hederifolium already, but the longer flowering Cyclamen coum varieties are coming along with the odd flower opening already. This coum series we are growing flowers continuously from September to April given reasonable winter conditions, it is really hardy although the number of flowers open at any one time is more subtle and modest than some of the very showy modern less hardy pot cyclamen. A favourite of ours, Anemone varieties coming into bud and flower. Some are quite tall now but strong stemmed.

Oxalis Iron Cross with two tone leaves and red/pink flowers. A fresh short bushy batch in bud and ready to go. Fresh batches of bushy dwarf Bran Series Chrysanthemum coming on with bud appearing. The repeat flowering Hemerocallis Big Time Happy is flushing again with bud and flower, looking strong and pretty. Fresh batches of Salvia Sensation and Marvel series are looking good, buds about to appear if not there already. Asters are coming along with bud now appearing.

We have some colourful foliage plants in stock. Silver leaved Stachys and Artemesia, purple leaved Heuchera, plus a couple with paler marbled foliage. Euphorbia are there in a range of colours too and the stripy golden grass Carex Evergold. We have some really strong and colourful Ajugas to watch out for. The variegated foliage of Pulmonaria Opal and Mageste are very smart, ready to build up to their spring flower display. Osteospermum Tresco Purple are still selling well with flowers and buds opening. Our two forms of Erodium have lots of tiny open flowers all over the plant surface with plenty of bud to follow. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries