Hairy aprons

Morning all,

Despite the winter weather the plant sales are already ticking over with quite a busy coming week already lined up. Slightly scary that it is the new plant season already, but it does give us a bit of a push to get all those winter jobs tidied away. The only fly in the ointment I that keep adding to the job list which might turn round and bite me in a few weeks time. However if it goes well we should be well set for an exciting year with a few new toys to play with.

This week's 'dressing up' went brilliantly with all manner of Hairy Pot customised kit on display. We did have a few sizing issues so we ended up doing a few swaps between us all, and we will need to put in another order to fill in the gaps. There was a second order on the cards anyway as a few items wanted were out of stock. The layered look was definitely 'in' this week with the cool temperatures, shirts, sweatshirts, then body warmers, fleeces and coats, plus for me an apron in the mix too. Very cosy. The aprons are proving to be a hard sell, despite them looking really smart (navy organic cotton blue bib apron with the Hairy Pot Plant Company name and logo, embroidered discretely, centre front), the chaps and a few of the girls are definitely anxious about their image and the idea of a flouncy apron just doesn't hit the spot. I on the other hand think they look very artisan and craftsmen like (and keep my other kit clean), it just shows how your minds image can shape your view of the world.

I came embarrassingly close to a possible harassment charge earlier in the week, when I brought down a couple of polo shirts I had tried on at home, for one of our ladies to try for size. She took one home and all went well, but later in the week I found I had lost my yoga 'safety pants' (I'm a boxer man usually), and where did I find them? In the office wrapped up in the second shirt. That was a close call!

One of this winters projects is to install a new irrigation water treatment system, which will improve the water quality, help control fungal diseases and reduce any spraying we have to do to control the occasional outbreak. It was a tad expensive at over £10,000, but the running costs are tiny, especially in comparison with any chemical treatments we might otherwise have to use. We only have to save a few plants each year and reduce our sprayer operator time a bit, to make it pay. I think they call it a long term investment rather than a quick fix, but it does tie us into sticking it out a few more years yet! All the kit arrived this week on one pallet and I must admit to being slightly taken aback by the size of it. It was a classic case of eye's bigger than stomach. I had originally worked out the sizing and fitting based on a lower range model but had been tempted into a higher rated one, based on easier and more efficient operation, but failed to notice the larger dimensions (it looked the same in the photo). It wasn't until I actually measured it and then visited the pump shed that I realised my error. There then followed a major re-jig on how the pumps and pipe-work are to be repositioned so we can squeeze it in. I now have a sizable order in for new pipe-work bits to make it all come together and will have a very nerve racking day or two while we dismantle the existing system and rebuild. All the time we are off there will be only a small mains supply so no pressure there (no pun intended if you can believe that). The amount of kit in there, all joined together using combinations of BSP and metric threads, male and female ends and various pipe diameters, is daunting, I just hope I've ordered all the right bits. Of course I have every confidence it will go as smoothly as these things always do.

Availability list highlights

Things are still pretty quiet during this cold snap and most plants are still in winter dormancy, but there are still a few stars shining out there. The spring bulbs are beginning to sprout with one or two hinting at some colour.

Please do bear in mind that it is still mid-winter so our unheated plant growth, although healthy, is likely to be winter 'tight' in habit and not soft and lush.

The long flowering Cyclamen coum varieties are coming along with flowers 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 gives a more subtle and modest appearance than some of the very showy modern and less hardy pot cyclamen. A favourite of ours,

Helleborus niger are still in strong bud and flower, looking like they should. Pulmonaria varieties are shooting nicely after their winter trim. Blue Ensign and Opal are even showing tight buds. Aubretia in blue and red shades are looking bushy, nice and tight in growth habit with some occasional flower colour showing, especially in the red.

Another spring favourite are the Erysimum's which are coming on line now. Just the Red Jep has tight bud lurking among the foliage at the moment, but the Apricot Twist and Pastel Patchwork are looking strong and bushy too. Scaboius Butterfly Blue think it's spring, with bud on show, although the cold may stop full colour showing just yet. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries