Hairy Wind

Hi

An autumnal blast this week with cooler temperatures, stormy winds and a bit of dampness too, and it's bank holiday time again. Sends me into a slight panic again with the amount of potting to do, but the nursery seems quite full so maybe it's not as bad as my mind is telling me. A blast of sun and very warm temperatures next week will hopefully get the sap running and potting machine flying so we can get properly back on track.

Frustrating day today with our second full days power cut within 3 weeks. We have a big old generator, so with a lot of juggling we can get most of the single phase stuff running, luckily that includes the phone, computer systems and the tea urn as well as the microprop lab. Unfortunately the potting machine is 3 phase so won't run off the generator and today was supposed to be the second of two full potting days, boo-hoo. The generator we have runs off a very old diesel tractor engine, it does the job but it is pretty noisy in comparison to the new ones. It is a constant thundering which you sort of get used to, but when it turns off you realise how incessant it is and how tense it makes everyone! We have a small gang in over the bank holiday to try and make up the potting shortfall so not the end of the world.

Slightly frustrating that it is so windy today and the wind turbines are off. They have a safety device in the system that stops them running when the mains power goes off, so that they don't export any power back down the cables while the power company is working on the line. Fair enough really.

Cleared out the electric meter shed last weekend to make space for the new solar panel control kit and battery storage. It had turned into a bit of a long term store, so there was plenty to clear out including multiple tarantula's and mouse nests.

Managed to re-home a few useful bits and pieces but most ended up in the recycling as it had been moved in there when we knocked down the old office which was over 5 years ago, and never used since. Lovely big clear wall space now to mount the new kit against, but a rather large crack in the corrugated roof was revealed which will now need replacing. Rainfall and electrics are not a great mix so a good opportunity to get that sorted properly.

Next week sees the return of our HTA run NBIS group meetings, after the group almost came to grief with retiring members and a lull in organising effective leadership. It looks like we might be on the road to recovery now after the HTA managed to find a coordinator/consultant to take the helm and get us up and running again. I know I have benefitted hugely from the quarterly meetings in the past, it turned out to be great personal therapy as well as an excellent business tool to do what it says on the tin and improve our nursery business. It took a while for everyone to open up and admit that they too were growers who made mistakes along the way, worked too many hours and took precious little return for their efforts, but once that hurdle was cleared we learnt so much from each other and our experiences along the way. It always surprises me when businesses, that from the outside may look very different, often have many of the same challenges and solutions.

Electric update: 'Famous last words' as the generator packed up, wing tip deployed on one turbine when it was stopped in breezy conditions, and the potting machine and air compressor tripped out. Power luckily returned early, so an afternoons potting was eventually achieved and Caroline got to see the view from the top of the turbine again. Nice evening for it! 

Availability list.

Lovely compact and well branched batch of Verbena Lollipop now available. Summer is rushing by and the Autumn flowering Cyclamen hederifolium are just about ready with the some bud and flower already on show. Lots more growth and flower to come.

Premium variety Tiarella Pink Skyrocket are ready with attractive foliage and now also in bud and flower. Fresh batches of the summer and autumn flowering mini garden Chrysanthemums are coming into bud. Lovely foliage plants on show with Ajuga and Euphorbia displaying nicely. The more classic Aster varieties are coming on strong now, after all the new early Alpha range has sold out. Most are now coming into bud ready for their late summer and autumn display.

Anemone japonica back on the list as summer slips by. Some Bergenia varieties have a late flower flush as is the case with Fire and Ice with its white flowers and red stems. Summer colour is still there with the Gaura Rosy Jane with it's bicolour flowers and the lovely delicate white of Whirling Butterflies. New range for this year is the Helenium Hayday series, Strong and compact and still showing good colour and bud.

Armeria Dreameria series of long season flowering Armerias are still showing plenty of colour with loads more to come. No white this year but a series of three pretty different pinks making a delightful show. Leucanthemum La Creme and La Grande are in strong bud now with flowers open on many. The Balloon Flower Platycodon Twinkle Blue and Twinkle White are now well into bud with the odd flash of colour.

 Best wishes from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.