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