Hairy skewers

Morning all,

That was a madly hot few days, I don't want any more thanks

I think we got off lightly in comparison to some, our maximum didn't reach 40C but we weren't too far off. If you add in the tunnel factor it was pretty unbearable. We took some precautionary measures to keep everyone as safe as we could, starting early and finishing at midday before the heat built up too much. Not the most productive of nursery days but a relief to all to be able to hide in a darkened room until it passed. We left the orders until the cooler end of the week which seemed to work ok. I had been thinking we could give the Saturday potting a miss from this week, but we missed out on so many production hours, we are going to have another thrash tomorrow, just to try and keep on top of it all. Plants keep turning up to be potted, so I hope you are all prepared to tuck into a shed load of lovely plants next spring and clear them away otherwise there is going to be one hell of a compost heap.

I managed to research some higher rates for the exported electricity we send into the grid from our wind turbines. I had been a bit surprised by the rate we had been offered by our current electric company on our 12 month contract (less than 9p/unit) when wholesale electric prices are well over 20p (34p last week). I was offered just under 22p and snapped it up feeling we get a nice boost to our income. The feeling of success lasted about 2 hours when the bill for our autumn potted bulbs arrived in my inbox, wiping out all the gain I had made on the turbines. At least we have the turbines, which will save us a fortune next year after our current import contract ends and the cost triples at a stroke (no cap on commercial electric prices). It's a mad world out there.

We picked up our next batch of the bamboo skewers this week, 5 months late and up in price of course. I did manage to do a deal by buying two years worth of stock, so if anyone runs short of sushi skewers you know where to come as we now have over 1.2 million of them!

This week I managed to wrestle a few hundred Agapanthus plugs from the lab in an effort to get a small range established in our pots before the winter comes. We grow about 100 varieties in there but are only allowed to grow on a few as the others are propagated under license for specialist growers. It has always seemed daft to grow so many and only rarely having them on the main nursery, so hopefully we will get potting timing right and we have some strong stock next spring. More jam tomorrow.

Availability list highlights

With the predicted heat wave early next week, we are very likely to delay most deliveries until later in the week, for the wellbeing of staff, plants and drivers. Hope this will work out ok.

Plenty of lovely looking stock, don't hold back, get some bud and colour on those benches.

Tiarella with it's pretty and short 'foam flowers' are looking great. Erigeron karvenskianus Stallone are back on the list, plenty of bud and flower again and raring to go. Gaura looking fab with lots of buds, as have the Rhodanthemum, both good selling summer favourites. Blue flowered and compact Platycodon are ready to roll. Not got many yet but more to follow.

First summer buds of Crocosmia are showing well. Close to colour now and looking good. Time flies and already we have our first dwarf Chrysanthemums in bud. Lots more to come.

Potted an early batch of Cyclamen hederifolium which have surprised me by starting to flower already, An autumn flowering type they are looking good, The Rose pink ones are the biggest at the moment.

Ever popular summer flowering perennial Salvias are doing their thing. Dianthus in a good range of colours, bushy, lots of bud and well scented once the flowers open. Large daisy flowers of our Leucathemum range are ready to shine. All are compact varieties.

Summer flowering hardy Fuchsia looking good with buds on show for most. The tiny white flowered Hawkshead is always popular as are the garden favourite Tom Thumb.

Plenty of bud to come on the little alpine Lewisia, already showing colour in attractive mixed pastel shades.

Nice short plants of Achillea Moonshine in bud and looking strong. The compact Milly Rock range has recovered from a nursery hair cut with a fresh flush of compact leaves and buds. Oxalis Iron Cross looking good with their red flowers and bicolour foliage..

Summer favourite the hardy Osteospermum Tresco Purple looks strong and bushy and swelling buds are visible. 

Have fun, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries