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