Hairy hols

 Morning all,

An early list this week as I might not be here for a few days, depending on how things turn out. The nursery will still be up and running, but with some younger blood at the helm for a short while. Possibly time for a bit of a reassessment of how we go forwards from where we are and how to keep up the positive momentum, and eat a lot.

There seems to be so much big news about at the moment I am finding it hard to watch sometimes, I am looking forward to some head burying on the beach and overdosing on pasties. What with the budget, Covid scares, COP26, labour shortages, supply chain problems, energy price chaos, general price rises and all the rest, it is hard sometimes to pick up on something a bit more joyful to lighten the load. When you add in a spot of Harry Billinge, the war veteran, visiting the Normandy War memorial a couple of days ago and an episode or two of 'The Repair Shop' and I'm all over the place! Luckily I do have a holiday each day with a tea time online visit to our St Ives beach and a check over of any potential retirement homes that have come on the market. Fantasy can then take me on a bit of a break as I work out what we might do. There was a very exciting one last week, that we are going to have a look at, on a bit of a walk next week, but it is a bit old and has probably too many restrictions on it. Set in 23 acres, with distant sea views to the north and the south, it is an iron age hill fort. Ok so you can't actually live there, but what a fun thing to have. Perhaps I'm on my own on this one! I have done a bit of research and it has bronze age and iron age features and it has never been excavated, hours of fun.

Back to reality and good old nursery life, it's been another hectic week with a little flurry of half-term orders, plus a lot of pot mulching and wooden tray maintenance going on. We are knocking off a few winter site jobs already, the windbreak poplar leaves are mostly down and have been raked up before they block the drains down the sides of the tunnels and the irrigation acid tank has had its fencing upgraded and signage refreshed. Good jobs to get under the belt. I'm almost looking forward to having no income for a few months, just to get a few more of those things out of the way, so we can feel under some level of control again. It seems a long time since I felt even remotely in control of anything. We over did it a bit last winter, with new loo's going in, new electrics and heating in despatch and the potting tunnel, everything took so much longer than expected and was double the cost, plus all the usual winter jobs we had to get through as well. It didn't help that last winter was pre-vaccination and tensions were high with lockdowns and NHS worries. This winter, I'm trying to be a bit more modest in my ambition and hopefully it will be a bit more relaxing and prepare us better for next season. Although covid is still a worry, it is not the untamed beast it was a year ago, and hopefully that situation will continue to improve. We have all our covid secure practices and facilities already in place here so no rushing around trying to make things right, it is already our 'new normal'. How we took for granted those earlier carefree days, I do hope they return at some time before my brain pops.

Autumn wooden box collections are now nearly done

Most of our wooden trays have now been collected up, but if you have a collection of trays ready to go, please do drop us an email and we will call in a pick them up as soon as we are in your area. At a replacement cost now in excess of £10 a box now, we can't afford to lose too many. Just been informed of another timber price rise, so definitely need them back!

Availability list highlights

Things are getting quiet now and most plants are looking for their winter rest. There are still a few stars shining out there, but fewer each week.

The long 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 and less hardy pot cyclamen. A favourite of ours,

Some of the Helleborus niger varieties are in bud and flower already, Christmas has come early. Helleborus orientalis are looking strong with the occasional bud showing. A slightly enlarged range from us this year with the introduction of the Pretty Ellen range of a red, white and a pink.

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy propagation

Morning all,

Just a quick one today. Despite the big jobs for the year mostly out of the way now, there still aren't enough hours in the day. I won't bore you with the details but getting stuck into updating COSSH assessments etc isn't as much fun as it sounds and takes an age to do properly! Now I've only got a few minutes to get this email and list all polished off before I have to rush off and get my flu jab. Booster Covid due at the end of the month and then hopefully I'm nearly set up for the winter. Just the eyes and teeth to rescue and I might make it physically through until the spring, touch wood. Whether the mental capacity will keep up I'm not so sure after another embarrassing evening. Caroline rustled up a fab cauliflower cheese with parsnip chips (first of the new winter season) which went down at treat. I say it' went down' I may be misleading you, as later in the evening I found a good dollop of Romanesco and cheese sauce in my hair, what is going on? Best not think about it too long.

Things on the nursery are quieting down a bit although as usual the list of things to do seems to be getting longer. We had a big box repair session this week which brought several hundred boxes back to life which is great and very cost effective.

We also had a well overdue tidy up in the irrigation pump shed and sorted out the hanging up of all the tools we use in there to make our running repairs. No more lost spanners with a bit of luck. The new straw mulch we are using this winter to slow up the moss and liverwort growth on the top of the pots is now being applied by several teams of hardy staff. It all looks so clean and tidy once it is done, but it is going to take a while.

The microprop lab which has made such a strong recovery after pretty devastating covid disruption, is just about to go into its busy period building up the numbers for the spring orders. Not the time to suddenly go from 7 staff to 3, but hey-ho we will hopefully get back to proper levels before too long, not all the losses are permanent, just unfortunate timing on multiple events. Such is life. We are in a slightly tricky strategic position in the business as a whole but especially in the lab. The government drive towards a high pay, high productivity, economy is going to need a bit of thinking about as we find ourselves at the wrong end of that equation. 70% of the costs in the lab are labour and that labour is pretty skilled, it takes months to get new staff to achieve good work speeds coupled with the right quality of work. It doesn't take many heavy handed or misguided cuts with a scalpel blade to destroy the quality of a batch of plants, so the quality has to be there before the speed builds up. With most microprop production now being centred in developing countries where labour is cheap, there is limited chance of major price increases for us, so any hope of increasing the value of our output compared with the cost of our labour is pretty slim. With very little scope to mechanise the process, I suspect this is one area of our production which is only going to have a limited life as wages rise, which would be a shame after doing this for so long and being quite good at it, even if I do say so myself. Hopefully the nursery output which is slightly less labour orientated and less easily replaceable by imported plants, will have a brighter future but I'm sure productivity pressures will build as well as prices rise, Interesting times!

Autumn wooden box collections are now nearly done

Most of our wooden trays have now been collected up, but 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. At a replacement cost now in excess of £10 a box now, we can't afford to lose too many. Just been informed of another timber price rise, so definitely need them back!

Availability list highlights

The long 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 and less hardy pot cyclamen. A favourite of ours.

Some of the Helleborus niger varieties are in bud and flower already, Christmas has come early. Helleborus orientalis are looking strong with the occasional bud showing. A slightly enlarged range from us this year with the introduction of the Pretty Ellen range of a red, white and a pink. There are a few fresh grown Erigeron Stallone available and in bud. Ours in the garden have been known to still be flowering at Christmas. Only a few left.

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy last straw

Morning all

The continuing warm weather is helping us get some extra growth on our autumn potting and fingers crossed it looks like another week of it to come. Quite a significant week has passed, with the module potting being all but completed, all the spring bulbs are all done, and we recovered the two tunnel covers that had split over the summer. As next week looks a bit damp and windy, it was perfect timing to get all that sown up, so I feel like we are getting things back under control again after another hectic year. If only we could put our feet up and take a couple of months off, but now comes the winter rush with all those jobs put on the backburner for the last 9 months.

When I look back at all the things we did last winter, I'm hoping this year's currently shorter list, will be easier and cheaper to complete, although I haven't got off to a great start with the imminent arrival of a new very expensive 7.5t van to replace the rather old one we currently use, and the delivery off our first electric car in the New Year, together with the installation of smart charger points etc. We made masses of site improvements last year and we still have a few of those to finish off, but most should be fairly simple to do. That should give us time to get stuck in early on the pot topping and cutting back of the stock once it goes dormant, which should set us up nicely for those early sales. We are overwintering significantly more plants this year in an effort to have plenty of stock ready for next year and hopefully minimise the sort of shortages everyone suffered last spring. I suspect it will still be a challenge but we are going to try and be as prepared as we can. At least this winter we shouldn't have the threat of more lockdowns etc hanging over us and we can look forward with a more positive outlook.

To control weed, liverwort and moss on the compost surface we have been topping all the overwintered pots with a bark dressing. In theory the mix of bark shapes and sizes helps lock themselves together so not too much falls off when they are handled. It was a mix that was far better than the first one we tried, but it still left a bit too much behind for our liking. Because so many growers are now looking to apply a pot topping rather than using chemical controls to keep composts clean and attractive, the range of products is now much better, as is their performance. We have been trialling several and have plumped for a straw product which has so far performed really well, I can't quite believe how it is so easy to spread, creates such a thorough covering, sticks together so well, and retains it clean look for so long. It was only a small trial so I have my fingers crossed that it works for everything, as we have just taken delivery of 55 cubic meters of the stuff! If all goes well we will save so much time in despatch in the spring and have far less clearing up to do.

These things don't always go to plan, late last year we did a large trial of a radically different peat free compost after a successful smaller scale test earlier in the season and that was a disaster. I was reminded of it earlier this week when I saw the current overwintering aubrietia crop growing away so beautifully. Last year they were one of the victims in a loss of over 10,000 pots. Ouch. Live and learn!

Autumn wooden box collections are now nearly done

Most of our wooden trays have now been collected up, but 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. At a replacement cost now in excess of £10 a box now, we can't afford to lose too many.  .

Availability list highlights

The long 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 and less hardy pot cyclamen. A favourite of ours.

Some of the Helleborus niger varieties are in bud and flower already, Christmas has come early. Helleborus orientalis are looking strong with the occasional bud showing. A slightly enlarged range from us this year with the introduction of the Pretty Ellen range of a red, white and a pink. There are a few fresh grown Erigeron Stallone available and in bud. Ours in the garden have been known to still be flowering at Christmas.

The repeat flowering Hemerocallis Big Time Happy is still flowering, looking strong and pretty. Asters are coming along with colour showing. We have some colourful foliage plants in stock. Silver leaved Stachys and purple leaved Heuchera. We also have some really strong and colourful Ajugas to watch out for. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy branding

Morning all,

Still really mild here, but not much in the way of sunshine. Never mind, the wind did get up for a few days so October has got off to a good start on the turbines. We are quite excited to see where our electric export rate goes in March, but it is a long way off yet and the energy company we sell to must be relieved at getting some power at such a reduced rate. Sadly for them we are only a tiny exporter! The wholesale price has gone from just over 4p last November to nearly 17p last week which is nuts. I feel the potential fallout from all this has yet to be truly realised, but it will encourage a lot more energy conservation which must be a good thing.

Our last container of pots is currently held up in Sri Lanka as we wait for a reduction in container shipping costs. The market remains extremely high with the cheapest rate we can get at well over $10,000 rather than $1,200 of a year ago. I am told by a shipping lawyer I met, that virtually the whole container shipping system is now controlled by a very few large shipping companies and I must admit to being a bit suspicious as to how the market is being manipulated. Hopefully it will settle down soon but I suspect it may take a while. I'm sure lots of people will be holding off on shipping goods, hoping for similar results, but that builds in more pent up demand and we are back to square one. I just hope we can cope with the cost implications.

On the bright side, we have finished the annual stock take which achieved all the usual levels of fun. Just need to get all the other numbers crunched to see if it was all worthwhile. We are hoping there is a bit of a surplus as we are looking to kit out some of our staff in some fancy (not) hairy pot themed kit. We have had a few samples done and they look ok, might need a tweek here and there, and then decide on what items to include in the range. My hat, made out of a hairy pot, failed to make the cut, but you may notice a bit more of a hairy pot vibe coming from our drivers as we go into the next season. I know it's not exactly earth shattering news, as I'm sure most of you retailers out there will have their team kit all lined up, but for us in mucky hairy pot land it is quite a novelty. We are not making it a compulsory uniform, as it may be regarded as less than cool for some, but it will be nice to reinforce the hairy pot theme and ethos through the whole nursery. I must admit I have always been a bit hesitant at this sort of idea, but the consistency it gave my conference video and panel session last week did sway me a bit more in favour of doing more.

Big week on the social front, with a great gig at King Somborne Village Hall (The Hawkmen - blues and rock and roll band based in Bristol, can't go wrong with guitar, bass and drum) followed by a return to a bit of jive dancing later in the week. It's been a long time coming, but now some of the work pressure has reduced, I feel I can risk a bit of hand to hand combat over the odd evening. I had forgotten how mentally absorbing learning new stuff like dancing can be. Great fun and a big brain break from nursery stuff, must do more. After 18 months away I wish I could say it was like riding a bike, but it wasn't, it took a while before a few moves returned to the muscle memory. Luckily it was a new venue and I hardly knew anyone so a bit less embarrassing!

Autumn wooden box collections have started

Lots of our wooden trays have already been collected up, but 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. At a replacement cost now in excess of £10 a box now, we can't afford to lose too many. .

Availability list highlights

The long 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 and less hardy pot cyclamen. A favourite of ours, Anemone varieties coming into bud and flower. Some are quite tall now but strong stemmed. The repeat flowering Hemerocallis Big Time Happy is still flowering, looking strong and pretty. Asters are coming along with colour showing.

We have some colourful foliage plants in stock. Silver leaved Stachys and purple leaved Heuchera Euphorbia are there in a range of colours too and the stripy golden grass Carex Evergold. We also 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. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Hairy and autumnal

Morning all,

Very autumnal here, wet, windy and sunny, not sure if it's coming or going. At least the turbines have started up again after a very lacklustre few weeks. Hopefully it might take a bit of pressure off the energy price madness, if the wind output picks up everywhere, although there are so many other upward pressures on the energy market which keep driving the wholesale prices up. Both gas and electric wholesale prices are nearly triple what they were 12 months ago after quite a long time at a fairly modest level. Eventually we should benefit a bit from higher turbine returns, but not for quite a few months, as the export rate we get paid only changes once a year. We still import electricity when the wind is low, so will also be paying more for that, so swings and roundabouts and all that. Hopefully the price hike will focus everyone's efforts on finding more ways to use less, there is nothing quite like a big bill to get you thinking of how to save.

Talking of sustainability, I managed to bluff my way through my on-line appearance at the AIPH conference, as a member of the sustainable marketing panel. At the last minute I was asked if I could do a summary of what we had been up to over the past 16 years as an introduction, so I had to cobble together a bit of a 'show and tell' presentation with a few hairy props. It went fine although afterwards I realised that I had missed out half the things I had planned to mention. Never mind, they should have got the gist of where we were coming from. It was pretty nerve racking for a country boy who doesn't get out much, but I suspect I ended up being a bit of light relief for those who had managed to stick it out until the last session of the day. I won't be giving up my day job!

Busy weekend, as it is our financial end of year and we have to go and count everything. Already made a start, but it is a big job and frustratingly unproductive. Not to worry, it's only once a year. Hopefully all the numbers work out on the right side, it should be ok, although it's been a very up and down year. Demand early in the spring was so dramatically high, that everyone, including us, came close to completely running out of stock for a few weeks. It certainly led to depressed sales in mid-season as we waited for fresh stock to grow big enough to sell. The weather wasn't very helpful with that cold and very dry April followed by a wet and miserable May. Then a heat-wave, followed by a very dull August, rounded off by a fabulous September blast. It completely messed up the production schedules, not enough stock early on then, too much stock in the summer and disrupted summer production affecting the autumn offers. The potting for the overwintered stock was later than scheduled due to the summer chaos, which could lead to some shortages in the spring again, although stock levels are actually higher at the moment, assuming that everything survives the winter weather.

Costs have skyrocketed with importing and transport costs for incoming goods drastically increased after Covid impacts on world trade and Brexit implications too. Timber prices have more than doubled for our hairy pot box making and we have now had to take the printing and manufacturing of them in-house in order to keep costs in check. It all adds to the fun.

Autumn wooden box collections have started

Lots of our wooden trays have already been collected up, but 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. At a replacement cost now in excess of £10 a box now, we can't afford to lose too many. 

Availability list highlights

The long 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 and less hardy pot cyclamen. A favourite of ours, Anemone varieties coming into bud and flower. Some are quite tall now but strong stemmed.

Fresh batches of bushy dwarf Bran Series Chrysanthemum coming on with bud appearing, nearly all gone now. The repeat flowering Hemerocallis Big Time Happy is still flowering, looking strong and pretty. Asters are coming along with colour showing. We have some colourful foliage plants in stock. Silver leaved Stachys and Artemesia, purple leaved Heuchera. Euphorbia are there in a range of colours too and the stripy golden grass Carex Evergold. We also 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