Hairy Jive

Hi. 

Another lovely week with plenty of showers although possibly a bit cool at times. Next week down here looks a cracker with drier conditions, more sun but temperatures still sensible rather than silly. Our single biggest young plant delivery of the year pitched up this morning, all looking strong and healthy. Most of it is for next spring although hopefully we may get a few out by the autumn. It has taken me most of the day to unpack it, give a few varieties a trim, put them down in the right place and check it all off. There are a few new varieties in there which will be interesting to see how they do, and best of all out of 396 trays only 5 still had some peat in them, so nearly all will be available to our National Trust and RHS sites. We definitely missed out on a few sales this winter with only a couple of varieties of our Helleborus being propagated in peat-free modules, but this time they are all peat-free. We have had notification of the date when our electric van will be finished, only a couple of weeks to go. We will then need to do a bit of tinkering at our end with registration numbers and one or two internal tweaks and then we will be ready to roll, using plenty of our home-produced energy to deliver our plastic free plants. Another big step forwards.  

We are installing a couple of new 3 phase 23 Kw chargers to supplement our existing one, in a position on the nursery that can serve two vans at a time, but the knock-on effect of a delay in our generator replacement means they won’t be operational in time for the van delivery. For the first few weeks we will have to block the farm track in order to reach the existing charger which isn’t ideal as they rapidly approach harvest time. One day one of my master plans will come together. As well as having a busy sales week, which always perks everyone up (we haven’t been perked much so far this spring!) 

I’ve had a brilliant time getting away from the nursery and onto the jive dancefloor! Last Saturday was one of Danny’s (our young good-looking driver) big events at the Winchester Guildhall, 3 dance floors and a D-Day themed Ball. There was a 16-piece 1940’s big band in the main-hall with most people dressing for the occasion. 4 hours of solid dancing is certainly a good way to keep fit, have a laugh and take your mind off everything else. By midnight I could barely walk back to the car.  That was followed by more moves in Basingstoke on Monday and Winchester again on Tuesday, My legs don’t know what’s hit them. 

Social media on trend I believe there might be a little video clip of the current batches of strawberry on Instagram. To find our Instagram content try our username @thehairypotplantcompany  or use the link below; https://www.instagram.com/thehairypotplantcompany?igsh=MXhhMGxhcjgzNGYydA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

Availability list. 

Plant growth is rampant, the plants are loving the cooler temperatures and wetter conditions. Lots of bud and plenty of colour. Small and compact the Lewisia Elise have plenty of bud already and will flower all summer long. The ever-popular Erigeron karv. Stallone has loads of bud and flower, ready for a summer full of pretty little daisy flowers. Compact varieties of Achillea Milly Rock are looking great, chunky stock with plenty of flower shoots appearing. The pretty Foam Flower Tiarella wherrii are now in flower and bud We already have several Asters in bud this week, which are usually something we associate with late summer!  

The early summer flowering Allium Millenium is now producing bud. It’s a cracker, much tidier foliage and habit than the spring flowering Alliums, and it flowers for longer too. There are some cracking Verbena’s ready to go. Don’t miss out on these very popular lines Nice chunky Lupins have the first of multiple buds appearing, They should flower for ages. Coreopsis are now in bud in a great range of colours. Summer must be here with bud on several of the Agapanthus varieties. Quite a few Leucanthemum in bud now, the first of many flowers to come. We have a few Scabiosa in bud, more to follow, another long flowering summer star. Garden Pinks (Dianthus) are back in bud again after recovering from our ever-hungry rampaging hares. The super popular Nemesia Wisley Vanilla is back on the list and there are follow-on batches coming too.  

More summer stars are coming out now with bud appearing on the Gaura, Bidens and the too are now showing plenty of bud and now a bit of colour too. Oxalis triangularis is back on the list and in bud, after we took it off due to some frost damage on the leaf edges, just short time ago. We cut them back to compost and there now back on show again, looking grand. Phlox paniculata varieties are showing bud on super strong stems, get them quick before they go. 

Herb sales seem to be booming this spring; it must be all that healthy home cooking we are being encouraged to do. Lots of stock is coming through nicely now and even the more tender herbs like Basil are now making their springtime appearance. Strawberries are looking great, especially the those showing colour. Tarragon is back and the Mints have recovered too. 

Best wishes from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries.