Hairy Easter prep

Hi.

Weather was not quite as sweet this week, but it looks like picking up again as we move towards Easter. Sales in the sunnier conditions went a bit nuts, we only had one busier week last year, so it was all hands to the pumps. With one day to go it looks like all the orders should get to their destinations ok and fingers crossed next week works out ok too. As you may have noticed it’s pre-Easter week next week and likely to be super busy again. With luck we have got a few sites already sorted, but if the weekend sales are buoyant, we will be pushed very hard. We will try our best to get all orders delivered before Good Friday, but we are very likely to have to make a few drops on the Friday. There just aren’t enough vans, drivers, trolleys and hours to guarantee getting it done without that last day in the week. Most retail sites are closed on Easter Sunday so it’s not quite as manic as the old days, when it was often a bonanza weekend. I can remember making the odd Bank Holiday Monday emergency delivery to local centres who had sold out on Easter Sunday. Those where the days, plenty of youthful enthusiastic energy, whatever happened to all that bounce and excitement? 

The week after is another short week too, but hopefully it works a little better, because we will be on the nursery on the Bank Holiday Monday doing some order preparations ready to leave through the gate early on the Tuesday. With a potting team in on the Good Friday, trying to get stock back on the beds, it’s going to be a nice relaxing time over the next couple of weeks. They tell me this is a lifestyle choice! We are desperately hoping the war in the far east doesn’t mess things up for too long, fuel costs are going crazy and it is making some people a bit jumpy about it’s affect on the economy. It has certainly messed up our pensions, so no retirement for a while yet. I have just ordered 6 pallets of special peat-free seed sowing compost from Holland this week, after testing out multiple mixes in our rigid refillable module trays over the last 15 months. Despite multiple attempts to get the mix right we have had to pick the best of the bunch tried so far, which I reckon is 90% right, and naturally it is the most expensive mix on offer and only available as a minimum 6 pallet order. The specialist producer does say that it is absolutely the best mix available for seed sowing and used by a big European young plant grower. It works out at 10 Euros per 45li bag, which I suspect is more than many of you are retailing your mixes at. 30% of that cost is the transport to get it here, such is the rise in fuel costs. To be fair it did outperform all the other professional mixes by a country mile, so it should be worth it.  

Another import arriving soon is our next container of pots. Coming all the way from Sri-Lanka it can be a bit of a lottery as to if and when the next one will arrive. Luckily this one seems to have skirted around the sea transport troubles and got through as planned, just about on schedule. I have yet to see the transport bill but hopefully they filled up before the fuel rises. The pots are obviously hugely ‘mission critical’ to a Hairy Pot Plant Company, so we do hold onto quite a stockpile of pots, just in case, in fact there is nearly a whole barn full of boxes. It dents the cashflow, but we would be stuffed without them. 

Social media update The new young folk here have rekindled our Instagram account which we dallied with during the Covid era. Apparently, it has been ticking along quietly without any input from my end, but now there are new images being posted each week showing some of the current goodies out there on the nursery. There may possibly be a few other nuggets on there too, so take a peek and see what is going on. To find it, I am told you can try our user name @thehairypotplantcompany  or use the link below; https://www.instagram.com/thehairypotplantcompany?igsh=MXhhMGxhcjgzNGYydA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

Availability list. 

The very popular Anemone blanda have sprung into action. Plenty of fresh growth, bud and flower with Blue shades and White Splendour currently available. Most of the Alliums are showing early bud, but you will need to be quick while the foliage still looks ok. It’s fab in the border but can be a bit of a menace in a pot! A herald of springtime is Brunnera, the lovely blue perennial Forget me Not. Just the green leaved form left now, and they have early flower bud hovering among the freshly emerging foliage. Polemonium Heaven Scent are looking great, bushy bronzed bushy foliage with tight bud just appearing. All of the Ipheion varieties now have buds and a bit of colour. Ground hugging foliage and short flower stems.  Pulmonaria varieties are in bud and showing colour with more on the way. Camassia are all now beginning to bud showing strong chunky buds. Most Erysimum varieties are already showing bud and the odd flash of colour. Cowslip (P.veris) think it’s springtime with expanding foliage, bud and a touch of colour. The first thing the Pulsatilla does in the spring is throw up their first flower buds, even before the leaves come. And finally, the first Hosta’s have put in an appearance. Always a precursor to Spring proper, they are up and away. 

Best wishes from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.