Hairy and electric

Hi. 

Just how much fun can we fit into one week?

After the terminal diagnosis on our oldest van last week, this week started positively with an order placed and deposit paid, for a new Renault electric delivery van from Maxi-Mover. A low loader box van with a loading ramp, very much like our existing 3.5T van fleet, but with a GVW of 4 tonnes rather than 3.5. New rules mean that we can still drive it on a standard drivers license and later this year we won’t need to use the tachograph either. There will still be a speed limiter involved, but that should help with energy efficiency and reduce potential speeding tickets, even if it may frustrate some drivers! With a workable 200 mile range per full charge, we should be able to deliver over a decent area while keeping costs in check. With all the excess power we are generating here, the first 200 miles each day will be very cheap, although any extra mileage on top of that will not be. I suspect there will be a bit of range and charging anxiety among the drivers initially, but we will get them to test plenty of fast charging points around our normal delivery routes, so they get used to where is easiest to charge up. They only need to stop for a few minutes to test them out and we will only need enough fast charging to get back to base each day, so we can maximise the use of our cheaper power. Hopefully they will quickly pick up confidence in its use. The way diesel costs are now it might not be too long before we need another. Delivery before the end of May with luck. 

So, having bought an electric van on Monday what is bound to happen on Tuesday? The nursery electric system throws its toys out of the pram. 3.30pm a lorry arrives and turns in the yard, at the same time our 20T hydraulic press we use for punching out labels starts to smell and then smoke. It wasn’t running, but I unplugged it anyway, assuming the motor had just burnt out. Bit cross about that but started the process of contacting the supplier for help. Next morning we noticed that parts of the nursery were without power. Checked the meter shed for tripped circuits etc, all ok, but did spot that one of the phase lights on the main incoming power SSE fuse box was out. Phoned our electrician, yes, this is a big problem, turn everything off and call SSE to report a grid fault. Barely had we put the phone down when the first of four repair vans turn up to help us out. They quickly identified that a fuse had blown on our transformer on the other side of the field, so they popped over there to put in a fresh one. On returning to the nursery we were asked to turn all our circuits back on, all went well until the solar went on and that instantly blew the fuse again Ooops. After several more tests, with the power going on and off and more fuses replaced, over most of the morning, it was confirmed that the solar was faulty. Naturally I assumed there was something wrong with the solar control gear, but was advised to call in our local electrician to do a few more tests before calling in the solar installers. Good job we did as he found that the fault was in our massive 200m underground cable that runs from the panels to the shed. Somehow it has been damaged, but we have no idea where. Suspecting the lorry turning in the yard may have done something we got in the farm JCB to dig up the cable in the yard to see if there was any obvious damage. Not a mark on it, so now the electrician is hiring a bit of very expensive kit that should be able to tell the distance down the cable where the problem is, so we can dig in the right spot and hopefully repair the cable. So, no solar output now and no battery back up either, until all is resolved. One bit of good news was the hydraulic press was checked over and was fine again once all 3 phases were working at the correct voltage. 

First swallows spotted on the nursery last weekend and another sighting today, now that is a real reason for joy and hope. 

Social media on trend! Take a look and see what is going down with the kids! To find our Instagram content, 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. 

Summer is on the way with our first batch of one of our best sellers Nemesia Wisley Vanilla now listed.  We also have a few early Salvia Embers Wish and Kisses and Wishes (Love & Wishes too follow soon), but do beware that they are not fully hardy and can be damaged by frost. A few hardy Geraniums are starting some flower activity. Sabini Blue is a superb blue, and the dark purple flowered phaeum Samabor are shooting flower stems nicely above it’s dark blotched leaves. We have some lovely bushy Geranium nodosum with bud too, it’s pretty if not a showstopper, but it makes fabulous groundcover especially in shady positions. Camassia are all now active, showing strong chunky buds. The blue Maybelle is the best, usually multi-stemmed and slightly more compact than others. Polemonium Heaven Scent are looking great, bushy bronzed bushy foliage with tight bud just opening. Not many left. Erysimum Bowles Mauve are showing strong bud and colour. Not huge numbers left, but the follow-on batches of other varieties are also ready to go, but with bud only just beginning to appear. And finally, many 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. D