Hairy amphibians

Morning all, 

Relief at last with cooler temperatures and some welcome rain. Luckily we avoided any torrential downpours we just kept catching the edge of everything. Definitely need a lot more but at least the ground is now damp under foot rather than baked hard. The plants are looking happier on the nursery with the moisture from the irrigation hanging around for much longer and reducing stresses all round. Working hours are back to normal and work rates recovering so back to trying to catch up. The race to autumn is on as we try to get on top of the tunnel clearing and get the potting completed in a timely manner, that rule of 'one weeks growth in summer being worth three in the autumn' haunts me at this time of year as we race to get mature enough plants ready to overwinter successfully.

Water levels in the main nursery pond had shrunk to an extremely low level last week, so we took the opportunity to strip out the water weed growth in there which was choking up the open water. A job we had been looking at for a couple of years now. Luckily the frogs, newts and toads have been finding there way in there ok to breed, but the lack of open water definitely reduced the activity of the dragonflies and damsel flies which used to visit and breed every year. Our tunnels make a great environment for the amphibians, loads of insects to feed on and plenty of damp to keep them healthy, especially when you think how dry our chalk gardens and fields are in weather like we have had. We are constantly uncovering and disturbing them as we work through the crops, they can give quite a surprise when they suddenly burst into life especially when you get a good sized frog or toad. The newts go for a completely different tactic, lying on their backs with their legs in the air showing their orange striped bellies and playing dead. Even if you flip them over they don't move, you can watch them for signs of life and nothing shows until you look away, look back and they have gone.

VW have just let us know that our electric car has been delayed again, now due late December, bit bored with it all now after now 4 delays and what will be at least an 18 month wait. Hey ho, worse things happen, but I do wonder about the havoc it must be creating with their finances.

Humming bird hawk moths are about now, I've spotted these amazing moths over the last few days doing their hummingbird impressions around some of the flowers in our trough outside the office. Sometimes you just have to stop and marvel.

Bank holiday coming up next weekend, then it's back to school for all the youngsters, can't believe it's that late in the year already. I had one customer mention preparations were already underway for Christmas! Shoot me now. Mind you I think we had better all be prepared for some budget trimming this time round, things are looking a bit tight on the economic front, although luckily small yummy plants have usually done OK even in the darkest of recessions in the past. Fingers crossed.

Availability list highlights

Still plenty of lovely looking stock despite the heat, don't hold back, get some bud and colour on those benches. An ongoing flush of buds on the Geum Lemon Drops, don't miss out they won't hang about long. Summer favourite the hardy Osteospermum Tresco Purple looks strong and bushy and swelling buds and colour are visible. Autumn's flowerers are on the march with more and more fresh Asters coming into bud.

Japanese Anemones are flushing nicely with the occasional flower stem already. Potted an early batch of Cyclamen hederifolium which have surprised me by starting to flower already, An autumn flowering type they are both looking good. Tiarella with it's pretty and short 'foam flowers' are looking great. Just a few of the purple/pink Erodium Bishops Form left. Neat, tidy and in flower. Goes on for ages. The late performing Cerostigma plumbaginoides have their first buds appearing and the odd deep blue flower opening. Gaura looking fab with lots of buds.

Blue flowered and compact Platycodon are ready to roll. Not got many left now. Crocosmia are going well. Showing colour now and looking great but not many left. Verbena Lollipop in flower again on nice compact plants. Fresh batch of the cerise/red Penstemon Garnet are in bud again, with colour flashes. Time flies and we have our first dwarf Chrysanthemums in bud. Lots more to come. Ever popular summer flowering perennial Salvia Amethyst Lips looking good.

Have fun, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries