Hairy prices

Morning all,

Looks like next week will see a better run of weather, after a slightly unsettled and breezy weekend. Perhaps not quite full blown spring madness yet but I'm not complaining as we are still trying to get our winter chores completed. We are gathering ourselves for an interesting season and hoping that world events don't deal us all too many more bad hands. We seem to be being hit by more and more price rises, each one nibbling away at the margins or even taking big bites out of it. The diesel increase over the last couple of weeks are raising eyebrows not only on fuelling our own vans but also adding to input costs where extra delivery charges are beginning to mount. 

We use a small amount of nitric acid to correct the Ph in our irrigation water and I ordered some more this week as the tank is getting low. We only get a couple of loads in each year and the cost was pretty insignificant at about £370/load but not so now. I have been guided towards a figure well over £1,500, but we can't even fix that, it will be charged at the going rate on the day of delivery because prices are so volatile. Scary times, I've never seen it like this before, even when mortgage rates went up to 15% I don't remember it being this nuts. Thankfully we don't use huge amounts of fuel and generate much of our own electricity which will help. Then having reusable wooden trays and low plastic purchasing volumes (mostly long-lasting tunnel covers) means we are not constantly buying new stuff for all our production and marketing needs. If we can improve efficiencies and reduce waste again we should be ok in not getting out of our depth and fingers crossed things will calm down again at some point.

Another year has passed as I pass another annual marker. A wild and decadent time was had, with gifts of delicious beer and chocolate and a pair of second-hand laces for my work boots! Cake all round on the nursery went down well and a quiet night in (Caroline went to the football) with pie and carrots, We know how to live it up!

It's nice to see social activities beginning to get back in line. Our skittles and jive dancing have started up again and I can see some more relaxation coming back into many people's lives. We are off to see a young Dorset guitarist on Saturday at the local village hall, it's his first ticketed gig which must be so exciting for him after two years of very restricted activity for so many musicians. Hopefully world events won't conspire to cock it all up, we could all do with a little light relief after what seems like years of anxiety and stress.

Availability list highlights

Please do bear in mind that it is still wintertime so our unheated plant growth, although healthy, is likely to be winter 'tight' in habit and not big, soft and lush. There isn't a lot of colour yet and where there is some, the plants are disappearing fast. A bit more warmth and we'll get another flush of varieties, I can see the signs of action, some just not quite enough on some to send out just yet.

Anemone blanda herald the spring with their pretty displays of scrambling flowers. We have plenty of Blue Shades and White Splendour ready to go both with bud and flower, and promise of lots more to come. Aubretia in blue and red shades are looking fantastic with bushy, tight growth and masses of bud with colour showing, in both colours. Spring First is a great new early and long flowering strain.

Primula veris (Cowslip) have bud and the odd flash of very early sunshine yellow. Last few left, don't miss out. Spring flowering Symphytum Wisley Blue just starting to show bud and flashes of colour. It's a bit subtle, but we like it. Ever popular Erythronium Pagoda is up and showing early buds. It has a short selling window, so don't wait too long.

Dicentra spectabilis and spectabilis Alba are shooting and showing bud already. They are very tight short plants at the moment but will very quickly gain size and volume. Easy to handle at this stage, less easy the bigger they get, due to their fleshy nature. Fritillaria (Snakes Head Lilly) have emerged and have their first buds showing. Very popular.

Distinctly unsubtle are the Doronicum which have the odd eye popping yellow flower already open. Pretty dark leaved Viola labridorica are shooting nicely, carrying a few blue/purple flowers and buds. Pulmonaria Mageste in bud and coming into colour now, last variety left so don't hang about.

Not in flower but always very popular at this time of year, the Alliums and Camassia bulbs are shooting nicely. It's a shame the foliage goes a bit tatty and they are impossible to handle in a pot by the time they flower, as they are both such great garden plants. Good ones for the pollinators.

Muscari latifolium showing tight violet blue bud on compact neat plants. Muscari Album also showing tight bud. Spring favourite the Erysimum's are already in tight bud. A spring flush of healthy shoot growth on our overwintered Phlox range, all looking very strong. 

Take care out there, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries