Hairy comfort

Hi.

Caroline and I are leaving Greg in charge as we swan off for a couple of days away, which we are really, really looking forward to. Hoping the Cornish seas are calm as we travel to the Scilly Isles for, walking, good food, great music and possibly the odd tipple. Looks like we have timed it perfectly for the arrival of Storm Amy! It has happened before, a few years ago, when we got stuck over there due to bad weather. There are worse places to get stranded. Relatively normal or even better service will continue in our absence so don't hold back in getting in touch.

Made the most of the calm and warm weather this week by re-cladding 3 poly-tunnels which had split over the summer. It was perfect weather and they went on beautifully with hardly a moments drama. Usually the moment we unroll a sheet the wind gets up and it all gets a bit too exciting for my liking. Unfortunately we noticed another two had split during the recent cooler nights which tightens the sheets resulting in the oldest ones splitting. Two extra sheets ordered but didn't arrive in time to get them on so we will have to wait with crossed fingers for some more favourable weather.

The last coir pot delivery came this week, another full container stuffed into the barn alongside the 10 pallets of recycled wool capillary matting ordered for cutting up and inserting in the wooden marketing trays next season. Naturally everything arrived at once, together with a visitor booked in for a tour of the nursery. At least we looked really busy for the visitors arrival!

This is our financial end of year so it's out with the clipboards for mass counting and recording what is out there. A general pain to complete, but is pretty vital in planning the coming season. We can see exactly what plants are on the ground and which labels are left in stock, then more accurately order modules for the spring and most importantly decide on plant label quantities for the whole of the next year. Without it expenditure and stock levels can get even more out of control than it already is. I'm leaving most of the plant stock-take to a small team to do over the next couple of days while we are away. A happy coincidence of timing.

Slightly distracted with my shortened week, too much to prepare before departing early tomorrow and too many other distractions. A long opticians appointment this morning relieved the credit card of most of its contents, although the news was overall good for 'someone of my age'. Am I supposed to be reassured by that or offended? Need some replacement reading glasses but that's not a worry, I never manage to find much time for reading anything other than a computer screen anyway. Did a bit of last minute online holiday purchasing, getting a couple of new shirts in the sale. Picked the 'long' fitting hoping to avoid untucking while dancing, this turned out to be a mistake. Everything was perfect except the sleeves were much wider where they fitted to the body. Fine while your arms were down but when lifted the whole body of the shirt lifts like stage curtain revealing a heap of stuff best left under wraps. They've gone back and I'm left with a rather ragged collection of old favourites, but that does mean comfort will rule on this short break.

Wooden box collecting has started

We are already well underway collecting up our reusable wooden boxes ready for cleaning, drying and repair if needed, before they go into winter storage. If you have any ready to go just drop us a line and we will pick them up when next in your area. It may take a week or two to get round but we will get there eventually. We try to put together a good number of collections on each trip as it is always painful sending out the van without any paying cargo, but each tray does cost £10 to replace so it does pay for us to make the effort.

Availability list.

Get ready for late winter flowers by planting our Helleborus range now. Just added a whole heap of different coloured. Helleborus orientalis varieties. Christmas Carol is showing some bud already. Autumn flowering Cyclamen hederifolium is showing great colour. Just a few White left but still looking great. The follow up Cyclamen coum is coming on quickly. A winter and spring flowering form there can't be far from flowering now, the plant frame is there, just waiting for the colour to appear..

Liriope muscari is now showing plenty of flowers so summer must be passing quick. Best we have ever had. Two tone foliage of Tiarella Pink Skyrocket looks very smart, buds are just beginning to show themselves. Lovely new batch of Verbena bonariensis (fairly short), now in bud. The Salvia Lip's series and Salvito's are still going strong, we keep giving batches a trim to strengthen them up and keep them from getting too tall and they just keep bouncing back.

The more standard classic varieties of Aster varieties are now showing bud and open flower. A fab range of the compact Helenium Hay Day series are budding well now, with colour showing. 

Take care, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.